Lamborghini

Michael Bradley

A NEW RIVAL

Lamborghini

Michael Bradley
1

Lamborghini

Marshall Cavendish Benchmark

99 White Plains Road
Tarrytown, NY 059
www.marshallcavendish.us
Copyright 200 by Marshall Cavendish Corporation
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission from the copyright holders.
All websites were available and accurate when this book was sent to press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bradley, Michael, 962
Lamborghini / by Michael Bradley.
p. cm. (Cars)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-076445258 (e-book)
. Lamborghini automobileJuvenile literature. I. Title.
TL25.L33B73 200
629.2222dc22
2008044945
Editor: Megan Comerford
Publisher: Michelle Bisson
Art Director: Anahid Hamparian
Series Designer: Daniel Roode
Photo research by Connie Gardner
Cover photo by Ron Kimball Stock Photography/Ron Kimball
The photographs in this book are used by permission and through the courtesy of:
Getty Images: J.Emilio Flores, ; John M. Heller, 8; Car Culture, 9, 23, 24, 27, back cover;
David McNew, 7; Victor Malafronte, 25; Cameron Spencer, 26; Automobili Lamborghini SpA: 6, 0, 28;
Alamy: Buzz Pictures, 2; Oleksly Maksymenko, 4; Phil Talbot, 8; Ron Kimball/www.kimballstock.com:
4, 7, 6, 20, 29.
Printed in Malaysia
35642

CONTENTS
Chapter 1

A NEW RIVAL

Chapter 2

FROM TRACTORS TO SPORTS CARS 11

Chapter 3

READY TO RIDE

17

Chapter 4

CHARGING AHEAD

22

Vital Statistics

28

Glossary

30

Further Information

31

Index

32

Lamborghini

This 1965 Lamborghini 350 GT is one of the first cars that

Ferruccio Lamborghini made available to the public. Very few
were produced, so it is a collectors item today.

CHAPTER ONE

A NEW RIVAL

obody knows for certain if the meeting ever

took place, but it sure makes for a good story. In 960
Ferruccio Lamborghini was a successful, wealthy Italian
man who manufactured tractors and other machinery.
Even though his business focused on size and power, he
loved speed.
Lamborghinis garage was lled with ne European
cars. He had a Mercedes, a Ferrari, and a Jaguar and
enjoyed driving them through the Italian countryside.
Even though he owned top-of-the-line sports cars,
Lamborghini was not completely satised with them.
He also thought that sports cars were too noisy, did
not handle smoothly enough, and should have more
luxurious interiors.

Lamborghini
Lamborghini (center ) talks about
his first concept
car, the GTV, to
a group of businessmen in 1963.
The car had an
impressive 350horsepower V-12
engine.

Though the Ferrari was his favorite, he had some problems with the
car. Instead of calling the person who sold him the car, Lamborghini
called Enzo Ferrari, the man who founded the car company.
Lamborghini wanted to offer Ferrari some constructive criticism, one
businessman to another, to help another Italian company succeed.
Some say Ferrari told Lamborghini to go away. Others believe
Lamborghini was not able to contact Ferrari and that the two men did
not meet. Whatever happenedor didnt happenbetween the two
men, Lamborghini wasnt happy. Lamborghini decided to take action
6

A NEW RIVAL
and create his own automobile that was everything he thought a
high-end sports car should be.
So he bought a eld in Bologna, Italy, built a factory, and began
production on his dream car. The result would both satisfy Lamborghini
and dazzle drivers for decades to come. When the rst Lamborghini,
the 350 GTV, debuted in 963, it was one of the fastest, most exciting

Scissor doors are a classic Lamborghini feature and have been used on many
models, including this 1994 thirtieth anniversary edition Lamborghini Diablo.

Lamborghini
cars in the world. Nearly fty years later, the Lamborghini is still a
symbol of speed, wealth, and power, just as Ferruccio Lamborghini
intended when he created the car.
Its low-slung styling, signature scissor doors, and brilliant color
options make the Lamborghini a true showstopper. Under the hood
is the powerful engine that enables Lamborghinis to travel faster than
200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour), making the cars impres-

Celebrities autographed this 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo at a screening

of the Italian film Cinema Paradiso. The car was auctioned off on e-Bay.

