What we have here, my friends, is a highly-modified Lamborghini->ke44 Jalpa -- a car that in its day, wasn’t all that quick -- but now easily lays down 10-second quarter-mile runs like it was a Sunday drive. It’s all thanks to a General Motors->ke1024 LS1 V-8 (350-cubic inches/5.7-liters) with a Magnuson supercharger bolted on. There’s no word on what this Lambo’s American heart pumps out, but it has to be significantly more than the 255 horsepower from the car’s original mill.

Yes, back in 1981 through 1988, Lamborghini produced the Jalpa with a double-overhead-cam, 3.5-liter (210-ci) V-8 that only laid down minimal power. The car was marketed beneath the Countach->ke387 in price, performance and size. While it wasn’t very stout, its smaller size gave it better outward visibility and better slow-speed handling. Its 0-to-62 time was said to be six seconds flat on its way to a 15.4-second quarter-mile time. Its top speed was rated at 145 mph.

Sadly, 1988 was the Jalpa’s final year in production, as Chrysler->ke21 bought the Italian automaker and axed the model. Only 412 were made.

Fast forward to the present, Jalpa number 387 makes it’s way down the quarter-mile strip at Calder Park Raceway in Australia. Its supercharged 350 small block is backed by a Toyota automatic transaxle and power is sent to the massive slicks mounted at the rear. Those boys down under sure know how to make a gnarly beast.

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