Factory Tour

May 2005, Italy

Photos & Text by Marcel de Lange

 

In the first week of May I was given the opportunity, together with an English friend, to have a fantastic tour around the Lamborghini-factory and more.  We also visited some local "carrozzeria's" in the neighborhood and that 'other' great Lamborghini-museum in Dosso.

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350 GT:
This 350 GT was completely rebodied by a "carrozzeria" quite close to the Lamborghini works.  They often do restoration-jobs for the company; several of the employees working here used to work at Sant'Agata previously.  This particular 350 GT was bought the United States and is now - probably - heading towards Switzerland.  The 4-headlights are now converted back into the original 2 headlights.

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Gallardo Polizia:
Yes, it is absolutely true: the Italian "Polizia" will soon take delivery of their second (!) Gallardo. Well, if you're gonna get caught speeding, you'd better be caught in style then...

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Murciélago roadsters:
Even the people in Sant'Agata thought this was pretty special: on the morning of Friday the 6th of May, 4 American customers were welcomed to collect their 4 Murciélago roadsters.  1 of them with 6 speed, the others equipped with e-gear.

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Miura P400 S & Miura P400 SV:
Apart from restoring a 350 GT, this "carrozzeria" is also the place to go to have your Miura restored.
At the moment we entered the shop, we saw two Miura's P400 S and - hidden under a cloth - a Miura P400 SV.

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Espada:
The Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini in Dosso is easy to recognize from the road; this naked Espada body-shell is parked in the garden in front of the museum

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Espada prototype:
Once inside the Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini you're confronted with yet another Espada. The Espada prototype it is this time. Saved from the infamous wrecking yard behind the factory in the seventies/eighties and now being restored. Funny to see this car is a rhd.

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Go-Kart:
In the early 50's, Ferruccio built this go-kart for his first-born son, Tonino. Not exactly a multi hp-machine; this kart had a 2 hp engine.
Now also on display in Dosso.

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Concept S:
This Gallardo roadster was designed by Luc Donckerwolke, based upon a rejected design for the new Gallardo spyder (which was revealed during my visit - unfortunately I was not allowed to photograph that car as it will be first officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2005).  Donckerwolke has tried to incorporate the catamaran-hull design of the Lamborghini offshore powerboats in this Concept S. He also admitted that the original Batmobile has been some sort of influence.  The car was being photographed during my visit by both CAR magazine and Top Gear magazine from England.  On the last pic you can see the car being returned to the Centro Stile Lamborghini. Lamborghini-photographer Umberto Guizzardi (on the left) is enjoying his ice-cream after a hard day's work...

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Gallardos:
The Gallardo is built in enormous numbers, compared to other models in the past. What's still unchanged is the brightness and variety of available colors. Traveling a bit more north (Maranello) you'll mainly spot red cars, not so in Sant'Agata!  Haven't got a clue what that well-known "collaudatore" has just been doing...

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350 GT model:
The 350 GTV didn't make it into production and was followed by the 350 GT.  Perhaps this model, shown at the Sant'Agata factory museum, must be the missing link between both cars.  Unfortunately not a lot is known about this model.

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Friday-afternoon:
Time for the workers to go home, this causes colorful traffic-jams in the village Sant'Agata Bolognese ;->

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Roadsign:
finally Ferruccio Lamborghini has a street named after in the village Sant'Agata Bolognese.
It's just around the corner of the Via Modena, where the factory is based on a new industrial estate.

 

Dosso (Tonino Lamborghini) museum

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350 GTV mock-up:
recently this interesting piece of Lamborghini history was unveiled in the Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini in Dosso, Italy.  This was the very first 1/1 scale model that was shown to Ferruccio Lamborghini by designer Franco Scaglione to give him an impression of what was going to be his first real car: the 350 GTV.  Painted in the original color same color as the 350 GTV was.

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Miura photos:
In the Dosso museum a lot of interesting pictures are shown on the walls, such as this collection where we see the Spanish Don Eduardo Miura on his ranch together with Ferruccio Lamborghini and both a Miura car and Miura bulls. Also a great shot of Ferruccio Lamborghini trying to get in (or out of?) an Jslero.

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Urraco prototype:
This is the very first Urraco prototype, executed by Bertone. This is the car with the four separate pop-up headlamps. One of the many prototypes that are on display in the Dosso museum. Unfortunately lightning conditions aren't perfect (or is that my flash that's inadequate?)

 

~o0o~