Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. () is an Italian brand and manufacturer of luxury
sports car
A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
s and
SUV
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon definiti ...
s based in
Sant'Agata Bolognese
Sant'Agata Bolognese ( Western Bolognese: ; City Bolognese: ) is a small ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, in the north of Italy. It is notable for being the headquarters of the luxury automobile manufacturer Automobi ...
. The company is owned by the
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...
through its subsidiary
Audi
Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
Th ...
.
Ferruccio Lamborghini
Ferruccio Lamborghini (; 28 April 1916 – 20 February 1993) was an Italian automobile designer, inventor, mechanic, engineer, winemaker, industrialist and businessman who created Automobili Lamborghini in 1963, a maker of high-end sports cars ...
(1916–1993), an Italian
manufacturing magnate, founded Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini S.p.A. in 1963 to compete with
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
. The company was noted for using a
rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. Lamborghini grew rapidly during its first decade, but sales plunged in the wake of the
1973 worldwide financial downturn and the
oil crisis. The firm's ownership changed three times after 1973, including a bankruptcy in 1978. American
Chrysler Corporation
Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
took control of Lamborghini in 1987 and sold it to Malaysian investment group Mycom Setdco and Indonesian group V'Power Corporation in 1994. In 1998, Mycom Setdco and V'Power sold Lamborghini to the Volkswagen Group where it was placed under the control of the group's Audi division.
New products and model lines were introduced to the brand's portfolio and brought to the market and saw an increased productivity for the brand. In the late 2000s, during the
worldwide financial crisis and the subsequent economic crisis, Lamborghini's sales saw a drop of nearly 50 per cent.
Lamborghini currently produces the V12-powered
Aventador
The Lamborghini Aventador () is a mid-engine sportscar produced by the Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini. In keeping with Lamborghini tradition, the Aventador is named after a Spanish fighting bull that fought in Zaragoza, Aragón in ...
and the V10-powered
Huracán
Huracan (; es, Huracán; myn, Hunraqan, "one legged"), often referred to as ''U Kʼux Kaj'', the "Heart of Sky", is a Kʼicheʼ people, Kʼicheʼ Maya mythology, Maya god of wind, storm, fire and one of the creator deities who participated in ...
, along with the
Urus SUV powered by a
twin-turbo
Twin-turbo (not to be confused with a twincharger setup, which is a combination of a supercharger and a turbocharger) refers to an engine in which two turbochargers work in tandem to compress the intake fuel/air mixture (or intake air, in the case ...
V8 engine
A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and us ...
. In addition, the company produces
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a twelve-cylinder piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more common than V10 engines. However, they are less common than V8 engines.
The fi ...
s for
offshore powerboat racing
Offshore powerboat racing is a type of racing by ocean-going powerboats, typically point-to-point racing.
In most of the world, offshore powerboat racing is led by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM) regulated Class 1 and Powerboat P1. ...
.
Lamborghini Trattori
Lamborghini Trattori is an Italian agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company designs and builds tractors. It was founded in 1948 in Cento, Italy by Ferruccio Lamborghini, who later went on to establish Automobili Lamborghini. In 1963, it ...
, founded in 1948 by Ferruccio Lamborghini, is headquartered in
Pieve di Cento
Pieve di Cento ( Bolognese: ; "parish of Cento") is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about north of Bologna.
History
The origins of the town date back to the upper m ...
, Italy and continues to produce
tractor
A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or construction. Most common ...
s. Since 1973, Lamborghini Trattori has been a separate entity from the automobile manufacturer.
History
![Ferruccio lamborghini](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Ferruccio_Lamborghini.jpg)
Manufacturing magnate Italian
Ferruccio Lamborghini
Ferruccio Lamborghini (; 28 April 1916 – 20 February 1993) was an Italian automobile designer, inventor, mechanic, engineer, winemaker, industrialist and businessman who created Automobili Lamborghini in 1963, a maker of high-end sports cars ...
founded the company in 1963 with the objective of producing a refined
grand touring car to compete with offerings from established marques such as
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...
. The company's first models, such as the
350 GT, were released in the mid-1960s. Lamborghini was noted for the 1966
Miura sports
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
, which used a
rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout.
Lamborghini grew rapidly during its first ten years, but sales fell in the wake of the
1973 worldwide financial downturn and the
oil crisis. Ferruccio Lamborghini sold the company to Georges-Henri Rossetti and René Leimer and retired in 1974. The company went bankrupt in 1978, and was placed in the receivership of brothers Jean-Claude and
Patrick Mimran
Patrick Mimran (born 1956 in Paris, France) is a contemporary French multimedia artist, composer, and the former CEO of Lamborghini. He is most widely known for Lamborghini's turn-around in the early 1980s and his art exhibit, "The Billboard Proje ...
in 1980. The Mimrans purchased the company out of receivership by 1984 and invested heavily in its expansion. Under the Mimrans' management, Lamborghini's model line was expanded from the
Countach to include the
Jalpa sports car and the
LM002 high-performance off-road vehicle.
