Automobili Lamborghini is a symbol of Italian automobile excellence. Known for its stylish, high-performance luxury sports cars, it is part of a group of internationally renowned Italian supercars, including Ferrari, Bugatti, and Maserati.
On May 5, Lamborghini celebrated its 60th anniversary. Take a look at the company’s history, and how it shaped the prestige of Italian supercars.
The Birth of Lamborghini
(Photo Credit: Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., PRESS DATABASE)
Automobili Lamborghini was founded on May 5, 1963 by Ferruccio Lamborghini, who was born in 1916. After World War II, Lamborghini founded a business constructing tractors using reconfigured surplus military machines in Sant’Agata Bolognese, a town located just outside of the northern city of Bologna.
In the wake of success, he expanded into manufacturing air-conditioning and heating systems, which quickly launched him to wealth. As a result, Lamborghini purchased a number of luxury sports cars, including a Ferrari, which was at the top of Italy’s automobile game at the time. However, after experiencing several mechanical issues with his new Ferrari, Lamborghini set out to start his own car company.
In 1963, Lamborghini debuted its first car – the Lamborghini 350 GTV, a two-seater coupe with a V12 engine – emblazoned with the company’s logo: a bull. This animal was chosen by Lamborghini as his zodiac sign was a Taurus. In 1966, the company debuted the Lamborghini Miura, the first car in automotive history to be named a “supercar,” a name given to a street-legal, high-performance sports car.
Lamborghini died in 1993 at the age of 76, and the company was purchased by German automaker Volkswagen in the late 1990s.
Celebrating 60 years
The company held a number of events over the months of April and May to celebrate its 60th anniversary. In Japan, more than 250 cars, including both historic and modern models, were driven onto the track at Suzuka Circuit. The Guinness World Records certified the event as the largest gathering of Lamborghini cars ever.
On April 21, three Lamborghini limited edition cars – theHuracán STO, Huracán Técnica, and Huracán EVO Spyder – debuted at Milan Design Week. Only 60 models of each limited edition car were produced. All cars are available in two configurations and multiple colors, and embellished with details like “1 of 60” carbon-fiber plate and the “60th” anniversary logo, designed to look like the horns of a bull, embroidered on the seats and painted on the doors.
Lamborghini also released new limited edition merchandise on their online store to celebrate their 60th anniversary. Paraphernalia like apparel, mugs, umbrellas all bear the distinct “60th” anniversary logo.
Asia London Palomba
Asia London Palomba is a trilingual freelance journalist from Rome, Italy. In the past, her work on culture, travel, and history has been published in The Boston Globe, Atlas Obscura, The Christian Science Monitor, and Grub Street, New York Magazine's food section. In her free time, Asia enjoys traveling home to Italy to spend time with family and friends, drinking Hugo Spritzes, and making her nonna's homemade cavatelli.