Accessori Originali: For when your Lamborghini isn't 'quite' special enough..

Driving Perfection

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  Interview with Giorgio Sanna, Test Engineer.

  Many boys in Sant’Agata Bolognese and all over the world dream of getting to drive a Lamborghini. For Giorgio Sanna, this childhood dream comes true virtually every single day, as he’s the responsible of the test drivers in the Research and Development department of Automobili Lamborghini Holding S. p. A . But there’s so much more to his job than just driving prototypes of the world’s most thrilling super sports cars; hard work and devotion are also a big part of what he does.

  “An annual testing schedule of over 200,000 kilometers is nothing out of the ordinary. So it’s no wonder that I spend at least 200 days a year traveling all over the world.”

  The majority of the work conducted on the prototypes takes place in Italy. There is a handling track with its own workshop which is the ideal place to make improvements as early as possible in the development process and also keep everything under wraps. The vehicles are also put through their paces in extreme weather conditions in Nordic countries – always pushed to their limits in order to guarantee optimum performance in each and every driving situation.

  In countless tests, Sanna checks hundreds of parameters and looks out for even the tiniest defect. Any unwanted sound or deviation has to be pinpointed, the cause determined and the fault remedied – with every single opportunity taken to optimize the vehicle. Only then can series production of the prototype begin:

  “The aim is to fine-tune every car until it’s perfect. We simply won’t settle for anything less.”

  Alongside his extensive experience and his intuition on the pedals, Sanna draws on high-tech aids that are also used in motorsports. The video recording and telemetry system provides Sanna and the technicians with a wealth of information.

  “Analyzing the vehicle’s technical data allows us to get a better understanding of how it behaves and further advance handling and driving pleasure.”

  The system is also available to customers as an Accessori Originali so that they can improve their driving style and maximize the performance of their Lamborghini. But before a Lamborghini can be delivered to the customer, the series vehicle has to undergo one final test: it has to prove its mettle on the roads around Sant’Agata Bolognese.

  Only when every parameter is exactly as it should be and the only thing you can feel is unadulterated driving pleasure can the vehicle truly be termed a “Lamborghini” and delivered to the customer. When asked whether getting behind the wheel of a Lamborghini is still something special when you do it day in, day out, Sanna responds by saying:

  “Sitting in a new model, starting the engine for the very first time and completing the first few laps is something that still sets my pulse racing, even after all these years and with so many test drives under my belt. To some degree, helping develop a prototype is a bit like watching a child grow up.”