Ferruccio Lamborghini Inducted Into Automotive Hall of Fame

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi.

Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916–1993), an Italian manufacturing magnate, founded Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini S.p.A. in 1963 to compete with Ferrari. The company was noted for using a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. Lamborghini grew rapidly during its first decade, but sales plunged in the wake of the 1973 worldwide financial downturn and the oil crisis. The firm's ownership changed three times after 1973, including a bankruptcy in 1978. American Chrysler Corporation took control of Lamborghini in 1987 and sold it to Malaysian investment group Mycom Setdco and Indonesian group V'Power Corporation in 1994. In 1998, Mycom Setdco and V'Power sold Lamborghini to the Volkswagen Group where it was placed under the control of the group's Audi division.

New products and model lines were introduced to the brand's portfolio and brought to the market seeing an increased productivity for the brand. In the late 2000s, during the worldwide financial crisis and the subsequent economic crisis, Lamborghini's sales saw a drop of nearly 50 percent.

Lamborghini currently produces the V10-powered Huracán, Urus SUV powered by a twin-turbo V8 engine and will produce the Revuelto, a V12/electric hybrid, as of 2024. In addition, the company produces V12 engines for offshore powerboat racing.

Lamborghini Trattori, founded in 1948 by Ferruccio Lamborghini, is headquartered in Pieve di Cento, Italy, and continues to produce tractors. Since 1973, Lamborghini Trattori has been a separate entity from the automobile manufacturer.

Manufacturing magnate Italian Ferruccio Lamborghini founded the company in 1963 to produce a refined grand touring car to compete with offerings from established marques such as Ferrari. The company's first models, such as the 350 GT, were released in the mid-1960s. Lamborghini was noted for the 1966 Miura sports coupé, which used a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout.

Lamborghini grew rapidly during its first ten years, but sales fell in the wake of the 1973 worldwide financial downturn and the oil crisis. Ferruccio Lamborghini sold the company to Georges-Henri Rossetti and René Leimer and retired in 1974. The company went bankrupt in 1978 and was placed in the receivership of brothers Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran in 1980. The Mimrans purchased the company out of receivership by 1984 and invested heavily in its expansion. Under the Mimrans' management, Lamborghini's model line was expanded from the Countach to include the Jalpa sports car and the LM002 high-performance off-road vehicle.

The Mimrans sold Lamborghini to the Chrysler Corporation in 1987. After replacing the Countach with the Diablo and discontinuing the Jalpa and the LM002, Chrysler sold Lamborghini to Malaysian investment group Mycom Setdco and Indonesian group V'Power Corporation in 1994. In 1998, Mycom Setdco and V'Power sold Lamborghini to the Volkswagen Group where it was placed under the control of the group's Audi division. New products and model lines were introduced to the brand's portfolio and brought to the market seeing an increased productivity for the brand Lamborghini. In the late 2000s, during the worldwide financial crisis and the subsequent economic crisis, Lamborghini's sales saw a drop of nearly 50 percent.

In 2021, the CEO of Lamborghini said that by 2024 all its models will be hybrid.

Sant’Agata Bolognese/Detroit, MI, 25th July 2022 – 

On July 21, top automotive executives and VIPs gathered at The Icon on the Detroit waterfront to celebrate the induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame of a diverse group of automotive and mobility pioneers from around the globe, including the legendary Ferruccio Lamborghini.

Ferruccio Lamborghini was not only instrumental in establishing Automobili Lamborghini in 1963, but his unrelenting desire to always improve and innovate resulted in the creation of two of the brand’s most iconic models: the Miura and the Countach. Ferruccio’s approach was always daring, fueled by the belief that the unexpected could be achieved by always striving to be better. His entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit is core to the brand DNA today.

Andrea Baldi, CEO of Automobili Lamborghini Americas, attended the ceremony to accept this great honor on behalf of Lamborghini. A marble plaque etched with Ferruccio Lamborghini’s signature has been installed in the Hall of Honor at the Automotive Hall of Fame where visitors celebrate the men and women whose automotive innovations have changed the world and revolutionized our way of life.

About the Automotive Hall of Fame

Automotive Hall of Fame (AHF) is a non-profit organization that honors and celebrates the automotive / mobility industry’s leaders and innovators through awards and programs that challenge young and old alike to higher levels of personal achievement. Founded in 1939, The Automotive Hall of Fame has honored 757 awardees from around the world, who have impacted and influenced the automotive and mobility industries. The Automotive Hall of Fame is located at 21400 Oakwood Blvd in Dearborn, Michigan, and is open to the public Thursdays – Sundays, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. You can also visit the Automotive Hall of Dame online at automotivehalloffame.org