Ferruccio Elio Arturo Lamborghini, whose birthdate is April 28, 1916, falls under the Taurus astrological sign. His parents, humble farmers, had no idea their son would one day revolutionize the automotive industry. Ferruccio’s fascination with mechanics led him to tinker with his father’s tractor, igniting a lifelong passion. Eventually, he had the opportunity to attend a technical school in Bologna.

Ferruccio served in the Italian Air Force during World War II, primarily in the transport divisions. However, after 1944, he found himself a prisoner of war in the hands of British military forces, who assigned him to their motoring department. This unexpected twist allowed Ferruccio to gain valuable experience keeping vehicles on the road, even with limited access to spare parts.

The Birth of Lamborghini Tractors

After the war, Ferruccio returned to his hometown, where he began converting surplus war materials into tractors, meeting the needs of local farmers. Thus, the Lamborghini tractor business was born in a small garage, eventually growing so successful that it required more extensive facilities.

In late 1947, Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to manufacture a cost-effective yet robust tractor for the small-scale farmers of the ‘Bassa’ region. He ingeniously repurposed various inexpensive surplus military equipment, enhancing the engines and fuel systems, and developed a straightforward internal design. This innovation led to the creation of the ‘Carioca’ tractor, officially unveiled on February 3, 1948, coinciding with the feast day of Saint Biagio, the patron saint of Cento.

The tractor quickly gained popularity among local farmers, who were impressed by its efficiency and affordability, leading to a surge in sales. Recognizing the growing demand, Lamborghini decided to scale up production. With the help of his father, who offered their farm as collateral for a loan from the ‘Cassa di Risparmio di Cento,’ Ferruccio could secure the necessary funds.

This financial boost allowed him to acquire a thousand Morris engines, each with a 6-cylinder, 3,500 cc gas-powered system. He also expanded his workforce, paving the way for producing the L33 tractor, an advanced version of the ‘Carioca.’ By 1950, the company’s annual output had risen to 200 units, with a team of 30 employees. The business operations were meticulously overseen by Annita, Ferruccio’s wife, whom he had married a few months prior.

The tractor business brought immense wealth, allowing Ferruccio to establish another factory focused on air-conditioning and central heating equipment. This enterprise further bolstered his fortune, solidifying his position as one of Italy’s wealthiest individuals. Ferruccio’s love for fast cars grew legendary, including a Mercedes SL300, a Jaguar, and a Ferrari.

Simultaneously, Ferruccio began tuning Fiat cars, even building a Fiat Topolino for himself and participating in the 1948 Mille Miglia competition. Unfortunately, the vehicle was involved in an accident. By 1949, Ferruccio started manufacturing tractors from scratch, launching the Lamborghini Trattori factory. His tractors earned a reputation as the best in Italy, leading Ferruccio to organize tractor-pull events to showcase their superiority.

1951 marked another significant milestone for Lamborghini. The company’s growth necessitated a larger facility. Ferruccio purchased a 10,000 square meter site, formerly a racetrack, where he established the first official production plant for ‘Trattori Lamborghini.’

Ferruccio Lamborghini’s Clash with Enzo Ferrari

Ferruccio’s personal Ferrari experienced clutch problems, prompting him to approach Enzo Ferrari for a solution. Enzo refused to meet him, but Ferruccio took matters into his own hands. He realized that the Ferrari’s clutch was identical to those used in Lamborghini tractors, so he drove the Ferrari to the Lamborghini factory and installed a Borg & Beck clutch from one of their tractor models. The problem remained the same.

A New Vision: Gran Turismo Cars

In the 1960s, Lamborghini Trattori established itself as a leader in its industry, with its models gaining worldwide success and personal accolades for its founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini. During a 1959 trip to the U.S., Ferruccio observed the potential in domestic heating burners, a market he anticipated would grow due to economic prosperity and the increasing desire for comfortable homes. Recognizing the opportunity to compete in this new sector, he founded ‘Lamborghini Bruciatori Condizionatori’ in less than a year, hiring top technicians and building a new plant in Pieve di Cento.

However, Ferruccio’s ambitions soon returned to his original passion for cars, leading to a pivotal shift in his business focus by the end of 1962. He assembled a team for this new venture, selecting Gian Paolo Dallara, a young but highly skilled engineer, as the project manager and entrusting the engine design to Giotto Bizzarrini, a former Ferrari employee with experience developing prominent models. This marked the beginning of Lamborghini’s venture into the automotive industry.

Ferruccio, once more, is clear about his vision: a V12 engine, quad camshafts atop each cylinder, dual valves for each, and a sextet of dual-throat carburetors, all lubricated by a dry sump system. As he’s done before, he brings in top talent from rival companies to begin the production of a car that many enthusiasts dream about. He’s determined to showcase this new car at the 1963 Turin Motor Show.

To make this happen, he acquired land in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Here, his team starts their work in a makeshift workshop while the Lamborghini Automobili factory is under construction. The Bull, symbolic of a warrior’s spirit, unyielding and untamed, much like his own astrological sign, becomes the symbol of his new venture.

The company’s grand opening occurred in the fall of 1963, coinciding with the debut of the 350 GT’s frame and engine. Despite skepticism, Ferruccio remains unfazed. After its initial presentation in Turin, followed by Geneva, the car quickly began mass production. It’s assembled in an 11,000 square-meter facility, equipped with two production lines—one for engines, the other for general assembly—and state-of-the-art machinery.

