Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini – new location, new cars

On Facebook a familiar name popped up one day. Fabio Lamborghini. I met him in 2012 when I visited the Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini at its old location and now Fabio told me the museum moved to a new place last spring. I think he knew what to expect after that comment – I said I could come for a visit on Monday after my weekend in Milan.

Same Jaguar as last time rolled in to the large car park at the new location in Funo di Argelato in Bologna, a 25 km drive from the Lamborghini headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Same charismatic gentleman stepped out from the car, charming as always. And because this is Italy, the tour started with a Tonino Lamborghini espresso – of course.

The new museum looks fabulous. More space for cars, but also more space for people. At this new museum they can host events for up to 400 people which is a massive improvement to the old museum, which was a dark and not that large building – but with a beautiful car collection inside, of course. Well I am happy to say that the collection is even better in this new museum. There are still the cars you really want to see, like Ferruccio Lamborghinis personal Miura, the Countach and so on. But now the collection has even more unique Lamborghini prototypes on display. More old production cars, for example a stunning yellow Diablo. The modified Fiat 500 “Tipolino” hot rod that Ferruccio raced Mille Miglia with. Unique Lamborghini art. Cars from Ferruccio’s personal car collection – Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and more. A room where they have replicated his office.

There is a lot to see there.

And boats. That Riva Aquarama that Ferruccio Lamborghini once was wise enough to put two Lamborghini V12 engines in… If I could buy one boat, any boat in this world no matter what price, I would choose this. I think Riva Yachts are incredible as they are but with a LAMBORGHINI badge on it reached a new level of desire and perfection.

That boat is so beautiful and when I heard for how much it sold… I know it is hard to put a money value on something that is one of a kind, custom built. But when I look at it I see a priceless piece of history and even double the price I heard would not have surprised me. If I had the choice I would also personally prefer to cruise around in a Riva Aquarama Lamborghini that Ferruccio Lamborghini once drove, over having that much money just sitting on my bank account… Wise spending (investing).

So this Lamborghini Riva Aquarama is moving to the Netherlands to one very lucky yacht collector, and will leave the museum most likely within some months. In case someone wishes to see it live, now it is still there.

At one point Fabio asked if I do not want to write down some things. No need to, I have a good (…selective) memory. That, and also the fact that I do not want to write here everything he said to me. Why? Because I want you to go meet him personally, let him guide you around the museum, let him talk to you about the family history, the achievements of the company and let him introduce the cars to you in a way that makes you feel like you are looking at the most exclusive diamonds in a jewelry shop. It is part of the experience to do that tour with Fabio. I am not the right person to repeat what he is saying, and neither do I want to do that. I hope more people will visit their beautiful museum, and I hope more people will have the privilege to meet him personally – and that incredible car collection.

If you are in Emilia-Romagna for a Motor Valley experience, this is an important part of it. And probably one of the most personal experiences you will ever get with Lamborghini. I definitely also love the brand for what it represents today – still a great supercar manufacturer with some German spices. But I love Lamborghini as a company even more for the history it has, for what it was and how it grew up to be one of the leading supercar manufacturers of the world. That history, that soul, is more present in Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini than it is in the Lamborghini Museum at the headquarters. But the Lamborghini Museum collection in Sant’Agata Bolognese is of course beautiful and interesting as well (see my post from my visit there in 2012). My point is however, visit both. They are very different places.

A family owned museum comes with a personal touch, and that just makes a big difference.
Go to Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini to see where Lamborghini came from, and go to Sant’Agata Bolognese to see where Lamborghini as a company is now heading.
That timeline of cars, from history to present to future, will satisfy any Lamborghini lover on this planet!