The Mimrans sold Lamborghini to the
Chrysler Corporation
Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
in 1987. After replacing the Countach with the
Diablo and discontinuing the Jalpa and the LM002, Chrysler sold Lamborghini to Malaysian investment group Mycom Setdco and Indonesian group V'Power Corporation in 1994. In 1998, Mycom Setdco and V'Power sold Lamborghini to the
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...
where it was placed under the control of the group's
Audi
Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
Th ...
division. New products and model lines were introduced to the brand's portfolio and brought to the market and saw an increased productivity for the brand Lamborghini. In the late 2000s, during the
worldwide financial crisis and the subsequent economic crisis, Lamborghini's sales saw a drop of nearly 50 per cent.
In 2021, the CEO of Lamborghini said that by 2024 all its models will be hybrid.
Products
Automobiles
As of the 2018 model year, Lamborghini's automobile product range consists of three model lines, two of which are mid-engine two-seat sports cars while the third one is a front engined, all-wheel drive SUV.
Models in production
* Aventador
![Lamborghini Aventador S coupe IMG 2926](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Lamborghini_Aventador_S_coupe_IMG_2926.jpg)
The current V12-powered Aventador production line consists of the LP 740–4 Aventador
Ultimate
Ultimate or Ultimates may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums
* ''Ultimate'' (Jolin Tsai album)
* ''Ultimate'' (Pet Shop Boys album)
*''Ultimate!'', an album by The Yardbirds
*''The Ultimate (Bryan Adams Album)'', a compilatio ...
and
SVJ coupés and roadsters and it is said that the production of all Aventador models will end in 2022.
* Huracán
![Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder IMG 2644](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Lamborghini_Huracan_LP_610-4_Spyder_IMG_2644.jpg)
The V10-powered Huracán line currently includes the all-wheel-drive LP 610-4 coupé and Spyder, the low cost rear-wheel-drive LP 580-2 coupé and Spyder and the most powerful, track oriented LP 640-4 Performanté coupé and Spyder.
* Urus
![Lamborghini Urus IMG 2640](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Lamborghini_Urus_IMG_2640.jpg)
With the intention of doubling its sales volume by 2019, Lamborghini also added an SUV named Urus in its line-up which is powered by a
twin-turbo
Twin-turbo (not to be confused with a twincharger setup, which is a combination of a supercharger and a turbocharger) refers to an engine in which two turbochargers work in tandem to compress the intake fuel/air mixture (or intake air, in the case ...
V8 engine
A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and us ...
and utilises a front engine, all-wheel drive layout.
Marine engines
Motori Marini Lamborghini produces a large V12 marine engine block for use in
World Offshore Series Class 1 powerboats. A Lamborghini branded marine engine displaces approximately and outputs approximately .
Lamborghini motorcycle
In the mid-1980s, Lamborghini produced a limited-production run of a
sports
Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...
motorcycle. UK weekly newspaper ''
Motor Cycle News
''MCN'' or ''Motor Cycle News'' is a UK weekly Motorcycle, motorcycling newspaper published by Bauer Verlagsgruppe, Bauer Consumer Media, based in Peterborough, United Kingdom. It claims to be "the world’s biggest weekly motorcycle newspape ...
'' reported in 1994 – when featuring an example available through an
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
motorcycle retailer – that 24 examples were produced with a Lamborghini
alloy
An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, ...
frame having
adjustable steering head angle,
Kawasaki GPz1000RX
The Kawasaki GPZ1000RX (Ninja 1000R, model designation ZXT00A) was a motorcycle made by Kawasaki from 1986 to 1988. It had a four-cylinder, 16-valve, twin cam engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms ...
engine/transmission unit,
Ceriani
Ceriani, formerly Arces, was an Italian company that designed and fabricated motorcycle frames and suspensions. The company was founded by Arturo Ceriani in 1951. Arces is an acronym derived from Arturo Ceriani S.r.l.
In the European motorcycl ...
front forks and Marvic wheels. The bodywork was
plastic
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...
and fully integrated with
front fairing merged into fuel tank and seat cover ending in a rear tail-fairing. The motorcycles were designed by Lamborghini stylists and produced by French business Boxer Bikes.
['']Motor Cycle News
''MCN'' or ''Motor Cycle News'' is a UK weekly Motorcycle, motorcycling newspaper published by Bauer Verlagsgruppe, Bauer Consumer Media, based in Peterborough, United Kingdom. It claims to be "the world’s biggest weekly motorcycle newspape ...