The Birth Of Miura

1966, the P400 Miura, a groundbreaking and innovative grand tourer, debuted at the Turin Auto Show. Its design and performance placed it years ahead of its competitors in the automotive world. The Miura quickly captivated a global audience, attracting attention from various buyers, including celebrities from the film and music industries. Its blend of luxury, elegance, and advanced engineering garnered widespread acclaim, elevating it to an artistic masterpiece. This was further cemented by its inclusion in the prestigious Museum of Modern Art in New York since 1968, where it was celebrated as a symbol of automotive excellence and design innovation.

Challenges and Retirement

Unfortunately, a series of setbacks in the tractor business and economic turmoil in Italy led Ferruccio to sell his interests in most of his companies during the 1970s. He retired to his estate near Perugia, Italy, where he started producing wine known as ‘The Blood of the Miura.’

Personal Life and Legacy

Ferruccio had a complex personal life, with multiple marriages and children. His son, Tonino Lamborghini, ventured into designer clothing shops bearing the Lamborghini name in Japan. Ferruccio’s estate, La Fiorita, became a winemaking hub with a private museum showcasing his Lamborghini car collection.

The Legacy Lives On

Although Ferruccio Lamborghini died on February 20, 1993, his legacy endures. His grandson, Ferruccio Jr., carries the family name into the future. Today, the Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini in Funo di Argelato houses a vast collection of Ferruccio’s industrial achievements, ensuring that his vision and contributions remain celebrated and remembered.

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The Basic Information

• Address: Via Modena, 12, 40019 Sant’Agata Bolognese
• Telephone: +39 051-6817716 –
• Fax: +39 051-6817737
• Website: www.lamborghini.com
• President and CEO: Stefano Domenicali
• Year of establishment: 1963
• Ownership: 100% Audi AG

Production figures

Automobili Lamborghini SpA – Production figures from 2000 to 2017 :

Automobili Lamborghini SpA – Sales/delivery numbers from 1996 to 2017:

Automobili Lamborghini SpA – Average number of employees from 1999 to 2017 :

Automobili Lamborghini SpA – Turnover between 1996 and 2017 :

Automobili Lamborghini SpA – Detailed production figures from 2000 to 2017 :

Products in 1999
Diablo SV 2 wheel drive
Diablo GTR 2 wheel drive limited edition
Diablo VT 4 wheel drive
Diablo Roadster 4 wheel drive

296 cars built in 2000
201 units of the Diablo VT 6.0
60 remaining units of the Diablo GT
35 units of the Diablo Millennium Roadster for US only

280 cars built in 2001
215 units of the Diablo VT 6.0
(238 sold to the public, probably 23 cars built in 2000 were counted here)
65 units of the new Murcielago since June 2001
(59 sold to the public, 6 remained property of the factory)

442 cars built in 2002
442 Murciélago

1315 cars built in 2003
425 Murciélago
890 Gallardo

1678 cars built in 2004
304 Murciélago
80 Murciélago Roadster
1294 Gallardo

1442 cars built in 2005
464 Murciélago
978 Gallardo

2095 cars built in 2006
444 Murciélago
1651 Gallardo

2580 cars built in 2007
629 Murciélago
1951 Gallardo

2424 cars built in 2008
637 Murciélago
1787 Gallardo

1253 cars built in 2009
331 Murciélago
922 Gallardo

1227 cars built in 2010
22 Aventador
123 Murciélago
18 Murciélago Roadster
817 Gallardo
247 Gallardo Spyder

1711 cars built in 2011
447 Aventador
944 Gallardo
320 Gallardo Spyder

2083 cars built in 2012
922 Aventador
1161 Gallardo

2122 cars built in 2013
1113 Aventador
933 Gallardo
76 Huracan

2650 cars built in 2014
1110 Aventador
1540 Huracan

3707 cars built in 2015
1079 Aventador
2628 Huracan

3457 cars built in 2016
1104 Aventador
2353 Huracan

4056 cars built in 2017
1286 Aventador
2649 Huracan
121 Urus

Automobili Lamborghini SpA – Sales/delivery numbers from 1996 to 2017 :

1996 : 211
1997 : 209
1998 : 231
1999 : 265
2000 : 296 (100 units went to the US, Germany received 40 units and Switzerland acquired 30 new Lamborghini’s)
2001 : 297 (as usual the US and Germany received the largest number of orders)
2002 : 424
2003 : 1305 (a new record for Automobili Lamborghini SpA)
2004 : 1592 (again a new record for Automobili Lamborghini SpA)
2005 : 1601 (1072 Gallardo’s and 529 Murciélago’s, 40% in the US, 10.3% in Germany, 7.9% in Italy, 7.8% in Japan and 5.1% in the UK)
2006 : 2087
2007 : 2406
2008 : 2430
2009 : 1515
2010 : 1302
2011 : 1602
2012 : 2083
2013 : 2121
2014 : 2530
2015 : 3245
2016 : 3457
2017 : 3815

