Business | Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini and Babolat - collaborate in padel racquet project
| 2024-04-09 |     |
Lamborghini using carbon fiber expertise to produce sports equipment
Automobili Lamborghini and Babolat announce a collaboration combining their technological and industrial expertise to produce exclusive padel racquets. The prototype of the first BL001 model, to be made in a very limited series of just 50 units within Lamborghini’s factory facilities, was presented last Saturday during the Lamborghini Arena at the Imola Circuit, in the presence of Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, and Éric Babolat, CEO of Babolat. The Babolat collaboration marks one of the few occasions Automobili Lamborghini will manufacture sports equipment, outside of its core automotive production.
Two further racquet collections, BL002 and BL003, will be developed for distribution in upcoming years. At the heart of the project is the fusion of Babolat's mastery of racquet technology and the game, and Automobili Lamborghini's expertise in carbon fiber manufacturing processes and design.
The all-new unisex BL001 racquet will be available in five Lamborghini colors, Giallo Auge, Verde Viper, Arancio Livrea, Viola Pasifae, Verde Gea, manufactured in Automobili Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata Bolognese factory in its specialist carbon fiber parts production facility. The very limited collectors’-edition racquet is designed with the tools, processes and materials used in the production of the Italian manufacturer’s super sports cars: while Babolat already uses carbon materials in the production of its padel racquets, the BL001 will benefit from Automobili Lamborghini’s unrivalled carbon fiber expertise in automotive production.
Inspired by the design of super sports car chassis, this collaboration delivers a racquet with an extremely rigid peripheral monocoque frame that optimizes the deformation of the striking zone. The monocoque structure, which extends into the handle, allows the hand to be in direct contact with the chassis. This ensures perfect control of the racquet in absolute comfort, while delivering exceptional power and ball speed.
From the high-strength composite fibers used to manufacture the rigid chassis, the materials used in this revolutionary racquet are directly derived from technologies contributing to the highest performance in Lamborghini super sports cars. The technical conception and design of the BL001 are the result of a close collaboration between research and development teams within both Babolat and Automobili Lamborghini over a period of almost six months. The BL001 is produced by an ultra-precise, 100% hand-crafted process, with tests then carried out on court and in the laboratory by Babolat experts, as is the case for every new racquet.
This bold, unexpected and unique limited edition of 50 racquets will be the first Babolat and Automobili Lamborghini padel racquet to be available in the market.
The technologies and carbon fiber know-how developed through this first collaboration on the BL001 will then be applied to commercial models. In upcoming years, Babolat will be producing two further racquets, the BL002 and BL003, from its Padel Studio near Barcelona, Spain.