In a world increasingly obsessed with the future of mobility, it’s easy to overlook the intrinsic values of the past. But not at Lamborghini.
Tucked away in Sant’Agata Bolognese, the beating heart of Lamborghini’s heritage program, Polo Storico, stands as a defiant reminder that history isn’t just for museums – it’s for roads like the twisty Passo della Futa where we got to drive some of these classic icons from the Raging Bull brand.
Polo Storico, founded in 2015, is Lamborghini’s official restoration division. But calling it a restoration shop barely scratches the surface. It is a time machine, a research lab, and a shrine all in one.
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Its mission is clear: to preserve, restore and authenticate Lamborghini’s iconic models from the 1960s through to the early 2000s – from the 350 GT to the Diablo. And in doing so, Polo Storico doesn’t just keep cars alive. It keeps the soul of the Italian performance car brand intact and very much top of mind.
These aren’t just old cars. They are rolling blueprints of Lamborghini’s DNA. The Miura didn’t just launch the idea of a mid-engine supercar – it pre-empted an entire category.
The Countach wasn’t just bold – it was radical, like no other car had ever been. The LM002 didn’t just predate the Urus – it created the hyper-SUV segment 20 years ahead of its time. These machines didn’t just shape Lamborghini, they shaped the supercar world.
And yet, these masterpieces in design and engineering require special care. That’s where Polo Storico steps in with obsessive dedication that few rivals, if any, can match. There are automotive geniuses still available to the team here, who began working with Lamborghini in 1965 and continue to lend their expertise today.
Over the past decade, it has restored some of the most significant cars in the brand’s history.
The Miura SVR, a one-off track-focused monster, took 19 painstaking months to bring back to life. There’s a remarkable story here. Originally constructed as a Miura S, the car was first revealed in Verde Miura Green paint with a black interior at the 1968 Turin motor show.
But after passing through the hands of several owners, it was eventually acquired by German enthusiast Heinz Straber, who returned the car to Lamborghini’s factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese with instructions to upgrade it to the more extreme Miura SVR – a track-focused evolution inspired by Lamborghini test driver Bob Wallace.
Those modifications included beefed-up bodywork to house wider rear tyres, Girling disc brakes sourced from the Porsche 917, a big rear wing mounted ahead of the engine cover, lightweight BBS centre-lock wheels, a dry-sump lubrication system, upgraded camshafts and carburettors, and a different front splitter and roof-mounted spoiler.
Upon completion in 1976, the car was again sold for a reported sum of US$550,000 to a Japanese buyer, where it remained until it was shipped back to the factory in 2016 for a complete restoration by Polo Storico, despite having arrived disassembled.
Its condition presented significant challenges, so the restoration team had to rely on historical records, along with specifications from the previous SVR upgrade.
A Countach LP400 Periscopica was stripped to bare metal and returned to its rare metallic blue paintwork after more than a year.
The 1970 Lamborghini Miura P400 (chassis number 3246) in the striking green ‘Verde Scandal’ was treated to over 10 months of meticulous attention.
The restoration covered bodywork, interior, chassis, braking, cooling and electrical systems. The same car went on to take the top prize in its class at the Lamborghini & Design Concroso d’Eleganza in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, in September 2017.
The Lamborghini 400 GT Interim is a rare and noteworthy model in the marque’s history. One of just 23 ever made, it took nearly a year and a half to recreate.
And the crown jewel, the Countach LP500 prototype recreation, consumed 25 months of archival research, hand fabrication, and uncompromising authenticity.
These aren’t restorations. They’re resurrections of the highest order.
But Polo Storico isn’t just about tool boxes and welds. It’s about provenance. The team holds over 30,000 original technical documents, drawings, photographs and parts records. Every car that passes through is evaluated with forensic detail, certified with factory-backed authenticity, and reintroduced to the world in concours-level form.
There’s a great story on how the LM002 came to be from the mechanics and techs there on the ground back then (for another time), but I saw a rare photo of a heavy machine gun mount that Muammar Gaddafi wanted for his border patrol Lamborghinis in Libya until the Italian government apparently shut the idea down due to hard-won brand values, but from which the road-going version was born.
Indeed, there are highly skilled automotive restorers operating worldwide. Still, there’s a good reason why owners of these classic Lamborghinis are increasingly choosing to send their cars to the Polo Storico team to restore them to as-new condition.
That detail has real value. In a world where classic Lamborghinis are now multi-million-dollar collectibles, Polo Storico-certified cars stand apart, commanding higher premiums and more respect.
For collectors, that certificate isn’t just a piece of paper. It’s motoring gospel, given the sheer heritage of Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata Bolognese factory, which still stands in the same place where its founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, stood when he commenced operations back in 1963.
Lamborghini’s Polo Storico isn’t just about restoring past legends – it actively reproduces original spare parts to ensure classic Lambos remain genuine, fully functional, and historically accurate.
Here’s how this critical service reinforces the brand’s identity and supports enthusiasts globally.
Polo Storico now stocks authentic spare parts for classic models, covering over 65 per cent of the fleet (from the 1960s 350 GT to the 2001 Diablo). These parts are accessible worldwide via authorised Lamborghini dealers or sourced directly through their web catalogue.
When parts are out of stock, Polo Storico manufactures them from scratch, using original blueprints and archival drawings to ensure 100 per cent authenticity.
This capability covers everything from major mechanical components to minute washers and screws for Miura’s six double-barrel Weber carburettors – no detail is too small. Any part reproduced must match factory specifications exactly. Modern improvements aren’t made – the team prioritises historical accuracy and functionality as the parts were originally engineered.
Using contemporary substitutes is not an option – everything must pass rigorous archival and technical checks. Restoration techs work under the watchful eyes of former Lamborghini employees, who help apply period-accurate assembly methods to match trim, leather, and finishes to original standards. They ensure colours, textures, and even the classic ‘vintage leather smell’ are recreated authentically.
Each reproduction is logged and approved by the Comitato dei Saggi (Experts Committee) and supported by archive documentation. This ensures that Polo Storico-certified cars retain their factory authenticity.
Certification enhances a car’s collectible value – collectors trust factory-backed parts and documentation more than aftermarket alternatives. Spare parts are available globally, so dealers can access the catalogue digitally and order required components, and even ship rare parts internationally.
That “65 per cent parts coverage” is steadily growing as Polo Storico continues to develop new components to rebuild its historical catalogue.
Visit the Lamborghini Museum today and you’ll see a significant collection of jaw-dropping cars in as-new condition. The 350 GT. The Miura SVJ. The Countach LP400S. The Diablo SE30. The LM002. These are just a sample of what’s on show.
All lovingly preserved not just as artefacts, but as living, breathing machines. Some are driven in rallies and media events, like the one I recently attended, while others appear at Pebble Beach. Some return to the very roads they once ruled, like the Passo della Futa where we got to drive these dream machines properly.
What Polo Storico does is much more than keep old cars running. It restores the pillars of Lamborghini’s mythos.
It reminds us that without the Countach there likely would be no Aventador. Without the Miura, there would likely be no Revuelto. Without the drama, defiance and audacious design of those early masterpieces, Lamborghini might be just another performance brand.
Polo Storico gives the past a purpose. And in doing so, it ensures Lamborghini never forgets what made it great. A living legacy.
And the next classic Lamborghini to receive the Polo Storico treatment will be the Murcielago, built from 2002-2010.
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