Despite the rumors of the Italian super car maker Lamborghini making a SuperVeloce Gallardo, the raging bull is going to bring a factory tuned version of their more compact dream machine to market, but it won’t be wearing an SV logo. Instead the new car will focus on reducing weight as a means of going faster and will be appropriately named the LP570-4 Superleggera when the car makes its official debut in march at the Geneva Motor Show. We won’t come across any official images until a little closer to the reaveal, but thanks to the creative mind of JonSibal we can show you this rendering of what the upcoming Superleggera should look like.
The new Lamborghini LP570-4 Superleggera will weigh in at around 140 pounds less then the standard version while packing an extra 10 HP as well. The new figures will leave the LP with a much more favorable power to weight ratio and is expected to be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 MPH in only 3.5 seconds. Thanks to Mr. Sibal and TeamSpeed we can also preview a few more of the colorful shades like Orange, Lime green and Yellow while we await a glimpse at the real thing. However we do know that because it is a Lamborghini, owners will be able to color match their leather interior to the car’s wild paint choices.
After the legendary Carrozzeria Touring closed in 1968, Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to entrust the making of the next model (to become known as the “Islero”) to Touring’s former collaborator, Mario Marazzi. But life was difficult for the Islero with its simple design which was flanked by the spectacular Miura; production ceased after 225 models had been made, of which the last 70 were put on the market in 1969 with a few changes to the body and luxurious interiors in the Islero S version.
The Islero was revealed at the 1968 Geneva Auto Show and was named after a Miura bull that killed famed matador Manuel Rodriguez "Manolete" on August 28, 1947.
The Islero was powered by a 4 liter V12 engine that delivered 325 hp. The engine was mated to a 5 speed transmission, fully independent suspension, and disc brakes. Its top speed was rated at 155 mph. Lamborghini made only 125 Islero.
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When Lamborghini unveiled the 350GT back in 1964, everyone was impressed and the car turned out to be a huge success. But Ferruccio Lamborghini decided he can do even better. He wanted the car with perfect design and technology, a car to impress and create sensation. And he had all this with the Miura launched in 1966. Maybe the Miura name says it all: it is the name of a Spanish ranch whose bulls have a proverbial attack instinct.
Until then mid-engined layouts have been used by Ford, Porsche, Abarth and Ferrari especially to dominate the race-tracks. But Ferruccio had no interest in that. He wanted a car for the road. So, he asked a team of three men to create his car: Giampaolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani and Bob Wallace. After more than a year of work they have come with a first prototype at the 1965 Turin Auto Show. And even if people were excited about it, many of them doubt the car will ever see production.
But only one year after Lamborghini brought the production version at the Geneva Motor Show where it created a sensation. The first production model was delivered in December 1966, after three prototypes have been created (one of which destroyed in a road accident). Miura was and still is in the top three most beautiful cars in the world.
Ferruccio wanted his car to be limited to only 30 units, but because of the huge demand he had to reconsider his decision.
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When Ferruccio Lamborghini moved from tractors to cars, he decided to make a car better than any Ferrari. His biggest problem with the Ferrari models was the lack of quality. So, with the best team possible - made of people like Gian Paolo Dallara and Gitto Bizzarrini - he started to design cars. After he revealed his first prototype the 350 GTV at the Turin Auto Show, he moved onto production models. The first one was called 350 GT, a model powered by a V12 engine that delivered 270 hp. Lamborghini made a total of 120 units.
The 350 GT then evolved into the 400 GT - a a 2+2-seated sports car revealed at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show. The 400 GT was also created by Carrozzeria Touring, but its interior was restyled, made roomier and so we have the 400 GT 2+2 four seater.
The 400 GT entered production in 1966 and was offered with either the 3.5-liter (known as 400 GT 2+2) or four-liter V12 engine (known as 400GT). The last one was built in only 23 units and are known as the ’Interim’ cars. The V12 engine delivered 320 hp and helped the car to hit a top speed of 270 km/h (167mph).
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In 1970 Nuccio Bertone proposed the evolution of the Islero with the Jarama. Conceived for the “gentleman” driver, this car is an ideal mix of elegance and power. It was one of Ferruccio Lamborghini’s favorites who appreciated the excellent combination between the 365 HP and luxurious comfort, without the focussed attention that a Miura or an Espada stirred up. Besides 15 HP, the interior of the Jarama S version, presented in 1972, was completely restyled. Lamborghini made 328 units of the Jarama (Jarama 176 units and Jarama S 152 units).
Lamborghini Jarama made its official debut at the 1970 Geneva Salon. It was named after Jarama bullfighting region in Spain, but many believe it is named after the Jarama racing circuit near Madrid.
