2016 would have been the 100th birthday of Lamborghini founder Ferruccio Lamborghini who died in 1993. To celebrate the occasion, the Italian marque released only 40 examples (20 couples and 20 roadsters) of the now-highly-coveted Centenario model. Well, an artist by the name of Adler Capelli created five sculptures based on a vehicle that preceded the brand’s sports car legacy by a few years: a tractor.
The Lamborghini name has become synonymous with high-performance luxury sports cars ever since the first 350 GT rolled off the line in the mid-’60s. However, before that, Ferruccio cut his teeth in the agricultural industry by making tractors from discarded military scraps and engine parts from the War. In 1948 — 15 years before Automobili Lamborghini was born — he started Lamborghini Trattori. The company accomplished a few feats in its own right, such as the creation of the fuel atomizer, which allowed the tractor to start using petrol before switching over to petroleum.
Lamborghini Trattori still makes tractors today, but perhaps the most popular models from its catalog are those released in the early ‘60s, like the DLA 35 and the 2R DT, which Capelli’s metal structure is made from. In fact, the art piece itself is operational, using the 2.2L three-cylinder diesel engine from the DLA 35, which puts out 36.5hp. Likewise, the two-wheel-drive single-seater features six exhaust pipes that peek out from the front hood and can be marveled at from the side. As for the silver color exterior, it isn’t a result of a paint job but rather a lack thereof. Capelli made the decision to leave the metal underneath exposed so that the tractor can develop a natural patina over time.
With just 311mi at the time of its listing, the Lamborghini Trattori Centenario, numbered 4 out of 5, is up for sale now from the Classic Driver marketplace for CHF480,000 (~$537,986).
