The history of Lamborghini is made up of great successes, but also of bitter failures that time has made us forget, or almost forget. The Lamborghini Islero falls into this category. And yet, despite its fatal early mistakes, the Islero has been criticised by many for being a mere evolution of the 350 GT, with even a clear resemblance to the very first project, the 350 GTV, in terms of the front end with retractable headlights. It is considered too classic. Unlike the Espada, the Islero was far from unanimously acclaimed in terms of styling, although Ferrucio preferred the Espada because it remained the most faithful to his vision of Gran Turismo.

By the summer of 1969, only 125 examples had been ordered and delivered. Lamborghini tried to put things right with the launch of the Islero S, revised in many respects and with an upgrade of the V12 to 350 bhp, as on the Espada, which further raised its remarkable level of performance. But the Islero’s catastrophic reputation and overly conservative design condemned it to a short career. In 1970, after selling 100 models of its Islero S, Lamborghini withdrew it from the catalogue and suffered heavy financial losses.

Following the consecutive failures of the Urraco and Silhouette, Lamborghini stopped producing V8 sports cars in 1978. In 1981, the company changed buyers once again. Patrick Mimram, the new boss, took his turn at trying out the V8, using the Silhouette’s P118 chassis. The P118/B, aka Jalpa, will have to face up to the curse that seems to strike the bull’s-eye V8s… The design was once again entrusted to Bertone, and the very similar lines did not betray the filiation. The Jalpa is also a 2-seater coupé with a central rear engine and removable roof, a formula that has made Ferrari’s 308 GTS and Porsche’s 911 Targa such commercial successes.

After the resounding failure of the Islero, the Jarama had to be developed quickly in order to turn the company’s accounts around. Unfortunately, this will be yet another step towards the financial difficulties that will become an integral part of the young Italian manufacturer’s life… Marcello Gandini, Bertone’s brilliant stylist, was far from signing his finest work here, and the lines were hardly unanimous. Things took a turn for the worse when it emerged that Marazzi had not met the quality standards required for the body panels. The Jarama is one of the heaviest Lamborghinis after the Espada and the colossal LM002. Launched in 1970 at the Geneva Motor Show, the Jarama’s offbeat styling divided opinion sharply… With its mixed style, disastrous ergonomics and mediocre build quality, the Jarama weighed heavily on the brand’s image. Wrongly compared to the two successes, the Espada and the Miura, the Jarama failed to convince the press and did not find its audience.

At the 1972 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini tried to put things right with the Jarama S, a radically revised version. Firstly, the car had lost 100 kg and secondly, the engine had been boosted to 365 bhp with a new exhaust and new camshafts, resulting in a clear improvement in performance. The Lamborghini Jarama S has regained its rightful place as a superb GT. It also boasts two new air intakes in the bonnet and new bumpers. Inside, a new, more ergonomic dashboard has been fitted, and slimmer seats increase rear legroom. Very much in demand, given the weight on the front axle, power steering comes as standard. A Chrysler Torqueflite automatic gearbox is even available as an option. There is also a unique version with a removable targa roof.

In 1977, the US Army issued an invitation to tender to specialist manufacturers for the design and production of a special all-terrain vehicle capable of transporting men and equipment to any war zone. Lamborghini presented its Cheetah prototype, renamed LM 001. The Hummer was chosen. But Lamborghini, certain of the real qualities and superiority of its machine, decided to launch production and presented the “civilian” version in 1986 under the name LM 002. This behemoth, which benefits from the Countach’s 450bhp V12 engine, was mainly sold in the United States and the Middle East (the Saudi army ordered 40 of them), and an estate version was even built for the Sultan of Brunei.

The Miura was an aesthetic revolution in 1966 and orders poured in quickly, but behind the scenes, development was far from complete. It didn’t finally go on sale until the spring of 1967, although there were still a number of problems, such as cabin ventilation, suspension settings and the transmission with self-locking differential, which was eventually abandoned. To extract hot air from the engine compartment, blinds replaced the glass rear window of the car exhibited in Geneva. Although the Miura was intended to be a marginal model with a strong image, demand for it far exceeded the factory’s production capacity. This 1st version will therefore remain a model with room for improvement… A Spider Miura was presented at the Brussels Motor Show in 1968, but it was never marketed.

At the 1968 Turin Motor Show, Lamborghini presented its first evolution of the model, the Miura P400 S. Its aim was to correct the main shortcomings in terms of finish and comfort. The seats and steering wheel were redesigned. The car’s windows are now fitted with electric controls, while the dashboard features a comprehensive instrumentation package. The car’s chrome window frames are also striking. In terms of differences, the Miura P 400 S is 2 cm longer and 2 cm wider. Its height also increased by 5 cm and its weight rose to 1,050 kg, then 1,125 kg in 1970 and finally 1,250 kg in 1971 as a result of upgraded equipment and chassis reinforcements.

On the Miura SV, maximum power was increased to 385 bhp through modifications to the valve train and carburettor. It remained the fastest production car in the world until 1973. The Miura SV’s rear track width was widened to 1.54 metres to allow the fitting of 60-series tyres. The car weighed in at a hefty 1,300 kg unladen. The Miura SV also gets a new rear suspension. Easily identifiable by its eyelash-less eyes dominating a widened grille, its redesigned rear lights and its wide tyres, the Miura SV was produced until the end of 1972, when production of the model was finally discontinued. It should be noted that a few lucky buyers at the time asked the factory for significant modifications to transform their SV into an SVJ, an SV ‘Jota’, a racing prototype that was never marketed.

This 2nd version of the Murcielago has been extensively reworked: interior design, exterior, engine, suspension, gearbox, exhaust, brakes and electronics. The styling is also more aggressive, with new bumpers. But that’s not all. The exhaust tip has been integrated into the diffuser of the rear bumper. Another innovation is the rear lights, which accentuate the Murciélago’s distinctive features. Finally, while the scoop on the right-hand side is virtually closed, the one on the left-hand side is wide open to cool the oil cooler. The exterior mirrors and windscreen wipers have been modified to optimise the coupé’s aerodynamics. The wheels are fitted with 18-inch Hermera light-alloy wheels. The dashboard has been redesigned, with diamond-shaped stitching giving a new look to the interior trim. The cylinder head and the entire variable geometry intake system have been reworked from start to finish. The crankshaft, camshafts and exhaust system have also undergone innovations. In short, it’s almost like a different car!