Turnover
1996 : 66 billion lire (= 34,086,155 Euro)
1997 : 74 billion lire (= 38,217,810 Euro)
1998 : 73 billion lire (= 37,701,353 Euro)
1999 : 92 million DM (= 46,527,560 Euro)
2000 : 61 million Euro
2001 : 65 million Euro
2002 : 91 million Euro
2003 : 172 million Euro
2004 : 243 million Euro, showing a profit of 4.1 million Euro.
2005 : 243 million Euro, showing a profit of 4.4 million Euro.
2006 : 346 million Euro
2007 : 467 million Euro
2008 : 478.8 million Euro
2009 : 281 million Euro
2010 : 271 million Euro
2011 : 322 million Euro
2012 : 469 million Euro
2013 : 508 million Euro
2014 : 629 million Euro
2015 : 811 million Euro
2016 : 853 million Euro
2017 : 933 million Euro

Information verified on November 2018

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He also started manufacturing oil burners and air-conditioning systems after his tractor plant started making lots of money, it turned out his second business also made big money so Ferruccio Lamborghini became one the wealthiest men in Italy. He could afford just about everything he wanted, including high speed GT cars like the Mercedes SL300 and a Ferrari he owned alongside the Jaguar he liked very much.

But his Ferrari started giving problems with the clutch, the local workshop couldn’t fix this problem so Ferruccio decided to drive to Modena and confront Enzo Ferrari himself. Enzo, who was known for his arrogance, told this ‘farmer’ to take a walk, Ferruccio was furious and at that moment decided to show Enzo how he should build GT cars.

Of course this is a legend, and the truth about it could be a little different, it was obvious that Ferruccio had lots of money to spare and the GT car market was still open for new things, money could still be made by building high speed, well finished cars, so it is more likely this persuaded Lamborghini to start his own company.

The founding of Automobili Lamborghini SpA

Automobili Lamborghini SpA was founded on May 7. 1963, Ferruccio bought a green-field site of 90,000 square meters in Sant’Agata, Bologna and construction work on this brand new, state of the art car factory started immediately. The buildings were erected in only eight months. This was a very modern factory using lots of open spaces and glass everywhere, but buildings like this cost money, about 500,000,000 Lire was needed to make Ferruccio’s dream come true. The entire factory was surrounded by a road and in front of the main office building a nice garden was made. The large glass hall welcomed visitors and Ferruccio’s own office was located right at the front of the central building.

A car factory needs people, so Sig. Ferruccio Lamborghini started looking for the top men in the business and was able to recruit Giotto Bizzarrini after he’d left Ferrari, to design and build a V-12 for Lamborghini. The engine was finished soon and was able to pump out about 400 Bhp at 11,000 rpm, but Ferruccio wanted a GT car and not a race car, so the engine was detuned to ‘only’ 280 Bhp at 7,000 rpm. Bizzarrini was made very clearly that there was no way he could make a race car for Lamborghini so he decided to leave again very soon after the final tests were completed.

By that time two members were added to the technical team at Sant’Agata, Giampaolo Dallara and Giampaolo Stanzani joined Ferruccio, and in early 1964 Ubaldo Sgarzi started working for the new Automobili Lamborghini SpA company. Ubaldo would remain at the firm for many years to come, and lasted even through the very rough times that were to come in the seventies.

Ferruccio had a fabulous team of engineers surrounding him to create his dream car, but a car has to be road tested so he made an offer to Bob Wallace he couldn’t refuse. Bob Wallace became chief test driver for Lamborghini, he already had an extensive experience with racing both Ferrari and Maserati after he moved to Italy from his origins in New Zealand.

The Lamborghini 350 GTV prototype was shown to the public on the 1963 Turin Auto Show, it was however not built in the new Lamborghini factory, because the tooling equipment wasn’t delivered yet, so Ferruccio decided to finish this car in a secluded section inside his tractor plant in Cento di Ferrara. By 1964 the first 350 GT production cars were able to be completed in the new Lamborghini plant, Touring supplied the bodywork, the chassis and the engine were mounted together with the leather interior at Sant’Agata.

The future of Automobili Lamborghini SpA looked very bright during the sixties, the 350 GT was succeeded by the 400 GT and the 400 GT 2+2, which received a gearbox built in-house, later on the 1968 Islero and 1970 Jarama were developed to succeed the original 400GT design, but the best move Ferruccio allowed his engineers to take was the design and construction of the Lamborghini Miura in 1966. The 350 GT and 400 GT 2+2 made the Lamborghini name known throughout the world, but the Miura made it legendary, the name alone made people dream of supercars and road-ready race cars even 40 years later the Miura is still considered a masterpiece.

The Countach was shown in 1971 as the successor of the Miura, at the same time as the ultimate evolution of the Miura was unveiled, the SV would become the most sought after Miura ever, but back in 1971 it was totally overshadowed by the innovative Countach prototype.

Together with the 1968 Espada that had evolved into the Espada Series II by 1970, the Countach would keep the company alive through some very troublesome times, with the futuristic Countach, Lamborghini managed to build an extreme looking car that was usable on the road, this car made the name Lamborghini enter automotive history. Even if by some strange way, Automobili Lamborghini SpA was to disappear from the market, the name would remain known in history as one of the most extreme Italian car builders ever.

In 1970 another milestone in the history of Lamborghini was shown, after building some of the most extreme super cars ever and very luxurious V12 Grand Tourer Ferruccio decided it was time to offer his customers something totally different the Urraco P250 V8 was created, Ferruccio even expanded the original factory by 500 square meters to create an additional assembly line, after being shown at the 1970 Turin Auto Show the orders for this new V8 quickly followed.

