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© History Oasis
1963-1974
Ferruccio Lamborghini founded Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini S.p.A. in 1963 after Enzo Ferrari dismissed his complaints about the clutch. During his eleven-year tenure, Ferruccio built the company from scratch, converting a tractor factory and turning it into a supercar manufacturer. He launched the iconic 350GT, 400GT, and the revolutionary Miura. The Miura was the first mid-engine layout for modern supercars. But financial pressures from the 1973 oil crisis forced Ferruccio Lamborghini to sell majority control in 1972. By 1974, he was done and sold his entire stake.
1972-1978
The man who bought 51% of Lamborghini was Georges-Henri Rossetti. He soon took over operations. But the Swiss businessman struggled to manage the company during the devastating 1973 oil crisis. The crisis was crushing for Lamborghini and other sports car vehicles. Rossetti is also blamed for failed ventures, including the problematic Cheetah military prototype and a botched BMW M1 collaboration. By 1978, Lamborghini declared bankruptcy, and Rossetti was no longer the owner.
1974-1978
René Leimer acquired Ferruccio’s remaining 49% stake in 1974. He was Georges-Henri Rossetti’s partner in a doomed venture. During René Leimer’s brief leadership, the company hemorrhaged money. Fuel-conscious consumers abandoned exotic cars in droves. Political unrest in Italy further damaged sales. The wealthy no longer wanted to show off their wealth as the populace was suffering. Leimer’s leadership came to an end with Rossetti as he saw the company go broke.
1980-1987
The heir to a sugar fortune, Patrick Mimran, took control of bankrupt Lamborghini in 1980 through court-appointed receivership with his brother Jean-Claude. He and his brother injected massive capital and restructured operations completely. Mimran also expanded the lineup beyond the aging Countach, introducing the Jalpa sports car and the military-inspired LM002 SUV. He revived the company to its former glory and sold it to Chrysler in 1987 for $25 million.
1987-1994
Lee Iacocca acquired Lamborghini via Chrysler Corporation in 1987. Iacocca had big dreams of entering the sports market, and the Italian brand was his golden ticket. The legendary automobile executive, fresh from saving Chrysler from bankruptcy, invested heavily in the Italian brand. Iacocca was a hands-on leader, overseeing the development of the Diablo supercar. But his seven-year ownership was a debacle at best. The venture cost Chrysler an estimated $60 million in losses.
1994-1996
In 1994, the Indonesian consortium MegaTech purchased Lamborghini from Chrysler. Michael J. Kimberly was appointed president and managing director. The former Lotus and Jaguar executive concluded that Lamborghini needed to expand beyond one or two models to achieve profitability. Kimberly pushed for affordable options that would attract American enthusiasts. But his initiatives weren’t working, and the company continued to bleed money. It started to look like nobody could save Lamborghini.
1996-1999
Vittorio Di Capua brought four decades of Fiat experience to the struggling automaker. He was ruthless, cutting costs everywhere, firing executives, and overhauling production to achieve 50% productivity gains. Di Capua reduced the break-even point from 450 cars to just 196 units annually. By 1997, he achieved Lamborghini’s first profit in years. He made the car company attractive enough to be acquired by Audi in 1998.
1999-2005
Giuseppe Greco was appointed CEO by Audi. Audi had goals of restructuring Lamborghini into a German-controlled holding company. He oversaw the transition from Italian chaos to Germanic precision; Greco oversaw the development of the first major Diablo evolution with fixed headlights. Greco also launched the Murciélago and Gallardo models. The new cars took Lamborghini from a niche manufacturer into a higher-volume producer. Modern Lamborghini’s success has Greco to thank.
2005-2016
The German executive Stephan Winkelmann increased vehicle sales by 300%. He oversaw the launch of the Gallardo, Murciélago, Aventador, and Huracán model series. Winkelmann also developed the controversial Urus SUV concept. The bet on the luxury SUV turned out well as wealthy customers wanted Lamborghini performance in a practical package.
2016-2020
Stefano Domenicali arrived from Ferrari’s Formula 1 team to lead Lamborghini’s next growth phase. The Italian executive saw the launch of the Urus SUV in 2018. The Urus doubled the company’s sales volume. Domenicali oversaw massive facility expansion, hiring over 700 employees and achieving record turnover of €1.81 billion in 2019.
2020-Present
Stephan Winkelmann returned as President and CEO in December 2020. He also continues to lead Bugatti. In modern times, Winkelmann faces Lamborghini’s transition to electric vehicles, announcing in 2021 that all models will be hybrid by 2024. Stephan Winkelmann currently manages unprecedented demand, with the company selling more vehicles than it can produce. Lamborghini has come a long way since its humble tractor factory beginnings.
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