Information about Cheap Cars, Car Parts, Car Loans and Others

For the legendary Lamborghini sports car stable of fantastic ultra high performance and styled vehicles it all started with ordinary Fiat automobiles and tractors.

Mr. Lamborghini – fully named – Mr. Ferruccio Lamborghini got his start with Fiats and then went on to a large successful manufacturing concern that grew from a small manufacturing shop into a major producer of tractors. However at a certain point in every person’s life they search out to complete what their real passion is. In the case of Lamborghini was finely styled and crafted motor cars. At 60 years of age, an established manufacturer of agricultural tractors – Mr. Lamborghini – decided that he could a better job of building a high end, beautifully styled, performance racing automobiles than either of the two dominant Italian auto firms of that auto industry sector – Ferrari and Maserati.

The first product out of the door had a chassis that was multi-tubular; the engine was front mounted sporting a 3.5 liter 12 cylinder V-12 engine. The V-12 engine itself was fitted with six Weber carburetors and ran four overhead camshafts. It all clocked at 360 ultra smooth horsepower with the transmission drive being through five speed stick shift. Suspension involved a coil and wishbone independent suspension set up. In one word it was wow – both in terms of performance of the hop as well as the automotive styling.

Although the styling of those early Lamborghini models may be considered standard Italian sports car design – designs which have worked their way into the so called standard “sport scar designs “and “sport scar flair”, at the time it was new and innovative and for the most part if was twenty five years ahead of anything produced in the good old U.S.A. . The one American sports car which might be considered an exception to that point was the Chevrolet Corvette. For years to come nothing else really matched or was similar to the clean aerodynamic lines and styling of the early Lamborghini classic autos.

Even then Lamborghini had such innovative products the establishment and reputation of the Lamborghini product line was no easy road to hoe. Although the first cars were produced in 1963 it was not for two years later – at the Turin Motor Show that the car began to attract solid interest and for the reputation of the car and its studio to grow and begin to become accepted for what it should be.

The first real product of record for Lamborghini was what was marketed as Miura T 400 model automobile. Its first year of manufacture was the 1966 model year. The basic layout and design of the Miura T 400 was a mid-engined coupe with a slightly larger version of the overhead cam engine – the classic V-12 laid out transversely behind the two seats of the car. The rear wheels were then driven by this engine through” spurs gears”. Interestingly the gear boxes and rear axles were Lamborghini products all by themselves -so they shared a lineage that was unique and not the same as any other of the competitor’s models.

What was performance of this little cat? The V-12 engine could pour out a total of 385 barrel horsepower. Top speed of this little coupe was over 180 miles per hour. It could more than carry its weight with the local Italian contenders – even the famed Ferraris.

If the was one complaint from drivers or riders it was of noise levels in the car’s cockpit. It can be said that this was the price to be paid for success or in this case speed and performance. If you cannot stand the heat don’t stay in the kitchen. Certainly the buyers of Lamborghini fine motor cars who bought the product and established the revered name for its performance and advanced styling and forgo this small shortcoming or foible as the car as an assumed fact – even a luxury.

The next model in the Lamborghini stable was introduced approximately two years later. The entire life of the production run of the popular Miura model was nine years – with two cars being produced a week ( a production figure of only 100 or so cars a year). The name of this vehicle was the Espada. For the new Lamborghini model, the Espada, Lamborghini went back to a more standard front engine layout. Perhaps this was in response to concerns over noise levels in the cockpit of the Miura and the need to produce a more “standard” or “civilized “vehicle product. No one really knows what went on in the mind of the genius Ferruccio Lamborghini. However what was retained for sure were the Lamborghini basics – the four liter V-12 massive highly tuned engine with whizzy overhead cams and multiple choke carburetors all putting out massive automotive performance and handling.

In the end it can be said that the Lamborghini automotive and automotive styling and performance legends are more than unique and reek of power, thrust and acceleration.

