Lamborghini is one of the most prestigious brands in the world. It is associated with benchmark luxury and offers its customers exclusively exclusive products. The brand's history began in the 60s of the last century, and 60 years later, we can confidently say that its creators have chosen the right development direction. At different times, the logo with an angry bull adorned the body of cars and tractors, becoming a symbol of the high quality of these vehicles. Today, even people who have never been interested in transport and have never sat behind the wheel of any Italian model know it. We invite you to study the history of the famous brand in more detail and learn the key events that helped it climb to the top.
The famous Italian brand was founded in 1948 by Ferruccio Lamborghini and named after him. For the first 15 years, it was associated exclusively with various agricultural machinery. Their first tractors, Carioca Lamborghini, were made from components left over from the war. This model was distinguished by a unique fuel sprayer, which allowed the engine to run on gasoline and switch to diesel fuel. This innovative solution allowed Lamborghini to receive its first income and begin developing a new tractor.
In 1951, the L33 was released. It became the first serial model of agricultural machinery of the Italian brand. Already in 1952, Lamborghini was able to increase production significantly. This happened thanks to adopting a law that created favorable conditions for Italian agricultural machinery manufacturers. A few months later, the brand expanded its model range with four tractors, which opened the successful DL series. In 1953, two more models were released, and in the middle of the decade, Lamborghini built the DL 25 C and DL 30 C. These tractors used tracks instead of wheels, making them suitable for use in the most challenging areas of the field.
In the early 60s, Lamborghini introduced the 2R DT series of tractors with all-wheel drive and two engines. They became as popular as all previous models, leading the brand's founder to create other vehicles. Thus, in 1963, the Lamborghini automobile division was founded. The goal of its creation was the desire to compete with Ferrari and occupy the empty niche of high-speed road cars. First, Lamborghini produced a V12 engine and chassis for future models, then began to create their 350GTV. At the end of 1963, just 4 months after the start of the work, the first car with an angry bull on the logo was shown at the Turin Motor Show.
The Lamborghini brand continued its development after receiving good reviews for the released model. In 1964, an improved version of the 350GTV was presented called Carrozzeria Touring. The public also liked it, but few people wanted to buy it. In 1965, Lamborghini built the 400GT. This model was the same as the 350GTV but differed from it only in having a larger and more powerful engine. A few months later, a modified version of this car appeared, which had not two but four seats.
1967, the Lamborghini model range was replenished with the Miura, and in 1968, it was replaced by Marzal. Both cars were equipped with a proprietary V12 engine, which underwent a modernization stage, and a reinforced chassis. In parallel with this, the brand continued to develop the division producing agricultural machinery. So, in 1968, modernized versions of all tractor models appeared.
Their main feature was the appearance of a synchronized gearbox in all trim levels, without exception. The first truly popular Italian car was the Espada. It was released in the last year of the decade and sold 1,217 times. Lamborghini also built a shortened version of this car called the Jarama 400GT. It had similar characteristics but was more compact.
In the early 70s, Lamborghini engineers began working on the Urraco model. It was developed from scratch and was not an improved version of one of the company's previous cars. Another feature was the appearance of a V8 engine, which was smaller than the previously used V12 and inferior to it in terms of power. Further events were not the best in the history of Lamborghini. The global financial crisis forced the company to reduce car production and sell the division that produces agricultural machinery to the SAME Group, which also produces tractors.
In 1972, Lamborghini's financial problems worsened. Because of this, the company's founder sold 51% of the shares to Georges-Henri Rossetti. Despite this circumstance, Ferruccio Lamborghini continued to manage the brand's affairs, and its new owner watched from the sidelines and tried not to interfere in the company's affairs. In 1973, the oil crisis began. This led to a shortage of fuel, which meant that powerful Lamborghini cars were even less attractive to buyers. As a result, the brand's founder sold the remaining 49% of the shares to Rene Leimer and left the project altogether.
After the final management change in 1974, the Countach LP 400 appeared. This car became the most popular in the history of Lamborghini. However, it did not significantly improve the financial situation of the company. In 1978, it was declared bankrupt and transferred to the management of the Mimran brothers. With their appearance, Lamborghini built the first genuinely affordable model, the Countach LP 500S. It was with this model that the brand appeared in the USA. In 1987, the Mimran brothers sold the rights to use the Chrysler brand. At the same time, the former Lamborghini division, which was engaged in the production of tractors, continued to remain under the control of the SAME Group. The new owners released several models of agricultural machinery, which continued to bear the logo with the famous angry bull.
Lee Iacocca, who once saved Chrysler, took up the revival of Lamborghini. Thanks to him, the legendary Diablo appeared in the early 90s. This car won the hearts of millions and made the famous brand profitable again. Today, it can only be found at online car auctions. Despite Diablo's success, the situation worsened again a few years later. Because of this, Chrysler sold the rights to the Lamborghini brand to MegaTech.
The updated Diablo SuperVeloce was released in 1995. It temporarily allowed Lamborghini to cover expenses, but until 1997, the company was unprofitable. In 1998, the brand changed its owner again. This time, it was Audi. In 1999, Audi helped release a limited edition of the Diablo GT, which fans of previous versions of the model liked.
The beginning of the new century was quite successful for Lamborghini. In 2001, the Murcielago sports car was introduced, replacing the Diablo. Already in 2002, it began to be sold in North America, which allowed it to make a good profit. In 2005, this model was updated. It received a unique transmission and an engine with a capacity of 640 hp. Due to its excellent speed qualities, Murcielago was used in car racing, where it achieved some success. Another successful model was Gallardo. It appeared in 2003 and was updated in 2008. It was in this year that Lamborghini sold the most significant number of cars in its history. At the same time, SAME Group released several models of tractors with the logo of the famous Italian company. The most popular was the Nitro Lamborghini Trattori, which won several status awards for its appearance and characteristics.
In 2011, the Italian brand, controlled by the German automaker, released the Aventador, and in 2013 – the Veneno and Huracán. All three supercars were expensive, but their exemplary luxury and excellent speed distinguished them. Another significant event took place in 2017. Under the Lamborghini brand, the first SUV Urus was released. It is still produced today and is the fastest car in its class.
Lamborghini is a status brand known all over the world. Initially, it was associated with various automotive components, but it won millions' hearts, producing high-quality agricultural machinery and luxury sports cars. Its history was filled with multiple events that had a significant impact on the development of the brand. Today, it is a history creator and moves the automotive industry forward worldwide.