Lamborghini (Cars) [1 ed.] 9780761441090, 0761441093, 9780761445258

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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 © 20⁄0 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 978-0–76⁄4–4525–8 (e-book) ⁄. Lamborghini automobile—Juvenile literature. I. Title. TL2⁄5.L33B73 20⁄0 629.222’2—dc22 2008044945 Editor: Megan Comerford Publisher: Michelle Bisson Art Director: Anahid Hamparian Series Designer: Daniel Roode Photo research by Connie G−ardner Cover photo by Ron Kimball Stock Photography/Ron Kimball The photographs in this book are used by permission and through the courtesy of: G−etty 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

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CONTENTS Chapter 1

A NEW RIVAL

5

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

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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 collector’s item today.

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CHAPTER ONE

A NEW RIVAL

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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. Lamborghini’s garage was filled with fine 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 satisfied with them. He also thought that sports cars were too noisy, did not handle smoothly enough, and should have more luxurious interiors.

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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 happened—or didn’t happen—between the two men, Lamborghini wasn’t 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 field 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 first Lamborghini, the 350 G−TV, 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.

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Lamborghini cars in the world. Nearly fifty 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.

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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 fills them with wonder. In 2006, thirty-three celebrities, including Sylvester Stallone, Will Ferrell, Bruce Willis, and Samuel L. Jackson, signed a brand new Lamborghini G−allardo that was auctioned off to benefit the Child Safety Network, a charity dedicated to protecting children. The winner bid an incredible $500,000. However, big stars don’t 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 you’re 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 don’t look at all alike!

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CHAPTER TWO

A NEW RIVAL

FROM TRACTORS TO SPORTS CARS

L

amborghini was born in ⁄9⁄6 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 family’s farm after he completed his education. When World War II broke out Lamborghini joined Italy’s air force. While stationed on the G−reek 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 find solutions to even the toughest equipment problems.

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Lamborghini Lamborghini grew up working with tractors on his family’s 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!

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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, weren’t the only things that interested Lamborghini. Not long after the war he bought a Fiat sports car and modified its engine to produce more power. In ⁄948 he entered Italy’s Mille Miglia road race. Things went well for the first 700 miles (⁄,⁄27 km), but then the Fiat skidded off the road. Lamborghini wasn’t 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, Lamborghini’s 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

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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 Lamborghini’s talent was in building tractors, not cars, he knew he needed to hire excellent engineering talent. So he convinced G−iotto Bizzarrini, one of Ferrari’s top designers, to work for Lamborghini instead. 14

FROM TRACTORS TO SPORTS CARS In ⁄963 the first Lamborghini was ready for the world. The 350 G−TV boasted a twelve-cylinder engine and could reach a speed of ⁄74 mph (280 km/h). Reviews at the Turin (Italy) Motor Show were good—but not good enough. A year later the 350 G−T, another V-⁄2 speedster, debuted at the G−eneva 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.

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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.

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CHAPTER THREE

READY TO RIDE

L

@ 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.

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Lamborghini

Automobili Lamborghini produced the Jarama between 1970 and 1976. It was the company’s first four-seater.

The first Lamborghini to have that honor was the Miura, which was finished in ⁄966. It was named for a very aggressive breed of bull, specifically bred by Don Eduardo Miura in Spain for bullfights. The Miura made its debut at the G−eneva Motor Show, but just barely. When the Miura frame was finished, 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 G−eneva anyway. He

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READY TO RIDE filled 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 first bull had passed the test. Over the next two years the company created many Lamborghini model prototypes, but only one—the Islero—was produced and sold. All of the others failed to make it into showrooms. In ⁄968 the Espada 400 G−T 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 new—a four-seater—in ⁄970 with the Jarama 400 G−T, which was named for an area in Spain famous for its fighting bulls. Lamborghini had five models at the ⁄97⁄ G−eneva Motor Show, including the V-⁄2 Countach LP500 prototype. Unlike other Lamborghinis, the LP500 was named when an employee saw the car for the first 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,

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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 G−eorge-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 couldn’t 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 financial health, but trouble was still ahead.

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Lamborghini

CHAPTER FOUR

CHARGING AHEAD

W

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)!

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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 finished fifth 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 first offerings, the four-door Portofino, 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 G−TR could hit 2⁄0 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 wasn’t 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.

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Lamborghini Indonesian companies. Four years later Audi, a company controlled by the G−erman 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 fight because of its strength and courage, the Murcielago was extremely successful. Volkswagen entered the Murcielago in a race in Valencia, Spain. The car finished third— impressive considering Lamborghini didn’t specialize in race cars. In 2003 the G−allardo, nicknamed “The Baby Diablo,” arrived. The smaller and less expensive car appealed to those who didn’t need all the power of the Diablo, though the G−allardo still boasted a V-⁄0 engine and had a top speed of ⁄96 mph (3⁄5 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 G−allardo, dealers committed to buying every one scheduled to be built because they were certain the model would sell quickly. The company’s 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 (G−ermany) Auto Show where Lamborghini unveiled the Reventon, an ultramodern car reportedly inspired by the F-22 Raptor fighter 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. It’s hard to imagine what Automobili Lamborghini will come up with next. With Lamborghini, the unbelievable has always been possible. 27

Lamborghini

Vital Statistics 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) 0–60 mph (0–96.5 km/h): 7.5 sec

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SPECIAL FACT: The engine was so large that it did not fit in the car’s 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) 0–60 mph (0–96.5 km/h): 3.4 sec

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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 engine’s 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.

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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 Sant’Agata. Somerset, UK: Haynes Publishing, 2005.

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

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INDEX acceleration, 25, 28, 29 Audi Company, 26 Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini (company), 5–7, ⁄3–⁄4, 2⁄, 22, 24, 25–26, 27 Bizzarrini, G−iotto, ⁄4 business, 2⁄, 22, 27 celebrities, Lamborghinis and, 9 Chrysler Corporation, 24, 25, 25–26 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 G−andini, Marcello, 23 Lamborghini, Ferruccio, 5–7, 6, ⁄0, ⁄⁄, ⁄7, 2⁄ Lamborghini 350 G−T, 4–5, ⁄4, ⁄5

Page numbers in boldface are photographs.

350 G−TV, 6,7–8, ⁄5, 28 Countach, ⁄9, 20, 22, 22–23, 24 Diablo, 7, 24, 25 Espada, ⁄9 G−allardo, 8, 9, 26, 26–27 G−TV concept car, 6 Islero, ⁄9 Jalpa, 24 Jarama, ⁄8, ⁄9 Miura, ⁄6–⁄7, ⁄8–⁄9 Murcielago, 25, 26 Portofino, 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, 7–8, ⁄4–⁄5, 28, 28 ⁄965, 4–5 ⁄966, ⁄8–⁄9 ⁄967, ⁄6–⁄7, ⁄9 ⁄968–⁄972, ⁄9 ⁄989, 22–23

⁄990, 25 ⁄994, 7

2000, 24 2006, 8, 26 2007, 25, 27 2008, 27, 29 prototypes, ⁄9 racing cars, ⁄3, 24, 26 Rossetti, G−eorge-Henri, 2⁄ sales, 9, ⁄9, 27 scissor doors, 7, 8 Sgarzi, Ubaldo, ⁄9 speed, 8–9, ⁄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

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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 world’s 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 let’s rocket through the history of the Lamborghini with Sports Illustrated for Kids author Michael Bradley!

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