‘ Ferruccio Lamborghini created what he thought Ferrari should be’

on the map, however, came in 1966 with the Miura (Italian for ‘fighting bull’), and the first with a rear midengined, two-seat layout. It was also the fastest production road car at the time of its release, and the first to earn the ‘supercar’ designation, with a top speed of around 262km/h. A sleek body from Marcello Gandini, who would later design the Countach and the Diablo, served as the finishing touch, with Köckritz enthusiastically describing the Miura in his book as “very loud and very, very sexy”.

The company expanded rapidly during its first decade, but sales plunged in 1973 following the worldwide financial downturn and the oil crisis — ironically, the same year that the Miura was discontinued, and just before Ferruccio himself retired. Lamborghini responded with a new car, the Countach, noted for its big rear spoiler, scissor doors, and sharp-angled ‘Italian wedge’ front nose, but despite this model’s popularity, built until 1990, the company still struggled financially, with its ownership changing three times in the 1970s, and bankruptcy being declared in 1978. Fortunately, the 1980s represented a bold resurgence, with Lamborghini bought out of receivership by new owners who invested heavily, eventually selling to Chrysler in 1987, who in turn sold it to a Malaysian conglomerate in 1994. The Diablo, the first Lamborghini to exceed 320km/h, had been launched in 1990 as a replacement for the Countach, and with another sale to Volkswagen in 1998, who placed the carmaker under the control of its Audi division, it felt like things were finally looking up. The Murcielago, the V10 Gallardo, and the Aventador, with its V12 coupés and roadsters, all launched, but with the 2000s ushering in more economic turmoil, sales began dropping again.

Today, Lamborghini consists of three distinct model lines — the V10 Huracán range, the Urus SUV series launched in 2019, and the all-new Revuelto plug-in hybrid, with its three electric motors and modern V12 engine combining to produce 1,001hp. There have been the occasional special editions too, with Lamborghini launching the Countach LPI 800-4 recently as a modernised revival of the model it delivered in the 1970s.

Perhaps more change awaits the carmaker as it enters the electric age. It remains fairly exclusive, with around 2,000 employees, delivering just over 9,000 cars worldwide each year. But 60 years on, as this book illustrates, despite the occasional hard times, there are many models to reflect on and celebrate. Who knows where Lamborghini will be in another 60 years.