A NEW RIVAL
Inside every great
car is a great
engine, like this
2005 model built
by the Lamborghini
company.

sive to watch and to drive. Other cars get people to stop and stare, but
the Lamborghini lls them with wonder.
In 2006, thirty-three celebrities, including Sylvester Stallone, Will
Ferrell, Bruce Willis, and Samuel L. Jackson, signed a brand new Lamborghini Gallardo that was auctioned off to benet the Child Safety
Network, a charity dedicated to protecting children. The winner bid an
incredible $500,000. However, big stars dont just sign Lamborghinis;
they drive them, too. R&B singer Akon and rapper 50 Cent own Lamborghinis, as do singer Elton John, actor Nicolas Cage, and TV host Jay
Leno. If youre going to be big time, you had better have a hot ride,
and the Lamborghini is just that.
Ferruccio Lamborghini may have never met Enzo Ferrari, but he
certainly accomplished his goal. Lamborghinis have become some of
the most prestigious cars in the world.
9

Lamborghini

Ferruccio Lamborghini stands in front of his tractor company

in 1968. Though the sports car and the tractor are both
Lamborghinis, they dont look at all alike!

10

A NEW RIVAL

CHAPTER TWO

FROM TRACTORS TO SPORTS CARS

amborghini was born in 96 to a farming family

in Renazza di Cento in northern Italy, near the Po River.
As a young boy he had a knack for repairing broken
machines. As a teenager he became interested in the
equipment used to grow and harvest crops and was
able to repair and build tractors. He enrolled in a local
technical college to study engineering and returned
to work on his familys farm after he completed his
education.
When World War II broke out Lamborghini joined
Italys air force. While stationed on the Greek island of
Rhodes, he put his skills to good use by supplying parts
to maintain aircraft and support vehicles. Lamborghini
became known for his ability to nd solutions to even
the toughest equipment problems.

11

Lamborghini
Lamborghini grew up working with tractors on his familys farm. He
had a good understanding of the mechanics behind tractors as well
as the need for reliable machines in the farming industry. People
still use Lamborghini tractors today!

12

FROM TRACTORS TO SPORTS CARS

It was this mechanical ingenuity that helped Lamborghini
begin a successful professional career after the war. Lamborghini
began converting leftover military engines into tractors for farmers.
Tractor engines, however, werent the only things that interested
Lamborghini. Not long after the war he bought a Fiat sports car and
modied its engine to produce more power. In 948 he entered Italys
Mille Miglia road race. Things went well for the rst 700 miles
(,27 km), but then the Fiat skidded off the road. Lamborghini
wasnt seriously injured, but he lost his interest in racing. The
following year he began Lamborghini Trattori SpA, a tractormanufacturing company. Agriculture was a major business in Italy
during the mid-twentieth century, so there was a demand for tractors
and tractor parts. The company made quality products that were
very popular. Lamborghini eventually produced heating and airconditioning units, too. Over the next twenty years Lamborghini
became quite wealthy.
While his business was tractors, Lamborghinis passion was cars. In
the early 960s he decided to create his own high-end sports car that
could compete with the Ferrari. He convinced the Italian government
to sell him land on which to build his factory and to cut the taxes he

13

The 350 GT had a long front end and round headlights,

much like early Jaguars.

would have to pay. Thus, Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini was founded.

Then he started his dream project.
Since Lamborghinis talent was in building tractors, not cars, he knew
he needed to hire excellent engineering talent. So he convinced Giotto
Bizzarrini, one of Ferraris top designers, to work for Lamborghini instead.
14

FROM TRACTORS TO SPORTS CARS

In 963 the rst Lamborghini was ready for the world. The 350 GTV
boasted a twelve-cylinder engine and could reach a speed of 74 mph
(280 km/h). Reviews at the Turin (Italy) Motor Show were goodbut
not good enough. A year later the 350 GT, another V-2 speedster,
debuted at the Geneva Auto Show in Switzerland. People loved it.
Though he only received thirteen orders for the car, Lamborghini had
succeeded. In two years he had decided to start a car company, built a
factory, and released two models.
It was a great start, and the best was yet to come.

15

Lamborghini
This 1967 Miura P400 was one of the first models
to be named for a breed of bull. Unlike most cars, in
which the engine is under the hood, the engine in the
P400 was in the middle of the car. The air scoops by
the side windows helped keep the engine cool.

