The Lamborghini Centro Stile has officially hit its 20th anniversary, two decades since the marque’s in-house design studio first stamped its signature hexagons and Y motifs across the supercar world.
Established in 2005, the Sant’Agata-based centre was the first of its kind for a supercar maker, and it’s been shaping the brand’s visual identity ever since.
From Miura to Murcielago to masterpieces
Design has always been in Lamborghini’s blood, from the 1966 Miura’s iconic lines to the modern-day hyper-hybrids. But it wasn’t until the Audi acquisition in 1998 that the brand pushed for an official in-house design department.
Belgian designer Luc Donckerwolke, fresh from Audi, led the charge in 2003, giving us the muscular Murciélago and sharp-edged Gallardo - cars that defined the brand’s 21st-century form language.
Mitja Borkert, who took over as head of design in 2016 after stints at Porsche, credits that lineage for Lamborghini’s creative evolution: “In the last 20 years it has consolidated the role of design not only in the creation of extraordinary Italian production super sports cars, but always pushing concepts to the unexpected that explore new horizons,” he said.
The evolution of Centro Stile
Under Donckerwolke and later Filippo Perini, Centro Stile built an internal team of just seven that would go on to design the Aventador, Huracán and Urus—all developed entirely in-house. The department’s work expanded beyond cars to yachts, fashion, and architecture, each infused with Lamborghini’s angular design DNA.
Borkert’s tenure has seen that creative energy merge with electrification and digital craft. Collaborations like the Terzo Millennio concept with MIT in 2017 showcased the studio’s futuristic mindset, while the Sian and Countach LPI 800-4 revived the brand’s heritage through modern hybrid technology. Most recently, the all-new V12 HPEV Lamborghini Fenomeno (unveiled for the 20th anniversary) continues that blend of past and future, described as a “design manifesto for the future” by Borkert.
A design lab for the next 20 years
Today, Centro Stile employs 25 designers from across the world, pushing the limits of 3D printing, digital modelling and AI-assisted design. Despite the tools, Borkert says the “decision is always a human one” - a reminder that even in the electric age, Lamborghini’s design heart still beats by hand.
Or as he put it, “We set the trends, we don’t follow them. Although we are a very diverse team of people… our heritage combined with our relentless vision for the day-after-tomorrow is a privileged place from where our Centro Stile can celebrate its 20th anniversary.”
