The Lamborghini Centro Stile 20th anniversary marks more than just a milestone in time, it’s a celebration of two decades that redefined what supercar design could look like. Since 2005, this in-house design center has been responsible for shaping Lamborghini’s visual DNA, merging art, aerodynamics, and raw emotion into a single language of power and precision.
The Birth of Lamborghini Centro Stile
Founded in the early 2000s, the Centro Stile emerged from a desire to bring Lamborghini’s creative process entirely under one roof. Until then, many iconic Lamborghinis were shaped through collaborations with external design houses. But under the guidance of Audi and the leadership of Walter de’Silva and Luc Donckerwolke, Lamborghini decided it was time to build its own design identity.
From Murciélago to Gallardo: The First Chapter
Luc Donckerwolke’s early work set the tone for Lamborghini’s modern era. The V12 Murciélago and the V10 Gallardo, both designed before the official opening of the Centro Stile, represented a new balance between aggression and elegance. Their taut lines and geometric precision became the foundation for Lamborghini’s future language.
Filippo Perini and the Rise of the Design DNA
When Filippo Perini took over in 2006, the Centro Stile truly began to define its character. Perini’s team created cars that felt sculpted from pure intent, the Aventador, Gallardo derivatives, and limited models like the Reventón all showcased angular forms inspired by aviation and precision engineering. This was when Lamborghini’s iconic hexagon and Y motifs took center stage.
Design Experiments and Visionary Concepts
Perini’s era also birthed concept masterpieces like the Estoque sedan and the Sesto Elemento. These cars didn’t just hint at the future, they showed how carbon fiber, aerodynamics, and design could merge seamlessly. The Aventador, fully designed in-house, became a modern classic that embodied Lamborghini’s design power in every detail.
Mitja Borkert and a New Design Era
In 2016, German designer Mitja Borkert took the reins. His arrival marked a new phase, one that combined Lamborghini’s visual aggression with evolving technology. Under his leadership came the Huracán Performante, Urus, and the hybrid Revuelto, each pushing the limits of proportion, light, and purpose.
Electric Concepts and Design Philosophy
Borkert’s Centro Stile has continued to experiment, from the Terzo Millennio electric concept to the futuristic Countach LPI 800-4. The approach remains rooted in Lamborghini’s DNA, yet it evolves to reflect new eras of performance and sustainability. The mantra “feel like a pilot” defines interior design, where driver engagement meets precision ergonomics.
Performance Meets Vision
While design takes the spotlight, Lamborghini’s commitment to performance never steps back. Each model created under the Centro Stile’s direction has been engineered to match its visual drama with mechanical excellence. Whether through the thunderous V12 of the Aventador or the hybrid power of the Revuelto, the balance between design and power remains unmistakable.
Twenty Years of Creative Evolution
From its beginnings in 2005 to the present day, the Lamborghini Centro Stile has moved from crafting sharp edges to exploring new forms of energy, materials, and technology. The recently revealed Fenomeno and Temerario models embody this evolution, bridging Lamborghini’s heritage with its electrified future.
As Lamborghini looks to the decades ahead, the Centro Stile remains the heartbeat of the brand’s identity. Two decades on, it continues to ask questions of form, function, and imagination, always searching for the next impossible shape to make real.
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Source: Lamborghini
