Paolo Stanzani: genius and shyness

Paolo Stanzani, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 80, holds a prominent place among the engineers, creatives and designers who have taken the Italian automotive industry to the highest level worldwide.
Born in Bologna in 1936, he graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Bologna and contributed to the progress of the automobile with his ability to come up with innovative solutions. Shortly after graduation one of his professors told him: ‘Listen Stanzani, an industrialist I know has taken it upon himself to build cars, go and talk to him‘. It was late September 1963, and the young Stanzani was hired directly by Ferruccio Lamborghini, after an interview that lasted a few minutes.
Together with Gian Paolo Dallara, he reworked engineer Giotto Bizzarrini’s project: the engine destined for the 350 GT, considered too nervous and unsuitable for road driving, was modified by intervening on connecting rods, camshafts, the lubrication system and the arrangement of carburettors.
Then it was time for the Miura: in collaboration with Gian Paolo Dallara, he decided to present Ferruccio with a revolutionary project. The V12 from Sant’Agata, increased to 3,900 cc for a power output of 354 bhp, is mounted in a rear-transverse position on a monocoque chassis designed by Dallara to contain the wheelbase and centralise the masses. Compared to the 400 GT, the gearbox is positioned alongside the crankshaft, inside a single aluminium crankcase, the carburettors are four 40IDL3C three-barrels instead of six two-barrels and lubrication becomes wet sump. The Miura was born, and was presented with just chassis and engine at the Turin Motor Show in November 1965, arousing huge interest.
In mid-1967 Paolo Stanzani became General Manager of Lamborghini, at a difficult time that turned into a useful opportunity to demonstrate his technical and organisational skills, as he also had to cope with the departure from the company of engineer Dallara during 1968.
At the end of 1974, he bade farewell to Lamborghini.