Let me summarise. Take an Italian V12. Add a pair of snarling nags and an alarm clock exhaust to make sure you don’t go unnoticed. And, just to make your neighbour die of jealousy, wrap the whole thing in a body worthy of a fighter jet cut out with a serrated blade. And if there’s no roof, even better! Sprinkle in a racy name, sell the product at a stratospheric price and don’t forget to produce as few as possible. That’s it, Lamborghini has decapitated its very exclusive Reventón!

Lamborghini is playing its last card with the Silhouette. To launch a new model at a lower cost, Bertone had to use the Urraco P300 chassis with tracks that were significantly modified to allow the fitting of Campagnolo ‘telephone’ type wheels shod with wide, low-profile Pirelli P7s. In use, the engine is racy but lacks a little torque at low revs for the weight of the car. Lamborghini asked Bertone to dress the Silhouette as a ‘targa’, i.e. with a retractable roof that could be stowed behind the front seats. Bertone invented a superb line, directly inspired by the Countach supercar, and reinforced the chassis at numerous points with a roll-cage. Unlike the Urraco, the Silhouette is a strict two-seater coupé. There were only a few options on offer: colour, leather or reversed leather, electric windows and a stereo system. At the 1976 Geneva Motor Show, the P118 received a warm welcome. It was even one of the most desirable sports cars around, but after the second oil crisis, the market was at its weakest and the model suffered from manufacturing problems. Unfortunately, as in the past, Lamborghini was unable to solve the homologation problems in the USA. With no customers and mounting debts, the company went into liquidation three years later.

Stanzani, commissioned by Lamborghini’s new owners to relaunch the Urraco, had prepared a version specifically for the new taxes in force in Italy (30%). With a V8 reduced to 1995 cm3 by shortening the stroke, the Urraco also offered only 182 bhp. Despite this tax incentive, only 66 examples were sold.

The P250 is the first car to be offered with the all-new V8 engine, which is claimed to be easier and cheaper to maintain and repair than the Bizzarrini V12. The L240 V8 should also be easier to adapt to North American standards, the leading export market for European GT carmakers. The P250 chassis has a monocoque structure, with the V8 mounted transversely, slightly set back from the rear axle, with the transmission in its extension. As is often the case with this type of assembly, the mechanical access points are very complex and therefore very expensive. Lamborghini’s target of 1,000 cars per full year of production is only a quarter of what it had hoped for. What’s more, the car suffered from mediocre reliability (belts, suspension, transmission), which disrupted its commercial launch and cost the factory even more money. Add to this the first oil crisis, and the Urraco became a clear threat of bankruptcy for Lamborghini, even though it was supposed to make the company more profitable!

Lamborghini’s problems with homologating the V8 in the United States exceed the most pessimistic forecasts. Called the PIII, the pollution-free version of the Urraco P250 was fitted with large black bumpers at the front and rear, and had a ridiculous power output of 180 bhp, a far cry from the Lamborghini reputation to which American buyers aspired. After a handful of sales, the Urraco left the US scene.

The Veneno is a genuine racing car for the road, with only… 3 examples sold! Its design is rigorously focused on aerodynamics, cooling and cornering stability. With its taut lines, elytra-shaped doors and specific headlamp units, the Veneno is typically Lamborghini. All the body components are made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic. The same goes for the monocoque structure, which is borrowed from the Aventador.

In the supercar department, here’s the Veneno! It’s an extreme car with all the superlatives: ultra-expensive, ultra-rare, ultra-powerful, ultra-light and… ultra-radical! A lovely present for the firm’s 50th anniversary… The mechanical part is taken from the Aventador, but is even more powerful. The 6.5-litre V12 is given half a hundred extra ponies, bringing the total to 750 horsepower! That’s quite a stable for a wagon weighing just 1,490 kg! Lamborghini, the prophet of lightness, has made extensive use of polymer-reinforced carbon fibre to lighten the beast. When you think roadster, you think windy hair… But here, you’ll have no choice, because Lamborghini has simply dispensed with the soft top! In terms of design, it’s radical, hyper-aggressive, but devoid of any finesse! This is because Lamborghini intended its monster for the track, even if it is approved for road use…

The heir to the Gallardo is the : Huracan, which in Mayan means God of fire, wind and storm, as usual, this name comes from a fighting bull that belonged to the famous Count De La Patilla, the animal was renowned for its courage and exceptional attacking power! In terms of design, the Huracan is reminiscent of the Aventador, but with a little less swashbuckling. The interior features a completely new cockpit with a 12.3-inch colour screen, navigation system and full vehicle instrumentation. The seats are in Nappa leather and Alcantara, available in several combinations. The design of the dashboard and central tunnel is entirely new, with a light, uncluttered and modern feel.