17-07-2025
A Visit To Lamborghini's Polo Storico: Living the Legend
Like so many kids in the 1980s, I had a poster of the Lamborghini Countach on the wall of my childhood bedroom. My brother and I would cut pictures of supercars from magazines and tape them inside our closet, imagining ourselves driving them along the sunlit, winding roads of the Italian countryside.
Decades later, that dream came full circle. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Automobili Lamborghini Polo Storico – the division dedicated to preserving the brand's legendary heritage – Gulf Insider took part in a special media event in Sant'Agata Bolognese. There, I experienced firsthand the incredible cars that inspired generations and saw how Lamborghini archives, certifies and restores these iconic machines.
We stepped back into history as participants drove four incredible machines through the rolling hills: the elegant 400 GT, the bold LM002, the roaring Diablo SE and the ultimate head-turner – the Countach 25th Anniversary model. Back at the workshop, I got my hands dirty working on the Miura, arguably one of the most beautiful cars ever designed.
These cars tell the incredible story of the brand: bold decisions, revolutionary design and innovative engineering – all wrapped in pure beauty. Nothing captures the Italian spirit quite like the raging bull of Lamborghini.
Seeing these cars together is a reminder of how many 'firsts' Lamborghini achieved. The 400 GT – an evolution of the original 350 GT – was among the fastest, most refined grand tourers of its era, offering comfort and drivability that stood out from its peers.
Ferruccio Lamborghini famously founded the company after a dispute with Enzo Ferrari, aiming to build a more reliable, road-friendly sports car than the Ferrari he owned.
The Miura became the world's first true supercar, introducing innovations like the mid-engine layout, now a staple in modern performance cars. Its legend was sealed in pop culture with The Italian Job (1969), where a bright orange Miura glides through the Alps, setting the standard for automotive elegance.
Next, the LM002 – the world's first luxury SUV. Nicknamed the 'Rambo Lambo,' it paved the way for today's Urus. The Countach, with its wild lines, became the poster car of the 1980s and a cinematic icon in films like The Cannonball Run and The Wolf of Wall Street. Then came the Diablo – a 1990s classic and among the first production cars to break the 200 mph barrier.
Preserving this legacy hasn't been easy. Lamborghini's early decades saw financial troubles and shifting ownership. Today, its heritage is protected through three pillars: archiving, certification, and restoration.
Today, that legacy is being safeguarded through three main pillars: the archive, where everything begins; certification and restoration.
The Polo Storico team includes expert mechanics, historians, and veteran employees – some from as far back as the 1960s. We saw a remarkable archive of hand-drawn sketches, production sheets, old invoices, and even original customer names.
Many of these documents were once thought lost, later found in forgotten storage rooms – or in the homes of retired staff who had quietly preserved pieces of Lamborghini's history.
Alessandro Farmeschi, Lamborghini's After Sales Director, explained: 'For us, the archive means knowing the history of each and every vehicle. In the mass automotive market, there's something called the 'end of life' of a product. For Lamborghini, this doesn't exist. Every single car is a piece of art – a collectible. They're assets, and we see our job as adding value to those assets.'
In addition to building the archive, the team offers a certification service for classic Lamborghini models. Each vehicle undergoes a detailed inspection and documentation process to verify its originality.
We saw how each car is meticulously examined and cross-referenced with historical records. It's a labour-intensive job, but fascinatingly reveals each car's unique story, tracing back to its factory origins.
Owners can also request full restorations. The dedicated mechanics who carry out this craftsmanship showed us the work being done on the Miura's V12 engine.
Every component is fine-tuned with incredible precision, factoring in everything from driving style to climatic conditions to deliver the ultimate performance.
To achieve this, the team uses a mix of modern and traditional tools, including one irreplaceable asset: the ears of Giancarlo Barbieri, who's been with the factory since the 1960s and, half-jokingly, claims his hearing is still more accurate than any modern diagnostic device.
Sourcing spare parts is a challenge in itself. If not found in old stock, the team searches the market. If that fails, they reach out to original manufacturers or reverse-engineer the part themselves.
To stay true to each car's original form, Lamborghini also partners with tyre manufacturer Pirelli to recreate vintage tyres long out of production.
Mr Farmeschi further explained the philosophy behind their work: 'We have certified only 200 cars so far and completed restoration on just 40. Our objective is not volume – it's about doing things the right way.'
I also spoke with him about the Middle East market specifically. 'We have many customers in the Middle East who own these collectible cars,' he said. 'They're part of some of the finest collections in the region. We have great relationships with them, and the Middle East is a key market for us.'
Naturally, having official certification from Lamborghini adds significant value to these vehicles, and the company is keen to work closely with Middle Eastern collectors. 'The key word here is trust,' he added. 'A recent study confirms that trust is one of the most important factors for collectors – you need to trust the seller and the history of the car. Our certification is the statement that 'this is the car.' That brings real value.'
As we left the event, Lamborghini's latest models – the Urus, new Temerario, and Revuelto – were parked outside. It was hard not to wonder if these high-tech machines would ever evoke the same raw emotion as the classics we'd just seen.
Lamborghini is embracing electrification, but not just for lower emissions. For them, electric tech is a means to elevate performance. So far, it's proving true. Only time will tell if today's lineup will become tomorrow's icons, inspiring future generations like the Miura or Countach did.
