Industrialist Ferruccio Lamborghini continues his family’s rich legacy with boundless curiosity and bold Italian design.
This year, luxury lifestyle group Tonino Lamborghini — yes, that Lamborghini — celebrates its 40th anniversary. Since its founding in 1981, the brand has brought its bold, avant-garde Italian DNA to multiple industries, reflecting the boundless curiosity and eclectic spirit at the heart of every member of the family.
“Being a Lamborghini, it’s a matter of being aware of the great heritage that was created by my grandfather first, and then my father Tonino, and the responsibility to try to do my best to continue this legacy and to look at the future with the same spirit,” he says.
Ferruccio Lamborghini, the founder’s first son and current vice president and CEO, tells us that his family has always been involved in somewhat disconnected industries: tractors, cooling systems, cars, wine and now with Tonino Lamborghini, fashion, lifestyle, watches, food, beverage, furnishings and even residential buildings and hotels.
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And of course, his family’s illustrious heritage is always top of mind, too.
“Being a Lamborghini, it’s a matter of being aware of the great heritage that was created by my grandfather first, and then my father Tonino, and the responsibility to try to do my best to continue this legacy and to look at the future with the same spirit,” he says.
It seems as if everyone has a pandemic project, and Lamborghini’s CEO is no different. When Italy was in full lockdown, he realized that his grand plans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Tonino Lamborghini brand with galas would likely not happen, so instead he decided to create a book to celebrate the brand’s heritage and journey. The coffee-table book charts the evolution of Tonino Lamborghini’s business empire and the brand’s signature designs.
“When it comes to design, we always want to be cutting edge and we try to represent — through the products — our target customer, which normally is quite bold,” Lamborghini says.
In 2019, Tonino Lamborghini introduced the brand’s first watch collection. Traditionally utilitarian components like screws and ball bearings have prominent placements in the designs, instead of being hidden, which he calls a nod to the family’s mechanical heritage.
“It represents the beauty of the engines, which most of the time are not visible,” he says.
For example, the Spyderleggero collection is shaped like Lamborghini’s famous shield and features eight screws on the bezel. The watches are designed in Italy and manufactured in Switzerland. Before joining the family business, Ferruccio Lamborghini was an award-winning motorcycle racer, and several models nod to his experiences there. He personally wears the Spyder Leggero Chrono or a round Cuscinetto watch, splitting them 50/50.
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What’s next for Tonino Lamborghini? The industrialist alludes to new watch designs launching next year, which will keep the brand’s distinctive stylings, but be somewhat slimmer. Whatever it is, we can be sure that it will be bold and oh-so Italian.
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