Could transport four people at 250 km/h in 1968
The Lamborghini Espada was a slight design revolution, especially next to the Islero launched at the same time. The car was designed by Marcello Gandini, still employed by Bertone, and evolved from two Bertone study models. The Lamborghini Marzal and the Jaguar Pirana. The Marzal had ‘too much glass’ according to Ferruccio Lamborghini, and gull-wing doors. The Pirana was an evolution of the Jaguar E-type, a model that very much appealed to Ferruccio. A kind of mix of those two models resulted in a new prototype, which can still be admired in the Lamborghini museum, called the Espada.
Although you would not immediately deduce it from the shape, the Espada is also a four-seater. The engine is in the front, the large, sloping rear window also forms the boot lid. Three different series can be distinguished, which hardly differ in appearance, but each received a nice upgrade on the inside. Series II got a bit more horsepower, series III is said to have decreased slightly again, but that’s not clear.
A slower Lamborghini Espada for the US market
With the last series, the Espada was also available with an automatic transmission – a three-speed version from Chrysler – but that turned out to be unsuccessful. The car was slower, but to conquer the American market, it was a nice addition to the range.
The Espada was particularly successful when you look at the sales numbers (the difference of one between the total and the units sold per series is in the still existing prototype). Some sources report a total number of 1,217 by the way, we believe in 1,227, just like Lamborghini itself. It would even remain the best-selling Lamborghini until the Countach, although it did not ultimately save the company financially. The Faena mentioned with the models was not built by Lamborghini, but by coachbuilder Pietro Frua, who made more exotics even more exotic. The car is still in the hands of a Swiss collector.
If you search hard and negotiate well, you can buy an Espada for around a ton. But very good examples with low mileage and correctly performed restorations soon exceed one and a half tons.
Espada, what does that mean?
After a bull species and an individual bull, this car was named after a sword that bullfighters use to kill a bull. Espada is Spanish for sword. We are not yet following the idea behind giving a Spanish name to an Italian car…
Production Quantity
1.227
Production period
1968-1978
Specifications Lamborghini Espada
3,929cc V12
330 hp
0-100 km/h in 6.1 sec
top 245-250 km/h
Models
Espada Serie I (1968-1970, 186 pieces)
Espada Serie II (1970-1972, 355 hp, top speed 260 km/h, 575 units)
Espada Serie III (1972-1978, 355 hp, top speed 260 km/h, 410 units)
Espada Serie III automatic (1974-1978, 355 hp, 55 units)
Faena (1978, Series II converted to four-door, 1 unit)