'' 23 March 1994 p. 5 ''Car-vaceous Lamborghini up for sale.'' Accessed and added 7 October 2014
Branded merchandise
Lamborghini licenses its brand to manufacturers that produce a variety of Lamborghini-branded consumer goods including scale models, clothing, accessories, bags, electronics
and laptop computers.
File:Musée Lamborghini 0071.JPG, L900 marine engine
Motorsport
Automobiles produced
Lamborghini Motorsport Division Squadra Corse produces GT3 cars and cars for their Super Trofeo events based on the
Gallardo Gallardo is a Spanish derivation of the French name "Gaillard" and may refer to:
People
Notable people with the surname include:
Juan gallardo grimaldo 1738
*Almudena Gallardo (born 1979), Spanish archer, Olympic competitor
*Ángel Gallardo (ci ...
and
Huracán
Huracan (; es, Huracán; myn, Hunraqan, "one legged"), often referred to as ''U Kʼux Kaj'', the "Heart of Sky", is a Kʼicheʼ people, Kʼicheʼ Maya mythology, Maya god of wind, storm, fire and one of the creator deities who participated in ...
. Apart from them, the Squadra Corse builds cars upon customer request.
GT3 and Super Trofeo Cars
*
Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Gallardo is a Spanish derivation of the French language, French name "Gaillard" and may refer to:
People
Notable people with the surname include:
Juan gallardo grimaldo 1738
*Almudena Gallardo (born 1979), Spanish archer, Olympic competitor
*Án ...
*
Gallardo LP 560-4 Super Trofeo
*
Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo EVO
*
Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo EVO2
*
Huracán Super Trofeo GT2
*
Huracán GT3
*
Huracán GT3 Evo
*
Huracán GT3 Evo 2
Special cars
These cars were built by Squadra Corse upon customer request.
*
Essenza SCV12
*
SC18 Alston
*
SC20
Events held
Lamborghini Super Trofeo
![Erik Mayrink - Lamborghini Super Trofeo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Erik_Mayrink_-_Lamborghini_Super_Trofeo.jpg)
The Super Trofeo is a series of Motorsport events held by Squadra corse using their Super Trofeo model vehicles (currently the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO) which are racing versions of the road-approved models (
Huracán
Huracan (; es, Huracán; myn, Hunraqan, "one legged"), often referred to as ''U Kʼux Kaj'', the "Heart of Sky", is a Kʼicheʼ people, Kʼicheʼ Maya mythology, Maya god of wind, storm, fire and one of the creator deities who participated in ...
and
Gallardo Gallardo is a Spanish derivation of the French name "Gaillard" and may refer to:
People
Notable people with the surname include:
Juan gallardo grimaldo 1738
*Almudena Gallardo (born 1979), Spanish archer, Olympic competitor
*Ángel Gallardo (ci ...
models).
The Super Trofeo events are held in three different series, in three continents: America, Asia and Europe. Many private race team participate each of these events.
Every series consists of six rounds, each of which feature free practice sessions, qualifying and two races lasting 50 minutes each. There are four categories of drivers: Pro, Pro-Am, Am and Lamborghini Cup. The season ends in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final.
Lamborghini GT3
![Lamborghini Huracan GT3-Team Konrad Motorsport (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Lamborghini_Huracan_GT3-Team_Konrad_Motorsport_%282%29.jpg)
The Lamborghini GT3 is a series of Motorsport events held by The Squadra Corse using
Huracán GT3 cars that comply with the FIA
GT3 regulations. The racing event is open to any Huracán GT3 customer.
Lamborghini currently uses Huracán GT3 Evo cars for these events and more than 60 private race teams participate these events.
Current factory drivers
GT3 factory drivers
GT3 junior program
Young drivers program
Lamborghini F1 career
![Lamborghini miura svj spider 4808](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Lamborghini_miura_svj_spider_4808.jpg)
In contrast to his rival
Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Anselmo Giuseppe Maria Ferrari (; 20 February 1898 – 14 August 1988) was an Italians, Italian motor racing driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari ...
, Ferruccio Lamborghini had decided early on that there would be no factory-supported racing of Lamborghinis, viewing motorsport as too expensive and too draining on company resources. This was unusual for the time, as many sports car manufacturers sought to demonstrate speed, reliability, and technical superiority through motorsport participation. Enzo Ferrari in particular was known for considering his road car business mostly a source of funding for his participation in motor racing. Ferruccio's policy led to tensions between him and his engineers, many of whom were racing enthusiasts; some had previously worked at Ferrari. When Dallara, Stanzani, and Wallace began dedicating their spare time to the development of the P400 prototype, they designed it to be a road car with racing potential, one that could win on the track and also be driven on the road by enthusiasts. When Ferruccio discovered the project, he allowed them to go ahead, seeing it as a potential marketing device for the company, while insisting that it would not be raced. The P400 went on to become the Miura. The closest the company came to building a true race car under Lamborghini's supervision were a few highly modified prototypes, including those built by factory test driver
Bob Wallace, such as the Miura SV-based "Jota" and the Jarama S-based "Bob Wallace Special".
