1968 Lamborghini Islero

Ferruccio Lamborghini introduced the Islero at the 1968 Geneva Auto Show. Styling was courtesy of Mario Marazzi, formerly of Carrozzeria Touring in Milan. Carrozzeria Touring was Lamborghini's preferred coachbuilder, however, they were no longer in business, so Lamborghini commissioned ex-Touring personnel led by Mr. Marazzi to design and build the elegantly understated coachwork. 'Islero' was sourced from the legendary bull that killed Spain's best matador, 'Manolete'.

The Islero was an evolution of Lamborghini's first model, the Touring-styled 350GT. Just like the 400 GT, the Islero had a 4.0-liter engine designed by Giotto Bizzarrini and finessed by Giampaolo Dallara. The four-cam engine was fitted with six Weber carburetors and delivered 320 horsepower through a five-speed gearbox. Zero-to-sixty mph tool less than six seconds and top speed was achieved at 165 mph. Stopping power was supplied by power-assisted, four-wheel Girling disc brakes. A fully independent suspension offered more comfort and better handling than its Ferrari contemporaries. It was comprised of unequal-length A-arms and coil springs at all four corners. The square-tube chassis was based on that of its predecessors, but with a wider track to allow for wider tires.

The first Islero was completed by the factory on March 6, 1968, with the remainder of the first series finished by December except for one car that was finished on February 17 of 1969. A total of 125 examples were built.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2019