Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
Company History
Lamborghini History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1963 in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
When was Lamborghini founded?
Lamborghini was founded in 1963 in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy by Ferruccio Lamborghini, making it 63 years old.
- Founded
- 1963
- Founding place
- Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
- Founders
- Ferruccio Lamborghini
- Headquarters today
- Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1963–2026)
- Current CEO
- Stephan Winkelmann
- Acquisitions
- 5
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1963 | Automobili Lamborghini Founded |
| 1966 | Miura Defines the Supercar |
| 1987 | Acquired by Chrysler |
| 1998 | Audi Acquisition |
| 2001 | Giuseppe Greco becomes CEO |
| 2003 | Gallardo Launched |
| 2005 | Stephan Winkelmann's First Tenure as CEO Begins |
| 2016 | Stefano Domenicali becomes CEO |
| 2018 | Urus Launch |
| 2020 | Winkelmann Returns as Chairman and CEO |
| 2025 | Record 2025 Results |
| 2026 | Record H1 Revenue, Lower Profit |
- Where was Lamborghini founded?
- Lamborghini was founded in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy in 1963.
- Who founded Lamborghini?
- Lamborghini was founded by Ferruccio Lamborghini.
- When did Lamborghini start?
- Lamborghini was founded in 1963.
- How old is Lamborghini?
- Lamborghini is 63 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Ferruccio Lamborghini built a fortune making tractors from surplus military hardware after World War II. According to company lore, he complained to Enzo Ferrari about the clutch in his Ferrari and was brushed off as a tractor maker. He founded Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, built a factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese, and launched the 350 GT in 1964, followed by the Miura in 1966.
Founders
Ferruccio Lamborghini
Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916-1993) was born in Renazzo, near Ferrara, to a farming family. He served as a mechanic with the Italian air force in World War II, then built Lamborghini Trattori into a major tractor maker using surplus military equipment. He founded Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963 to build grand touring cars to rival Ferrari, launching the 350 GT, Miura, Espada, and Countach. Financial strain after a cancelled tractor export order led him to sell the car company in two stages in 1972 and 1974, and he retired to a vineyard in Umbria.
Key Milestones
Automobili Lamborghini Founded
Ferruccio Lamborghini establishes the sports car company in Sant'Agata Bolognese, determined to out-build Ferrari after a personal insult from Enzo Ferrari.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMiura Defines the Supercar
The Miura establishes the mid-engine supercar formula and Lamborghini's design mythology.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAudi Acquisition
Audi (Volkswagen Group) acquires Lamborghini from Indonesian ownership group V'Power and Megatech for about $110 million, giving the brand engineering, quality, and capital support.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgGiuseppe Greco becomes CEO
Giuseppe Greco became CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. in 2001. Chief executive of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgGallardo Launched
Lamborghini launched the Gallardo in 2003, which became its best-selling model to that date.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgStephan Winkelmann's First Tenure as CEO Begins
Winkelmann becomes CEO for a 11-year run during which sales more than double and revenue more than triples.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgStefano Domenicali becomes CEO
Stefano Domenicali became CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. in 2016. Chief executive of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgUrus Launch
The Urus turns Lamborghini into a higher-volume ultra-luxury performance brand without fully abandoning supercar scarcity.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWinkelmann Returns as Chairman and CEO
Stephan Winkelmann returns to Lamborghini as Chairman and CEO on December 1, 2020, after leading Audi Sport and Bugatti.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRecord 2025 Results
Lamborghini reports ~$3.62 billion (EUR3.20 billion) in turnover, ~$868 million (EUR768 million) in operating income, and 10,747 deliveries.
Source: audi.comRecord H1 Revenue, Lower Profit
H1 2026 revenue rises 7.4% to ~$1.97 billion (EUR 1.74 billion); operating profit falls to ~$446 million (EUR 395 million) as tariffs and currency weigh.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.comMajor Acquisitions
Georges-Henri Rossetti (51% stake)
1972Financial pressure from a failed tractor-export deal forced founder Ferruccio Lamborghini to sell 51% control of Automobili Lamborghini to Swiss businessman Georges-Henri Rossetti for about $600,000.
Chrysler Corporation
1987After brothers Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran restructured Lamborghini out of its 1978 bankruptcy through a 1980 receivership, they sold the company to Chrysler Corporation in 1987.
Lamborghini (by Audi AG / Volkswagen Group)
1998Audi AG, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, acquired Lamborghini from the Indonesian and Malaysian ownership group V'Power and Mycom Setdco for about $110 million, driven by Ferdinand Piech's recognition of the brand's potential to compete with Ferrari and Porsche.
Italdesign Giugiaro (90.1% stake)
2010Lamborghini, acting for Audi, acquired 90.1% of the Turin-area design and engineering firm founded by Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Ducati Motor Holding
2012Audi acquired 100% of the voting rights in Bologna motorcycle maker Ducati via Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. for a purchase price of ~$844 million (EUR 747 million).
Keep researching Lamborghini
Lamborghini Company History FAQ
When and where was Automobili Lamborghini founded?
Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini was founded in 1963 in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, by tractor industrialist Ferruccio Lamborghini. Its first production car, the 350 GT, followed in 1964.
When did the Lamborghini Miura stun the world at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show?
In March 1966, Lamborghini unveiled the Miura P400, designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone. Featuring a transverse mid-engine V12 producing 350 hp, the Miura became the world's fastest production car and invented the term 'supercar'.
When did the well-known Lamborghini Countach enter production in 1974?
In 1974, Lamborghini launched the Countach LP400, featuring radical wedge-shaped aerodynamic styling, well-known upward-opening scissor doors, and a longitudinal 4.0-liter V12 engine, defining supercar styling for decades.
When did Lamborghini launch the 200+ mph Diablo under Chrysler ownership?
In 1990, Lamborghini introduced the Diablo, succeeding the Countach as the first production Lamborghini capable of exceeding 200 mph (325 km/h), later introducing the Diablo VT with viscous-traction all-wheel drive.
How did the 1998 Audi acquisition transform Lamborghini into the modern era?
Following Audi's 1998 takeover, Lamborghini modernized operations and launched the flagship Murciélago V12 in 2001 and the blockbuster Gallardo V10 in 2003, which became the best-selling model in company history with over 14,000 units produced.
When did Lamborghini launch the Aventador and Huracán?
In 2011, Lamborghini unveiled the Aventador LP 700-4 featuring a full carbon fiber monocoque and a 700-hp V12, followed in 2014 by the Huracán LP 610-4 V10, both becoming large commercial and critical triumphs.
When was the Lamborghini Urus Super SUV launched in 2018?
In December 2017, Lamborghini unveiled the Urus Super SUV, launching deliveries in 2018. Combining supercar performance with daily SUV usability, the Urus doubled company sales and generated record profits.
What is Lamborghini's position and global standing today?
Lamborghini reported ~$3.62 billion (EUR 3.20 billion) in revenue and ~$868 million (EUR 768 million) in operating profit in 2025 on a record 10,747 deliveries, and builds the Revuelto, Temerario, and Urus SE in Sant'Agata Bolognese.
How did Lamborghini start?
Automobili Lamborghini was founded in 1963 by Ferruccio Lamborghini. He was already a highly successful, wealthy manufacturer of agricultural tractors. After buying a Ferrari 250GT, he grew intensely frustrated by its constantly breaking clutch. When he personally complained to Enzo Ferrari, Enzo famously insulted him, telling him a tractor driver didn't understand sports cars. Furious, Ferruccio built his own factory to utterly humiliate Ferrari.
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