The first problems started in 1971, when Lamborghini Trattrice received a major setback with a massive order for tractors being cancelled, Ferruccio lost a lot of money over this issue, he already upgraded the tractor factory to be able to build the numbers required and bought most of the raw materials needed to do so. His personal fortune was still large, but in 1972 he decided it was time to sell the tractor factory to SAME, who eventually was taken over by Fiat years later do note Lamborghini tractors are still being built today.

The Rosetti / Leimer period

During the early Seventies, Automobili Lamborghini Spa was producing the Miura, in 1970 they even built 400 cars in Sant’Agata, the factory was making money for the first time in ten years, and it was becoming very attractive to possible buyers. Ferruccio lost interest in doing business after his tractor factory got into trouble and subsequently sold a controlling interest of Automobili Lamborghini SpA to Georges-Henri Rossetti, a Swiss industrialist, in 1972 for a rumored $600,000.

Ferruccio stated he would still remain at the factory to run it, but the oil-crisis of 1973 made things even worse for Ferruccio and his passion dwindled further, soon after this he sold the remaining 49% of his shares to Rene Leimer, another Swiss resident. From this day on, Automobili Lamborghini SpA had nothing to do with her founder anymore, fortunately the new owners did keep the name, and they didn’t have the bad idea of changing it.

Rossetti and Leimer couldn’t get the glorious times back at Lamborghini, even with the Countach LP400 selling at a steady pace the problem was the money to pay for materials needed to build the car, some buyers had to wait two years before they would receive their car, and more often than not their cars would be used on shows all over Europe before it would be delivered to the dealer. EmilianAuto in Bologna and Achilli Motors in Milan, two major Lamborghini dealers actually paid the Countach ordered by them in advance, just to ensure getting one finished for their customers.

By 1974 the Jarama was no longer being produced and the Urraco grew to a 3 liter V8 model, but sales were low, and a boost was required, so Lamborghini asked Bertone to create a new model based on the Urraco the Silhouette would be shown at the 1976 Geneva Show, the first production car from Sant’Agata with a removable top.

A bright moment came in 1976 when Automobili Lamborghini SpA managed to get the building contract for the new BMW M1, a mid-engine road car that was ultimately designed for Group 5 racing. But they used the funds received from BMW to design and build the Cheetah, a car that looked promising for military use but didn’t live up to the expectations. By then it was too late to save the BMW M1 project and the German car manufacturer took his business back to Germany where Baur would produce the M1.

Automobili Lamborghini SpA is declared bankrupt

By now things looked really bad and Rossetti and Leimer tried to sell the factory again, sadly it didn’t work out and during 1978, Automobili Lamborghini SpA was officially declared bankrupt by the Italian court. In 1978 the company was run by Dr Alessandro Artese, appointed by the courts to try and get the famous raging bull back on its feet to be able to pay their suppliers. In the meantime he also tried to find a capable buyer for this company of artisans, the Lamborghini car factory made Italy famous again just like Ferrari did, so it was very important to keep it from going under.

By 1978 the Lamborghini Espada was no longer being built, the Urraco production was halted too and in 1979 the Silhouette, after only 52 units was abandoned too, Dr Artese attracted Giulio Alfieri, a former technical director from Maserati to manage the Countach LP400 S project and to get the a new V8 model into production.

During 1979 the company was led by Raymond Noima and Hubert Hahne, the latter also being the importer for Lamborghini in Germany, at that time Automobili Lamborghini SpA was converting Fiat 127’s into an off-road version, just to stay afloat and to keep the artisan people from leaving or being laid off.

The world famous race team owner Walter Wolf came into the picture, his personal custom made Countach was a great way to try out new things, and eventually would lead into the production of the Countach LP400 S back in 1978. But Mr Wolf also tried to buy the company in early 1980, for some reason his offer was declined, the Italian court decided against it.

On February 28th, 1980 the receiver Giorgio Mirone and the commissioner Artese decided to wind up the factory, nothing else could be done they offered the factory back to Sig. Ferruccio Lamborghini for a rather small amount of money, but he refused, something he would most likely regret afterward.

The Mimran reign

The Swiss based Mimran brothers were able to save the factory, although at first they were only allowed to manage it as a test of their capabilities. In July 1980 Patrick Mimran, the youngest of the two brothers entered the factory after his ‘financial value’ was verified to be ‘unlimited’ by his Swiss bank. The name was changed into Nuova Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini SpA, and Patrick Mimran, although he was very young to be a manager did get Lamborghini back to where it belongs, at the top of the exotic car market.

Mr Mimran was smart enough to keep Giulio Alfieri and Ubaldo Sgarzi at their current positions, Angelo Morandi was able to salvage the company, after he completed this difficult task he left and was succeeded by Emil Novarro who was already working for the Franco-Swiss family, he was put at the helm of Nuova Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini SpA. Under his management the company continued to develop the Countach, first into the LP500 S in 1982 and later on the impressive 1985 QuattroValvole, it is therefore save to say the Countach kept the company alive once again.

In 1984 Patrick Mimran was finally allowed to buy the factory for 3,850,000,000 Lire, about 3 million US dollars at the 1984 exchange rates. The ill-fated Cheetah was further developed into the LM004 and LM002 in 1986, the latter being sold to the public and some Middle-Eastern armies, and last but not least the 1981 Jalpa became a relative success under the Mimran management. Patrick Mimran even ordered a Spider version to be designed on the Jalpa chassis, but this 1987 prototype, which was actually built, never made it into production.

