How a Tractor manufacturer beat FERRARI and built the fastest car? ??
The year was 1963.
Ferruccio Lamborghini was a successful tractor manufacturer.
He drove a Ferrari, but he was unhappy with the car's clutch as it broke too easily.
He knew where Enzo Ferrari (Founder of Ferrari) lived.
So, he drove to his house and knocked on his door.
"Mr. Ferrari, just a moment." He said politely. "Forgive me but can I have a moment?"
"What can I do for you?" Enzo Ferrari asked.
"If I may, in my opinion you make the best cars in the world. I have seven of them. One for every day of the week."
"Well then there should be more days in the week. More buyers like yourself. Nice to meet you." Ferrari smiled.
"I even bought a FERRARI 250 GT 2+2. All great but with all my Ferraris there is a problem. The clutch. They are all bad." Ferruccio Lamborghini was almost apologetic while saying it when Enzo Ferrari stared at him with surprise.
What was this man talking about.
"Ferruccio Lamborghini." Ferruccio Lamborghini reintroduced himself.
"I know who you are. You make tractors." Enzo Ferrari scoffed.
"And air conditioning and heating." Ferruccio Lamborghini completed his own introduction.
"I'm sorry. I've got a dinner appointment." Enzo Ferrari wanted to leave the meeting, but Ferruccio Lamborghini was not leaving soon.
"Forgive me but your clutch does not live up to your car." Ferruccio said and them immediately added that "I come as a friend." He knew Enzo had a volatile temper. And he was not someone who took criticism lightly.
He believed that Ferrari was the best car and the only that could go wrong with it was the person who bought one because the customer might not understand the greatness of cars made by Ferrari.
Ferruccio continued. "I'm sure you know this and I'm not the first to point it out. But I have a solution. If you consider a partnership. Ferrari and Lamborghini. We will make the best cars in the world." Ferruccio Lamborghini smiled.
"Go back to your tractors, farmer." Enzo Ferrari looked at him with disdain. "Do you know what they say about Lamborghini. You are too uneducated to understand what you don't know."
Ferruccio drove home. Furious.
His intention was good but the in return he was insulted.
It was very painful for him.
Ferruccio was also an engineer and Lamborghini tractors were the best in Italy.
On the way home, he made a decision.
The decision that started the rivalry between Lamborghini and Ferrari.
He would also build sports cars.
And – they would be faster and better than Enzo Ferrari's.
And that's how Lamborghini Super Cars were born.
He immediately started the work.
In just a few months, a small factory was built.
The first car model was presented at the annual car show in Turin 1964 and was called the Lamborghini 350 GT.
But how could Lamborghini build and finish a car in just four months?
Two years ago, 5 men stepped into Enzo Ferrari's office.
One of them was Carlo Chiti who was the chief engineer, and another name was of the legendary development manager Giotto Bizzarrini.
They were unhappy that Enzo's wife, Laura Ferrari, was making important decisions on the factory floor.
They wanted Laura to stop messing about in the production.
Enzo Ferrari was furious.
Instead of correcting his wife's behavior, he fired the five men then and there.
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Those 5 immediately started a competing business in Bologna – a design agency for racing and sports cars called ATS.
Ferruccio approached these 5 men.
They were the only one who could build a car for Lamborghini and that too very quickly.
And they did.
Lamborghini 350 GT was quite well received.
13 customers bought it right away.
Supercars are anyways very expensive and have a small customer base.
Over the next two years, a total of 120 cars will be built.
Think the legendary status and pricelessness of these 120 cars in 2024.
But 350 GT hardly worried Ferrari.
It was just a new kid on the block.
But then came 1965.
There was a car show in Turin again.
And in that car show, things turned on their heads.
Because in that show, there was a car that shook up the world of supercars completely.
Including Ferrari.
And this car would put Lamborghini on the map.
Lamborghini Miura was the car.
And it was revolutionary.
Inspired by F1 racing, the engineers had put the car engine behind the driver.
So, it was first production car with the engine at the center of the car.
The car immediately became a success.
Miura was put into production in 1967.
A total of 764 cars were built until production was ended in 1973.
Enzo Ferrari was furious looking at the Miura.
It was a nightmare of him as his loyal customers wanted him to create something like it.
But the insult was that a tractor manufacturer had beaten him in his own game.
Till then Ferrari built the fastest car.
And now that crown was taken by Lamborghini and that too in just 4 years.
Think about Karma biting back.
And that is the story of the rivalry of Ferrari and Lamborghini
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#ferrari #Lamborghini #car #founderstory #startup
H.R. College Of Commerce & Economics
7 个月Aren’t these exact dialogues taken from movie? Which I think everyone know these days.
Helping brands become visible | Fractional CMO | Former Inc. Magazine Columnist | Celeb Interviews: Mark Cuban & Marcus Lemonis
7 个月It's amazing to see how a simple conversation sparked a fierce rivalry between two automotive giants!
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7 个月Well told dear Ankit. You sure know how to tell the story and stay to the point. Thanks for the insightful content ??
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7 个月Sharing is caring ?? Press the button "Repost". Cheers.
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