Forget Ford v Ferrari. Ford is in the moneymaking business and has only ever on rare occasions produced anything with value beyond its primary mission of profit creation; this includes: the Fiesta ST, the Focus RS, the GT350 and the original Ford GT. We won't count the new Ford GT because that was designed and built by Multimatic in Canada.
No, this is Lamborghini v Ferrari. Where's the fun in running a solvent business with any sort of continuity in ownership? How does an agricultural firm go about challenging Ferrari? Suppliers such as Girling, Weber, Cromodoro, Pirelli, Ansa, and many others help to spread out the design burden. And, Carrozzeria Marazzi provided the assembly plant, skimming off the top but keeping Lamborghini's upfront cost down. Crash regulations weren't what they are today, and emissions standards were minimal. So, the biggest challenge was really just building a superior alternative to Ferrari's road going machines, producing them, and finding buyers.
Year: 1970
Model: Lamborghini Islero S
Engine: 3.9L V12
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 46,079 mi
Price: $285,000
Location: West Hollywood, CA
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1970 Lamborghini Islero S
1970 Lamborghini Islero S in Very Original Condition. Comes in Verde Pallido with Black Leather and Beige Fabric Inserts, 5 Speed Manual Transmission, Borletti Air-Conditioning, Power Windows, 3-Band Blaupunkt Radio, Wood Trim Steering Wheel and Veneer Fascia. Miura Knockoff Wheels, 46,079 Recorded Miles, Books and Records Including Engine Rebuild by Bob Wallace.
Here we see an example with some accident history, a rebuilt engine, and a couple of periods of dormancy. The interior is rough around the edges, which should be simple enough to address on the textile side of things, but should the dash prove to be too deteriorated, could prove to be quite expensive to repair. We like the Bob Wallace - the original Lamborghini test driver - provenance of the engine rebuild, though those valve stem seals sat for a long time and we wouldn't be surprised to see some smoke on deceleration.
The condition and history of this example do it no favors, but at a production run total of 100 units for the Islero S and 225 units for all Isleros, the rarity of this early Lamborghini can't be ignored. Compared to the last Islero S that we featured, which wasn't particularly low on miles, this car is discounted by $145,000. That cash won't erase the rear-end damage history, but it will certainly go a long way in bringing the interior back to life, as well as restoring the mechanical bits.
-Graham