In the mid-1970s, while Lamborghini was under the management of Georges-Henri Rossetti, Lamborghini entered into an agreement with
BMW to develop, then manufacture 400 cars for BMW in order to meet
Group 4 Group 4 may refer to:
*Group 4 element, chemical element classification
* Group 4 (racing), classification for cars in auto racing and rallying
*G4S, formerly Group 4 Securicor, a prominent British security company
*IB Group 4 subjects, subject gro ...
homologation
Homologation (Greek ''homologeo'', ὁμολογέω, "to agree") is the granting of approval by an official authority. This may be a court of law, a government department, or an academic or professional body, any of which would normally work fr ...
requirements. BMW lacked experience developing a mid-engined vehicle and believed that Lamborghini's experience in that area would make Lamborghini an ideal choice of partner. Due to Lamborghini's shaky finances, Lamborghini fell behind schedule developing the car's structure and running gear. When Lamborghini failed to deliver working prototypes on time, BMW took the program in house, finishing development without Lamborghini. BMW contracted with
Baur Baur can refer to:
People
* A. C. Baur (1900–1931), American football player and stock broker
* Alfred Baur, Swiss collector of Asian art
* Eleonore Baur, only woman to participate in Munich Beer Hall Putsch
* Erwin Baur, German geneticist and b ...
to produce the car, which BMW named the
M1, delivering the first vehicle in October 1978.
In 1985, Lamborghini's British importer developed the
Countach QVX, in conjunction with
Spice Engineering
Spice Engineering was a British racing team founded by driver Gordon Spice with Raymond Bellm in the early 1980s, later becoming a successful sports car constructor in 1986. They competed in the World Sportscar Championship in Europe as well as ...
, for the 1986
Group C
Group C was a category of sports car racing introduced by the FIA in 1982 and continuing until 1993, with ''Group A'' for touring cars and ''Group B'' for GTs.
It was designed to replace both Group 5 special production cars (closed top touri ...
championship season. One car was built, but lack of sponsorship caused it to miss the season. The QVX competed in only one race, the non-championship 1986 Southern Suns 500 km race at
Kyalami
Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit (from ''Khaya lami'', ''My home'' in Zulu) is a motor racing circuit located in Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa, just north of Johannesburg. The circuit has been used for Grand Prix and Formula One races and has ho ...
in South Africa, driven by
Tiff Needell
Timothy "Tiff" Needell (born 29 October 1951 in Havant, Hampshire) is a British racing driver and television presenter. He is a presenter of '' Lovecars'', and formerly served as co-presenter of ''Top Gear'' and ''Fifth Gear''.
Biography
Need ...
. Despite the car finishing better than it started, sponsorship could once again not be found and the programme was cancelled.
![Lotus-Lamborghini 102](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Lotus-Lamborghini_102.jpg)
Lamborghini was an engine supplier in
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
for the
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
through
1993 Formula One season
The 1993 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 47th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1993 Formula One World Championship for Drivers and the 1993 Formula One World Championship for Constructors, which were contest ...
s. It supplied engines to
Larrousse
Larrousse Formula One was a motorsports racing team founded in 1987 by Didier Calmels and former racer Gérard Larrousse, originally under the name Larrousse & Calmels. It was based in Antony, in the southern suburbs of Paris. It was renamed La ...
(1989–1990, 1992–1993),
Lotus (1990),
Ligier
Ligier (() is a French automobile and minibus maker created by former racing driver and rugby player Guy Ligier (1930–2015), specialized in the manufacturing of microcars.
Ligier is best known for its involvement in the Formula 1 World Champio ...
(1991),
Minardi
Minardi was an Italian automobile racing team and constructor founded in Faenza in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal followin ...
(1992), and to the
Modena
Modena (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language#Dialects, Modenese, Mòdna ; ett, Mutna; la, Mutina) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern I ...
team in 1991. While the latter is commonly referred to as a factory team, the company saw itself as a supplier, not a backer. The 1992 Larrousse–Lamborghini was largely uncompetitive but noteworthy in its tendency to spew oil from its exhaust system. Cars following closely behind the Larrousse were commonly coloured yellowish-brown by the end of the race. Lamborghini's best result was achieved with Larrousse at the
1990 Japanese Grand Prix, when
Aguri Suzuki
Aguri may refer to:
*Aguri (caste), Bengali Hindu agricultural caste in India
*Aguri Igarashi (born 1975), female manga artist from Japan
* Aguri Suzuki (born 1960), former racing driver from Japan
**Aguri Suzuki F-1 Super Driving, Formula One si ...
finished third on home soil.
