CELEBRATING THE V12: The Legend

2022 is an exciting year as Lamborghini is celebrating the V12: the legendary 12-cylinder engine that has powered its most iconic cars for almost 60 years. The first four-seat Lamborghini was the Espada 400 GT. This was its best-selling model for years. The V12 engine was also included in models such as the Miura, Countach, and Diablo, which are some of the most celebrated cars in Lamborghini’s history. With the front-mounted 4-litre Lamborghini V12 engine, the step up in size didn’t make it any less of an extremely fast and sleek grand tourer that encapsulates an exceptional approach to technical innovation.

The “pure” V12 combustion engine, which has been in production for over 100 years and in its final and most advanced form, will go out of production at the end of 2022, when the last Aventador Ultimae1 is made. The V12 engine has been an essential part of Lamborghini’s identity since the company’s founding in 1963, and it will be missed by performance car enthusiasts around the world. Starting next year, the Aventador’s successor will be fitted with a new plug-in hybrid version of the V12 engine.

At the time, Ferruccio Lamborghini’s goal was to produce the fastest, most luxurious and comfortable grand tourer.

Ever since the start of his venture into automobile manufacturing, company founder Ferruccio Lamborghini has been very clear about his objectives. He wanted to create the best grand tourer on the market: a sports car that was not only fast, but also comfortable and luxuriously finished. The Espada 400 GT, a 2+2 grand tourer, was first presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1968 and was in production for over a decade. The car was designed to perfectly embody the idea of a grand tourer. With a top speed of 150 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 7 seconds, the Espada was certainly fast. It was also comfortable, with plenty of room to seat four adults, and featured luxurious appointments like leather upholstery and wood veneer interior trim.

The Espada was a large, comfortable car that could seat four adults and had more space for both luggage and passengers than its predecessor, the 400 GT 2+2, and the Islero 400 GT 2+2. Additionally, the Espada featured truly outstanding finishing, with generous amounts of leather, and other refined materials, as well as the option of fitting air conditioning. Power steering was introduced as an option in 1969 and it was included as standard from 1972 onwards. A version with automatic transmission was available from 1974.

The technical cornerstone and defining characteristic of the Espada was the 60° V12 engine that was first produced in 1963 with a displacement of 3.5 litres. It was increased to 4 litres (3929 cc) in 1964. The engine was a remarkable example of engine development technologies of its time and was capable of delivering a whopping 325 hp at a high 7200 rpm when it was first fitted in the Espada. This increased to 350 hp at 7500 rpm in the Espada Series II, which was presented in 1970.

The chassis was based on that of the 400 GT. But, it was lengthened and widened. This increased the wheelbase to 2650 mm. The new width meant that the wheel track increased to 149 cm. The car had four-wheel independent suspension. This included double wishbones and coil springs.

In November 1968, an Espada “Lancomat” with a state-of-the-art hydropneumatic suspension system was displayed at the Turin Motor Show. The vehicle garnered rave reviews for its sleek design and smooth ride. The system was available on demand. But, very few owners ended up choosing it.

The Espada was a quick grand tourer. It could reach 245-260 km/h, and keep up with the Miura in most conditions.

When it was first unveiled to the public, the Espada was the fastest four-seat car in the world, and it held that title for quite some time. Featuring boxy shapes as part of a highly innovative design by legendary Italian car design house Carrozzeria Bertone, it proved to be a long-lasting commercial success for Lamborghini.

The Espada VIP was first presented to the public in 1971. The Espada 400 GTE Series II was the base, with some luxury extras. For example, only 12 of these vehicles were made, and the first models came in a special orange hue with orange and black leather upholstery. Later vehicles were made with other, more daring colour combinations. Inside, the Espada VIP had a fully stocked mini-bar and a refrigerator in the rear side panels, as well as a sleek Brionvega Algol 11 television on top of the transmission tunnel to keep the passengers in the rear seats entertained during the ride. The VIP is one of the most highly sought-after models among Espada collectors today.

One of the most famous Lamborghini Espada owners is Sir Paul McCartney.The former Beatle, who was an avid Lamborghini enthusiast, bought a right-hand-drive 1972 Espada Series III with a manual transmission. The luxurious car had a sleek red paintjob and a red leather interior. He was one of the first people to own the car and he loved it. His wife Linda often drove the car, but one time, after she left it in neutral and forgot to put on the handbrake, it rolled into a nearby pond. It was hauled out of the water after three days and later sold to new owners, who went on to use it for a number of years. Subsequently, it ended up being part of the “decor” in an English pub. It was sold to an unknown enthusiast in 2005, and it is thought that it may now be in Austria.

From high-profile celebrities to A-list actors, many well-known personalities have expressed their fondness for the Espada over the years. For example, since 1986 the famous American television host Jay Leno – who has always been a car enthusiast – has owned one of the very first Espada Series 2 models, which was made in 1969.

There have been numerous films featuring an Espada, including around 50 significant titles.The most famous among fans of the model is the 1973 Italian movie “Flatfoot” starring Carlo Pedersoli, who was better known by his stage name, Bud Spencer. Largely filmed in the stunning location of Naples and the surrounding area, it sees the protagonist pursuing an Espada uphill around a series of hairpin bends in a long chase sequence that ends outside the Church of Sant’Antonio a Posillipo. The Espada is a series of high-performance grand tourers produced by Lamborghini between 1968 and 1978.