Lamborghini Urraco P250 - Why Didn't It Do Better?
2023 ж. 4 Қаз.
72 144 Рет қаралды
Lamborghini planned a high volume, cheaper car to help their finances and become a mainstream seller like the Porsche 911. Instead with only 700 produced the Urraco became one of their rarest cars. Was it a bad car? or are there other reasons why it failed so comprehensively to take on the Germans?
Always thought this was a beautifully styled car, looks gorgeous from every angle
Sounds gorgeous, too!👍🎵
It has the same sound as the old TATRA aircooled 603 V8!
Beautiful is a stretch. Cool is more accurate.
@@d.r.ofwinch2466 did you forget the engines in 2nd hand cars in the U.S. not in ten years all cars in europe can release the one years of USA co2 for the atmosphere, and recentelly i discovered that their highest octane gasoline is 92 ,while in europe we have 95 and 98 and 100 from BP but people didn´t understand that they would save money by buying 100 octanes gasoline more expensive, so it stoped being sold , my 7.0L mefrcury cougar from 69 it´s a very fast car ,it was released as being the mustang for rich people ,the same as in gt500 mustang but with better materials and own it since 1978 when my business of importing cars from US with a friend from the netherlands we sold them like hot cookies for a 3 times profit from buying the cars transport them to europe and regist with the european country the buyer was from, this working without a flaw, when starting we went to L.A. where we knew a almost not american person ,he had brain and helped us ,after having the best holidays in Portugal south atlantic coast in the 70´s ,it was heaven but no st.Peter at the gate, or clothes in persons as in girls till their 30´s ,seemed a forgoten place, some even stayed there in the mountainsd for the next 20 years or more or till today, save the planet stop talking about electric cars since when nuclear powerplants are enviroment friendly, a field filled with the most high tech. panels that used to be showed in the discovery channel and all of that field once covered in trees and water channels filled with animals now they are dead and no shde in the most hot region in Europe with only a few family´s living there and several old men and women, this like a 800 person region with two litle villages and old people they go to bed when the sun comes down so this field isn´t enough to provide electricity to this litle villages ,two and people don´t use lights ortv after 8 o´clock at the most or even those huge fans that make as an example cows abort and big birds die ,so the field isn´t filled with 800 to 1000 cows but nothing not even birds that the same as always ,they say it´s green so they are not telling wrong stories when they will be asked why the so firendly enviromental technology only destroyd the still free of human hands regions ,they will reply "We sold green cars ,green electricity never we sold enviroment friendly cars or whatever"now already destroying the still litle regions of Africa with jungle by contamination when sent there by the at this time dictator authorised(paying to him a litle money so kill by mercury contamination human and animal life disposable batteries and plastic
Surely very cool styling, especially for the time, but exterior suffers from appearing too high off the ground / over tires, which robs it of a planted look that a slightly lower stance would give (and the Ferrari GT4 achieves). Unfortunately, while pretty, it ends up not aging as well as it could.
Without a doubt a gorgeous car. Love the engine sound! I agree the styling is so well done even the interior looks great. Thanks for the review Jack, well done. 👍👍
Yessss!!!!! Glorious,a real Lamborghini,a car that has a fantastic sound and a great character. Strange and different,as any Lamborghini must be,was an aternative to other two italian classics: the Dino 308 GT4, later branded Ferrari, and the Maserati Merak,by Italdesign,that had a V6 3 liter engine. All of them had central engine (transverse for the Dino and the Lambo and longitudinal for the Maser),and all of them had two little seats in the back,as all of them were offered with 2 and 3 liter engines. The 2 liter variants were specific for the italian market that imposed heavy taxation over 2000 cc. The P200 Urraco with the 2 liter V8 is really rare and finding one is like finding the Holy Graal: they built just 66 of them. Ciao Giacomo,sempre al top. Waiting for the Merak now....
Hello Jack Firstly i will say i have been watching your channel since the first 308 fun and games, and have enjoyed all your youtube feeds. We have a very similar taste in cars. I have never commented on your channel before but as a serial Urraco P250 and P300 owner i must say; All production gearboxes are doglegs, and much better / enjoyable than my 308 / 348 Ferraris. It is the most enjoyable gearbox and rarely baulks into 2nd gear, so suggest your test car is not sorted. I am the same height as you, and apart from the twisted driving position never had a problem, with decent driving shoes. The steering is the best on any car ever, end of. Yes they understeer when pushed, but as you say they are better as grand tourers, i took my P300 around Europe and it is best as a fast cruiser rather than a point to point sportscar. The P300 is supposed to be much faster and i suppose it is, but the P250 is such a great revvy engine i actually enjoyed it more for local journeys. I dont know your test 250 but must be a rare RHD 250 and looks fantastic. Am looking forward to your Pantera, my next car also !
Truly a beautiful car. I drooled over a ‘76 red one at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, TN last October! Car is just gorgeous! It’s a small car. At six foot tall, I’m sure I’d struggle to get in it or even sat in one. Italian art/design/eye candy is second to none; full stop! Thanks for this video. Enjoyed it. Cars of the 70s are on another level.
Correct, I was in Lamborghini museum in Sant' Agata and Lamborghinis in live looks much better than on photo.
Great vid!! Lovely example of this very beautiful Urraco. This baby lambo just needs a proper tune on the engine and some adjustment on the throttle linkage/cables/spring. That interior is sublime...
There is simply nothing quite like 'original and unrestored' when it comes to vintage machines like this one. That condition alone makes this video fascinating and instructive. The Urraco likely should have done much better in the market place as you suggest. The great engine noise and styling more than make up for any chassis design shortcomings. Thank you for another entrtaining outing!
