FARM CLASSICS: Lamborghini makes more than fast cars

With Peter O'Brien

WHILE most will associate the famous Lamborghini name with exotic cars, most will also be surprised to learn that Lamborghini were producing tractors ever before their sleek, stylish and powerful sports cars. 

Having served in a motorised armoured unit in WWII, mechanic Ferruccio Lamborghini produced his first tractor in 1948 using surplus military parts. 

Building up a successful tractor, crawler and engine business in his factory in Bologna, Lamborghini decided to dabble in the luxury car industry and the rest as they say is …. 

So successful was the luxury car industry, the decision was made to make it his primary focus, and the agricultural side of the business was sold to the Same, also an Italian tractor manufacturer, in 1973.

While adopting some of the firm’s technologies, Same were also keen to keep on the exclusive brand name and manufactured almost identical tractors under both the Same and Lamborghini flags.  Fast forward to 1991, and a new, advanced high horsepower range is released – the Same Titan in the red corner, or the Lamborghini Racing in white corner. 

The Racing 165 is powered by Same’s 6l 1000.6 ATI engine, turbocharged and intercooled to produced 165hp, complete with electric fuel pump. Rear lift capacity is claimed as a whopping 8.6T, thanks to twin assistor rams, while oil flow is a meagre 60l/min.

What is most impressive about this tractor is its 40km transmission and controller, boasting a 27F/27R speeds through nine powershift gears in each of three ranges, the ranges being selected manually by a stubby lever or the creeper toggle. 

On a single fixed gear lever, two buttons control upward and downward shifting, with the gear being displayed on the dash. Furthermore, the gear controller is also home to the button operated F/R shuttle and linkage controls, while two buttons located underneath select neutral as well as a pre-set engine speed. This truly was a tractor ahead of its time. 

The forward opening doors of the square cut cab are quite retro but the twistable grab handle on the inside of the door is a nice touch. Another unique cab feature is the ability to jack the cab upwards from the front for maintenance and repairs. The dash is self-explanatory, and the tractor is fully equipped with four spools and front PTO ready. Electric lift controls, PTO, 4WD and differential buttons fall easily to hand, with the hand throttle and engine speed pre-sets controlled by an electronic panel.  

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VITAL STATISTICS

Tractor

Lamborghini Racing 165

Horsepower 

165hp

Engine

1000.6 ATI

Years of manufacture

1991-2000