Famed lamborghini test driver valentino balboni loves porsches. The italian gathering will celebrate its 10th year with one of the biggest names in lamborghini. Retired test driver and brand ambassador valentino balboni. Serving the company for over 40 years, he is regarded as one of the best lamborghinias experts in the world. As lamborghinis longtime test driver, he got some time behind the wheel of lamborghini ceo patrick mimrans countach when it was new and again, more recently, with filmmaker ben bertucci along for the ride. Balboni was the chief test driver for lamborghini for years, after getting his start as a mechanic. Lamborghini gallardo lp5502 valentino balboni first test. Balboni, even though officially retired as chief test driver, has signed a twoyear contract with lamborghini as a consultant through 2010 that can be renewed multiple times. In fact, for several of those years he was the test driver.
I got a note the other day that valentino balboni would be in town this week for an annual lamborghini rally with gotham dream cars. Valentino balboni, the man formerly in charge of tracking lamborghinis for a living, had good things to say about. The powerful v10 engine makes it easy to perform controlled oversteer, naturally within the limits of the driver s abilities. Its superlative handling and roadholding and its driving assistance systems make the gallardo lp 5502 valentino balboni an extremely safe super sports car. Valentino balboni lamborghini aventador svj exhaust. Watch lamborghini test driver valentino balboni take the urus off. Starting as a mechanics apprentice in the late 1960s, balboni rose to become the companys chief test driver for. Watch lamborghini legend valentino balboni reunite with. On wednesday, drako published a new video that stars none other than valentino balboni, the former chief test driver for lamborghini. The name valentino balboni might not ring any bells unless youre a diehard lamborghini fan.
May 18, 2015 valentino balboni was never just another test driver. Lamborghini has made a habit of this for a while now. Best lamborghinis of all time pictures, specs, and more. Legendary lambo test driver valentino balboni starts tuning firm. Well i never, if it isnt valentino balboni, the legendary lamborghini test driver. Or, indeed, lamborghini s legendary gun driver valentino balboni. Nov 05, 2011 lamborghini lp5704 superleggera action drive with valentino balboni. With lamborghini, one can only look at valentino balboni.
The vehicles sporty temperament is emphasized by the characteristic white and gold. Design inspired by the house of the raging bulls legendary test driver. Serving the company for over 40 years, he is regarded as one of the best lamborghinis experts in the world. I got a clue quite how different balboni was back in 2001, when i dropped in at lamborghini to have a go in their diablo gt. In his 40 years of service with lamborghini, there should be a lot of anecdotes about the former chief test driver, valentino balboni. Feb 29, 2020 the former lamborghini test driver is impressed by the incredible power and amazing control. Lambo honors its legendary test driver with its most intense gallardo ever.
As lamborghini s chief test driver for some 40 years, valentino balboni had a hand in the development of virtually every car to emerge from santagata since the last miuras rolled off the line. This special limitededition gallardo 250 worldwide is rather verbosely named to honor 40year veteran lamborghini test driver valentino balboni, who has not only helped develop every car since. Valentino balboni celebrating the most iconic test driver. Starting as an intern with the car company, he moved his way up to test driver, driving more lamborghinis. This new job was the start of something big for young valentino. Balboni knows a thing or two about how performance cars should.
Jul 25, 2017 the name valentino balboni might not ring any bells unless youre a diehard lamborghini fan. Valentino balboni drives the long lost 1 of 2 lamborghini. Valentino balboni takes the lamborghini urus off road. Valentino balboni worked at lamborghini for about 40 years and was the companys chief test driver for many years, during which he drove just about all of santagata bologneses raging bulls. Aug 25, 2010 see instrumented test results and photos, and read about the 2010 lamborghini gallardo lp5502 valentino balboni at car and driver. Lamborghini gallardo lp5502 valentino balboni instrumented test. Famed lamborghini test driver valentino balboni explains that and more. Retired test driver and brand ambassador valentino balboni will help roll out the 2015 italian. Valentino balboni drives the lamborghini gallardo lp5502. Feb 28, 2020 drako asked former lamborghini factory test driver, valentino balboni, to talk about the gtes ontrack prowess, and he says there is a lot of enjoyment to be had driving it quickly around a. Back in 2009 it launched the gallardo lp5502 balboni, which, if ive got my sums right, was the first rear wheel drive lamborghini. Performance the first modern rearwheel drive lamborghini. Lamborghini gallardo valentino balboni technical specifications.