16

CHAPTER THREE

READY TO RIDE

@
amborghini was a mechanic, a
businessman, and a Taurus, the zodiac sign
of the bull. He loved the power and determination associated with the sign and, when
it came time to choose a company logo, he
chose the bull. A triangular shield with a
charging bull is on the hood of every car.
Every Lamborghini model is named after a
type of bull or a region in which a variety of
bull is bred.
The fierce bull in the
Lamborghini logo
is well recognized
throughout the world.

17

Lamborghini

Automobili Lamborghini produced the Jarama between 1970

and 1976. It was the companys first four-seater.

The rst Lamborghini to have that honor was the Miura, which was
nished in 966. It was named for a very aggressive breed of bull,
specically bred by Don Eduardo Miura in Spain for bullghts. The
Miura made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, but just barely. When
the Miura frame was nished, only a few days before the show, it was
too small to hold the powerful engine built for it. Since there was no
time to change things, Lamborghini brought it to Geneva anyway. He

18

READY TO RIDE
lled the engine compartment with ballast and hoped for the best.
Although sales manager Ubaldo Sgarzi was embarrassed when the
automotive press wanted to take a look under the hood, the newest
Lamborghini received rave reviews. The rst bull had passed the test.
Over the next two years the company created many Lamborghini
model prototypes, but only onethe Islerowas produced and sold.
All of the others failed to make it into showrooms. In 968 the Espada
400 GT was introduced, and drivers loved it. The Espada, which went
into three production models, became one of the most popular Lamborghini models ever. More than ,200 were built over the next ten
years. In fact, in 968 Lamborghini set a company record selling 353
cars, thanks to the Espada and Islero.
Lamborghini tried something newa four-seaterin 970 with the
Jarama 400 GT, which was named for an area in Spain famous for its
ghting bulls. Lamborghini had ve models at the 97 Geneva Motor Show, including the V-2 Countach LP500 prototype. Unlike other
Lamborghinis, the LP500 was named when an employee saw the car
for the rst time and exclaimed, Countach! which roughly translates to Fantastic!
Things were looking good for Automobili Lamborghini, but trouble
was on the horizon. A downturn in the economy, rising gas prices,

19

Lamborghini
Rear spoilers, such as the one on this Lamborghini Countach, became popular
during the 1980s. People often customized their cars with spoilers, which not only
look cool, but also help cars travel at fast speeds.

READY TO RIDE
material shortages, and trouble with labor unions slowed production.
Worse, it forced Lamborghini to sell his company.
In 972 George-Henri Rossetti took over. Two years later, Ferruccio
Lamborghini was out of the car business completely, having sold the
rest of his shares in the company to Rene Leimer. Lamborghini retired
to make wine in northern Italy.
Not surprisingly, Automobili Lamborghini struggled during the
970s following the change in ownership. Car owners had problems
with their cars and new models were slow to reach the market. Even
though the Countach was wildly popular, Automobili Lamborghini
couldnt produce enough to take advantage of its success. In 980
Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran bought the company for $3 million.
The Lamborghini company was on the road to nancial health, but
trouble was still ahead.

21

Lamborghini

CHAPTER FOUR

CHARGING AHEAD

hen the Mimrans purchased

Automobili Lamborghini, the company
needed money and leadership to
prevent it from falling further into debt.
The brothers provided both during their
seven years as owners.
The Mimran brothers purchased the
company at a good time. During the
980s the economy improved as the
country recovered from the gas crisis
and people began to spend money
again. One of the things people bought
was the Lamborghini Countach, which
had been popular before but was now a
symbol of new wealth and status. Yes,
Lamborghini introduced other models
22

CHARGING AHEAD

The 1989 anniversary edition is considered the best

Countach by many car lovers. The body was created
by Marcello Gandini, a famous car designer. It could
go faster than 180 mph (290 km/h)!

