Freewheeling: The advent of ‘coachbuilding’
by Gautam Sen, Avik ChattopadhyayDec 14, 2020
•make your fridays matter with a well-read weekend
by Gautam Sen, Avik ChattopadhyayPublished on : Aug 27, 2021
It all started with his disappointment with the Ferrari 250 GT he bought in 1958. He found the interiors basic, clutch unrefined and after sales service substandard. A letter to Enzo Ferrari did not get the desired response. He modified one of his 250 GTs to outperform the factory-built ones and voila, he had found his calling. He would build a grand tourer that would move lightning fast, stick to the road and, be plush inside.
With the money he made from selling tractors, he founded the eponymous motoring badge in 1963. On his visit to the ranch of Don Eduardo Miura, a renowned breeder of Spanish fighting bulls a year back, he had decided that the image of a raging bull would sit on the nose of the grand tourer he would make!
Since putting together the 350GTV in four months just in time for the Turin Motor Show in October 1963, Automobili Lamborghini has been one bull run all the way till now, with the usual ups and downs of a hectic fight in the arena.
On August 14, 2021, the marque announced the relaunch of the iconic Countach as a hybrid-electric to commemorate its 50 years, limited to only 112 units as a tribute to its first model code of LP 112.
Freewheeling could not think of a better way to pay its tribute to this automotive marvel than have a chat with Mitja Borkert, the chief of design at Lamborghini and the man who designed the Countach LPI 800-4!
Read all the other articles in the Freewheeling series here.
by Anushka Sharma Sep 15, 2025
Turning discarded plastic, glass, textiles and bamboo into functional objects, the collection blends circular design with local craft to reimagine waste as a material of the future.
by Anushka Sharma Sep 13, 2025
London is set to become a playground for design with special commissions, exhibitions and district-wide programming exploring the humane and empathetic in creative disciplines.
by Mrinmayee Bhoot Sep 11, 2025
In partnership with STIR, this year’s programme for the Global Design Forum at LDF examines radical interdependence and multiplicities that design create.
by Bansari Paghdar Sep 09, 2025
This year’s London Design Festival honours Michael Anastassiades OBE, Lord Norman Foster, Sinéad Burke and Rio Kobayashi, highlighting innovation and inclusivity in design.
make your fridays matter
SUBSCRIBEEnter your details to sign in
Don’t have an account?
Sign upOr you can sign in with
a single account for all
STIR platforms
All your bookmarks will be available across all your devices.
Stay STIRred
Already have an account?
Sign inOr you can sign up with
Tap on things that interests you.
Select the Conversation Category you would like to watch
Please enter your details and click submit.
Enter the 6-digit code sent at
Verification link sent to check your inbox or spam folder to complete sign up process
by Gautam Sen, Avik Chattopadhyay | Published on : Aug 27, 2021
What do you think?