Meeting the legenadry lamborghini test driver valentino balboni. Valentino balboni celebrating the most iconic test driver in the world it was april 21 st 1968 when valentino balboni first clocked on, as an apprentice, at the lamborghini workshop. Watch former lamborghini test driver valentino balboni. Valentino balboni was one of lamborghinis test drivers for 40 years. An icon in automotive history has passed away on thursday, september 19. Oct 19, 2015 as a child, i cared nothing for cars designed. Meeting the legenadry lamborghini test driver valentino. Jan 28, 2019 valentino balboni is one of the most significant figures in lamborghini s history. Valentino balboni vintage lamborghini 400gt youtube. Watch lamborghini test driver valentino balboni take the. He is the former chief test driver of automobili lamborghini spa. After going upstairs, balboni was faced with ferruccio lamborghini, bob wallacelamborghinis first chief test driver, a new zealander whod been hired away from maseratis race team and a man. Longtime lamborghini test driver valentino balboni has formed a new tuning firm focused on the supercars churned out of santagata bolognese. He retired in october 2008 due to italian government work regulations, after having served the company for 40 years.
Why the miura is the greatest lamborghini ever made. Valentino balboni said that the first car that got him excited about cars was a silver bizzarrini gt 5300 that he saw at the turin car show in 1966. Jul 24, 2017 valentino balboni was one of lamborghinis test drivers for 40 years. He worked for automobili lamborghini, and for over four decades spent most of his time behind the steering wheel. Watch former lamborghini test driver valentino balboni speak. Nothing like a retired lamborghini test driver to shakedown an electric supercar. Drako gte ev lamborghini valentino balboni test drive. Partly its that lamborghini has had the guts to allow its retired chief test driver to create the car he wants, but more than that its what this car. Gallardo is best sold lamborghini of all the times. Feb 26, 2020 drako gte electric supercar gets a shakedown with former lamborghini test driver. For thirty minutes i got to chat with valentino about his passion for the brand. Drako asked former lamborghini factory test driver, valentino balboni, to talk about the gtes ontrack prowess, and he says there is a lot of enjoyment to be had driving it quickly around a circuit.
Famed former lamborghini factory test driver says valentino balboni says the drako gte allelectric fourdoor hypercar works great around a track. Valentino balboni is a retired lamborghini test driver. See instrumented test results and photos, and read about the 2010 lamborghini gallardo lp5502 valentino balboni at car and driver. Lamborghini test driver valentino balboni on the worlds greatest job dw burnett puppyknuckles valentino balboni may be retired from his day. Famous lamborghini test driver bob wallace passed away the. The incredible story of valentino balboni classic driver. Gallardo lp5704 superleggera and valentino balboni, former chief test driver of lamborghini. He became the face of the brand and an ambassador for lamborghini. Legendary lambo test driver valentino balboni starts. The former lamborghini test driver is impressed by the incredible power and amazing control. Sep 19, 2017 we were able to catch up with valentino, who is from italy, briefly during the event and then later for a lengthier conversation where he discussed everything from how he started working at lamborghini to what it meant to be a test driver to what made a car worthy of winning the valentino balboni award. Jun 14, 2017 i had the pleasure of meeting a man who is synonymous with lamborghinilegendary test driver valentino balboni.
Limited to 250 units, the gallardo lp 5502 valentino balboni was named after lamborghini test driver valentino balboni and to his request, unlike the contemporary lineup, the balboni is rear wheel drive, reducing the curb weight by 30 kg 66 lb to 1,470 kg 3,241 lb. Watch the drako gte ev benchmarking against a tesla model s. Drako gte electric supercar gets a shakedown with former. Ferruccio lamborghini was always close to the test drivers and he used us to demonstrate the potential and attitudes of the car. Jun 30, 2009 lamborghini is paying tribute to its longtime test driver, valentino balboni, by putting his name on a limited run of rearwheeldrive gallardos. Valentino balboni drives the bosss countach hemmings daily. Longtime lamborghini test driver valentino balboni has formed a new tuning firm focused on the supercars churned out of santagata. Aug 30, 2016 lamborghini test driver valentino balboni on the worlds greatest job the man who developed lamborghini s supercars for 40 years talks about the past and future of highperformance cars. He has long been revered as one of the many legends surrounding the worlds most uncompromising sports car brand valentino balboni, a remarkable test driver with his own personal cult status. Balboni, the retired lamborghini test driver, took to the track in the drako gte electric super car.
