www.QV500.com - Lamborghini Urraco Part 1: P250
 
Ever since the inception of Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, an interest had been shown towards producing a smaller, less expensive model than the firms extravagant V12's. It was hoped such a car would establish Lamborghini alongside Porsche whose 911 sales had reached dizzying heights, making the firm one of Germany’s most important motor manufacturers. Furthermore, a less expensive Lamborghini would also bring greater stability to an organisation that was prone to suffering an alarming lack of sales when faced with a depressed economy in any of its major markets. With Miura and Espada production in full swing then, Ferruccio considered the time right for an ambitious expansion.
   

As Giampaolo Dallara had recently left the company, Paolo Stanzani became head of engineering and more than anyone, the Urraco was his baby. These cars would eventually be produced in four variations with engines varying in size from two to three-litres, but the two main incarnations were the P250 and P300. For the purpose, an all-new powerplant was drawn up and designated Tipo L240. A 90° V8 with a displacement of 2463cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 86 x 53mm, this new motor would be easier to maintain, use and construct than its Bizzarrini-designed brother. The L240 also had to be adaptable to current and future Federal emissions legislation being introduced in North America, the single most important marketplace for high performance GT manufacturers. Using an aluminium block and cylinder heads meant Stanzani's L240 was very light and in 2.5-litre trim proved good for 220bhp at 7500rpm. Compression was set at 10.4:1 and there were four twin choke Weber 40 IDF 1 carburettors. All this equated to a very impressive 89bhp per litre, a figure that exactly matched the 350bhp Miura V12.

 
Performance figures were very good compared to the opposition (most obviously Porsche's 2.4-litre 911 S), 0-60 requiring just 6.6 seconds whilst top speed was 143mph. For the new underpinnings, Stanzani used a sheet steel unibody style construction designated P250, the chassis and bodywork providing a single monocoque structure while the engine was mounted transversely (a'la Miura). Bertone were commissioned to design bodywork, the Turinese styling house coming up with the crisp, well balanced car you see today.
   
The Urraco had elegant three-quarter window treatment and a bank of three stylised engine vents to thank for avoiding the overweight cabin treatment of so many mid-engined 2+2’s (e.g. Ferrari's portly 308 GT4). The rear windscreen was covered by six slatted grilles similar to those of the Miura. Neat, tidy and well balanced throughout, it was probably one of Bertone's most accomplished designs, not least considering the headaches such a layout can pose. The cabin wasn't quite as impressive though and the flat top dash an ergonomic disaster. With the tach and speedometer located at either end of the instrument binnacle and supplementary dials in between, the whole thing was a bit of a nightmare. A leather-rimmed four-spoke steering wheel further obscured the instrumentation, Bertone's entire cabin design seemingly having been a cock up from start to finish. However, that is not to say the Urraco was without charm, for while the cabin was an ergonomic failure, it nevertheless boasted swathes of seventies chic, the likes of which Porsche’s austere 911 was totally lacking.
 
In keeping with Lamborghini tradition, the P250 was named after one of the most fearsome bull breeds, Urraco. It was at the hands of an Urraco-bred bull that the most celebrated bullfighter of all time was killed - Spain's legendary Manolete. Launched at the Turin Salon in autumn 1970 to an enthusiastic public who began placing orders immediately, Ubaldo Sgarzi, Lamborghini Sales Director at the time, recalled that after the show he was snowed under by orders for a new car that was still far from production-ready.
   
But the design team hadn’t counted on there being such an abundance of development work to be done and it was nigh on two years before the car finally went on sale. Unfortunately, Lamborghini apparantly learnt nothing from the cancelled orders of frustrated customers tired of waiting for their new Urraco’s. They made exactly the same slip up when they showed the prototype Countach three years ahead of production in 1971, simultaneously killing the Miura in the process. Eventually the Urraco was considered good enough for the public and in late 1972, series production finally began. It fell significantly short of the talked about 1000 examples per annum and in the first full year of production (1973), Lamborghini achieved barely a quarter of their target. Due in part to an impending energy crisis, the implications for such a dismal performance were massive after the huge investment in plants and machinery specifically for this model. What was once considered to be the key for the future prosperity of Lamborghini was fast bringing the firm to its knees.