During the late Eighties, several developments of the Countach were made under direct supervision of both Patrick Mimran and Giulio Alfieri. The 1987 Countach Evolution was developed by none other than Horacio Pagani when he worked for the Lamborghini Composites Department, that same year the L150 Restyling prototype was built, the former was destroyed in a crash test while the latter is currently located in Japan. It was deemed the Countach lasted long enough by now and something new was needed, work on Project 132 began in 1987, it was again to be designed by Marcello Gandini, a gray painted fully drivable prototype was constructed long before Chrysler arrived.

Chrysler takes over

The Nuova Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini SpA was making money again, but suddenly on April 23rd 1987 Lee Iacocca, president of Crysler Corporation, announced he bought the Sant’Agata company from Patrick Mimran for $25,000,000. Why Mr Mimran decided to sell the company remains unknown but he couldn’t have chosen a better time, the supercar market was at the top and the Countach was selling very well in the United States and prices for exotic cars were booming at that time, second hand cars costing even more than their new counterparts. At this time it wasn’t unusual to get about $ 10,000,000 US for a Ferrari 250 GTO, an amount which soon dropped after Japanese investors lost interest in these exotics but would rise again later on.

Chrysler changed the name back to Automobili Lamborghini SpA but kept the winning team together, Emil Novarro stayed at his position, together with Daniele Audetto, Liugi Marmiroli, Gianfranco Venturelli and naturally Ubaldo Sgarzi who were allowed to keep managing the Italian factory. Public Relations was headed by Sandro Munari, when he joined Lamborghini he already was a world famous rally driver and multiple world champion, a cash injection of $50,000,000 was made by Chrysler to modernize the factory.

The first car to emerge from this purchase was the ‘Portofino’, although this car was entirely built in the United States, it never even entered the Sant’Agatha factory. Before the ‘Project 132’ was ready to go into production the Countach received a final update, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of Automobili Lamborghini SpA, the Countach 25th Anniversario was build. Intended to be a limited production car at first, the orders began pouring in, and Chrysler decided to keep it in production until the successor was ready, the 25th Anniversary became one of the most successful Countach types ever.

Chrysler decided to halt production of the Jalpa in 1988 and the LM002 was being built in larger numbers than ever, this massive off-road racer hybrid was becoming a very hot commodity in the States, a head turner completely without competition. During the Chrysler ownership Lamborghini also started to build Formula One engines, Mauro Forghieri created a V12 3.5 liter engine to comply with regulations, but by 1990 the F1 era for Lamborghini came to and end when the Modena F1 Team had to withdraw.

Lee Iacocca didn’t like the Gandini design for the P132 and decided it had to be redesigned by his own American based designers, still the Italian management was able to get him to compromise between the Gandini design and the US designs, so in the end Marcello Gandini did put his signature on the most drivable Lamborghini since the Espada, the 1990 Diablo.

In 1990 sales of the Diablo boomed, and Automobili Lamborghini SpA once again showed a profit in the books, that same year a new distribution network was set up in the United States and by 1993 the Lamborghini Diablo VT was unveiled, the ‘Viscous Traction’ four-wheel drive system would become standard fitment on all flagship Lamborghini models from that moment on.

Lamborghini goes to Far-Eastern owners

Chrysler decided to sell Automobili Lamborghini SpA after it became obvious to them the management of a small Italian supercar manufacturer was in no way comparable to that of a mass-producer like Chrysler, in 1993 only 215 cars would leave the factory doors in Sant’Agata.

A fairly unknown group of three Far-Eastern companies bought Lamborghini for a rumored amount of 35,000,000,000 Lire (about $40,000,000), after the paperwork was finished on January 21st 1994, Ubaldo Sgarzi decided to leave the company. Megatech, the biggest of the three received 28243 shares, while Sedtco and V’Power both got only 3530 shares each. The new owners immediately fired the foreign managers put in place by Chrysler, even Tim Adams was laid off, while he probably was the best man for the job of president, but he was replaced by Indrajit Sardjono. These three companies were in fact all part of the same holding owned by Tommy Suharto and Setjawan Djody.

April 1994 marked the inauguration of a new president for the company, Michael J. Kimberly, former top manager for Lotus and Jaguar was attracted by the Indonesian owner to keep Automobili Lamborghini SpA at the top of the supercar market, one of his first decisions was to evaluate a plan to put the LM002 back in production after it was halted in 1992 however the LM002 would never return.

By June 1994 the first units of the special Diablo SE30, a model created to mark the 30th anniversary of the company in 1993, were being delivered, while in 1995 the Diablo SV and Diablo VT Roadster were introduced, the long awaited open top version of the Diablo became an immediate success and sales for the United States started to boom, the US based subsidiary of Automobili Lamborghini SpA was renamed to ALUSA, standing for Automobili Lamborghini United States of America, and was headed by Robert A. Bramer. But things started to worsen and the ALUSA encountered financial problems from the start, they were unable to pay their supplies from Italy.

Some problems became visible in Sant’Agata too, the 1995 Cala V10 prototype created by Giorgetto Giugiaro was frozen and Megatech sold all its shares to the other two, Mycom Sedtco got 22760 shares while V’Power received 34140 shares, this latter was now also owner of Vector Automotive, building the Vector M12 powered by the Lamborghini V12 from the Diablo.

