Among the realm of iconic supercars, beyond ‘just’ mere aesthetics, design is the very spark that inspires every new conception, the defining element that elevates high performance engineering into sheer visual emotive artistry. Especially for Lamborghini, it is an integral part of its entire identity, having found its place of permanence in Centro Stile for the past 20 years.
Born in the 2000s from the very conviction that Lamborghini had to safeguard its very own creative voice, Centro Stile remains the very beating heart of Sant’ Agata Bolognese’s expressive process. The striking forms of every contemporary Raging Bull from the Murcielago right through to the Revuelto & Temerario have found their initial shapes right within the centre’s very walls, even as it has sharpened Lamborghini’s incredible DNA by building upon recognisable signatures including the Y-shaped light graphics and hexagonal geometry; all the while ensuring that each new supercar presents something enthrallingly unexpected.
Today, the Centro Stile naturally remains proudly rooted in Italy even as its diversely ambitious team has grown to 25 specialists with richly varied international roots. Italians, Germans, Portuguese, Poles, Americans, Japanese and Chinese designers enrich the brand’s design ethos with their own unique cultural perspectives & a truly global range of creative influences, all while remaining dedicated to its heritage. Even their individual skills run the full creative gamut: from exterior and interior designers who define each Lamborghini’s physical lines, proportions & ergonomics, to the clay and 3D modelers, translating their work into both physical and virtual models visualisations, through to colour & trim experts who express the marque’s personality through the vibrantly nuanced palettes and materials they create.
The team is united by a shared philosophy of remaining curious and open-minded to new influences, while remaining faithful to key non-negotiable elements. First & foremost of these is the sharply wedged lateral profile silhouette of any Lamborghini that must be instantly recognizable at any visual distance, whether at speed on the road or on an enthusiastically aspiring teenager’s bedroom wall poster. Both the “Y” graphic signature and hexagonal motifs play equally important roles here, reinforcing the origins of Lamborghini’s aesthetics in Italian architecture & industrial design thinking of the 1960s. In the interest of keeping this boldly innovative spirit alive, Automobili Lamborghini Design Director Mitja Borkert has formed what he terms as the “crazy corner”: an intimately compact group within Centro Stile whose mission is to envision what Lamborghinis will be like even 2 decades into the future.
Free of boundaries, they dream up possible new forms of mobility alongside radical reinterpretations of Lamborghini DNA. They have also begun to utilize artificial intelligence to amplify creativity, produce visualisations and streamline the design process. They have found a useful tool in this new technology, however the final outcome will always be human made in its origin. The Manifesto concept was recently revealed at the Sant’Agata Bolognese headquarters during the Centro’s anniversary celebration, as the clearest expression yet of their visions.
Born as a purely sculptural form on wheels that distills Lamborghini design into an utterly radical & powerful presence, true craftsmanship has been poured into its every surface, angle and proportion to evoke an instantly impactful, emotive response. A declaration of intent conceived to guide the brand’s design aspirations into the coming years, it is truly a new reference point for future Raging Bulls. It fully reflects the marque’s DNA in the details, even as it pioneers groundbreaking forms highly likely to influence tomorrow’s Lamborghinis. More than that, it seeks to establish a new legacy of enduring impact, defining each future design into just as much of a symbolic cultural statement as their illustrious forebears have been.
Twenty years on, Centro Stile Lamborghini undoubtedly remains a foundry of imagination, sublimating varied cultures & disciplines into the sort of icons that have driven motoring dreams for generations. With Manifesto as the latest product of its visionary team driven by a curiosity for more, its role of shaping Lamborghini’s successful design future is now more sharply clear than ever before.
