Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of luxury sports cars. It is based in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, and is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi. The Miura, Espada, and Islero are the most popular models. Read on to discover more about these cars. You’ll be amazed at the performance, and the sheer speed, of these incredible cars.
Ferruccio Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini was founded in 1963 by Italian automobile designer Ferruccio Lamorghini. Before designing cars, Ferruccio was a mechanic, engineer, winemaker, and industrialist. He devoted himself to creating the best cars possible, and he soon realized that they were a much better way to spend his money than buying the usual cars. Lamborghini also made sports cars and was known for his work in the automotive industry.
The Miura
The Lamborghini Miura is a supercar that first appeared in the late 1960s. It was one of the first sports cars built by Lamborghini, and it was so powerful it attracted crowds five deep at the Monaco Grand Prix. In 1984, Ferruccio declared the Miura his “ideal sports car” and expected to sell fifty of them. However, the Miura was so popular, the legendary jazz musician Miles Davis crashed his Miura, breaking both his legs. The legendary film producer James Glickenhaus found the car on the side of the road, and bought it for $35,000 in 1987.
The Espada
The Lamborghini Espada was a rear-engine sports car that was produced from 1976 to 1978. Its name came from Spanish for “sword” and was one of the brand’s indirect references to bullfighting. The car offered outrageous styling that did not look derivative, tons of power, and class-leading interior space. It quickly became one of Lamborghini’s most popular models, and its interior design was the same for all of its variants.
The Islero
The Lamborghini Islero was created in 1968 as a low-priced alternative to the V12-powered Miura. This car has been a favorite among collectors for years, and the asymmetrical front grille and angular body design have garnered the attention of enthusiasts for decades. While the Islero is not a race car, it was upgraded and entered in the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite its mediocre performance, the Islero did compete in this legendary event, and crashed during qualifying.
The Jarama
The first production Lamborghini The Jarama was unveiled at the 1970 Geneva Auto Show. It was meant to replace the Islero, and was powered by the same 3,929cc V12 engine that powered other Lamborghinis. The original Jarama produced 350 horsepower and reached a top speed of 167 mph, but the GTS variant increased this to 365 horsepower, and the top speed was raised to 162mph.
The Urraco
The Urraco was a mid-engined 2+2 supercar that was unveiled at the 1970 Turin Auto Show. Its design was based on the Merak concept car, and its sheet-steel unibody chassis was bolted to the frame, with the engine and transmission mounted in the front. Its instrument panel featured a speedometer and an odometer on either side of the steering wheel. The Urraco was Lamborghini’s first mass-produced model. The production number was 776 vehicles.
The 4,000 series Murcielago
In the early 2000s, Lamborghini rolled out a new model of their supercar. This one, the Murcielago, had a completely different design than the previous generation, and combined classic design cues with modern technology. The new Murcielago has an insanely low, wide stance, and scissor doors. In the past, Lamborghini cars were criticized for their cramped cabins. That was no longer the case with this car. Its spacious cabin offers a comfortable ride, and all the luxury amenities, including air conditioning and advanced driver assistance systems, are standard.