If you’re a fan of Lamborghini, you know the name Valentino Balboni. Best known as Lamborghini’s test driver, Balboni’s history with the company dates back to 1968 and a chance meeting with Ferruccio Lamborghini himself. The story is best told in Balboni’s own words, but here’s the two minute drill: in today’s process-obsessed world, there can never be another Valentino Balboni.
Balboni was trained by Lamborghini to become a test driver, and had no prior racing background. Instead, Balboni had a passion for cars, and learned early on to “listen” to what a car was trying to communicate. That’s easily lost with today’s technology-filled supercars, but in the early 1970s “listening” to cars like the Lamborghini Muira or Countach was an important part of self-preservation.
While we’d have liked to see more time with Balboni and less time with Musial touring the Italian countryside in a Gallardo Spyder, the video is worth watching. We’re not the fashion police, but we’ll still offer some free advice to Musial: when you’re going to meet one of the automotive world’s iconic figures, wearing a hoodie over a t-shirt is a bit inappropriate. Next time, buck up for a polo shirt, OK?
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
