Volkswagen Auto Group is the parent company of a huge number of car manufacturers. But how steeped in the world of exotic performance cars is the car brand that it also owns rights to the Lamborghini?
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In this article, we look back at the history of the Lamborghini to determine how exactly it became a property of Volkswagen, even though Lamborghini sells faster than Volkswagen vehicles.
When Did Lamborghini First Come into the Market?
The history of this brand is just filled with fun. Officially Lamborghini Automobili began back in 1963. But the roots of this legendary performance brand go deep. It all started with Ferruccio Lamborghini.
According to Lamborghini, Ferruccio decided to build a factory for luxury sports cars after he’d already built wealth. After World War II, he built a tractor factory. This was just one of the first ventures that ultimately gave Lamborghini a presence in the automotive engineering space as well as playing an integral role in building the brand that ultimately came to be the Lamborghini we know today.
The Lamborghini Was Built to Compete With the Ferrari
Once established, Lamborghini turned his sights toward his passion. He wanted to realize his dream of building a luxury sports car that could actually compete with the iconic Ferrari name. Most in the industry doubted Ferruccio Lamborghini and judged him for the unnecessary extravagance of such a feat.
Still, the project broke ground toward the end of the year 1962. By 1963, Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini was a true business entity. The first model, the 350 GTV, debuted at the Turin Auto Show in late 1963. From there, the brand continued to uphold its core values and remains one of the most competitive luxury sports producers in the world.
Does Volkswagen Truly own Lamborghini?
According to reports, Lamborghini ownership has taken some interesting turns. We know that Lamborghini founded the brand in 1963. But then what happened? Over the years, the brand has evolved from the mid-engine models that staked a claim in the luxury sports car arena to high-performance crossovers. The Lamborghini Urus was the first of its kind in 2017.
But who owns Lamborghini these days? It is, in fact, Volkswagen. In 1973, Ferruccio retired and sold the company. After changing hands again in 1984, Chrysler bought the brand in 1987.
When did Volkswagen buy Lamborghini?
Chrysler then sold the brand to investment firms in Indonesia and Malaysia in 1994, but Lamborghini became a part of the Volkswagen Auto Group family in 1998. Today, Volkswagen still owns the luxury sports car brand.
However, it has been enveloped by Volkswagen’s Audi division, and their Lamborghini remains. It now maintains its status as a successful brand in terms of year-over-year sales.
The Lamborghini headquarters are still in Italy. Sant’Agata Bolognese in Northern Italy is the place this brand calls home. True to its roots, yet supported by trickle-down innovation and technology from Audi and Volkswagen, Lamborghini is a name people love and car drivers live for. The brand is still considered Italian, despite its ties to Volkswagen Auto Group.
