Lamborghini fans descend on Milan to start its 50th anniversary convoy, the Grande Giro

Cars for a convoy commemorating the 50th anniversary of Lamborghini arrived at Milan today. The Grande Giro, with 350 models from the Italian supercar maker’s stable, will pass through Lombardia, Toscana, Lazio, Umbria and Emilia Romagna, stopping over in Forte dei Marmi, Grosseto, Roma, San Giustino Valdarno and Bologna.

After Bologna, where the cars will be by Friday afternoon, they will make their way to Sant’Agata Bolognese, the home of Lamborghini. Organizers say that the convoy will be 4.5km long, and features models ranging from the original 1963 350 GT to the current Gallardo and Aventador. Sixty-five per cent of the drivers are male, the youngest at 22, the oldest at 75.

The cars meet at the parc fermé in Piazza Castello, Milano at 10.00am on 7 May and leave for Bobbio tomorrow. Lamborghini was founded by tractor maker Ferrucio Lamborghini, who believed he could out-do Ferrari. It was incorporated on 30 October 1963. The brand was put on the map with the 1966 Miura, a mid-engined vehicle that changed the way exclusive sports cars were configured. Up until then, they were commonly front-engined.

To some, the Miura remains the most beautiful car ever made, and the credit for its styling, by the house of Bertone, remains the subject of debate today. Some say it was the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro, others Marcello Gandini. The Miura was succeeded by the Countach, a dramatic car with 'beetle wing' doors and razor edges, styled by Gandini.

Lamborghini had changed hands over the years, with Chrysler taking a controlling stake in the late 1980s. An investment group took over in 1994. It is currently a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.

By Jack Yan, Lucire