23

Lamborghini

The brightly colored

interior of the 2000
Lamborghini Diablo
GT is just as flashy
as the exterior.
The driver can sit
in comfort while
zooming down
the road!

during the early 980s, most notably the eight-cylinder Jalpa, but it
was the Countach that led the way in sales and popularity.
In 986 Automobili Lamborghini did something its founder never
intended: It entered the racing world. The Countach Quattrovalvole
nished fth in a race in South Africa, showing just how powerful
the car was. It also made the company attractive, judging by the
$33 million Chrysler paid for Automobili Lamborghini in 987. The
American automaker wanted to add a luxury brand to its company,
and what better way to do this than with a line of well-established,
in-demand cars.
One of its rst offerings, the four-door Portono, was called
the big potato by automotive reviewers. However, while under
Chrysler, Italian car designers were able to produce the most famous
24

CHARGING AHEAD
Lamborghini: the Diablo. It debuted on January 2, 990, in Paris and
Chrysler accepted deposits of $42,500 from 600 excited customers. The
original twelve-cylinder powerhouse could reach a top speed of
203 mph (328 km/h) and accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 00 km/h)
in 4 seconds. By 999 the Diablo GTR could hit 20 mph (338 km/h) on
the open road. The Diablo impressed drivers and critics alike with its
cool styling and tremendous speed.
Automobili Lamborghini managed to continue producing quality
sports cars during the 990s, even though ownership changed hands
several times. Chrysler wasnt prepared to run a small European
factory and, by 994, had quietly sold Lamborghini to a group of

The 2007
Lamborghini
Murcielago has
scissors doors and
a V-12 engine.

25

Lamborghini
Indonesian companies. Four years later Audi, a company controlled by
the German manufacturer Volkswagen, took over and brought stability
and leadership to the Lamborghini line.
In September 200 the Lamborghini Murcielago debuted. Named
for a bull that was spared after a ght because of its strength and
courage, the Murcielago was extremely successful. Volkswagen entered
the Murcielago in a race in Valencia, Spain. The car nished third
impressive considering Lamborghini didnt specialize in race cars.
In 2003 the Gallardo, nicknamed The Baby Diablo, arrived. The
smaller and less expensive car appealed to those who didnt need
all the power of the Diablo, though the Gallardo still boasted a V-0
engine and had a top speed of 96 mph (35 km/h).

The Lamborghini
Gallardo is based
on the Diablo.
Though it is less
powerful than its big
brother, the 2006
Gallardo is still a
great sports car.

CHARGING AHEAD
The Reventon is the newest
addition to the Lamborghini
line. The car, which is
modeled after a fighter jet,
has a carbon-fiber body and
a Plexiglas engine cover. The
company will only produce a
handful of Reventons.

Things were truly looking up for Lamborghini. After seeing the

Gallardo, dealers committed to buying every one scheduled to be built
because they were certain the model would sell quickly. The companys
workforce grew from 200 employees in 999 to 750 in 2003. Clearly
Volkswagen knew its business. Lamborghini was never in better shape.
Things got even hotter in 2007 at the Frankfurt (Germany) Auto Show
where Lamborghini unveiled the Reventon, an ultramodern car
reportedly inspired by the F-22 Raptor ghter jet. Only twenty of the V-2
650-horsepower Reventons will be built, eleven of which were purchased
by buyers in the United States. The price tag on the Reventon is an
astounding $.5 million.
Its hard to imagine what Automobili Lamborghini will come up with
next. With Lamborghini, the unbelievable has always been possible.
27

Lamborghini

Vital Statistics
SPECIAL FACT:

1963 350 GTV

Power: 350 hp
Engine Size: 214 ci/3.5L
Engine Type: V-12
Weight: 2,735 lbs (1,241 kg)
Top Speed: 174 mph (280 km/h)
060 mph (096.5 km/h): 7.5 sec

28

The engine was so large

that it did not fit in the
cars frame!

A NEW RIVAL

2008 Reventon

Power: 650 hp
Engine Size: 397 ci/6.5L
Type: V-12
Weight: 3,671 lbs (1,665 kg)
Top Speed: 211 mph (340 km/h)
060 mph (096.5 km/h): 3.4 sec

29

GLOSSARY
accelerate

To go faster.

aggressive

Energetic and eager to fight.

ballast

Heavy items that make a vehicle more stable.

boasted

Called attention to something owned as a source of pride.

constructive
criticism
cylinder

Pointing out faults in order to improve something.

