Overview & Reviews

Beloved by enthusiasts everywhere, Lamborghini cars are built for speed and to look the part. Extreme style and extreme performance are the chief characteristics of Ferrari's national rival. Unless your zip code is 90210, you're not likely to see a scissor-doored Lamborghini ahead of you in the Starbucks drive-thru or parked next to you at the mall; these are exclusive automobiles designed to cater to a small, very specialized audience.

During World War II, company founder Ferruccio Lamborghini served with the Italian Air Force's mechanics corps, where he became proficient at working with engines. After the war, Italy was plagued with scarcity; one such shortage involved tractors. Sensing an opportunity, Lamborghini purchased surplus military machines and reconfigured them as tractors. It was a canny move that resulted in a thriving business for the young entrepreneur, one that quickly made him a very wealthy man.

By the 1950s, Lamborghini's business had become even more successful, expanding to include heaters and air-conditioning units. As a car enthusiast, Lamborghini drove the best sports cars of the day. Somewhat disappointed with the Ferraris, he vowed to build a better car. Armed with millions of lira in investment money, he retreated to the small village of Sant'Agata to build a state-of-the-art automotive factory. On his payroll was noted automotive engineer Giotto Bizzarrini, who'd previously worked at Ferrari.

Automobili Lamborghini SpA. was officially founded in 1963. That same year, the very first Lamborghini, the 350GT, debuted at the Turin Motor Show. The car's name came from its engine size, a 3.5-liter four-cam V12. Then came the 400GT, which was produced until 1968. But it was the stunning midengine Miura, produced from 1967-'73, that catapulted Lamborghini to worldwide acclaim.

Lamborghini's tractor business suffered hard times in the early '70s, which led him to sell a controlling interest of Automobili Lamborghini SpA to a Swiss industrialist. The Italian's problems were worsened by that decade's oil crisis, and he wound up selling the remaining amount of his shares. Still, Lamborghini had found the wherewithal to bring out the Miura's replacement, the iconic Countach, for 1974. The company also invested millions in the development of a new vehicle, the military truck-style Cheetah, but its sales were disappointing. By the end of the decade, the automaker had declared bankruptcy.

The company got back on its feet in the 1980s. The key was Lamborghini's over-the-top Countach. Though introduced previously, the Countach was now fully styled with outlandish vents, aggressive fender flares and a huge rear wing that made it the perfect exotic car for that's decade's brash mentality. Perhaps hoping to cash in on the firm's revived popularity, the company's managers sold Lamborghini to Chrysler in 1987.

The '90s started out with the debut of the Countach's successor, the Diablo. Not long after, though, another change of ownership took place in 1994, when Lamborghini was acquired by three Far Eastern companies. Megatech was the largest of the trio and the primary shareholder. By the late 1990s, Lamborghini was in financial hot water once again. As before, the lack of a diversified product lineup was hurting the company's ability to compete globally. It was acquired by Volkswagen (which also owns other luxury marques such as Audi and Bentley) in 1998.

The new millennium saw the debut of the Murcielago, which replaced the Diablo, and the (relatively) more affordable Gallardo. Today, the current German/Italian marriage seems to be quite stable, and the rise in quality and refinement of Lamborghini's vehicles leaves no doubt as to its benefit.

User Reviews:

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  bat out of hell - 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo
  By dte23 - July 4 - 9:20 am

  What can I say but, its a Lambo! This machine handles like its nobodys business, and dont get me started on the acceleration. The Egear is very responsive. You get an adrenaline rush just from starting it up. The styling makes it look like it flying down the road when its just sitting there.

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  Sexy supercar - 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo
  By xxx - April 12 - 2:46 am

  Absolutely perfect in every aspect. Reliable enough to drive daily. Fast enough to bring to a race track. Fun enough to make you feel like youre on a roller coaster. Sexy enough to turn heads everywhere. Expensive enough to make it unique without making you question its value. This is the car that people dream of owning.

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  An excellent machine! - 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo
  By Exotic driver - December 23 - 9:06 am

  This has been the best handling car Ive ever driven. It is amazing in corners, in the rain, and on the track. Nothing significant has gone wrong in 10,000 miles except for the A/C. People love to see the car out and always compliment it and ask about it.

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  Expected more - 2006 Lamborghini Murcielago
  By Jeff - December 22 - 5:06 am

  I will say.. for the money spent on it, Im not as impressed as I should be. The engine has had a few thousand dollars worth the problems in the last few months, the exterior design is a little boxy, riding comfort isnt spectacular. The performance is amazing obviously, really throws you back in your seat. Paint chips kind of easily. The shift is smooth but my tranny has already gone once. Gears wear down a little fast. Needs better brake pads, Ive been replacing them every few thousand miles. Gas is horrible, but I couldnt give it a 1 because it IS a 12 cylinder.

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  Blast - 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo
  By Barry - November 28 - 7:43 am

  What an amazing car this has been.Porsche turbos and 360s I have owned do not compare.The only complaint I have is reaching for the radio under acceleration good luck it is a blast.

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  Great - 2004 Lamborghini Murcielago
  By GiuseppeA - November 25 - 10:00 am

  When you hear Lamborghini you think wow what a car. and yea wow its a beauty. great car. the exterrior design is sexy, the cuts and the details stand out and make the car. performance wise the car has a strong V12 unimaginably powerful engine. speed is great. the interrior can use a little modernizing, it looks like it has been the same for years. overall beautiful.

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  This Car is Amazing - 2002 Lamborghini Murcielago
  By Nick Fury - November 23 - 2:46 am

  A good custome of mine (I do High end Car-audio) let me have the once in a liftime chance to drive his. After experiencing this car I will now be divorcing my wife, selling my house and all material posssesion to own my own! This is the quickest beast Ive ever drive and I own a 500HP supercharged mustang! Im truly in love PERFECTION!

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  Best Car ever - 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo
  By David Cabrera - October 14 - 2:40 am

  The Lamborghini Gallardo is about the best car Lamborghini designed. Its performance is great and I love the 0-60 mph and topspeed that this baby could achieve. For the price of this Lambo I think its just right compared to the Ferrari 360. I like its sleek lines .

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  Lamborghini Murcialago - 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago
  By Edmund Hillary - September 19 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car you can buy. I abslolutely reccomend it for performance, and it will be sure to turn heads wherever you go. It can beat any Ferrari, Porsche, Maserati, Dodge Viper, ect. If you seek the absolute highest performance, this is the car for you.

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  A Beautiful Execution - 2005 Lamborghini Gallardo
  By Giovanni - June 5 - 12:10 pm

  This is the best car I have ever owned. In the past, I have owned and driven many cars, but it had always been my dream to own a Lamborghini, and now I can drive it. Incredible handling, tight steering, and the interior is as nice as any other car Audi has built- not something you see very often in a car of this prestige. No doubt, its an expensive toy, but for a car enthusiast it is easily worth it, even if you are concerned you cant afford it. The design is beautiful... the trasmission is perfect... honestly, there is nothing else like it.