A man filled with passion for cars, balboni tells his careers story from the beginning how he chose to work for the exotic. Starting as an intern with the car company, he moved his way up to test driver. Lamborghini test driver valentino balboni on the worlds. Lamborghini test driver valentino balboni standard. A ride with the legendary test driver he hammers the car around, accompanied by whirrings and a lot of tyre squeal the drako corners neatly, but you still sense its huge heft.
A man filled with passion for cars, balboni tells his careers story from the beginning how he. Former lamborghini test driver valentino balboni tries out. V alentino balboni was born on may, 1949 in casumaro, italy, less than 7 miles from ferruccio lamborghinias birthplace. Valentino balboni is the former chief test driver for lamborghini, but he retired in october 2008 after 40 years of work in lamborghini.
Lamborghinis longtime chief test driver, valentino balboni, tells how he landed a dream job wheeling supercars. Oct 18, 2018 lamborghini test driver valentino balboni remembers how he got the best job in the world. Aug 09, 2016 longtime lamborghini test driver valentino balboni has formed a new tuning firm focused on the supercars churned out of santagata bolognese. Giles meyrick meets lamborghini chief test driver valentinoi balboni at the silverstone classic where they chat about the argument between. He started at lamborghini sweeping floors, and worked his way up to be the chief test driver for the company. Jan 23, 2019 valentino balboni worked at lamborghini for about 40 years and was the companys chief test driver for many years, during which he drove just about all of santagata bologneses raging bulls. Ferruccio gave valentino his first job at lamborghini, and the first time he went out as a test driver for lamborghini it was in a lamborghini miura which valentino counts as. Lamborghini test driver valentino balboni on the worlds greatest job dw burnett puppyknuckles valentino balboni may be retired from his day job, but hes not slowing down. Valentino balboni born may 1949 is the former chief test driver of lamborghini, a manufacturer of sports cars in italy. Aug 18, 2015 the italian gathering will celebrate its 10th year with one of the biggest names in lamborghini. Valentino balboni is one of the most significant figures in lamborghinis history. Watch lamborghini test driver valentino balboni take the urus. Lamborghini murcielago with 415,000km on the clock is the ultimate daily driver.
Lamborghini testdriver balboni to attend italian gathering. Valentino balboni hits the track with drako gte electric. Hes possibly the last person id have expected to bump into at the launch of an electric hypercar. Together they offer the most exclusive gallardo ever. V alentino balboni was born on may, 1949 in casumaro, italy, less than 7 miles from ferruccio lamborghinis birthplace. Legendary lambo driver balboni tames drako gte hyper ev on track. Lamborghini test driver valentino balboni standard edition. Lamborghini lp5704 superleggera action drive with valentino.
A recent upload from the youtube channel dailydrivenexotics has the shows host, damon fryer, meet up with balboni to ride shotgun as the. How a lamborghini test driver used the factory to flee the cops. In the 1980s, balboni was the only test driver who was simultaneously employed in prototype development, production and customer service at lamborghini. Lamborghini is paying tribute to its longtime test driver, valentino balboni, by putting his name on a limited run of rearwheel drive gallardos. Feb 29, 2020 thankfully, veteran and legendary lamborghini test driver valentino balboni had a go at the drako gte to give us an insight inside its cockpit while testing its limits at the thermal club raceway. Sep 19, 2017 16 questions with valentino balboni, former test driver for lamborghini.
Oct 19, 2015 why the miura is the greatest lamborghini ever made. Valentino balboni was never just another test driver. Watch lamborghini legend valentino balboni reunite with the. In case youre not sure what all the drama is about, valentino balboni spent four decades as a test driver for lamborghini.