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From Boats by Motor 2021, no. 21, August, pp. 68-76.
The real story of how Lamborghini DNA came from the asphalt to the sea in an exclusive interview with designer Mitja Borkert.
Fifty years ago the Iron Curtain cut Europe in two. While Trabants were running around frantically in East Berlin, the name of a supercar destined to make history began to circulate in Italy. It all began in the summer of 1970, when Ferruccio Lamborghini sought a worthy heir to the Miura, Lamborghini ‘s cult car par excellence. Not even a year later, at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1971, the word Countach was heard for the first time in the car world. It is a Piedmontese exclamation meaning “astonishment,” but within two years it became much more. And the first generation Countach LP 400, the beginning of one of the most revolutionary and long-lived models (17 years in production) in the history of this automaker. Leading the transition stylistically is Marcello Gandini, head of Style at Carrozzeria Bertone.
The celebrated vertical doors make their debut on this car as a technical innovation, but the real revolution is in the design. Curved lines had dominated the scene up to that point, but the Countach changes the rules: it is a very low, wide car and all edges. Today, 50 years after his birth, Mitja Borkert, German designer born in 1974 and director of the Lamborghini Style Center, is carrying on the brand’s avant-garde spirit, not only on four wheels. The year 2021 saw the debut of the Tecnomar 63 for Lamborghini, an on-water version of the Sian FKP 37, the first hybrid Lambo in history, born precisely from the hand of the German designer. With architect Gian Marco Campanino, artistic director of The Italian Sea Group, they succeeded in the not so easy task of bringing the DNA of the Sant’Agata Bolognese-based company into a 19-meter motoryacht and 4,000 horsepower, delivered by two MAN V12 engines with surface propellers. In synergy with 
This was his first time in nautical design. What did you enjoy most about this project?
It has always been a dream for me, in the sense that I have always had a desire to help design a yacht. I really enjoyed the excitement of entering a whole new world with different references and challenges than automotive design. Personally, I am very satisfied with the result and what I learned.
What was most challenging about bringing the DNA of a supercar to the sea?
We did not want to design a car that could stand on water, but to transfer the essence of our DNA. So, we imagined a Lamborghini on the sea. This yacht is our vision: it is the perfect interpretation of our brand in a nautical environment. And one of the biggest challenges is the natural element you’re dealing with. Air is to cars what water is to a boat, and that was definitely a big challenge.
Would you like to design another one?
Now I’m still enjoying this project, but definitely, if the right conditions are there, I would like to collaborate and design another one. If the time for another project comes again, I will be happy to take the opportunity.
On a supercar like the Lamborghini, every millimeter is “optimized.” On an 18-meter boat, you have much more room to be “free” to design. How did you use this freedom?
I definitely had more surfaces available to express the Lamborghini DNA, and that allowed me to imagine the purest design I could think of. Not only in cars, but also in yachts, forms follow function. And one of the functions I had in mind while designing this yacht was the pleasure of using it on a sunny day, together with friends, enjoying the scenery. For these reasons, I tried to avoid any visual barriers and have 360-degree open spaces. Then the details (Y and hexagon) are a refrain throughout the boat. These are in our design language from the very beginning, starting with the Miura and Marzal. The same forms that recur in the “futurism” movement. They are really balanced and allow you to create purist lines.
Sian FKP 37 is one of his latest projects. Why this particular car to inspire Tecnomar 63?
When we started and thought about this project, the Sian FKP 37 was the last car we had launched and the most innovative: the perfect reference for a very innovative project. First of all, we wanted to keep the silhouette of this car in the design of the yacht; other details are directly related to its design, such as the front and rear lights, the Y shapes in different elements of the yacht, and the extensive use of carbon fiber materials.
The creative and emotional side of design with the limitations and restrictions imposed in the automotive industry today? Do you find them restrictive or a challenge?
I always take each new situation as a challenge; there are new rules to ensure improvements, so my team and I work hard to create something exceptional in terms of design, but “within the rules.” And when we finally get it, we are really satisfied!
The auto industry today is undergoing enormous changes. What role does design play at this moment in history?
I think design will play an important role: when technologies are going in the same direction for any manufacturer, design can and should make a difference.
Luxury is an important commodity today. How would you define luxury in today’s world and how much does it contribute to the design and enrichment of product content?
For me, the most important luxury elements are time and freedom to enjoy what I like.
Let’s go back to where we started. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Countach. In your opinion, what made it a unique supercar?
The Countach is one of the most significant and exciting cars in automotive history and in Lamborghini’s heritage. When it was introduced, its disruptive and enduring design immediately became a symbol of automotive ultra-coolness and lifestyle. The Countach’s distinctive silhouette, with its essential line running from front to rear, sharp angles and lines, and idiosyncratic wedge shape, innovated modern super-sporty design and future Lamborghini models. Not only for Lamborghini, but also in the history of car design.
by Gregorio Ferrari
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