1975 Lamborghini Espada

Ferruccio Lamborghini's first production car, the Touring-styled 350 GT, had debuted at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show. It was the works of two of Italy's most illustrious automobile engineers and equipped with a 3.5-liter, four-cam V12-engine designed by Giotto Bizzarrini, housed in a chassis penned by Gianpaolo Dallara. With four camshafts and all-independent suspension, it upstaged the best supercars of the time, but to compete with larger models Lamborghini needed a nominal four-seater, and thus, the 4.0-liter 400 GT 2+2 duly appeared in 1966. With this, Lamborghini dispelled any lingering doubts about its ability to compete with the world's best Gran Turismos.

Introduced in 1968 at the Geneva Motor Show, the Espada was named after a matador's sword and wore styling by Bertone's Marcello Gandini - creator of the Miura - with a design similar to those of the stillborn, rear-engined, six-cylinder Marzal but equipped with a 4.0-liter, four-cam V12 up front. The engine had previously powered the 400 GT and the contemporary Islero, offering 325 horsepower, an output sufficient to propel the distinctive coupe to 150mph. The running gear was similar to the Islero, but instead of the former's tubular frame, the Espada employed a platform-type, semi-monocoque chassis.

The 3,929cc had an aluminum alloy crankcase with cast-iron cylinder liners, aluminum pistons, two valves per cylinder (for a total of 24), and two chain-driven overhead camshafts per bank. The stroke measured 62mm and the bore was 82 mm, and the compression was initially 9.5:1, increasing to 10.7:1 in the Series II and III engines. It had a single distributor for ignition, wet-sump lubrication, 14-liter oil capacity, and six Weber 40DCOE side-draft carburetors.

Most Espadas received a Lamborghini-designed 5-speed manual transmission with hydraulically operated clutch, mounted longitudinally, inline with the engine. From 1974, the Series III Espada could be optioned with a Chrysler TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transmission, and 55 examples were so equipped.

The fully-independent suspension was based on the earlier 400 GT 2+2 design with unequal length double wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers and anti-roll bars. Stopping power was by Girling four-wheel disc brakes with three-piston calipers, with larger calipers at the front. Initially, sold discs were used but later switched to vented discs with the Series II Espada. Steering was by a worm-and-peg type unit manufactured by ZF and mounted at the top front of the chassis. Series III Espadas could be purchased with optional power steering.

The Series II was introduced in January of 1970 and came equipped with an extra 25 horsepower, a top speed of 155 mph, an improved dashboard layout, and the option of power-assisted steering. The Series III, introduced in late 1972, received another revised dashboard, power steering as standard, minor suspension improvements, up-rated brakes, and a restyled front grille.

Production had begun in 1968 and continued through 1978 with 1,217 examples built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2021