In late 1991, a Lamborghini Formula One motor was used in the
Konrad KM-011
{{Racing car ,
Image = ,
Category = Sports car racing ,
Car_name = Konrad KM-011 ,
Constructor = Konrad Motorsport ,
Team = Konrad Motorsport ,
Designer = {{flagicon, Austria Franz Konrad ,
Drivers = {{flagicon, Austria F ...
Group C
Group C was a category of sports car racing introduced by the FIA in 1982 and continuing until 1993, with ''Group A'' for touring cars and ''Group B'' for GTs.
It was designed to replace both Group 5 special production cars (closed top touri ...
sports car, but the car only lasted a few races before the project was cancelled. The same engine, re-badged a
Chrysler
Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
, Lamborghini's then-parent company, was tested by
McLaren
McLaren Racing Limited is a British motor racing team based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor, the second oldest active team, and the second most successful Formul ...
towards the end of the 1993 season, with the intent of using it during the
1994 season. Although driver
Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva (; 21 March 1960 – 1 May 1994) was a Brazilian racing driver who won the Formula One List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions, World Drivers' Championship in , , and . Senna is one of three Formula One drivers fro ...
was reportedly impressed with the engine's performance, McLaren pulled out of negotiations, choosing a
Peugeot
Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis.
The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
engine instead, and Chrysler ended the project.
![Reiter Lambo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Reiter_Lambo.jpg)
Two racing versions of the Diablo were built for the Diablo Supertrophy, a single-model racing series held annually from 1996 to 1999. In the first year, the model used in the series was the Diablo SVR, while the Diablo 6.0 GTR was used for the remaining three years. Lamborghini developed the Murciélago R-GT as a production racing car to compete in the
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO) at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout ...
, the
Super GT
Super GT (stylized as SUPER GT) is a grand touring car racing series that began in 1993. Launched as the , generally referred to as either the JGTC or the All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship, the series was renamed to Super GT in 2005. It is ...
Championship and the
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consisted of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The American Le Mans' hea ...
in 2004. The car's highest placing in any race that year was the opening round of the FIA GT Championship at
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
, where the car entered by
Reiter Engineering
Reiter Engineering GmbH & Co Kg, commonly known simply as Reiter Engineering, is a German racing team and racing car manufacturer established in 2000 by motorsport engineer Hans Reiter.
Reiter was a partner of Lamborghini from 2000 to 2014, involv ...
finished third from a fifth-place start. In 2006, during the opening round of the Super GT championship at
Suzuka, a car run by the Japan Lamborghini Owners Club garnered the first victory (in class) by an R-GT. A
GT3 version of the Gallardo has been developed by
Reiter Engineering
Reiter Engineering GmbH & Co Kg, commonly known simply as Reiter Engineering, is a German racing team and racing car manufacturer established in 2000 by motorsport engineer Hans Reiter.
Reiter was a partner of Lamborghini from 2000 to 2014, involv ...
. A Murciélago R-GT entered by All-Inkl.com racing, driven by
Christophe Bouchut
Christophe Bouchut (born 24 September 1966 in Voiron, Isère) is a French professional racing driver. He currently competes in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, driving for Dexwet-df1 Racing and Alex Caffi Motorsport in a part-time effort. He won ...
and Stefan Mücke, won the opening round of the
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO) at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout ...
held at
Zhuhai International Circuit
Zhuhai International Circuit (ZIC) (simplified Chinese: 珠海国际赛车场; traditional Chinese: ) is located at Jin Ding town in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China.
Motorsport started in Zhuhai when it hosted a race on its street circ ...
, achieving the first major international race victory for Lamborghini.
Complete Formula One results
(
key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Common meanings
* Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm
* Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock
* Key (map ...
) (results in bold indicate pole position)
Marketing
Brand identity
![Lamborghini logotype](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Lamborghini_logotype.jpg)
The world of
bullfighting
Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations.
There are several variations, including some forms wh ...
is a key part of Lamborghini's identity. In 1962, Ferruccio Lamborghini visited the Seville ranch of
Don Eduardo Miura, a renowned breeder of
Spanish fighting bulls. Lamborghini, a
Taurus
Taurus is Latin for 'bull' and may refer to:
* Taurus (astrology), the astrological sign
* Taurus (constellation), one of the constellations of the zodiac
* Taurus (mythology), one of two Greek mythological characters named Taurus
* '' Bos tauru ...
himself, was so impressed by the majestic Miura animals that he decided to adopt a raging
bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions,
includin ...
as the
emblem
An emblem is an abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a king or saint.
