Sandro Munari and Lamborghini

I met Mr. Munari during the 25th Ann. party and the presntation of the 25th Countach. He assisted in the suspension changes and the introduction of the new Pirelli tires. He was more P.R. than hands on testing. Cesere and V. Balboni were the testers then. I remember Munari as a more suit and tie position. Munari COULD drive the Statos like no other though!

 

Rob: you have touched on one of my favorite subjects. Munari was brought in specifically as a development engineer, for the final version of the Countach, and the first version of the Diablo.

Whereas Valentino's role was that of a test driver who ran the cars through their paces to ensure that the Pre-delivery inspection was complete, Munari's role was more along the lines of actually developing the car's chassis, suspension, brakes, handling.

Remember, he was the THREE TIME WORLD RALLY DRIVING CHAMPION (!) back-to-back no less, one of the most accomplished Italian drivers of all time. He is far-and-away the most accomplished person in motor-sports to have any direct influence in the development of production Lamborghinis or to have a direct and official role at the company. Little surprise that the Annivesario is the best handling Countach of all, and it benefited with re-worked suspension geometry, new-technology Pirelli P-Zero tires, split rim wheels, and dozens of small upgrades & improvements over the QV.

Although his time at Lamborghini was brief, his influence upon the Annivesario and the early Diablo was huge, and we all recall the video of him testing the Diablo at Nardo to 210 mph, sitting there impassively as if it was no big deal.

Here he is getting the Annivesario sideways!
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3-time World Rally Driving Champion...
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Not many recall his drives for Ferrari in the famed 312 PB at the Targa Florio...
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Targa Florio 1972... I think he now operates a European driving academy of renown. A well-known friend of mine had the honor of being taken by Sandro in the Annivesario for a spirited test run on the roads around Sant Agata in 1988 to "see what it can do". He recounts that during the proceedings, he became very close to God.
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Correct you are on the P-Zero as regards the F40 and the 25th Annivesario's use of it as standard equipment.

Munari simply left at the end of his contract with Chrysler, I am told. No idea who replaced him, the end of a brief but important era in Lamborghini's history.

As an aside, I know how much you love the LP400, as do I having owned several of them, but in terms of handling, it is night-and-day with the Annivesario, and if you drove them back-to-back with the Annivesario first, then you'd be quite disappointed with the LP400. But, that's 15 years of progress for you!

 

Well, I think this is technically incorrect. AFAIK, no drivers' championships were awarded until 1977 when Munari got his.

 

You are right, 1975 & 1976 'unofficially' the World's Champion!

 

I agree.

 

Hey, I think we need to give some old cars more credit. Actually, the LP400 could be made to handle quite well. Actually, anything with a stiff chassis, fully adjustable suspension, and racing slicks can be made to handle well, imo, and an LP400 fits that description. Here's a story of mine to support that. It was 1998 and I was at a track event in an LP400. I put Hoosier racing slicks on the original rims, but they were a lot wider than the stock XWXs were, especially in the back where the stock rim is 9" wide. Ride height and suspensions settings were changed to suit the conditions and that track, and the shocks and springs were stock. I was on the track in a class with several modern cars. Most notably, a new Ferrari 355 GTS and new Lotus Esprit V8 and several Porsche Carreras. I didn't win, but I led for several laps after dispatching the new exotics, easily out cornering them, and even pulling a little on the straights. Maybe they were some crappy drivers, but I don't think so, and they had their stock tires, but I have owned both those cars as well, and I felt the LP400 (the way I had it set up) was a superior car......for about five laps or so until the brakes got too hot and the modern cars had the advantage. But, I was very impressed that the old girl not only held her own but was superior at least for several laps!!! Anyway, a good old well designed car can be a good foundation to be made to go fast if you make some adjustments, imo.

 

Sorry to bring back an old thread but if you see the video "Lamborghini Diablo" Munari is interviewed extensively and drives the Diablo. I used to have this on VHS.

http://www.amazon.com/Lamborghini-Diablo/dp/B000YOCSY8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1253458774&sr=1-1

 

That is very good vhs, also DVD available. Very good close story how Diablo has been created and manufactured. Recomend 100%!

 

Yeah, impressive video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUSFE-Z4swU