The long, rounded chamber in which a piston moves in the engine of a
car, providing power. The more cylinders in a motor, the more power it
generates.

dazzle

To greatly impress people.

debuted

Appeared in public for the first time.

enrolled

Signed up for something.

harvest

To gather.

high-end

Of high quality and expensive.

horsepower

The unit used to measure an engines power. The more horsepower (hp),
the stronger the engine and the faster a car can travel.

ingenuity

A skill in designing or inventing.

knack

A special skill that cannot be taught.

logo

An identifying symbol used in advertising.

low-slung

Close to the ground.

luxurious

Filled with rich, attractive features that provide comfort and beauty, but
are not necessary.

30

prestigious

Honored and respected.

prototype

The first model developed that is the pattern for all others.

satisfied

Content, or made happy by someone or something.

scissor doors Doors that hinge vertically, opening upward, not out to the side.
shares

Portions of a company that belong to one person.

showroom

The part of an automotive dealership where new cars are displayed.

d.

showstopper Something particularly attractive that makes people stop and take
ake notice.
status

A high position in society.

unveiled

Revealed to a person or group for the first time.

zodiac

The different groups of stars, called constellations,, that appear in the night
sky throughout the year as the Earth revolves.. The constellation that is in
the sky when a person is born is his or her
er zodiac sign and some believe
determines the personality traits off that individual.

FURTHER INFORMATION
BOOKS
Hawley, Rebecca. Lamborghini. New York: PowerKids Press, 2007.
Jolliffe, David, and Tony Willard. Lamborghini: Forty Years. St. Paul, MN: Motorbooks, 2004.
Pritchard, Anthony. Lamborghini, Supercars from SantAgata. Somerset, UK: Haynes Publishing, 2005.

WEBSITES
www.lamborghini.com
www.lambocars.com
www.lamboweb.com

31

INDEX
acceleration, 25, 28, 29
Audi Company, 26
Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini
(company), 57, 34, 2, 22,
24, 2526, 27
Bizzarrini, Giotto, 4
business, 2, 22, 27
celebrities, Lamborghinis and, 9
Chrysler Corporation, 24, 25, 2526
concept cars, 6
cost, of Lamborghinis, 25, 27
economy, 9, 2, 22
engines, 8, 9, 6, 5, 9, 24, 25,
27, 28, 29
Ferrari, Enzo, 6
four-seater models, 8, 9, 24
Gandini, Marcello, 23
Lamborghini, Ferruccio, 57, 6, 0,
, 7, 2
Lamborghini
350 GT, 45, 4, 5

Page numbers in boldface are photographs.

350 GTV, 6,78, 5, 28

Countach, 9, 20, 22, 2223, 24
Diablo, 7, 24, 25
Espada, 9
Gallardo, 8, 9, 26, 2627
GTV concept car, 6
Islero, 9
Jalpa, 24
Jarama, 8, 9
Miura, 67, 89
Murcielago, 25, 26
Portono, 24
Reventon, 27, 27, 29
Lamborghini Trattori SpA (company), 3
Leimer, Rene, 2
logo, 7, 7
Mimran, Jean-Claude, 2, 22
Mimran, Patrick, 2, 22
model names, 7, 8
model years
963, 6, 78, 45, 28, 28
965, 45
966, 89
967, 67, 9
968972, 9
989, 2223

990, 25
994, 7

2000, 24
2006, 8, 26
2007, 25, 27
2008, 27, 29
prototypes, 9
racing cars, 3, 24, 26
Rossetti, George-Henri, 2
sales, 9, 9, 27
scissor doors, 7, 8
Sgarzi, Ubaldo, 9
speed, 89, 5, 25, 27, 28, 29
spoilers, 20
tractors, Lamborghini, 0, , 2, 3
V-8 engines, 24
V-0 engines, 27
V-2 engines, 6, 5, 9, 25, 28, 29
Volkswagen Company, 26, 27

About the Author

32

MICHAEL BRADLEY is a writer and broadcaster who lives near Philadelphia. He has written for
Sports Illustrated for Kids, Hoop, Inside Stuff, and Slam magazines and is a regular contributor
to Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia.

The Lamborghini is among the worlds most coveted cars. The first
model was built to provide drivers with speed, smooth handling, and
unmatched comfort, a tradition that is still the mark of all Lamborghinis
today. Buckle up and lets rocket through the history of the Lamborghini
with Sports Illustrated for Kids author Michael Bradley!

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