8 Things This Inspiring Biopic Got Right About Ferruccio Lamborghini’s Life Story
Feb 10, 2023 • Kyzia Maramara
Today, Lamborghini is synonymous with exotic high-speed supercars and elegance. But did you know its inventor was once a young boy who only dreamt of making tractors to help his family?
Bobby Moresco’s 2022 drama biopic Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend puts a spotlight on the genius auto inventor Ferruccio Lamborghini and his inspiring life story – as it premiered in the Philippines exclusively on Lionsgate Play powered by PLDT Home. Expertly chronicling the life of one of the best automobile designers in the world, this fresh, new biopic is a must-watch for all car enthusiasts. Here are 8 things that Lamborghini got right about Ferruccio’s story.
He was a prisoner of war
The biopic opened with a young Ferruccio Lamborghini coming home to Cento, Italy after World War II ended. While it wasn’t mentioned in the movie, Ferruccio spent the past few years as part of the Italian Royal Air Force where he served as a brilliant mechanic. He was taken prisoner when the island fell into British forces in 1945 but, thankfully, made it home a year later. In the biopic, we see him greeting his lover, Clelia Montini, and his family who were all in disbelief but ecstatic about his homecoming.
He married, had a son… and remarried
After the war, Ferruccio wasted no time marrying Clelia who became pregnant with their son. However, just like the most heartbreaking moment in the movie, Clelia died in 1947 while giving birth to Ferruccio’s firstborn, Tonino. Shortly after, Ferruccio met and married Annita Borgatti.
However, in the biopic, it was made to look like Ferruccio and his best mate and business partner Matteo had a fallout over Annita, but Matteo actually doesn’t exist in real life. Viewers speculate that he represents the people that had helped Ferruccio achieve his dream. But the love triangle was also possibly a creative decision to add more drama to the story.
Ferruccio Lamborghini started manufacturing tractors
While Ferruccio was born to viticulturist parents, his interests did not lie in the farming lifestyle. He gravitated toward farming machinery and found more interest in figuring out its intricacies. When he got back from the war, he opened a garage, named it Lamborghini Trattori, and started working on manufacturing tractors. At this point, Ferruccio was using old war surplus to build his tractors.
Just like in the movie, Ferruccio entered the 1948 Mille Miglia competition with a modified Fiat Topolino. He hoped it would win against all the other cars in the competition, but it crashed during the race. This only fueled Ferruccio’s desire to make better cars and engines. Pretty soon, he was making tractors from scratch and Lamborghini tractors slowly became one of the best in Italy.
The Lamborghini emblem was inspired by a bull
Throughout his life, Ferruccio found bulls and bullfighting fascinating. In the movie, we see him visiting a museum with his family and looking at photos of bullfighting. But IRL, he actually loved going to contests. He even paid a visit to the Seville ranch of Don Eduardo Miura, who was known for breeding fighting bulls. And since Ferruccio’s zodiac sign was also a Taurus, the bull as the logo made perfect sense.
In 1963, Ferruccio officially introduced a new Lamborghini emblem that we still see today. It featured a golden bull in a fighting position on a black crest outlined in gold with the Lamborghini name in print above it.
He had a rivalry with Enzo Ferrari
Ferruccio’s love for fast and beautiful cars was no secret. He owned multiple exotic and expensive cars, including ones from Ferrari. However, as the biopic got right, his Ferrari had clutch problems. Wanting to help Ferrari, Ferruccio himself went to see Enzo to complain about it. But the latter simply dismissed it as a driver problem.
The 1991 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars interview revealed that Enzo threw him a now-classic line: “Lamborghini, you may be able to drive a tractor, but you will never be able to handle a Ferrari properly.” While this exact line wasn’t said in the movie, Enzo did imply that Ferruccio was nothing more than a tractor manufacturer. But instead of wallowing in self-pity, this interaction motivated Ferruccio to set his sights on making the best cars in the world.
He made the Lamborghini 350 GT with the help of his rival’s ex-employees
Shortly after his encounter with Enzo, Ferruccio started conceptualizing the Lamborghini 350 GT. Ex-employees of Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati — Giotto Bizzarini, Franco Scaglione, and Gian Paolo Dallara — helped him. True enough, the car made its debut at the March 1964 Geneva Motor Show.
He made one of the most beautiful cars the world has ever seen
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Ferruccio’s love for bulls did not only stop with making the Lamborghini logo. He also named another car after the bull breeder Don Eduardo Miura, calling it the Lamborghini Miura. It’s widely known to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made. After being released in 1966, it was the world’s fastest production car at the time. The Miura boasted a 280 km/h top speed and an acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. In those days, that was a game changer for the sports cars segment.
Ferruccio Lamborghini became a winemaker in his old age
In the movie, we see Ferruccio on his own, walking through his vineyard. At this point, the Lamborghini Trattori was having financial difficulties. Importers canceled massive orders and unionized workers couldn’t be laid off. Add in the 1973 oil crisis that caused sales to plummet for car manufacturers around the world, and Ferruccio became “disillusioned.” He sold his stake in Lamborghini and left the automobile manufacturing business. Ferruccio returned to a quieter life of grape farming and making wines.
As one of the best automobile designers in the world, Ferruccio Lamborghini’s fast-paced life is one of ups and downs. But you can be sure of one thing — he lived life to the fullest.
To fully appreciate Ferruccio’s inspiring story, you can stream his top-trending drama biopic Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend only on Lionsgate Play, powered by PLDT Home’s most powerful broadband.
PLDT Home customers get front-row seats to Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend and more hit films and series by activating their free Lionsgate Play voucher. Thanks to PLDT Home’s fast internet speed, customers can enjoy a whole library of titles for the ultimate entertainment experience.
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