Porsche – a reputation built on quality without compromise

As an experienced driver, you know the importance of keeping your Porsche in tip-top condition. Regular servicing will extend your car’s life and identify defects before they become catastrophic.

Porsche has built its reputation on pioneering designs, performance and lightweight engineering excellence. Booking a Porsche service that is conducted with care and precision is vitally important in retaining the performance of the sports car you are driving.

Porsche facts you may not know

The history of the Porsche name in car design begins with Ferdinand Porsche senior, who was the chief designer at the Austrian manufacturer Austro-Daimler. His flair for designing racing cars and compact cars was demonstrated by success on the circuit. However, in 1929, after the Daimler-Benz merger, his work was frozen as the company decided to focus on larger and more luxurious Mercedes-Benz cars.

Porsche left Daimler-Benz and started up his own design company in 1931, together with his son, Ferdinand junior (or Ferry) Porsche.

Ferry had become associated with car mechanics at an early age and had learnt to drive at the age of 10. Both ran the business that employed a number of experienced designers.

It was not long before they secured some corporate design contracts, such as with Auto Union (the original Audi Company) and Porsche became the design engine behind their racing cars.

In 1934, design work on a compact car was backed by the National Socialist party, who wanted to see an affordable car for working Germans. Originally named the Porsche 60, it became officially known as the Volkswagen (people’s car).

In 1938 Ferdinand Porsche senior left the Auto Union racing team and moved to the new Volkswagen plant to manage production of the Volkswagen that began in 1939. However, the Volkswagen factory had produced few cars when war was declared and this led to production being switched from civilian to military vehicles.

At the end of the Second World War, the Porsche family were asked by the French government to design and build a French version of the Volkswagen, but this met with political resistance and both Porsche’s ended up being arrested for war crimes and, without trial, a hefty 500,000 each was demanded for their release.

Sufficient money was paid for the son, Ferry Porsche, to be released. However, Porsche senior was held for over a year and a half and forced to assist Renault before his son raised the money to have him freed.

Ferry Porsche re-established the design business in Austria and won a contract to design Grand Prix racing cars for Piero Dusio. The Porsche 360 Cisitalia was born.

Porsche successfully designed their own vehicle, the Porsche 356, which was based on the original Volkswagen and received their first order in 1947.

In 1949, Volkswagen had just embarked on its own future (after failed post-war sale attempts), and a former senior manager at Opel, Heinrich Nordhoff, had been brought in to run the factory. He approached Ferry Porsche to help with design at Volkswagen, to improve the ‘Beetle’. In return, Porsche would receive support in the manufacture and distribution of their vehicles plus a share of profits.

So in 1949, Porsche was re-established back in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany. Production of the Porsche 356 was resumed and development of a new engine began – that became known as the Carrera.

These developments enabled the Porsche name to become established as an independent manufacturer of motor cars.

In 1961 work began on the replacement model for the Porsche 356, a new six cylinder engine with the body designed by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Ferry Porsche’s son.

Originally called the 901, a legal challenge by Peugeot on the format of the name led to the 901 being renamed the Porsche 911.

In 1963, at the Frankfurt International Automobile Show, Porsche revealed the 911 and production started the following year. The Porsche 911 remained true to its predecessor, with an air-cooled flat engine in the rear.

In 1972 Ferry Porsche decided to turn Porsche from a partnership into a public company, Porsche GmbH and stayed on the board until his death in 1998.

Since then, Porsche has continued to refine and upgrade the 911 and introduce turbo engines, the 914, 917, 924, 928, 959 and the Boxter with continued success on the racing circuit and amongst sports car enthusiasts.

With their history of engineering excellence and innovative design, together with their passion for performance, Porsche has successfully earned its reputation as probably the most successful sports car manufacturer.

Book your Porsche service with confidence

So, when you book your next Porsche service, you can be confident that Service A Car understands the heritage of Porsche and conducts Porsche servicing with the passion and precision the car deserves to retain its outstanding performance.