Valentino Balboni, High Fidelity

Forty Years of Passion: Valentino Balboni and Lamborghini

Words *Alessandro Giudice

Photography *Alessandro Barteletti

Video *Andrea Ruggeri

Archive *Courtesy of Valentino Balboni Archive

The Early Days of Valentino Balboni

Even if you live in the countryside, life can be challenging. Shopping, school runs, and even clearing snow can become complicated tasks. When it rains, everything floods. And when it’s hot, the air fills with mosquitoes. Yet, not everything has to be troublesome.

Valentino Balboni, born in 1949, grew up in Casumaro, a small farming town nestled in the Ferrara-Modena-Bologna triangle. After finishing technical school, he sought a job close to home. There were no specific interests or attractions to any particular industry. He simply wanted to contribute to the family budget.

When he heard that Lamborghini, the tractor firm turned car manufacturer, was hiring, he decided to apply. It wasn’t a love for cars that drove him; it was convenience. The 20 miles to Sant’Agata Bolognese seemed manageable. Whether cycling or riding his father’s yellow Vespa, he was ready for the journey, regardless of the weather.

He applied and was hired. “When do I start?” he asked. “Straight away!” was the answer.

A Life-Changing Day

On 21 April 1968, everything changed for Valentino. The department manager was explaining how the factory operated when an agitated man burst into the office. “Get these young guys to work, stop wasting time!” he shouted.

That man was Ferruccio Lamborghini. Far from intimidated, Valentino was captivated by Ferruccio’s force and determination. He felt an immediate sense of belonging in this dynamic environment, sandwiched between two automotive legends: Ferrari and Maserati.

Valentino began as an apprentice mechanic, tackling small tasks assigned to new hires. Although he didn’t have a driving licence—“Doing the course was expensive, and our family couldn’t afford it”—he started driving in the factory courtyard. The only car available was used by the “experience” department for testing new components. “I learned driving round the two sheds at the factory at the wheel of a Miura. Thinking back, it makes me shiver, but at the time there was nothing else, and it was quite normal.”

The Journey to Becoming a Tester

Days passed, and Valentino’s driving improved. He crunched the gears less frequently, thanks to the guidance of an exceptional tutor, Bob Wallace. Wallace was a New Zealand engineer and tester who had previously worked with Maserati and Ferrari. He had been Phil Hill's chief mechanic when Hill won the F1 World Championship in 1960. At Lamborghini, Wallace was a key figure.

As Valentino honed his skills, he became proficient in all aspects of car mechanics. He learned to work on engines, transmissions, and gearboxes, all under Wallace's mentorship.

Then came a pivotal moment. On 5 September 1973, over five years after starting work, Valentino was deemed good enough to test cars on the road. For the first time, he left the factory behind the wheel of a Lamborghini.

“It was a black Miura SV, a masterpiece. I drove up to the entrance barrier, where the porter’s lodge was, and the porter, who years earlier had helped me to write my application, smiled at me. I was really, really scared. I thought I wouldn’t be able to hold the bends or that I would go too fast. I drove really slowly for the first few miles. It was embarrassing, but then I fell in step with the Miura, and thankfully everything went fine. It was a thrill I will never forget.”

The Thrill of Testing

This marked the beginning of a new era in Valentino’s career. He joined an exclusive club of the world’s most sought-after testers. “When I went out on a test drive, I often met colleagues from Maserati, Ferrari, and De Tomaso. Near Sant’Agata, there was an abandoned house with a huge tree that offered lovely shade. Often, when I drove past, if a tester had parked there to check the vehicle, I would stop, and all the others did too. We would chat in the shade and then set off again. Sometimes, out of curiosity, we would switch cars for the next three or four miles, and then of course everyone went back to their own car.”

As Lamborghini grew in popularity, the brand attracted a mix of wealthy and eccentric customers. Valentino recalls, “I still remember the man with a white Diablo, dressed all in white, with a tamed parrot on his shoulder.”

Some customers wanted to show off their driving skills, while others, like Renè Arnoux and Nelson Piquet, were genuinely skilled. “Piquet took a Countach for a test drive on the motorway at a speed I didn’t think possible.”

Learning from the Best

Wallace’s mentorship proved invaluable. He drove from 5:30 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon, reporting back to the mechanics. He passed his knowledge to Valentino, helping him develop a keen mechanical sensitivity.

“Bob had incredible mechanical sensitivity and knowledge, a natural flair for understanding cars, ‘feeling’ them. He passed that all on to me, helping me develop this sensitivity,” Valentino reflects.

Being a mechanic gave Valentino a unique advantage. He could immediately test any changes and assess their impact on performance. When Bob Wallace left Lamborghini to return to New Zealand, Valentino became chief tester at Sant’Agata. He held this role for forty years, even during the company’s most challenging periods.

Ferruccio Lamborghini was always present, a thrill in itself. His pragmatic, farming mentality kept the company grounded. “I remember that Lamborghini often delivered cars to customers who came to collect them personally. While I did the final checks, he entertained the guests. When they left the factory, we would accompany them as far as the gate. The customer would drive off, and you could hear the engine roaring miles away.”

Daily Life as a Tester

Balboni's day began at 6:30 every morning. He arrived at work early, ready for an 8 AM start. He and two other testers oversaw the first checks on cars coming off the assembly line. They handled everything from tyre pressure to topping up oil, water, and fuel before heading out for a road test.

The route was always the same: from Sant’Agata Bolognese to Altedo, a 70-mile round trip. This journey was ideal for running in the brakes and checking noise levels, vibrations, and leaks.

Compared to today, when simulations speed up the validation process, testing back then was vastly different. It was about checking that everything was okay before delivery. Valentino explains, “It was great explaining the sensations and performance to the engineers. We didn't always agree, and often they were right. All these situations helped me grow and improve every day.”

The Spirit of Lamborghini

Valentino believes that today’s Lamborghinis still embody Ferruccio’s spirit. “In my opinion, they still reflect his idea. Things have changed, though. In my day, drivers had to develop a certain sensitivity. Today, electronics control their behaviour, allowing drivers to focus on enjoying performance without as much manual effort.”

Was Valentino ever tempted to switch sides? “In the early ’70s, I had some high-level contacts with our cousins across the river. But I sensed they were more interested in stealing me than welcoming me. At that time, we were developing the Countach, so I decided to stay. It was the best decision I ever made.”

A Legacy of Loyalty

Lamborghini acknowledged Valentino’s loyalty in its own way. “One day, the technical director Maurizio Reggiani called me and told me I had six months, an engineer, and three mechanics to develop a Gallardo with rear drive and a manual gearbox. I disagreed, thinking it was a step back from our exceptional four-wheel drive. But he wouldn’t budge.”

Then, in 2009, they asked him to sign a few documents. “They wanted my signature for the Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni Limited Edition.” Valentino was astonished. “It’s hard to believe even today.”

After hundreds of thousands of miles behind the wheel of dream cars, Valentino remains unchanged. He still lives in Casumaro, maintaining the habits and rhythms of his farming roots.

Regrets? “None. I would do it all over again, perhaps correcting just a few details.” He pauses, then adds, “With hindsight, I should have bought a Miura, perhaps with a few knocks and scratches, to keep in the garage and restore at leisure.”