The Espada was Lamborghini's first truly popular model, with
more than 1,200 sold during its ten years of production.
Bertone was able to persuade Lamborghini to allow them to design a brand-new
four-seater. The shape was penned by
Marcello
Gandini, and a bodyshell delivered to Ferruccio for inspection. The
businessman was less than pleased with the enormous
gullwing
doors that Gandini had included, and insisted that the car would have to
feature conventional doors.
[35]
The car that resulted from the collaboration was debuted at the 1969 Geneva show
with the name
Espada, powered by a 3.9-litre, front-mounted
evolution of the factory's V12, producing 325 bhp (242 kW). The
Espada was a success, with a total production run of 1,217 cars over ten years
of production.
[36]
In 1969, Automobili Lamborghini encountered problems with its fully
unionized work force, among which the machinists and fabricators had begun to
take one-hour token stoppages as part of a national campaign due to strained
relations between the metal workers' union and Italian industry.
[40]
Ferruccio Lamborghini, who often rolled up his sleeves and joined in the work
on the factory floor, was able to motivate his staff to continue working
towards their common goal despite the disruptions.
The Jarama was a shortened, sportier version of the Espada.
Throughout that year, Lamborghini's product range, then consisting of the
Islero, the Espada, and the Miura S, received upgrades across the board, with
the Miura receiving a power boost, the Islero being upgraded to "S"
trim, and the Espada gaining comfort and performance upgrades which allowed it
to reach speeds of up to 160 mph (260 km/h). The Islero was slated to
be replaced by a shortened yet higher-performing version of the Espada, the
Jarama 400GT. The 3.9-litre V12 was retained,
its
compression ratio increasing to 10.5:1.
[41]
The Urraco was the first clean-sheet Lamborghini design
since the 350GTV.
By the time the Jarama was unveiled at the 1970 Geneva show, Paulo Stanzani
was at work on a new clean-sheet design, which would use no parts from previous
Lamborghini cars. Changes in tax laws and a desire to make full use of the
factory's manufacturing capacity meant that the Italian automaker would follow
the direction taken by Ferrari, with its
Dino 246 and Porsche, with its
911, and produce a smaller, V8-powered
2+2 car, the
Urraco. The 2+2 body style was selected as a
concession to practicality, with Ferruccio acknowledging that Urraco owners
might have children. The single overhead cam
V8
designed by Stanzani produced 220 bhp at 5000 rpm. Bob Wallace immediately
began road testing and development; the car was to be presented at the 1970
Turin motor show.
[41]
In 1970, Lamborghini began development of a replacement for the Miura, which
was a pioneering model, but had interior noise levels that Ferruccio
Lamborghini found unacceptable and nonconforming to his brand philosophy.
[42]
Engineers designed a new, longer chassis that placed the engine longitudinally,
further away from the driver's seat. Designated the
LP 500 for its 4.97-litre version of the
company's V12, the prototype was styled by
Marcello
Gandini at Bertone. The car that was presented was debuted at the 1971
Geneva
Motor Show, alongside the final revision of the Miura, the P400
SuperVeloce.
Completing the Lamborghini range were the Espada 2, the Urraco P250, and the
Jarama GT.
[43]