Veteran British automotive journalist, and author, Stuart Codling has been covering the world of exotic automobiles for decades, but as a full-time journalist, he’s not exactly making supercar money. He said, ‘I drive a Skoda car and driver From his driveway in England, one of the few places on his property where he receives cell reception. But this affliction, which is common among those of us in the car writing business, hasn’t stopped him from indulging his affection for outrageous sports cars in other ways.
To wit, he’s the author of the new book Lamborghini: 60 YearsA coffee table-scaled collection of everything the audacious Italian automaker has done since showing its front-engine, V-12 350 GTV grand tourer at the Turin Auto Show in 1963. And for fans of the brand, or anyone who respects Lamborghini’s relentlessly defiant fanfare, we think it’s well worth the $60 price tag.
Working with respected automotive photographer James Mann, Codling was able to locate, examine, and shoot an example of nearly every car brought to market by the charging-bull brand, plus a few that aren’t. And although he doesn’t currently own a Lambo, after doing all his research, he knows exactly which model he’ll be buying.
“I’m a particular fan of some obscure brand made in the late 70s and early 80s. magnum pi—then my choice would be the Silhouette, a targa-topped car that was related to the Uraco but made in smaller numbers,” he said. “Unfortunately, it will melt like April snow in my damp English driveway.”
Codling credits some of his personal fascination with Lamborghini to the brand’s complicated history. While Ferrari was founded by Enzo and controlled by him until his death, Ferruccio Lamborghini sold it after tiring of the challenges associated with running his eponymous supercar company, making it somewhat is spoilt.
“The company’s ownership passed like a tray of cakes before it really flourished under the ownership of the Volkswagen-Audi group,” Kodling said. “So, it’s a really interesting story to tell – not only are the fingerprints of individual designers, but also entrepreneurs and different eccentric people who got involved at various points. It’s not just a book about cars. No, but it’s also about the people behind the cars.”
The Lamborghini mythos wraps up, and battles, so much of the marque’s history — and, by association, automotive history. This provided Codling with intriguing challenges as he attempted to sort out the factual from the apocryphal.
“There is a theory that the Lamborghini V-12 engine was not actually designed by Giotto Bizzarrini, but it was designed by Honda. It is a part of the story, but it doesn’t really add up,” Codling said.
He added, “There is a persistent myth about the most storied Italian designers in automotive history—Giorgetto Giugiaro and Marcello Gandini—arguing over who really designed the Miura.” “Slicing one up was particularly interesting because Giugiaro isn’t exactly a reliable witness. He changes his story a lot.”
Codling was able to solve that issue, in a way. “I think Giugiaro—probably after several stern messages from lawyers—shifted his story to something like, ‘I may have omitted some pictures, which may have been some inspiration but probably weren’t,'” Kodling explained. “I think that’s as close to the truth as we’re going to get.”
contributing editor
Brett Sheet (he/she) is a former preschool teacher and early childhood center director who spent a decade as a youth and family researcher and now covers children and the auto industry topics for publications including CNN. new York Times, popular mechanics even more. She has published a parenting book, Gay Uncle’s Guide to Parenting, and has driven and reviewed thousands of cars since 2008 car and driver And road and track, where he is contributing editor. also written for Architectural Digest, Billboard, Elle Decor, Esquire, GQ, Travel + Leisure And Vanity Fair.