Jarama is the last front engined Lamborghini Coupe, but is also the third heaviest Lamborghini (3,480 lb)- after Espada (3230 lb) and LM002 (5,952 lb).
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For a man that used to build tractors, a concept car like 350GTV was a big step forward. Ferruccio Lamborghini created Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. in 1963 and the 350GTV was the first prototype he made. The concept previewed the the later 350 GT, the first car ever made by Lamborghini.
You will ask why a tractor constructor decided to move on supercar? It seems that Ferruccio - a very wealthy man at that time - had some problems with his personal Ferrari. When trying to talk with Enzo Ferrari he received an answer he really didn’t liked: "You should stick with building tractors and let me concern about the cars." You can imagine how angry Ferruccio was, so he decided to create his own dream car. And we do not want to be means, but we might say it would have been better for Enzo Ferrari to pay a little attention to him at that moment!
The 350GTV - a prototype built in only one unit - was built at the tractor factory at Cento because the one in Sant’Agatha was not ready yet. The car made its first public appearance at the 1963 Turin Auto Show.
The concept was designed by Franco Scaglione and built by Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini. It was finished in a bright metallic blue and featured a black leather interior.
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With the Urraco, Ferruccio Lamborghini intended to build a more economical sports car which comes in the same price bracket as the Porsche. The Coupe 2+2 line, presented in 1970, another one of Nuccio Bertone’s whims, a new 8-cylinder engine is designed for the engine, launched on the market first with a 2.5 liter displacement and later (in 1974) with 3 liters, while a 2-liter V8 was also proposed for the Italian market.
Initially Lamborghini planned an annual production of 2,000 vehicles but, starting from 1972, only 780 Urracco, of which 520 of the P 250 version, 194 of the P 300 model and 66 P 200 for Italy were sold in ten years.
Lamborghini Urraco (translated as "little bull") made its official debut at the 1970 Turin Auto Show. It was a 2+2 coupe with body designed by Marcello Gandini, and rather than being a supercar, it was created as a competitor for models like Ferrari Dino and Maserati Merak.
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With the Targa roof, the Silhouette - which is the evolution of the Urraco – proposed an alternative open version with the intention of winning over the difficult United States market. The engine, now perfected, which had four overhead camshafts in the 3-litre version, allowed a maximum speed of 260 km/h. And despite this, after two prototypes, only 53 Silhouettes were produced, the last one being used and tested as the Jalpa prototype.
Lamborghini Silhouette made its world debut at the 1976 Geneva Auto Show. It was the first open production model for Lamborghini featuring a 2+ 2 configuration and a Targa roof. The car was named Silhouette in recognition of then current FIA Group 5 regulations. Even if the public received very well the new model, Lamborghini could never sold it on the North American market due to homologation issues.
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When the Mimram brothers took over the company in July 1980, establishing the “Nuova Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini”, the new owners did not only start production of the LM 002 off-road, but the evolution of the Silhouette as well, whose main points were: restyling the Bertone designed body, an 8-cylinder engine, expanded to 3.5 liters, with power still at 250 HP, but with far superior driving comfort. With 420 cars built, Jalpa is among the best-sellers – since production stopped in 1988 there were no other 8-cylinders from Lamborghini.
Jalpa - or Baby-Lambo as it was known at the time - made its world debut at the 1981 Geneva Auto Show as a prototype version featuring a rear spoiler that never got into production. The sports car was named after famous breed of fighting bulls. Even if it was a very easy car to drive, it never got the attention it deserve; however it was the best sold Lamborghini V8 model.
A successor for the Silhouette sports car, the Jalpa used the same 3.0-Liter V8 engine (that was also used in the Urraco P300), but enlarged to a 75mm stroke resulting in a 3485 cc displacement. The engine delivered 255 bhp at 7000 rpm and 231 ft-lb torque at 3500 rpm. The sports car made the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 7,3 seconds and was capable of a top speed of 146 mph.
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Now that some of the big names like Mercedes and McLaren have finished revealing their beasts for Frankfurt, the exotic Italian automaker Lamborghini is preparing to put them all to shame with the Reventon Roadster! However, before you get too excited, take this into consideration: there will be only 20 examples of this kind of open air beauty on the road, and each of them will be priced at a very lofty $1,600,000. Deliveries will begin October 2009.
Like its coupe brother, the Reventon Roadster features a jet-inspired carbon fiber body complete with aggressive 18 inch wheels while under the hood Lamborghini will place a 6.5 Liter V12 that makes an astounding 670 HP and 486 lb-ft of torque coupled to the automaker’s six speed e-gear transmission. This combination of high performance pistons and electronically controlled cogs will allow the upcoming Reventon Roadster super car to go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.4 seconds while reaching a top speed of around 205 MPH. How’s that for wind in your hair.
Press release after the jump.
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