The story of Bertone: the most controversial coachbuilder ever
The beginning of Bertone Bertone was founded in November 1912, when Giovanni Bertone, then aged 28, opened a workshop specialising in the construction and…
The first Lamborghini was introduced just four months later at the 1963 Turin Auto Show. Lamborghini constructed a modern production facility near Bologna and completed 273 two-seat front-engine 3.5-liter V-12 350 GT coupes in 1964, the first year of production. That car quickly became the 400 GT with a larger 3.9-liter V-12 and 2+2 seating. The spectacular mid-engine V-12 Miura unveiled in chassis-only form at the Turin Auto Show in 1965 was intended as a display car, but went into production as the worlds first Supercar in 1966. The Miura was followed two years later by the revolutionary Espada, fulfilling Lamborghini’s vision of a true grand touring car seating four adults in luxury with performance and styling as dramatic as anything Lamborghini had previously produced.
The Lamborghini Espada: For the third consecutive year, the Geneva Motor Show acted as the stage on which a sensational new Lamborghini model made its debuts. In 1968 it was the turn of the Espada 400 GT, a unique grand tourer with four seats and a front engine, which revolutionised the design lay-out adopted in the past for the Miura e the Marzal. The mastery of Bertone succesfully hid the notable encumbrance of the mechanical components in the low body, wich had a light and tapered line as well as a roomy cabin fo four people. The V12 engine (3929 cc, bore and stroke 82×62 mm, 325 hp at 6500rpm) was installed further back than usual to ensure an exceptionally long and low bonnet. Built on a wheelbase of 2650 mm, the Espada 400 GT had a soft and harmonious silhouette, wich was further lightened by a number of suitable graphics on its flanks, such as the air vents of the bonnet and on the rear pillars of the cockpit. The car was 4700 mm long, 1820 mm wide, 1190 mm high and weighed 1480 kg. Lamborghini declared the Espada GT’s top speed as 245 km/h. A total of 1224 examples of this model were built in three successive series, the last of which concluded in 1978.
Photo courtesy of Hyman Ltd.
The beginning of Bertone Bertone was founded in November 1912, when Giovanni Bertone, then aged 28, opened a workshop specialising in the construction and…
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