Raging Bull Time

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Raging Bull Time - Blancpain
Lamborghini celebrates 50 years by holding an Italian giro comprising 350 of the supercars in a 4 km convoy and picturesque stops.

Lamborghini just turned 50. While that is nowhere near the age of watch partner Blancpain, who is a comparative Methuselah at the ripe old age of 278, the unparalleled celebration that the half-century-old car brand threw on the roads of its native Italy will likely go down in automotive history books.


A bona fide rainbow comprising 350 privately-owned Lamborghini models drove, flew, and were shipped to Italy’s design capital Milan at the beginning of May to partake in the celebratory Grande Giro Lamborghini leading through 1,200 kilometers of the country’s most picturesque scenery. Over four days of driving, the convoy four kilometers in length spirited from Milan to seaside resort Forte dei Marmi and on to capital city Rome before doubling back toward Bologna to end up at Sant’Agata Bolognese, the home of Lamborghini’s factory, on the final day.


Drive time


Thanks to Blancpain, the event’s main partner, I had the chance to drive a factory-new Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder between Milan and Forte dei Marmi. Slipping behind the wheel felt a lot like attaching a sports watch – say a Blancpain L-Evolution Chronograph Flyback Rattrapante – to my wrist on a snugly fitting alcantara strap. The seat was good and tight and after getting used to some of the controls, the wheel felt much like an extension of my arm. While the dashboard controls were not unfamiliar to me (they are set up much like an Audi; Lamborghini has belonged to Audi AG since 1998), they were certainly dressed up – displaying more sporty finish, in other words. Much like the L-Evolution’s Caliber 69F9 with its two-tone, beadblasted finish, which powers the split-seconds chronograph visible through the watch’s sapphire crystal case back.


Part of the drive between the two tour stops was on the autostrada. Thanks to an Italian police escort (visibly enjoying themselves), screaming through tunnels while revving the powerful engine was great fun for all the participants and even pleasantly surprised random drivers. The other part of the 248-kilometer drive that day took place on curvy, scenic country roads, where the easy handling of the supercar was more obvious.

 


An Italian religion


It seemed to me that Italy’s love affair with its super sports car makers borders on religious. Nowhere was this more evident than during the week of Lamborghini’s Grande Giro. Had this road-consuming display of wealth taken place in another country, inhabitants may have reacted in an irritated manner as their daily routines were disrupted. As it was, every aspect of the event – which literally dominated every city, village and region it rolled through – was widely and enthusiastically celebrated. In medieval Bobbio, where the tour paused for lunch the first day, citizens lined the streets cheering the entry and exit of the at times noisome automobiles and children were given the day off school to witness the historical spectacle. The city of Bologna played enthusiastic host to its leg of the event, with 150 eateries even designing special menus in celebration, despite the fact that the cars monopolized three major squares in the old city for close to 24 hours. “I’m both proud and thrilled to commemorate together with the historic house of the Raging Bull the first half-century of activity by a company that is known around the world, but has been able to solidly maintain its Bolognese roots,” the city’s mayor, Virginio Merola, enthused.


Blancpain’s association with this marque of world renown is not accidental, and in my estimation reflects a modern take on luxury products perhaps best exemplified by the brand’s youthful CEO, Marc A. Hayek. A Lamborghini driver who has successfully driven in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series for the past five years, Hayek easily embodies the legère chic of modern luxury style. Moving Blancpain away from solely classic watchmaking by adding the L-Evolution line made the brand accessible to a new customer – a modern consumer with multiple interests, many of them lifestyle and sports oriented. After having spent time in the world of the Lamborghini owner and enthusiast, I have perfectly uncovered the connection for myself: a sporty weave of the stuff dreams are made of.




Now having landed back in reality, I look forward to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo season, which recently kicked off in Monza premiering a “house” team: Blancpain Racing features Hayek and Peter Kox behind the wheel of a finely tuned Gallardo GT3. The popular racing series has been extended this year with dates in the United States and television broadcasts on Eurosport for the first time. The next race takes place on the weekend of June 1-2 at the Silverstone track in England.

 

 

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