We don't have a problem with cars that aren't rare, so please don't take this the wrong way, but we think some perspective on rarity is helpful when approaching something such as this run-down Espada. We'll compare it to the Fiat 128, a car we never see on the road today.
Lamborghini produced around 1,200 Espadas over roughly ten years, working out to one car every three days. Fiat produced around 2.7 million 128 sedans and wagons in Italy over the course of around 16 years. That works out to roughly 14,000 cars every 3 days - more than entire model run of Espadas in the time it took to build a single Espada. I can't tell you the last time that I saw either car, but the odds are clearly stacked against the Espada.
The Gallardo really exemplifies the supercars of the 2000s - an era where livability began to see the same attention as performance. At the time, the method of make a comfortable Lamborghini was to adapt an Audi stereo, switches, and HVAC system and go heavy with leather interior surfaces. Since then, the scale has tilted in favor of performance, and the interiors reflect that. On today's supercar, such as the Gallardo's Huracán successor, you'll find a lot less leather and carpeting and a lot more exposed Alcantara and carbon fiber.
Recently, McLaren has introduced their GT model, which is aimed at the 911 or perhaps the Mercedes-AMG GT series buyer. The idea behind the GT was to increase interior comfort while changing the performance characteristics to better suit those who travel in their McLaren more than they drive it on the track. We can't help but to think that a Gallardo, with its 513bhp V10, AWD, gated manual shifter, and handsome interior by Audi, might have been a decade and a half ahead of McLaren with this format.
With 12 years elapsed since the launch of the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, we were certain that we had reached the acceptance stage of grief over the lack of manual transmission for a car that we would never be in the market for to begin with. The advantages of the e-gear automated manual and its paddle shifters seemed to outweigh the enjoyment of a good traditional manual shift lever in the Superleggera's intended environment: the racetrack. In researching for today's post, it's become apparent that we misinterpreted the transmission offerings for the Gallardo Superleggera; e-gear was standard, but a manual transmission was available as a no-cost option. Today's example is an e-gear, but we will look out for a manual version in the future.
So, now that we've established the transmission offerings, let's go over some of the other Superleggera equipment. In the powertrain department, changes to the intake manifold and engine management net a 11bhp increase to peak power. A curb weight of 3434lb - 126lb lower than on the standard car - comes courtesy of carbon fiber composite substituted in place of the standard materials on the mirrors, underbody cover, rear diffusor, and other trim pieces. Interestingly enough, the suspension carries over from the standard Gallardo, but the lightweight edition had sticky rubber standard on its 19" wheels.
The 2000s weren't a great time to spend on ostentatious displays of wealth. A hot single could lead to endorsements, sold-out tours, and piles of cash, but the cars and houses available to make a splash didn't have the quality on the inside to match the flash visible from the outside. The early Diablo would fall squarely within this category of lackluster quality propping up an impressive design.
Somewhere along the line, high-quality and durable goods became status symbols. Say what you will about the cost to repair, but a modern Rolls-Royce Ghost, designed and manufactured by BMW, must pass the same durability tests as a lowly, high-volume 1-series. The result is a pretty appealing product that can boast of innovative technology and first-class engineering as much as it can of exclusivity. And, just take a look at the sorts of mansions that rappers are building today. In the 2000s, 50 Cent basically had his home appointed with the same level of construction that you'd see in a bowling alley or chain restaurant - bespoke, but just vinyl stapled to particle board at the end of the day. Today, you see Drake building a Limestone mansion in Toronto; the contrast in quality is stark.
There's virtue in starting with a hopeless example of a classic car, investing years of time and loads of cash into a restoration, and coming out with one more example of that particular classic on the road and able to visit shows. We can all hope that we aren't the ones to foot the bill or spend the hours in the garage massaging the panels, but for every car we've spent a little bit too much time, money, or effort on, there's a net benefit to the automotive community.
