The man who built it, Ferruccio Lamborghini, was a perpetual malcontent who was never quite happy with anything, including the fleet of Ferraris he amassed as his wealth grew. He considered them loud and unrefined, brutish racecars haphazardly adapted for the road. He told Enzo Ferrari how he might improve his cars. Ferrari told him, in no uncertain terms, to get lost.

The temperamental Italian wouldn't have it, so he went home and began developing his first sports car. It would typify the Italian aesthetic: flashy, gorgeous, expensive and – despite his best efforts as a skilled engineer – temperamental. But it was the rolling embodiment of his vision for the perfect car.