A decade of preservation, restoration, and certification of the brand's historical heritage and its cars, with an eye toward the icons of the future
Automobili Lamborghini celebrates the tenth anniversary of Lamborghini Polo Storico, the department established in 2015 with the aim of preserving and enhancing the brand's priceless historical heritage and cars. Preserving the company archives and ensuring the proper conservation of Lamborghini's historic models, Polo Storico is responsible for vehicle restoration and certification, actively contributing to the long-term preservation of these cars. During its ten years of activity, the department has completed various significant projects, growing steadily and becoming an international benchmark for collectors and enthusiasts alike. Polo Storico oversees Lamborghini historic cars from the 350 GT to the latest versions of the Diablo, playing a crucial role as an authoritative source in defining the company's historical identity. Like the rest of the company, Lamborghini Polo Storico also looks to the future, preserving past icons while preparing to welcome the models that will one day join its ranks. On the tenth anniversary of Polo Storico, Automobili Lamborghini is celebrating the department's history and its most important projects and has organized a program of events around the world with customers, the media and enthusiasts.
'For us, Lamborghini Polo Storico represents a cornerstone of the company's commitment to the world of heritage and tradition,' commented Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. 'Polo Storico is vital not only to the research carried out and the enrichment of our company archives, with the digitalization of over 30,000 historical documents, but also for its genuine commitment to the restoration and certification of the brand's historic cars. With more than 40 restorations completed — each of which required thousands of hours of work — and over 200 certifications issued, Polo Storico plays a vital role in the preservation and enhancement of our automotive heritage.'
Polo Storico, inaugurated on 16 April 2015, started its activities with the centralization and digitalization of the company's entire historical records, which up to then had been divided between different departments. Among the items cataloged were technical drawings, production sheets, type-approval documents, original materials, historical images, sales and administrative documents, and official company publications, contributing to the creation of a well-structured and authoritative historical archive. At the same time, a special technical unit was set up at the Sant'Agata Bolognese headquarters, where a specialist team started working on historic cars in the months immediately prior to the formal launch of the department.
Polo Storico restorations always maintain a clear objective: to return every car back to its original condition, in full respect of its historical, technical and aesthetic identity. Each project starts with an in-depth search of the archives and thousands of hours of skilled work, coordinated and supervised by the Polo Storico team, also in partnership with leading external suppliers. The restorations that have been made public form just a part of the department's activities: many collectors choose not to disclose the work carried out on their cars. However, even just the projects shared are evidence of the vital role of Polo Storico. In 2016, the Miura SV #4846, the first project presented to the public by Lamborghini Polo Storico, was completely restored and presented at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, before going on to win Best in Class at Salon Privé. The following year the Miura SV #5030 was exhibited at Techno-Classica Essen, after being restored over a 20-month period, involving 2,000 hours of work and using exclusively original spare parts. Also in 2017, Polo Storico delivered the Miura P400 #3165 to Giampaolo Dallara, which had been restored over a period of 14 months involving 3,000 hours of work, to celebrate his 80th birthday.
Also among the first full restorations was the 350 GT #0121, one of the very first Lamborghini cars produced. The restoration involved 1,150 hours of work on the body and interior, and a further 780 hours for the mechanical and electrical checks. In 2018, the restoration of the Miura P400 #3264 was completed after ten months of work. The car was then displayed at the Polo Storico stand at Rétromobile in Paris. In the same year, Polo Storico concluded its work on the Miura S #4863, which won Best in Class and the most iconic car at Salon Privé in London. In 2019, a particularly important project was completed, involving the restoration of the Miura SV #3673, finished shortly before its debut at Rétromobile and showcased on the Polo Storico stand. An in-depth historical investigation enabled the complex history of the car to be reconstructed, and this was followed just a few months later by the Best in Class award at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Also in 2019, Polo Storico certified the Miura P400 #3586, officially identifying it as the model used in the original shooting of the film The Italian Job, solving a long-standing mystery using archival materials and eyewitness accounts.
One of the most recent restorations was of the Miura P400 S #4797, which belonged to the Italian singer Little Tony and one of only seven painted in Azzurro Mexico (light blue), presented at Villa d'Este in 2019. In 2020, at Rétromobile, Polo Storico presented one of few Miura SVJs produced, chassis #4860 built in 1973. A captivating historic car, it was the subject of careful conservation work aimed at preserving the original condition, with the complete overhaul of all the technical and mechanical components, while keeping even the smallest details intact.