The economic crisis started to hit the Indonesian owners hard and the much needed money for research on the Tipo 147 just wasn’t available. The management tried to boost car sales with the Diablo Trophy single-make championship in 1996 by creating a Diablo SVR. In August 1996, Vittorio Di Capua joined the Board of Directors, he almost immediately got into a dispute with Kimberley who resigned on November 12 leaving the position of Managing Director to Di Capua.

The 1996 Balance Sheet showed a 17 Billion Lira loss and to make things even worse, in 1997 the ALUSA ceased payment completely and already owed the cost of about 30 Diablo to Sant’Agata.
Di Capua decided to freeze all deliveries to their US branch, luckily during January 1998 Platinum Motors offered to buy the ALUSA stock both in the United States and in Italy. Under the ‘Excellence’ name they became the new official US importer for Automobili Lamborghini SpA.

By now Liugi Marmiroli, Gianfranco Venturelli and Sandro Munari had left Sant’Agata, Marmiroli’s place was taken by Ceccarani and Alberto Armiroli became the new External Relations Manager. Di Capua decided Automobili Lamborghini SpA had to grow if they wanted to survive, and the successor to the Diablo had to be finished as soon as possible. But building the Tipo 147 turned out to be far more expensive than calculated and the money was really running out in the Far East so it started to look very bad for this small Italian exotic car manufacturer.

AUDI AG steps into the picture

Towards the end of 1997 Di Capua started negotiations with Audi AG for the use of their 4.2-Litre V-8 engine together with the Audi A8 Quattro four-wheel drive to be used in the new ‘Baby Lambo’ since developing an all-new V-10 engine seemed impossible at the time.

Suddenly in 1998 Ferdinand Piëch, top level manager at Audi AG, offered to buy Automobili Lamborghini SpA, Di Capua managed to convince the Indonesian owner to agree and on June 12, 1998 a ‘letter of intent’ was drawn up stressing both partners to close this deal as soon as possible.

On July 27th 1998 Audi AG became the single owner of all Automobili Lamborghini SpA shares, the necessary paperwork was finalized on August 4, ownership of this amazing Italian car builder was once again changed, this time for $110,000,000.

The entire Board of Director was replaced by managers from Audi AG on November 4, 1998 and in early 1999 the company was renamed to the Automobili Lamborghini Holding SpA, managed by Franz-Jozef Pfaefgen who was also president of Audi AG. The holding controlled three subsidiaries: Automobili Lamborghini SpA (the car factory) headed by Vittorio Di Capua, Motori Marini Lamborghini SpA (the world famous off shore powerboat engine builder) and Automobili Lamborghini Artimarca SpA (dealing with license and merchandising).

In June 1999 Giuseppe Greco became CEO of Automobili Lamborghini SpA, that same year the first major evolution of the Diablo was also introduced, now with fixed headlights and a more luxurious interior the Diablo 2wd was dropped as a production model, only the SV, VT and VT Roadster remained in production for one year.

In 2000 the Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0 was introduced, arguably the best Diablo ever, and with the limited edition Diablo GT being the street legal version for the single-make championship now running the Diablo GT-R sales once again boomed to nearly 300 units in 2000 but everybody knew this would be the swansong for the aging Diablo.

In 2001 the first new Lamborghini developed under German direction was unveiled to the public, the Lamborghini Murciélago would become the super car of the 21st century with never before seen production numbers at Sant’Agata in the end 4,099 Murciélago would be built, but Lamborghini knew they needed an additional model to generate sales and survive.

In 2003 the completely new Lamborghini Gallardo V10 was introduced, ten years and many evolutions and special editions later it would have become the most successful Raging Bull ever with 14,022 units built. 2003 also marked the release of the Murcielago R-GT, a joint venture with renowned Reiter Engineering who created a pure bred race car for Lamborghini.

By 2004 the Murciélago Roadster is shown, designed by Luc Donckerwolke the Roadster was an innovation for Lamborghini, this wasn’t a regular Coupé without a roof, this was a totally different car altogether and an instant success for Lamborghini. A year later, in 2005 the Gallardo would also lose her roof and become the Gallardo Spyder, while the position of CEO went to Stephan Winkelmann in January 2005 in 2015 he would still be CEO and director of Automobili Lamborghini SpA.

In 2006 the Murciélago received her first update, now called the LP640 and LP640 Roadster, the small details that have changed from the original 6.2 liter model to the new LP640 made her look even more impressive and if you look at the 2007 Reventon, which was in fact a limited edition based on the LP640, you know Lamborghini was on the right track now.

In 2007 the Gallardo gets a Superleggera version added to the lineup, a lightweight, race inspired version that quickly became a highly sought after model, by 2008 the Gallardo becomes the LP560-4, both in Coupé and Spyder form while 2009 marks the introduction of the most valued Murciélago ever the LP650-4 Super Veloce, a limited edition that would see only 185 units being sold in the end.

2011 became a very important milestone for Automobili Lamborghini SpA replacing a V12 flagship isn’t easy, and after 4,099 Murciélago the Aventador LP700-4 entered production a car that quickly became a reference among exotic car in a highly competitive market.

In 2013 the Aventador LP700-4 Roadster comes out as the new open top flagship for Lamborghini while the Aventador LP720-4 becomes a limited edition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company add three units of a $4,000,000 Veneno LP750-4 model that sold out immediately and we can all rest assured Automobili Lamborghini SpA continues to grow well into the future.

