Driving an exotic supercar, like a Lamborghini, Bugatti, or Ferrari, even for a short moment, is the dream of many a car enthusiast. To those lucky enough, the experience sticks with them for a lifetime. That is why it must be a top life achievement to earn a living testing these cars. Who wouldn't like to drive these expensive toys through their development process long before they reach the market? Few have had the privilege of having this dream job, but Valentino Balboni is one such lucky guy.

After decades working as a test driver for Lamborghini, Valentino has possibly driven more Lamborghinis than anyone else, even though he's been officially retired for years now. Besides Valentino, other notable figures like Maserati legend Gerino Bertocchi and Dario Benuzzi of Ferrari made a name testing exotic cars. Test drivers, or collaudatore as they are famously called in Italy, are less popular public figures when compared to the celebrity status of race drivers. But they are highly respected among the inner circles in the exotic car world. We dug deep and found these fast facts about Lamborghini's star test driver, Valentino Balboni.

10 Valentino Got The Job By Chance

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For many people, landing their dream job comes after years of following the company, creating connections, and several attempts to get in. Sometimes, lady luck does her thing, and you get your job like Balboni. He was just 19, straight out of school, when he passed by Lamborghini and saw Miura bodies being unloaded from a truck.

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via caranddriver

He took a chance, helped push the beautiful Miura's inside a building, signed an employment form, and got the job. Talk about being at the right place at the right time.

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9 Started As An Apprentice Mechanic

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via classicdriver

Once in, Balboni didn't just get behind the wheel of a supercar. He had to work his way up the food chain. He started at Lamborghini on the 21st of April 1968 as an apprentice mechanic, working in the service department. Cars he worked on included the iconic Miura, 400GT, Espada, Jarama, and Islero.

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via RM Sotheby;youtube

Balboni grew from a young boy to a man inside the Sant'Agata Bolognese factory, located only a 20-minute drive from his hometown. He quickly rose from a simple shop-hand who started with sweeping floors to testing the most iconic Lambos to grace our roads.

8 Became A Test Driver Five Years After Starting At Lamborghini

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via Stefano Mecchia

Balboni's rise from apprentice mechanic to test driver was relatively quick and highly unexpected. And he broke a few rules along the way. He would drive around the factory every chance he got, just for the thrills. Safe to say, this did not sit well with the bosses, who threatened to fire him on numerous occasions if he continued driving cars without permission.

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However, Ferruccio Lamborghini took notice of his talents and driving enthusiasm and offered him the test-driving seat since the company required a young test driver trainee. In September 1973, just five years into the job, Balboni tested one of the last Miura SVs ever built. An iconic moment he will surely never forget.

7 Worked At Lamborghini For Over Four Decades

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via motor1

By the time he hung up his driving gloves, Balboni had been a Lamborghini employee for over four decades. He took a year-long course under Lamborghini's first chief test driver Bob Wallace, learning to test and develop prototypes and production cars. Over the next two decades, he tested these cars on public roads until Lamborghini changed this tradition of testing every finished production car before it was cleared for delivery.

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via carindigo

In the thirty-three years of testing, Balboni understandably lost count of the cars he had tested. But without doubt, he has tested more Lamborghinis than anyone else.

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6 Served Under Ferrucio Lamborghini Himself

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via car throttle

It's one thing working in a company where you truly love what you do. But it is another thing to have the chance to work on a daily basis next to someone you've always admired, someone like Ferrucio Lamborghini. Many would have paid to be in the presence of the creator of one of the world's most recognized brands.

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via classicdriver

Balboni had the privilege of interacting with the man himself from the first day he walked into the Lamborghini offices for his interview. He witnessed Ferrucio build the exotic car company from the early days to modern times.

5 Became Brand Ambassador After Retirement

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via Jo Marie Farwick;youtube

After so many years and an excellent job, Lamborghini was reluctant to let Balboni go for good and awarded him a ceremonial job. This is a man who is estimated to have driven 80 percent of all Lamborghini cars built. His current jobs come with certain responsibilities, such as making appearances as the face of the brand.

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via valentinobalboni

Balboni takes on his current role with much charisma and humility. In his words, he represents the people who taught him so much, and he represents his colleague with the same intensity, instinct, and passion as he has done for so long to help create the Lamborghini legend.

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4 Published A Biography In 2015

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via wheels

Nothing caps a successful career better than a well-written biography, to sum up your achievements and experiences. It lets other people into your world and thoughts, and they can have a first-person walk through your exploits, mistakes, and everything in between. In 2015, just seven years into his retirement, Balboni completed his Biography titled 'The Best Job in the World; Lamborghini Test Driver.

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via lamborghini club america

We agree with Balboni; this was truly the best job in the world. The book helps confirm that this wasn't just another test driver, but a legend in the business.

3 Valentino Has Demonstrated Great Car Control Skills

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via motortrend

You have to consistently do an excellent job for someone to pay you to want to keep you around their business for four decades. It might have taken a stroke of luck to get inside the door, but to stay that long, Balboni proved that he was one hell of a driver. He had the attitude, passion, and skills to succeed as a test driver.

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via autoevolution

He has driven as fast as 215mph on public roads (legally) during testing. However, he is more famous for a low-speed stunt where he appears to drive from outside the car. Impressive, but we wouldn't advise you to try pulling a Balboni special in your car.

2 Had A Limited Run Gallardo Named After Him

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via Ian;Flickr

What's the best way to pay homage to a legend? Build a statue for them? Name a street after them? Well, Lamborghini had a way cooler way to show their appreciation for one of their longest-running superstar employees. They named a limited-run Lamborghini after Balboni. The LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni was based on the rear-wheel-drive Gallardo to fit Balboni's preference.

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source: wsupercars

Only 250 units of the 550hp car were built with a reworked axle with a limited-slip differential and had the transmission fitted more towards the rear axle. The car was also re-tuned for different driving dynamics, with Lamborghini engineers recalibrating the stability control. In the history of nice touches, it doesn't get classier than this.

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1 Valentino Is Still Motivated And Working Years After Retirement

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via teamspeed

At 72 years, Balboni is showing no signs of slowing down. He is still motivated as ever. He is still in love with cars and still works on them. The man who has earned cult status is currently chasing interests in EVs due to his undying urge to learn new things.

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via autospies

His passion hasn't changed ever since the first day at Lamborghini. Currently, he runs the Valentino Balboni Award, where he judges Lamborghinis at Concorso Italiano to motivate vintage owners to take care of their beautiful cars and keep enjoying them.