But the project that best represents the department's capabilities and expertise is the full reconstruction of the 1971 prototype Countach LP 500, destroyed in crash tests over 50 years ago. Completed in 2021 after over 25,000 hours of work, it was recreated from scratch starting only with the archive documents, historical photographs and firsthand accounts: an undertaking that perfectly embodies the spirit and mission of Polo Storico.
Another cornerstone of Polo Storico's activities is the Certification of Authenticity service, which certifies the authenticity and conformity (or otherwise) of the historic cars relative to the original factory specifications. Through a rigorous process, an analysis is carried out of the mechanical components, interiors, paintwork, modifications, and work done subsequently to the activities performed by the company, comparing every detail with archival documentation. This procedure can require hundreds of hours of work, and concludes with a detailed technical report. In some cases, during these ten years of activity, Polo Storico has identified some cars that cannot be certified due to technical or historical discrepancies. Under these circumstances, the customer will receive a full report with a list of the nonconformities found, with no additional charge except for the logistics costs. This is a particular service by Lamborghini that confirms the primary objective of Polo Storico: to preserve Lamborghini's historic cars and guarantee that every certification stands as a mark of authenticity, transparency, and accountability.
To support the processes of archive enrichment, certification and restoration, a committee was established comprising a group of former employees who played an operational role in the company's history, known as the 'Comitato dei Saggi' (Committee of the Wise). With firsthand experience in Lamborghini's past operations, these former employees provide support to Polo Storico in verifying information; solving and clarifying technical challenges; and reconstructing data that is not always available in the official archives.
At the end of each process, Polo Storico forms another internal committee to approve the work. As well as its own team, this committee includes representatives from strategic departments such as the legal department, type-approval, research and development, aftersales, and the chairman's office, responsible for signing off all certifications and restorations. This multidisciplinary team guarantees that every action is validated with the utmost accuracy and consistency.
Polo Storico's activities, which are continuously expanding, sometimes involve the collaboration of key suppliers for highly specialized work. These suppliers are also selected in line with the department's values, involving local businesses that are often historical partners of the company already operating at the time of the original production of the cars. In parallel, Lamborghini has invested in the expansion of its in-house skills: today, Polo Storico has access to advanced technologies and a team able to directly manage an increasing number of processes. Lamborghini's Original Spare Parts department also plays a key role, constantly enriching its portfolio with parts that are no longer available by manufacturing new to the original specification, developed based on needs emerging from the restorations and work on historic cars.
Polo Storico's activities also focus on enhancing the brand's technical and cultural heritage. Alongside the restoration and certification work, the department is often the main player – and sometimes the direct organizer – of international events celebrating the history of Automobili Lamborghini. Some of the most significant events organized by Polo Storico itself include: the 2016 tour from Madrid to Lora del Rio in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Miura; the Lamborghini Marzal's return to road on the occasion of the 2018 Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, with His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco at the wheel; the tour celebrating 50 years of the Espada and Islero (September 2018); the Espada Series 3 photographed on the iconic Abbey Road crosswalk and hosted at the Royal Automobile Club in London (October 2018); the 2019 'Lamborghini & Design' Concorso d'Eleganza organized in Portopiccolo, Trieste; and, more recently, the Lamborghini 60th anniversary tour in 2023 on the roads of Franciacorta, Alto Garda and Valpolicella.
To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Polo Storico has planned a calendar of international events taking place throughout 2025. The celebrations started in February in St. Moritz and will continue from 24 to 27 April with participation in the first edition of the Anantara Concorso d'Eleganza, organized in the heart of Rome and dedicated to Italian classic cars. In the summer, from August 16 to 18, Polo Storico will play a leading role at Pebble Beach in California, with an exclusive area inside Villa Lamborghini. During the year, Polo Storico will also attend official brand events, such as the Lamborghini Days in Germany and Japan, and will take part in a number of international classic car events, meeting with customers, collectors, and enthusiasts. The final event is planned for October, with participation in the Auto e Moto d'Epoca show in Bologna from 23 to 26 October, celebrating the history of Lamborghini and the department's activities together with customers and enthusiasts from all over Europe.
'We want to celebrate this important anniversary together with our customers and collectors, highlighting the value of the work carried out by Polo Storico and the central role it plays today in preserving our heritage,' explained Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. 'Its contribution is set to grow even further: every Lamborghini falls within the remit of Polo Storico twenty years after the end of production. With the increase in production volumes and the high degree of customization of our cars, the amount of work required will become increasingly broader and more strategic. Polo Storico will play an ever more crucial role in preserving the authenticity, quality and memories of our brand.' Photo credit: Lamborghini posted on conceptcarz.com
