Lamborghini has signed an agreement with the Italian branch of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with the ultimate aim of defining the sportscar of the future.

People that know their automotive history will know how much the comparatively tiny Sant’Agate Bolognese company has already shaped the development of the motorcar.

Its first creation, the 350GT (unveiled in 1963) proved that a car could be both a genuine sportscar and a genuine GT and the Miura, which came three years later, became the blueprint for the supercar that is still followed religiously today – stunning low-slung looks, two seats, a V12 engine in the middle and power to the rear wheels.

And through this new partnership, Lamborghini wants to continue to have the same impact as the concept of the car itself begins to change at its fastest rate since Karl Benz submitted his first patent back in 1886.

“We want people to think of us more and more as a trendsetter in the super luxury and sports car segment,” said Stefano Domenicali, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Automobili Lamborghini. “MIT has always been a pioneer in innovation and we are proud to have signed this general agreement with such an illustrious institution, which will lead to the study of issues of mutual interest relating to the super sports car for the 3rd millennium.”

Such an agreement might seem to go against the philosophy of a company that has a reputation for doing things its own way, often regardless of prevailing trends. For example, it is the only established super sports car company in the world without some form of hybrid powertrain in its range. It won’t even consider turbocharging as a means of upping power while reducing the amount of fuel burned for fear of diluting the driving experience.

But one of the secrets of Lamborghini’s endurance (despite several near business death experiences) is that its best cars have been produced by its youngest employees. The team that developed the Miura were all in their 20s.

When seen in those terms, the reasoning behind tapping the resources, intelligence and youthful vigor of MIT becomes clear.

“MIT-Italy is a two-way bridge linking MIT and Outstanding Names in Italian Industry. It is hard for us to imagine a better partner than Lamborghini, and we are looking forward to the projects that this partnership will help us develop,” said Serenella Sferza, Co-director of MIT-Italy Program.