Sometimes - in the case of cars of significant historic value - these restorations can lead to some financial benefit. In order for this to happen, the car must be acquired prior to renewed interest in the particular model in question. Time it right, and by the time the restoration is complete, the vehicle is ready for sale in a competitive market. We've seen this with nearly every 1960s Ferrari, among other Italian classics.
The Lamborghini 400 GT built upon the platform introduced by the 350 GT, allowing Lamborghini engineers to make technical improvements while doubling sales for the brand. And, while engineers may love to get their best designs to the market from the outset, to keep a brand alive, sales of safe, reliable vehicles outweigh optimized performance.
So, with some sales under theirthe 400 GT replaced the 350 GT's 3.5L V12 engine with a 3.9L unit, increasing available power from 280bhp to 320bhp with a healthy increase in available engine torque across the power band. 40hp might seem like a small power increase to justify the development of a larger engine, but the thrust available to the driver at all engine speeds can be felt pretty easily with a 34 lb-ft increase in maximum torque.
The Gallardo is the first Lamborghini design from the ground up by Audi after getting its first taste of engineering Lamborghinis with their reengineering of the Diablo in the 90s. Only two years after acquiring Lamborghini, Audi set it engineers upon the task of civilizing the aged Diablo platform, resulting in the Diablo VT 6.0. With the Gallardo, the lessons learned from the Diablo VT 6.0 led to the first of the modern refined supercars that have become the norm today.
The Gallardo relied heavily on Audi parts bin components, and to good effect. HVAC and stereo systems were lifted directly from the Audi A4 rather than sourced from a low-volume aftermarket supplier unable to deliver the refinement that a major supplier to OEMs ever could have. Lamborghini was able to sell the Gallardo on its merit alone, whereas it had previously traded in old-world charm and the exoticism of its brand. The danger here is that old-world charm is somewhat timeless, while an all-out effort on vehicle development can lead to a car that feels dated 15 years after its introduction.
How often have you heard of someone who had a Lamborghini Countach hung up on their bedroom wall in their childhood? We weren't around for Cannonball Run, so we never bonded with the Countach. Instead, we idolized the Diablo - in scale model form in place of the bedroom poster. And, the reason we picked this particular Diablo is due to its resemblance to the 1993 Diablo featured in Dumb & Dumber.
Really, the red on tan caught our eye because of the movie association. The movie car was actually not a VT model like this one, so it would have been a more hardcore Diablo, lacking the AWD and power steering of the VT models. We've always been puzzled by AWD roadsters when a RWD version exists, but the two features don't necessarily need to be utilized at the same time.
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.
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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
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.
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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.
The practical Lamborghini shopper has no use for something as mild as the US-spec Tipo P111 P250 Urraco. In his eyes, $119,000 buys a 3-4 nice Lotus Elises, and the math tracks. Both are mid-engined, make around 180hp, and proclaim their sporting intentions unabashedly. Only one is really worth driving around a racetrack in anger. In fact, that same money would buy a reliable Gallardo, which would show up the whole lot at the track, and would make for a more comfortable weekend getaway machine to boot.
And yet, here we are, suggesting that you take a real look at one of 21 Urracos built for the US market. The seriously (86x53mm) over-square 2.5L V8 - a Paolo Stanzani creation - is derated from 220hp to a relatively wheezy 180hp. If our Milano Verde is any indication of how enjoyable 180 Italian horsepower can be, we'd be prepared for a pleasant surprise in the acceleration department. US-spec bumpers hardly detract from the Gandini wedge, and originality considerations aside, we'd leave them be regardless.
We have it on good authority that the Stanzani V8s are difficult to rebuild. As in, a mechanic who regularly builds Colombo V12s and Lancia Aurelia V6s informed us that it takes a true nut to keep one on the road. So, count us in. Can't be the bad?
We've made it fairly clear that we prefer these to the contemporary Ferrari Dino 308 in spite of the dearer pricing. The design has more room to spread out, and while the Ferrari V8 and chassis would, in all likelihood, make for a better driving experience, we can't help but imagine how much cooler it would be to open the garage to reveal one of these low-slung wedges. This might be a good one to buy.
