14.01.2004 STRONG INTEREST IN LAMBORGHINI AT BRUSSELS SHOW FOLLOWS DESIGNER LUC DONCKERWOLKE LINK

Lamborghini are showing the Murcielago and Gallardo in Brussels. The importer, who has been handling Lamborghini sales for two years now is recording steady growth, mainly as a result of the Gallardo coming on stream.

They expect to sell around 15-20 units of the new mid-size 5.0-litre V10 this year. The importer reports that with Belgians to be found residing worldwide, a significant number of new cars are being purchased and exported by their new owners.

Much interest here is due to Lamborghini's celebrated Belgian design chief Luc Donckerwolke's status, as he is well known by the general public and his design career followed with interest. He shot to fame when he designed the Diablo-replacing Murcielago, acclaimed for its modern looks while at the same time drawing on the marque's traditional styling concepts.

He visited the show on Tuesday to view the Lamborghini stand, causing much interest in the process from the domestic media.

Luc Donckerwolke was born in 1965 in Lima, Peru. He attended schools in firstly South American, then South Africa, before heading to Europe to study Industrial Engineering in Brussels and Transport Design in Switzerland. He graduated and started design work with Peugeot, before joining Audi design in Ingolstadt in 1992.

In 1994 he moved to the Skoda Design Center in the Czech Republic, before two years later returning to Audi to head concept design. 1998 saw his much heralded move to Lamborghini at Sant d'Agata in Italy where he styled the 6.0-litre V12 Murcielago. Last year he was appointed Lamborghini's head of design.

Donckerwolke, who lists among his hobbies, motorsport, historic cars and foreign cultures, can count the Audi A4 Avant and R8 Le Mans, Skoda Octavia and Fabia as well as the Lamborghini Gallardo as cars he has had significant input into.