Emblems vs. symbols
Although the words ''emblem'' and '' symbol'' are often use ...
for the automaker he would open shortly.
Vehicle nomenclature
After producing two cars with alphanumeric designations, Lamborghini once again turned to the bull breeder for inspiration. Don Eduardo was filled with pride when he learned that Ferruccio had named a car for his family and their line of bulls; the fourth Miura to be produced was unveiled to him at his ranch in Seville.
The automaker would continue to draw upon the bullfighting connection in future years. The
Islero
Islero was a Miura bull famed for killing the celebrated bullfighter Manolete on August 28, 1947. Bulls from the Miura ranch, located near Seville, Spain, are known for being large and ferocious.
Islero had poor eyesight and tended to chop with ...
was named for the
Miura bull
The Spanish Fighting Bull (Toro Bravo, ''toro de lidia'', ''toro lidiado'', ''ganado bravo'', ''Touro de Lide'') is an Iberian heterogeneous cattle population. It is exclusively bred free-range on extensive estates in Spain, Portugal, France an ...
that killed the famed
bullfighter
A bullfighter (or matador) is a performer in the activity of bullfighting. ''Torero'' () or ''toureiro'' (), both from Latin ''taurarius'', are the Spanish and Portuguese words for bullfighter and describe all the performers in the activit ...
Manolete
Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez (4 July 1917 – 29 August 1947), known as Manolete, was a Spanish bullfighter.
Career
Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez was the son of a bullfighter (who also went by the name Manolete) and his wife An ...
in 1947. ''Espada'' is the Spanish word for
sword
A sword is an edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter blade with a pointed ti ...
, sometimes used to refer to the bullfighter himself. The Jarama's name carried a special double meaning; though it was intended to refer only to the historic bullfighting region in Spain, Ferruccio was concerned about confusion with the also historic
Jarama motor racing track.
![Lamborghini Diablo SV and Countach](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Lamborghini_Diablo_SV_and_Countach.jpg)
After christening the
Urraco after a bull breed, in 1974, Lamborghini broke from tradition, naming the
Countach () not for a bull,
but for (), a
Piedmontese
Piedmontese (; autonym: or , in it, piemontese) is a language spoken by some 2,000,000 people mostly in Piedmont, northwestern region of Italy. Although considered by most linguists a separate language, in Italy it is often mistakenly regard ...
expletive.
Legend has it that stylist
Nuccio Bertone
Giuseppe Bertone, also called "Nuccio", (4 July 1914, in Turin – 26 February 1997, in Turin) was an automobile designer and constructor. He took over Carrozzeria Bertone from his father, Giovanni after World War II, growing the small business t ...
uttered the word in surprise when he first saw the Countach prototype, "Project 112". The LM002 (LM for Lamborghini Militaire) sport utility vehicle and the Silhouette (named after the popular racing category of the time) were other exceptions to the tradition.
The Jalpa of 1982 was named for a bull breed; Diablo, for the
Duke of Veragua
The Duchy of Veragua ( es, Ducado de Veragua) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain. It was also a Spanish hereditary domain created in 1537 in the reign of King Charles I in a small section of the territory of Veragua (''Gobernación ...
's ferocious bull famous for fighting an epic battle against El Chicorro in Madrid in 1869;
Murciélago
Murciélago (Spanish for "Bat") was a Navarra fighting bull, who gained fame after Lamborghini chose to name a supercar after him, to continue the passion for bullfighting Ferruccio Lamborghini, the company's founder, was famous for.
Accordi ...
, the legendary bull whose life was spared by El Lagartijo for his performance in 1879; Gallardo, named for one of the five ancestral castes of the Spanish fighting bull breed; and Reventón, the bull that defeated young Mexican ''torero'' Félix Guzmán in 1943. The
Estoque
The Lamborghini Estoque () is a one-off concept car built by Italian automobile manufacturer Lamborghini. Unlike almost all production Lamborghini models, which are mid-engine, two-seater sports cars, the Estoque is a four-door sedan.
Intro ...
concept of 2008 was named for the
estoc
The French estoc is a type of sword, also called a tuck in English, in use from the 14th to the 17th century. It is characterized by a cruciform hilt with a grip for two-handed use and a straight, edgeless, but sharply pointed blade of around to ...
, the sword traditionally used by matadors during bullfights.
Concept vehicles
Throughout its history, Lamborghini has envisioned and presented a variety of
concept cars
A concept car (also known as a concept vehicle, show vehicle or prototype) is a car made to showcase new styling and/or new technology. They are often exhibited at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or m ...
, beginning in 1963 with the very first Lamborghini prototype, the
350GTV. Other famous models include Bertone's 1967
Marzal, 1974
Bravo
Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels
*Bravo (band), a Russian rock band
* Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984
*Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing company ...
