I, for one, did not know that Lamborghini was in the tractor business before sports cars. That business began in 1948 as Lamborghini Trattori and they’re still making high-quality farm and agricultural equipment today. This beautiful example of a 1956 DL25 can be found in London, England and is available here on Sothebys where it’s expected to fetch between $18-30,000 USD. There is no reserve and the current bid is around $1,300. Thanks for nifty, neato tip, Araknid78!
Ferruccio Lamborghini started his tractor enterprise shortly after World War II ended. Besides tractors, the company produced military and industrial engines, too. Using a modified Morris Six motor at first, Lamborghini devised and patented a fuel atomizer so the engine could be started on gasoline and then switched over to run on diesel. That made for better performance in colder temperatures as diesels don’t like starting in cold weather. The company quickly became one of the largest agricultural manufacturers in Italy. Separate from automotive operations, the tractor business has been quite successful, building specialized equipment for orchards, vineyards and other specialist farms around the globe.
This ’56 version of the DL25 is one of only about 900 built in the 1950s. It looks to have been restored (but not recently) with only the dashboard showing any signs of any deterioration. These machines were never officially exported to the U.S., so if you were to buy this tractor and bring it home, it would be a rare sight indeed. The gas/diesel engine is 2.5 liters in displacement and produces 25-26 horsepower using a 4-speed manual gearbox.
We understand that the red/grey colors were/are a staple of Lamborghini and this tractor presents quite well. If evens sports an expired “Torino” license plate in the front that harks to the Lamborghini heritage. The vehicle is registered for road use in the UK and we assume the seller can help with directing the buyer on how to get it out of the country and to North America. It certainly is not a Hoyt-Clagwell (who gets that reference from Green Acres?).
They were also orange.
That estimate is mighty high. They even had re-sale red back then.
Some farmer got all the chicks with this.
Heard Enzo Ferrari told Lamborghini to stick to building tractors,Lamborghini told him politely to f__k off! 😆
Weren’t the Porsche tractors faster?
Only if the field was a road course.
0-60?
Does the majestic Italian 🇮🇹 exhaust note 🎵 extend to their agriculture 🌽 equipment ?
Jeremy Clarkson needs to snap this one up to bookend the one he already has on his farm.
It’s a good looking tractor but… The front looks like it was sucking a lemon!!! 😂
“Sweetheart, I know that you wanted something new to drive for your birthday. Sooo, I got you something really special. It’s red and Italian, and it’s parked in the garage waiting for you. You’re going to love driving it with the wind in your hair- go check it out!”
“Oh, honey- you’re the best! Let’s go!”
Can’t keep quiet ’bout this one either. It’s tough for us Americanos to think they actually have farms in other parts of the world, but they had to use something. 10 to 1, an Italian probably doesn’t know the “Auntie Alice” reference either. As a “watch where you step” city boy turned country bumpkin farmboy, it was, JD, IH, Case( or IH/Case) A-C, THEN the rest,,and NEVER a ferrin’ tractor. The farm I stayed at had Leylands, which I thought was a poor tractor, and for me, Allis-Chalmers was the best. This was more a hobby tractor, like the Ford 8N, but Lambo made some whoppers too, including “front-assist”( not 4wd), even the almighty Jay Leno has one. I’d go out on a limb here, and say, there’s probably 10 people in BFs audience that could even get it moving,,,oops,,,9 now, get my drift? As these old farm boys die off, it’s operation just isn’t covered, and that’s a shame. Great find and love Johns post^,,,HA! That gal doesn’t exist, btw.
Howard A-
It’s great to hear from you. You’re missed, I can assure you. Your insights add a lot here- entertaining, authentic and informative.
I hope that you are doing well.
It looks more like an Alfa Romeo to me.
Shipping cost from England to the U.S. might be a little high!
Know a guy that sold an old Oliver to a guy in England,if I remember correctly the shipping to England was astronomical
I can imagine, I can’t get a commitment to ship me a transaxle or engine/transaxle from a euro/UK Audi mk1 TT that Audi didn’t put in the USA cars, except one year GOLF [2004 R32] so obtaining that drivetrain here like catching unicorn tears
is it just me, or is there a crease across the manual crank opening below the grill ?
Some of the older USA Diesel tractors where the same way. Start on gas and then switch to Diesel, nothing new.
In the mid 50s, IH McCormick had a WD9 that was gas/diesel. It was hand cranked on gas, allowed to warm up, and slowly change it to diesel. I worked at an asphalt plant that had an old converted farm tractor into a compactor, and was one of those. Some heavy equipment used a 2 cylinder gas “pony” motor, that was started, and engaged to the diesel to start it. We’ve come a long ways in that regard.
Guys, don’t get excited about this tractor. It has sheet metal damage on both sides. It was painted with a brush, I could be mis-remembering, I think the grill was the same grey color, or colour, as the Brits say, as the engine, and drive train. And, what’s with all the decals on it, were they going to enter it in some kind of race? Best to leave this in the UK.