The Gallardo was the most successful model ever for the Sant’Agata company, but after being in production for 10 years it was time for the Huracan LP610-4 to take over the V10 reigns in 2015 and keep Lamborghini building super cars for years to come.

Between 2015 and 2017 the factory in Sant’Agata is being enlarged to create an additional production line for the 2018 Urus, finally a successor for the LM002, with three models selling very well it seems Automobili Lamborghini SpA managed to survive her troubles and is better than ever right now.

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Ferruccio actually made tractors before he ventured into the business of manufacturing sportscars. The Italian had a love for machines since his childhood, which initially led him to repair old tractors and finally to produce brand-new ones.

The story behind his rise from a farmer’s son to a business tycoon is something you wouldn’t want to miss.   

Lamborghini Tractor History

Ferruccio Lamborghini loved machines since his childhood. He would often be found tinkering with his father’s old tractor, trying to learn more about the vehicle and its functions. But, as a child, he could not make much sense of it all.

The Italian knew he had to go out of his comfort zone and from his hometown to gain more knowledge. So, he moved to Bologna, attended a technical school, and began learning everything he could about automobiles.

When World War 2 broke out in 1939, Ferruccio enlisted in the Italian Air Force’s transportation department and continued putting his knowledge to the test. Unfortunately, when the Italian became a prisoner of war, the British sent him to work in their military’s motoring department.   

Through it all, Ferruccio Lamborghini got firsthand knowledge and exposure working on all kinds of vehicles. He learned the art of repairing an automobile and honed his mechanical skills.

The experience and knowledge came to good use once the Italians came back home from war. He used what he had learned in the field and started a company building reliable tractors.   

Ferruccio gave life to Lamborghini Trattori in 1948 and began building tractors almost immediately in his small factory.

The initial stages weren’t easy since Ferruccio had no huge investment or help to kickstart his manufacturing operation. He initially had to scavenge for parts and collect discarded war materials and vehicle scrap parts to support his business venture.

If that wasn’t tough on him already, Ferruccio also had to compete and beat the best in the business at the time: Fiat Trattori and Landini.

The tractor business, which Ferruccio started in an old barn, went from being small-scale to large-scale in 1949. He built a completely new factory in Cento and founded Lamborghini Trattori SpA. At that time, they built just one tractor each day with a rather small group of employees. But things only got better, and by 1958 Lamborghini Trattori SpA had built 1500 tractors a year.

Lamborghini tractors were considered to be among the very best; in the beginning, Ferruccio even organized tractor-pulling contests between his machines and those belonging to nearby farmers just to show that his tractor was the most powerful one. The Lamborghini tractors were very reliable, and they were built in very high quality, mainly because over 80 percent of the parts were made inside the factory at Cento, so Ferruccio could assure himself of the best possible quality.

Soon, Lamborghini tractors became popular as symbols of modern technology and innovation, leaving the likes of Fiat and Landini behind.

In 1969 production went up to 5000 units a year, which caused Ferruccio to start thinking about moving into even larger premises again. He moved the factory in 1971, at that time, the Lamborghini Trattori SpA was the third best-selling tractor manufacturer on the Italian market. But in 1972, after a fatal cancellation of an important order, Ferruccio lost confidence in his tractor business and sold his company to Same Co of Treviglio, but production still continued, and by 1979, the former Lamborghini factory produced some 10,000 tractors a year, from which 26 percent was exported all over the world while 8 percent remained in Italy.

Does Lamborghini Still Make Tractors?

Lamborghini still makes tractors even after 75 years of being in existence! Although the brand retains its name and logo, the ownership is in the hands of the SDF Group. As such, the tractor company and automobile division are no longer owned by the same organization.

Lamborghini Tractor Models

Lamborghini Trattori makes tractors for various applications. Their tractors are tailor-made for open field operations, vineyards, and orchards. You can also get Crawlers and Mini tractors in their roster. It has been that way for most of the company’s history. Lamborghini has been more or less on top of their game, thanks to the wonderful model generations it introduced over time.

Let’s take a deeper look at the generations of the past and present.

Carioca (1948) – First Lamborghini Tractor

The first ever Lamborghini tractor was called the Carioca, and very little of it was purely built by Ferruccio. The Italians had to loan almost everything from vehicles and machines left over after the Second World War. He used the services of ARAR – a firm owned by the Italian government that sold old military equipment – to source the engine and other vital parts. Afterward, Ferruccio modified the parts to fit his tractor and made a basic chassis to fit it all in one piece. It would be fair to say that Ferruccio assembled a tractor and badged it as one made by Lamborghini.

Luckily, the Carioca tractors were a success, and Ferruccio Lamborghini received numerous orders from farmers all across Italy. As a result, he looked to expand and try making his very own tractor.

L33 (1951)

The first production tractor entirely built by Lamborghini was the ‘’L 33’’, which came out in 1951. Only the engine was outsourced and taken from the British automotive company – Morris.  

Ferruccio had a ton of experience working on Morris’ engines as a prisoner of war. He had found a way to start the tractors with much more ease by using an interesting piece of equipment.

The Italian attached a fuel atomizer to the 3,500 cc in-line 6-cylinder Morris engine, allowing it to start on petrol and later convert to diesel. 

The technology was revolutionary, and it further boosted Lamborghini’s sales. As a result, the brand transformed from a small-scale manufacturer to industry-level capabilities within a decade.

