Italian “Motor Valley” is a breeding ground for supercars

If in Tuscany there is Chianti, then in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna there is the “Valley of Engines”, an area that boasts one of the highest concentrations of luxury sports cars and motorcycles in the world.

The so-called country of motors, which occupies about 1,000 square kilometers of first-class agricultural land approximately between Bologna and Madena, is home to Lamborghini and Ferrari, Maserati and Ducati, as well as lesser-known brands.

Every year – with a break due to the coronavirus – industry representatives and fans flock to Modena on the weekends to talk about business and admire the exciting cars and bicycles on display around the city.

Among those on display this year was Pagani Huayra, a futuristic hypercar built just a few kilometers away at Pagani’s base in San Cesario sul Panara, where vehicles are made to measure – starting at a whopping 2.6 million euros ( $ 2.8 million).

Christopher Pagani, the son of the founder and head of communications, told AFP that the production of the car takes eight to nine months, and customers usually wait two years between order and delivery.

“In 2022, we produce 40 to 45 cars. They are all special because every customer has the opportunity to contact us, visit and go on this journey,” he said.

At the plant – nicknamed the “workshop” – mostly a few dozen youth work in a quiet and orderly environment of a science laboratory.

For the brand, weight is everything, and they use 40 different types of carbon fiber, as well as titanium and aluminum to make the car as light as possible.

But Pagani said talks are underway with customers about a potential electric version, even if it will be heavier due to the battery, as part of a trend toward cleaner vehicles.

The best place to stay

Pagani’s father, Horatio, founded the company in 1998 after working at Lamborghini, another of Italy’s leading luxury brands based in the area.

According to legend, Ferruccio Lamborghini, a wealthy owner of a tractor plant, turned to sports cars in the 1950s after complaining about the Ferrari he owned.

Enzo Ferrari is said to have told him that if he didn’t like what he did, he should go and build his own.

The Ferrari Maranella site is outside Modena, while the region also boasts Dallara, which supplies cars for IndyCar racing in the United States, and motorcycle firm Energica.

“Success dates back a long time, it is the fruit of several generations,” said Andrea Carcini, who is involved in transport, infrastructure and tourism in the Emilia-Romagna region.

The name “Motor Valley” refers to Silicon Valley in California, where a group of technology companies have attracted talent and money.

Here the producers found a ready base of skills among farmers who immediately after World War II had to learn to repair their own machinery.

Today, the area employs 16,000 companies, four racetracks, six training centers and employs more than 90,000 people, according to the think tank Riparte l’Italia.

“In terms of employment opportunities and contacts with companies, this is the best place to stay,” said 24-year-old Emilio, who is studying mechanical engineering in southern Italy, who came to Madena for the weekend.

The sector has a turnover of 16 billion euros a year, of which seven billion is for export and is in good healthand Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley and Porsche will publish record results in 2021.

Also here in the early 1990s, Bugatti released its famous B110 GT, which sold for a staggering 500 million lire (about 260,000 euros at the time).

© 2022 AFP