REMEMBERING LAMBORGHINI’S MOST SUCCESSFUL GRAND TOURER – THE ESPADA

When Ferruccio Lamborghini first decided to make cars, it wasn’t just to respond to Enzo Ferrari’s infamous spite. He wanted the Lamborghini brand to have a wider appeal than just Ferrari’s race-car-for-the-road approach. The best example of this can be seen in the Lamborghini Espada. This car was meant to complement the 400 GT 2+2 and the MIURA by providing a Lamborghini for everyday needs.

Released in 1968, the Espada was designed by Marcelo Gandini of Bertone, one of the greatest car designers ever. He had also designed the Miura while envisioning the Lamborghini Espada as a complementary car to that legendary piece of machinery. This particularly well-maintained 1968 S1 model shown here comes from ELEVEN CARS, who currently have the model and many other amazing classic and supercars up for sale.

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Given this heritage, the styling of the Espada was typically Italian, although somewhat polarising. The design took inspiration from Gandini’s earlier works, the LAMBORGHINI MARZAL and the JAGUAR PIRANA. Some people loved the long hood and swooping hatchback styling while others could not see the appeal. In any case, it elicited a reaction, a basic tenet of good design. The car had spacious interiors with leather upholstery and all the features you would expect in a high-end luxury grand tourer of its time.

Mechanically, the Lamborghini Espada came with a 3.9-litre front-mounted V12. The engine featured six Weber carburettors and 24 valves. This was good for 325hp on the Series 1 cars, enough to push the Espada to a top speed of 150mph (241.5kmph). In its 10-year production run, 1217 examples were made, making it the most successful Lamborghini up until the modern era, comfortably outlasting the 328-unit run of its more stylish, short wheelbase cousin – the Lamborghini Jarama.

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