L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 2023 www.italoamericano.org 4 I t w a s t r a c t o r s t h a t first bore his signa- ture. Affordable, stur- d y , a n d p r a c t i c a l . Essential for reviving the post-war agriculture. We a r e i n t h e l o w l a n d s o f Romagna, in that vast plain which is still recovering from the heavy damage inflicted by the flood last May. This is fer- t i l e l a n d , t o b e s o w n a n d plowed, which for centuries has relied on cultivation as its primary source of income. The demand for agricultural equipment is on the rise, and t h e f i e l d s a r e b e c o m i n g increasingly productive. During the patron saint festival, in front of the gath- ered townspeople celebrating San Biagio, Ferruccio intro- duced his Carioca. It was February 3, 1948, and envi- sioning its mass production was within his grasp. Ferruc- cio was a farmer's son with a p a s s i o n f o r m e c h a n i c s , repairs, and workshops. He built tractors using war sur- p l u s b u t r e j u v e n a t e d t h e engines with an innovative patent: a vaporizer that pre- heated diesel fuel, cheaper than gasoline. This ignited a change. Orders soon began to pour in, and from producing one unit a week, within three years, he was manufacturing 200 pieces a year. It became necessary to move to a larger facility, leading to the estab- lishment of Trattori Lam- borghini. F r o m a s m a l l b u s i n e s s owner to a major industrial- ist, the transition was swift. These were the years of the economic boom, but also of brilliant insights and winning bets. Innovation remained a guiding principle, and by the early '60s, Ferruccio Lam- borghini, now a leader in the industry, helmed a factory with nearly 400 employees producing 25-30 tractors a day. H i s f o r w a r d - l o o k i n g a p p r o a c h s p u r r e d h i m t o embark on a new venture. At t h e T u r i n M o t o r S h o w i n 1963, he unveiled his two- seater sedan: it was the turn- ing point. The Lamborghini 350Gtv, sophisticated and futuristic, was the first in a l i n e u p t h a t c a n n o w b e a d m i r e d a t t h e M u s e o Automobili Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese, pre- cisely where the entrepreneur opened the plant with its first two assembly lines. From the futuristic Miura and Coun- t a c h t o t h e 9 0 s D i a b l o , moving through to the Mur- ciélago and Gallardo of the new millennium, and more r e c e n t s u p e r c a r s l i k e Huracán Performante, A v e n t a d o r S v j , C ent e - nario, Sesto Elemento, and Veneno. Not to men- tion the debut of hybrid tech- n o l o g y c a r s , S i a n a n d Countach Lpi 800-4. A parade of iconic models nar- rating sixty years of ceaseless innovation, a hallmark that endures: just a few weeks ago, in Monterey, the first 100% electric supercar was unveiled. "Lamborghini is a global icon, epitomizing the best of Italian industrial tradition, always driven by innovation and the ambition to shape the future through advanced technologies and sustainable s o l u t i o n s . " T h e I t a l i a n Ambassador to the United States, Mariangela Zap- p i a , made these remarks during a celebratory event f o r L a m b o r g h i n i ' s 6 0 t h anniversary at Villa Firenze. She emphasized that each Lamborghini on American r o a d s s e r v e s a s a b r i d g e between our two nations. At the event, which was attended by Lamborghini America's CEO Andrea Baldi, and Lamborghini Washing- ton's General Manager, Amir H a d z i m e h m e d o v i c , the Revuelto was unveiled to a select group of guests. This model stands as Lam- borghini's first Hpev-High P e r f o r m a n c e E l e c t r i f i e d Vehicle and showcases Ital- ian engineering leadership in the green transition, even in the luxury sports car sector. The United States remains Lamborghini's primary glob- al market, with over 2,700 cars delivered in 2022 (a 10% increase compared to 2021). The positive trend continued into the first half of 2023, with 1,625 cars delivered (a 7% increase compared to the first half of 2022). California holds significant weight: it remains the best-performing market in the US, accounting for 25% of total sales. Last July 18th, the brand unveiled its latest showroom in South- ern California, Lamborghini Newport Beach, marked by a grand opening event that p r e m i e r e d o n t h e W e s t Coast's Revuelto, the brand's inaugural V12 Hpev plug-in hybrid. For years, Orange County has been one of Lam- borghini's most robust global markets, with a lively com- munity and a strong car cul- ture. Early in 2023, Lam- b o r g h i n i W e s t l a k e w a s i n a u g u r a t e d t o s e r v e t h e communities north of Los Angeles, including Malibu and Santa Barbara. Grand openings also took place in Broward, Florida; Philadel- p h i a , P e n n s y l v a n i a ; Nashville, Tennessee; and C o l u m b u s , O h i o . F l o r i d a accounts for 19% of total US sales, closely followed by the tri-state area and Pennsylva- nia, which represent 14%. " W e ' r e p r o u d t o , o n c e again, report record-breaking results for the first half of the year in the Americas region. This doesn't merely under- score the insatiable demand for our product as we cele- brate 60 years of the brand's rich tradition, but it arrives at a crucial juncture as we transition to hybridizing our entire range of models by the e n d o f 2 0 2 4 , " r e m a r k e d CEO Andrea Baldi. "We're resolutely committed to pro- viding the utmost experience for our customers, guided by t h e c o m p a n y ' s C o r T a u r i strategy, as we electrify our lineup." Lamborghini: creating icons since 1963 BARBARA MINAFRA NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Lamborghini Shines at the 72nd Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (Photo: Lamborghini Media Center) CONTINUED TO PAGE 6

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