Lamborghini plots 50th birthday bash

Lamborghini used the recent festivities at California’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to showcase the Urus SUV and Sesto Elemento to North American car enthusiasts and simultaneously announce its elaborate plans to chalk up its 50th anniversary next year.

Founded in 1963 by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini with the aim of producing a sporting grand tourer to compete with offerings from established marques such as Ferrari, the brand has since become synonymous with supercars serving up jaw-dropping looks and performance.

However, Lamborghini has had to endure its fair share of hard times over the years and the company changed hands several times after the 1973 oil crisis.

With subsequent owners that included the Mimram brothers, Chrysler and even a Malaysian-Indonesian conglomerate, Lamborghini did no better than lumber along until Volkswagen’s Audi subsidiary bought the firm in 1998. Since then sales have increased nearly tenfold, peaking with a record tally of 2430 units in 2008.

The company currently has 120 dealerships worldwide, with the Aventador and numerous variants of the Gallardo forming the line-up. These models follow in the wheeltracks of past classics such as the 350GT, Miura, Espada, Countach, Diablo and Murciélago,

Getting back to the 50th anniversary celebrations, they will be held in Italy and abroad throughout 2013, culminating in May, during the same week in which, 50 years ago, the company was incorporated and the inaugural foundation stone was laid at its factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese.
 
The Lamborghini 50th Anniversary Grand Tour, expected to be the biggest Lambo rally in history, will run the length of Italy, and will be attended by owners and dealers from all over the world, according to the press blurb.

Here’s what’s in store:

From May 7-11, 2013, more than 1200 km of Italy’s roads will roar with the thrum of hundreds of Lamborghinis. From historic GTs to contemporary models, the cars will arrive from every corner of the globe to parade through some of Italy’s most beautiful cities.
 
On Tuesday, May 7, the cars will gather in Milan, Italy’s capital of fashion and design, leaving the next day for Forte dei Marmi, one of the most exclusive resorts on the Tyrhennian coast. On Thursday, May 9, they will set off towards Rome, with a triumphant evening arrival in the city centre.

On Friday, May 10, the cars will depart towards Bologna, via Orvieto, arriving at Emilia-Romagna’s capital during the evening.

Saturday, May 11, will mark the closing day of the celebrations: the cars will head off in procession from Bologna towards Lamborghini’s famous factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, where participants will visit the historic museum, the production facility, as well as enjoy other Lamborghini experiences. A gala dinner held at the factory will end a day packed with events and entertainment.

Pictured, left to right: Filippo Perini, Stephan Winkelmann, Maurizio Reggiani with the Lamborghini Urus.

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