, and 1980
Athon
Mount Athos (; el, Ἄθως, ) is a mountain in the distal part of the eponymous Athos peninsula and site of an important centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism in northeastern Greece. The mountain along with the respective part of the penin ...
, Chrysler's 1987
Portofino
Portofino (; ) is a ''comune'' located in the Metropolitan City of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. The town is clustered around its small harbour, and is known for the colourfully painted buildings that line the shore. Since the late 19th century ...
, the
Italdesign
Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A. is a design and engineering company and brand based in Moncalieri, Italy, that traces its roots to the 1968 foundation of Studi Italiani Realizzazione Prototipi S.p.A. by Giorgetto Giugiaro and Aldo Mantovani. Best kno ...
-styled
Cala from 1995, the
Zagato
Zagato is an independent coachbuilding company and total design centre located northwest of Milan in Terrazzano, a small village near Rho, Lombardy, Italy. The company's premises occupies an area of 23,000 square metres (250,000 sq ft)- 11,000 of ...
-built
Raptor
Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to:
Animals
The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons.
* Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on v ...
from 1996.
A retro-styled
Lamborghini Miura concept car, the first creation of chief designer Walter de'Silva, was presented in 2006. President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann denied that the concept would be put into production, saying that the Miura concept was "a celebration of our history, but Lamborghini is about the future. Retro design is not what we are here for. So we won’t do the
ewMiura.”
![Lamborghini Estoque 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Lamborghini_Estoque_2.JPG)
At the
2008 Paris Motor Show
The 2008 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 19 October 2008, in Paris expo Porte de Versailles.
This edition of the Paris Motor Show featured a high number of hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), that led a blogger with ''The New York Ti ...
, Lamborghini revealed the
Estoque
The Lamborghini Estoque () is a one-off concept car built by Italian automobile manufacturer Lamborghini. Unlike almost all production Lamborghini models, which are mid-engine, two-seater sports cars, the Estoque is a four-door sedan.
Intro ...
, a four-door
sedan concept. Although there had been much speculation regarding the Estoque's eventual production, Lamborghini management has not made a decision regarding production of what might be the first four-door car to roll out of the Sant'Agata factory.
![Lamborghini Concept s](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Lamborghini_Concept_s.jpg)
At the
2010 Paris Motor Show, Lamborghini unveiled the
Sesto Elemento. The concept car is made almost entirely of carbon fibre making it extremely light, with a weight of . The Sesto Elemento shares the same V10 engine found in the Lamborghini Gallardo. Lamborghini hopes to signal a shift in the company's direction from making super cars focused on top speed to producing more agile, track focused cars with the Sesto Elemento. The concept car can reach in 2.5 seconds and can reach a top speed of over 180 mph.
At the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini unveiled the Aventador J – a roofless, windowless version of the
Lamborghini Aventador
The Lamborghini Aventador () is a mid-engine sportscar produced by the Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini. In keeping with Lamborghini tradition, the Aventador is named after a Spanish fighting bull that fought in Zaragoza, Aragón in ...
. The Aventador J uses the same 700 hp engine and seven-speed transmission as the standard Aventador.
At the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, Lamborghini unveiled the
Urus SUV. This is the first SUV built by Lamborghini since the LM002.
As part of the celebration of 50 years of Lamborghini, the company created the
Egoista.
Egoista is for one person's driving and only one Egoista is to be made.
At the
2014 Paris Motor Show
The 2014 Paris Mondial de l'Automobile or 2014 Paris Motor Show took place from 4 October to 19 October 2014 on 'Automobile and Fashion' theme.
Introductions Production cars
* Audi A1 facelift
* Audi A6 facelift
* Audi TT Roadster
* Audi R8 ...
, Lamborghini unveiled the Asterion LPI910-4 hybrid concept car. Named after the half-man, half-bull hybrid (
Minotaur
In Greek mythology, the Minotaur ( , ;. grc, ; in Latin as ''Minotaurus'' ) is a mythical creature portrayed during classical antiquity with the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "pa ...
) of Greek legend, it is the first hybrid Lamborghini in the history of the company. Utilizing the Huracán's 5.2 litre V10 producing , along with one electric motor mounted on the transaxle and an additional two on the front axle, developing an additional . This puts the power at a combined figure of . The time is claimed to be just above 3 seconds, with a claimed top speed of .
Corporate affairs
Structure
As of 2011, Lamborghini is structured as a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Audi AG
Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
The o ...
named Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
[According to Audi AG's 2011 Annual Financial Report, on 1 July 2011, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., Lamborghini AntiMarca S.p.A. and STAR Design S.R.L. were merged into Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A., which was renamed Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (S.p.A. stands for ]Società per Azioni
''Società'' (Italian: ''Society'') was an Italian communist cultural magazine published in Italy between 1945 and 1961.
