Which car pops up in your mind when you hear the word Supercar?
A Lamborghini or a Ferrari would surely be on the list. Lamborghini went from making tractors to manufacturing blazing-fast race cars because of Ferrari. An altercation instigated the fire within Ferruccio Lamborghini, the founder of Automobili Lamborghini, which caused him to enter the world of fast cars.
☀️ Humble Beginnings
Ferruccio came from a farming family. He was fascinated by his father’s farm equipment and used to tinker with them. He joined the army during World War 2 in Regia Aeronautica, a relatively isolated place that didn’t have proper garages. His affection for automobiles led him to start fixing motorcycles and trucks with recycled parts. This led to him being noticed in the area.
⭐ The Genesis of Lamborghini
As the war ended, Ferruccio went to Italy and started manufacturing tractors. In 1947, an agricultural reform was underway in Italy, which helped the company grow and become one of the largest agricultural equipment manufacturers there. He was thrilled with his tractor business, but destiny had something else in store for him.
🛣️ Entering the Fast Lane
Eventually, Ferruccio made a fortune for himself and became the biggest tractor manufacturer in Italy. The money came in and he could afford to buy fine cars from companies like Mercedes and Maserati. He also bought a brand-new Ferrari. Little did he know that they would be his competitors soon.
Lamborghini was dissatisfied with the Ferrari he owned and believed they were too noisy and rough to handle. As a motor prodigy, he went to Ferrari’s owner, Enzo, with his suggestions as constructive feedback for improvement. Enzo didn’t take Lamborghini’s suggestions because of his pride. He insulted Ferruccio by telling him to focus on his tractor business rather than paying attention to his cars.
Lamborghini took this as a challenge and entered the sports cars market with its first 350 GT, marginally outperforming Ferrari. The results spoke for themselves and Lamborghini proved his calibre.
📈 The Way Up
After the 350 GT, Lamborghini developed various fast cars like the 400 GT, Miura and Espada which captured the attention of auto enthusiasts and gave tough competition to Ferrari. Lamborghini’s comeback came to be one of the most savage business stories. This shows how even a negative incident can result in some exceptional inventions and growth. These two remain among the world’s top race car manufacturing companies and are rivals to date.