Lamborghini is known for crafting some of the world’s most powerful and exotic supercars. Founded in 1963 by Ferruccio Lamborghini, the brand quickly gained a reputation for its bold design, cutting-edge technology, and uncompromising performance. While almost all of its supercars and other outlandish creations have become icons, here are seven lesser-known facts and stories about the legendary Italian brand.
7. Lamborghini Miura was spawned from a secret project
Most people know how Ferruccio Lamborghini got into building high-performance cars after a spat with Enzo Ferrari. The 2022 movie ‘Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend’ narrates the whole story behind it. However, only a few people know about the origin story of the legendary Lamborghini Miura. Introduced in 1966, Miura is widely considered the world’s first supercar. It revolutionized the performance car industry by setting a template for mid-engine sports cars. But you’ll be surprised that it was developed without the knowledge of the company’s founder. Lamborghini’s three young engineers, Gian Paolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani, and Bob Wallace, were passionate about creating a world-beating mid-engine sports car. Worried that Ferruccio Lamborghini might disapprove of it because of his preference for front-engine grand tourers, the trio secretly worked on the project, developing it in their spare time. However, Ferruccio Lamborghini was mercerized when he first saw the prototype of the Miura, giving the project his full support. And the rest is history!
6. Lamborghini’s connection with bullfighting
Lamborghini’s raging bull emblem is one of the most famous brand logos in the world. However, the Italian marque’s association with the animal runs deeper than just the logo. Lamborghini’s connection to bullfighting is deeply rooted in the brand’s identity and history. Ferruccio Lamborghini had a strong interest in Spanish culture and was a big fan of bullfighting.
In 1962, he visited the ranch of Don Eduardo Miura, one of Spain’s most renowned breeders of fighting bulls. He was so profoundly impressed by the Miura Bulls that he named his new mid-engine sports cars after them. This became a trend for the Italian automaker. Many Lamborghini models have been named after legendary bulls, including the Diablo, Murciélago, and Aventador. Interestingly, the bull in the Lamborghini logo reflects Ferruccio Lamborghini’s zodiac sign, Taurus.
5. The story behind Countach’s name
The Lamborghini Countach is considered to be one of the most iconic supercars of all time. However, it has a name with a rather exciting origin story. Unlike most other Lamborghini supercars named after legendary fighting bulls, Countach comes from a word in the Piedmontese dialect, spoken in the Piedmont region of Italy. As the legend goes, a profiler who worked for Marcello Gandini, the designer of the Countach, spoke almost only Piedmontese and often exclaimed “countach” while looking at the early prototype of the supercar. Countach is a rough equivalent to “Wow!” Ferruccio Lamborghini liked the term so much that he decided to use it as the car’s official name.
4. Lamborghini’s attempt to make a military vehicle
The Lamborghini LM002, also known as the “Rambo Lambo,” is an iconic vehicle in its own right, offering a blend of the Italian marque’s heritage with rugged, off-road capability. However, not many people know that the LM002 was not the first of its kind to be built by Lamborghini. In the 1970s, Lamborghini first attempted to create an all-terrain vehicle for the US military called the Cheetah. The original Cheetah prototype had a rear-mounted Chrysler V8 engine. The project had to be abandoned after it ran into unsurmountable problems, including a legal dispute with the American company FMC (Food Machinery Chemical Corporation). While they lost the contract to AM General’s Humvee, it led to the development of the LM001, which was very similar to the Cheetah, except for the rear-mounted AMC V8 engine. However, the rear-engine layout was causing handling issues, which also killed the LM001. Eventually, the lessons learned from the Cheetah and LM001 projects helped Lamborghini create the LM002, which featured a front-mounted V12 engine borrowed from the Countach.
3. The doomed partnership between BMW and Lamborghini
In the 1970s, Lamborghini found itself in severe financial difficulties resulting from commercial and production issues, which forced the company’s management to seek financial help and outside collaboration. During the same period, BMW was looking to strengthen its sports car line-up and had taken up the challenge to build its first true supercar. This led to the development of the BMW M1, the first car to be developed by BMW’s newly formed M division. The Bavarian automaker partnered with Lamborghini to help with the engineering and production of the M1. Lamborghini was responsible for designing the car’s chassis and assembly, while BMW would provide the engine and other components. However, the deal fell through due to Lamborghini’s financial instability and internal issues. Lamborghini even asked BMW for a loan, which was refused, ending the troubled collaboration.
2. Lamborghini’s V12 marine engine
Lamborghini’s V12 marine engine is an exciting chapter in the Italian marque’s history, which showcases the company’s experiments of leveraging its expertise in high-performance engines beyond cars. In the 1980s, Lamborghini supplied V12 engines to offshore powerboat manufacturers, including the famous Riva brand. It started with the idea of adapting its powerful V12 engine for marine use, which was likely influenced by Lamborghini’s desire to diversify its business. The Lamborghini V12 marine engine was based on the same fundamental architecture as the automotive V12. However, it was modified to withstand the unique demands of marine environments. Depending on the tuning, the engine could produce between 700 to over 1,000 horsepower. As a result, Lamborghini-powered boats set several speed records and even competed in the prestigious offshore powerboat racing circuits.
1. Lamborghini tried making a helicopter
This is arguably the least-known fact about Lamborghini. The Italian automaker once took up the bold challenge to build a chopper. After finding success in building high-performance grand tourers, the company’s founder tried exploring other industries to diversify the business. One of his wild ideas was to build Lamborghini-branded helicopters. In 1965, this led to the construction of five fully functional prototypes of the Lamborghini chopper, which was developed in collaboration with engineer Carlo Leopoldo Lualdi of Aer Lualdi company. However, the ambitious project had to be binned. Only one of those five prototypes still exists, which is on display at the Lamborghini Museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy.