History and profile
''Società'' was founded as a quarterly magazine in Florence in 1945. The founders were Ranuccio Bianchi ...
, the Italian designation for a joint stock company
A joint-stock company is a business entity in which shares of the company's stock can be bought and sold by shareholders. Each shareholder owns company stock in proportion, evidenced by their shares (certificates of ownership). Shareholders are ...
. S.R.L. stands for Società a Responsabilità Limitata, the Italian designation for a private limited company
A private limited company is any type of business entity in "private" ownership used in many jurisdictions, in contrast to a publicly listed company, with some differences from country to country. Examples include the '' LLC'' in the United Sta ...
).
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. controls five principal subsidiaries:
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. () is the motorcycle-manufacturing division of Italian company Ducati, headquartered in Bologna, Italy. The company is directly owned by Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini, whose German parent company is Aud ...
, a manufacturer of motorcycles;
Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A., a design and prototyping firm that provides services to the entire Volkswagen Group; MML S.p.A. (Motori Marini Lamborghini), a manufacturer of marine engine blocks; and Volkswagen Group Italia S.p.A. (formerly Autogerma S.p.A.), which sells Audi and other Volkswagen Group vehicles in Italy.
The Lamborghini headquarters and main production site is located in
Sant'Agata Bolognese
Sant'Agata Bolognese ( Western Bolognese: ; City Bolognese: ) is a small ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, in the north of Italy. It is notable for being the headquarters of the luxury automobile manufacturer Automobi ...
, Italy. With the launch of its Urus
SUV
A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive.
There is no commonly agreed-upon definiti ...
, the production site expanded from 80,000 to 160,000 square meters.
On 13 November 2020, Stephan Winkelmann, current President of Bugatti, was appointed to be the new CEO of Lamborghini. He takes up his new position as of 1 December 2020.
Sales results
![Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 - 009](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Lamborghini_Gallardo_LP560-4_-_009.jpg)
By sales, the most important markets in 2004 for Lamborghini's sports cars were the U.S. (41%), Germany (13%), Great Britain (9%) and Japan (8%). Prior to the launch of the Gallardo in 2003, Lamborghini produced approximately 400 vehicles per year; in 2011 Lamborghini produced 1,711 vehicles.
;Annual Lamborghini new car sales
Licensing
Automóviles Lamborghini Latinoamérica
Automóviles Lamborghini Latinoamérica
S.A. de C.V. (Lamborghini Automobiles of Latin America Public Limited Company) is an authorized distributor and manufacturer of Lamborghini-branded vehicles and merchandise in Latin America and South America.
In 1995, Indonesian corporation MegaTech, Lamborghini's owner at the time, entered into distribution and license agreements with Mexican businessman Jorge Antonio Fernandez Garcia. The agreements give Automóviles Lamborghini Latinoamérica S.A. de C.V. the exclusive distributorship of Lamborghini vehicles and branded merchandise in Latin America and South America. Under the agreements, Automóviles Lamborghini is also allowed to manufacture Lamborghini vehicles and market them worldwide under the Lamborghini brand.
Automóviles Lamborghini has produced two rebodied versions of the
Diablo called the Eros and the Coatl. In 2015, Automóviles Lamborghini transferred the IP-rights to the Coatl foundation (chamber of commerce no. 63393700) in The Netherlands in order to secure these rights and to make them more marketable. The company has announced the production of a speedboat called the Lamborghini Glamour.
Museums
There are two museums in
Bologna
Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...
,
Emilia-Romagna
egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title ...
centered around the brand.
Museo Lamborghini
This two-storey museum is attached to the headquarters, and covers the history of Lamborghini cars and sport utility vehicles, showcasing a variety of modern and vintage models. The museum uses displays of cars, engines and photos to provide a history and review important milestones of Lamborghini.
Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini
A 9,000 square-foot museum about Ferruccio Lamborghini houses several cars, industrial prototypes, sketches, personal objects and family photos from Ferruccio's early life.
See also
*
List of automobile manufacturers of Italy
The following is a list of automobile manufacturers of Italy.
Current major manufacturers
Other current manufacturers
* Alkè (1992–present)
* Auto EVO (2020-present)
* Automobili Estrema (2020–present)
* Automobili Mottola (2020-pre ...
*
Automotive industry in Italy
The automotive industry in Italy is a quite large employer in the country, it had over 2,131 firms and employed almost 250,000 people in 2006. Italy's automotive industry is best known for its automobile designs and small city cars, sports and ...
Notes
Citations
References
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Corporate documents
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Alt URL
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External links
Official websiteLamborghini of Latinoamerica Official pageLamborghini Car Register*
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