Larger than life. Unabashedly masculine. These are common descriptions associated with Lamborghini, but the same can be used to describe Al “Godfather of Lamborghini” Burtoni. Although Al passed away in 2014 (February 14, somewhat fitting for a Man with Passion), his influence on the Lamborghini Brand carries to this day.
Al was the owner of Milano Import, the very first Lamborghini sales and service outlet in the US. Back in the 1960s, a brand new Miura could be had through Al for a whopping $15,680:
In addition to importing and servicing Lamborghinis, Al was also the first Lamborghini Tuner. Modifying Lamborghinis lead to many heated conversations between Al and the legendary Valentino Balboni. Valentino naturally believed that each Lamborghini came out of the factory dialed in, and was annoyed by Al’s tinkering with Perfection. Despite good nature bickering, Al and Valentino remained best friends and are Godfathers to each other’s children.
Al’s most significant creation was a full-blown Salt Flats race car which started its life as a 1985 European downdraft carbureted 5.2 Liter Countach Quattrovalvole. This awesome machine managed to reach a top speed of 201.793 mph, setting a record for ‘C’ modified sports cars that remained unbroken for ten years.
For street cars, Al introduced the Diablo Jota Americana, an upgrade kit inspired by the factory SE30 Jota package. The kit results in a massive power output of 680hp.
In addition to the Jota kit, Al provided a variety of upgrade options to enhance the Diablo’s looks and performance, This exceptional 2001 Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0, formerly Al’s personal vehicle and now available for sale, is finished in Blue Chiaro with Cream interior. Burtuni upgrades include Sport Exhaust System, Carbon Fiber Clutch, Blue Suede Seats and more. With annual service recently performed, this 2001 example is in excellent condition and represents a piece of Lamborghini history.