The Bank of Cento helped him in this endeavor by approving a 1,000,000 Lira loan for Ferruccio’s company. He used this money to buy around 1,000 Morris engines to use in his tractors and hire more labor to offset the increasing demand.

It was during this time that Ferruccio started the Lamborghini Trattori S.p.A and bought a large piece of land to officially industrial status.

DL 30 (1952)

Once Ferruccio had a proper factory, he could focus on making better tractors for his customers. In 1952, the Italian produced the DL 30 and used the Mercedes DW415 MWM Diesel engine to power the new model.

Ferruccio had to move away from Morris engines as they were expensive to import and very limited in supply. The Mercedes engines proved profitable and they soon became the staple for all of Lamborghini’s tractors for the next few years.

DL 25 C (1955)

In 1955, Lamborghini Trattori made their first Crawler specification tractor. It was a facelift, in terms of design. The front was smoother and better looking. Plus, there were tracks instead of conventional wheels.

Moreover, customers had the option to choose between the Mercedes MWM Diesel engine and Lamborghini’s very own prototype engine. Ferruccio had worked hard to start making his very own engines and he succeeded in that venture in 1955 by establishing a professional relationship with Motorenwerken Mannheim.   

Lamborghinetta (1958)

The Lamborghinetta was truly the first tractor, the company produced from scratch. Everything from the chassis to the engine and design was done in-house. It was a big achievement for Ferruccio as he expanded his operations and important people entered the list of patrons.

Interestingly, the tractor didn’t have headlights. Perhaps, Ferruccio only wanted this vehicle to be used only during the daylight!

2R DT (1962)

By 1962, Lamborghini Trattori’s business was booming and the demand for tractors was increasing multiple-fold. As a result, Ferruccio started to employ more people and at the same time introduced the air-cooled 2R DT model in the market.

The new tractor had a four-wheel drive option and a highly capable engine to provide power.

R 230 (1966)

The R 230 had a refreshed design and more power than its predecessor. Lamborghini added a new grill design at the front, added a synchromesh transmission for two reverse speeds and diff lock capability, and a powerful 1.5-liter diesel engine. The new specifications made the R 230 the people’s favorite almost instantly.

R 480 (1968)

The R 480 was one of the last tractors made under Ferruccio’s supervision. The Italian saw more potential in the motorsport side of things and decided to sell the tractor business to the SAME group in 1971. But he made no compromises in the R 480. The tractor got a sleeker and more modern design, and to top things off a powerful engine.

R 684 DT F (1980)

This new tractor had a radical design change, with a bigger engine cover, new grille design and repositioning of the headlights. But together with all that, the new Lamborghini management maintained the well-known reliability and capability these tractors were known for around the globe.

1306 DT (1983)

The new generation models got a facelift, with water-cooled engines coming into the mix. The design change meant that the Lamborghini tractors started to become more practical and good-looking.

135 Formula (1989)

A few modern equipment and technologies started to make their way into the 125 Formula series tractors. Lamborghini designed these tractors with larger and taller cabins to accommodate big or small individuals. But that’s not all, the company also introduced electronic fuel injection and electronic tractor controls. In other words, it was the first time a Lamborghini tractor got an ECU.

Runner Series (1993)

With the introduction of the Runner series, Lamborghini started to make more Mini tractors to supply small-scale farmers. The RX-100 mini tractors became popular with farmers across Europe, owing to their sleek design and otherworldly capabilities.

RF Series (2007)

The 21st-century tractors were more stylish and ergonomic than their predecessors. The RF series tractors were living proof of that concept. Not only that but the RF models were made for multipurpose applications. So, they were efficient in fields, vineyards, and orchards.

CF Series (2010)

Crawlers made a return to the Lamborghini roster in 2010 under the CF Series badging. These small tractors were practical, agile, and the best at small-scale work. In other words, perfect for everyday rudimentary work around the farm, and also for picking frits in an orchard.

Nitro Series (2013)

The latest generation of Lamborghini tractors brought a ton of new upgrades to woo fans. The vehicle had a taller cabin, more power, projector headlights, an ergonomic design, modern controls, and an attractive design. With this tractor, Lamborghini also reverted back to the black and white traditional cols of Lamborghini Trattori.  

The tractor also won the 2014 RedDot design award and the Golden Tractor for Design award in 2014.

Currently, the brand sells 26 different tractors. The current model names are Mach, Spark, Spire, Strike, Crono, and Sprint. Each model has its specification and specialty, but they are all meant to be incredibly user-friendly, comfortable, sturdy, and reliable. You can view their specifications in the tables below:

Lamborghini Tractor Price

Lamborghini tractors are expensive but built to last. So, when you spend your money, you know it’s not going to waste. A used Lamborghini tractor has a starting price of $40,000 or more. If you go for the brand-new option, the cost can shoot up to and sometimes exceed $100,000.

Conclusion

Lamborghini tractors and their legacy lives on even after 75 years, thanks to the initial dedication of Ferruccio Lamborghini and the hard work of the people who followed in his footsteps. Through its ups and downs, the company has survived, and it strives to become a better version of what the founder imagined.

Interestingly, it should be much easier to find a Lamborghini tractor than a Lamborghini car because the total production of Automobili Lamborghini is nowhere near 10,000 units until lately, with production runs of the Murciélago and the Gallardo well into the thousands each!

If you would like more information on the current Lamborghini tractors available, take a look at the official Lamborghini tractor site found at the next URL: Lamborghini-tractors.com

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