Sadly soon all gas cars will be banned in EU and USA due to Heschlavvo and Schlaboubve laws
@@SchlipperschlopperYou ever going to stop spamming this or no?
No Spam, its the truth and its horrible@@chesswizard31
@@Schlipperschlopper You continuingly post this rubbish. It's a lie and you know it.
What chassis designs shortcomings? It went round corners on rails generating over .8g! Also the steering was rack and pinion, not worm and roller; get your facts straight !
The ribbed seats and headliner look beautiful.
Jack, I have to "pull your ears" slightly at 6:18 when you mention the Urraco's interior being "not so far off" the quality of a 911. Please take a look at the interiors of early 70s 911s! They were all hard plastics, garish cloth patterns that only a German could love, and a scattershot dashboard where all the switches seem to have thrown around randomly. A 1970s Porsche 911 was many things, but really not a "quality" car in the interior. Cheers Andrea
Agreed Urraco is much better.
Well the turbo models were much better and not only that the layout is so user friendly in a 911 I know that's not in the quality category but it is an interior quality? If that makes sense
Have a few old copies of CAR magasine from this era which I've kept through many moves simply because of this car being featured. Articles range from the Urraco prototype(!) up to the Jalpa in the model line up. I'll probably never be fortunate enough to ride in one of these let alone drive one but the weight of opinion in them all seems to be that the Urraco was the nicest (and safest!) of the three cars mentioned (Lambo, Ferrari and Porsche) when you wanted to hustle on drivers roads. The Porsche 911 of the time was notorious for that rear weight bias suddenly taking control leaving little room (or options) for manoeuvre. The Ferrari had a reputation for being on your side right up to where it (suddenly) wasn't and and a real handful to recover once that backend (finally) did step out. The consensus at CAR seemed to be that the Urraco had the overall best "manners" and could be relied upon not to frighten the driver.... :)
always had a soft spot for the Urraco, at the time, one of these as a daily, a Contach as a weekender and a Espada for long runs across the continent would have been a dream garage.
Jack you hit it out of the ball park with this video nobody has tested so many great and rare car except you thank you very much sir Mangusta Pantera Montreal Urraco Maserati/Citroen SM Esprit S3 turbo Various Alfas 348 GTs 328 gts 308 gts And so many more
All second-tier except the SM.
Top Trumps - International Supercars 1976
US versions were the 2.5L but down to 175 hp from smog controls. The Road & Track test in Sept 1975 lists it as 2463 cc. The cite Lambo US as saying the test car was one of the first 40 with US emissions tacked on instead of a proper reworking. A retest was promised when it was available. My hunch would be never, given Lambo's problems at the time. The original test can be found at a clean link to merakgroup by searching for the Road & Track Sept 1975. 2.0 L was Italy only for tax reasons, and very close to the stated US 2.5L output.
The style of this car was so 'in your face' and bad ass, just like it's bigger brother. That little V-8 sounds so sweet. Thanks again Jack for showing such a beautiful classic. To me, it's timeless, very special, and Italian. Happy Easter to all and may peace come to those who desperately need it in our world.
Engine being a Gem is an understatement. Not wailing, but growling, and what a growl it is. The overrun sound is much like a Dino, but meatier. It's surprisingly subdued inside the cockpit compared to your voice. It's appears to be almost luxury car quiet. It looks much better on the move than in static side view. I wouldn't mind owning one. I noticed you said it had only 35000 miles on the counter, but looking at the wear on pedals, it indicates more like 135000 miles...
I used to have a Matchbox of a purple Urraco. Always loved the design but never seen one in person. Doubt there's even a single one in Canada. Awesome review, Jack! Keep 'em coming, buddy.
Me too, never seen one in real life, did it have three front seats or was that another one? Like a matra.
Jack, this was equally my favourite looking Italian supercar from that era, the original Dino being the other. its a little understated compared to its contemporaries but that adds to its desirability in my view. gorgeous interior too; oh and that orchestra coming out of the tail pipe...
it´s my opinion to ,i didn´t rest till i had one myself ,bought it new and didn´t say ferrari in any part of the car only the dino badge, but there are two cars that i wanted and never got one ,the rolls royce silver shadow coupe and the citroen mesaratti or SM
The Urraco wasn't initially a rival for its cousin, the 308gt4, as it was designed and came to market first. The 911 also wasn't really considered a competitor, the production costs were never going to allow that, but the success of the 911 was an indicator that there was a good market for 2+2 high-performance cars and both Lamborghini and Ferrari fancied a piece of that action to boost their production numbers and cash flow. In fact Ferrucio was hoping to boost the factory to well over 1000 sales per year from the then current couple of hundred. I think the Urraco is the better styled of the two but the Marty Feldman dash is a little odd; Silhouette and Jalpa were better in that respect but lost the '70s lovely purity of the original exterior. Why did it fail? Well I think problems with the early cars took a bit of fixing, and both diverted investment and gave the car a bit of a bad reputation. And until the P300 the performance was noticably inferior to the gt4. So the sales didn't come. If it had been launched on the back of a healthy bank balance rather than as an attempt to build one things might have been very different, but at least there are a fair few survivors and we can still enjoy seeing them about.
I heard that the 308 gt4 was a Bertone styling exercise that Lambo rejected and Enzo picked up cheap.
A big problem which wasn't a fault of the Urraco itself was that there was a delay in building the new wing of the factory intended for the Urraco's production line, also, the cost of the new Olivetti machinery for producing the engine blocks and heads was extraordinarily expensive, plus Ferruccio lost out on a large tractor contract with Argentina which fell through just at a crucial moment. All that aside, the Urraco is undoubtedly a great car and like the 308GT4, one of the best handling cars from that period. Sometimes its exoticism isn't as apparent in photos as it is in the metal. I've seen three in the UK over the last year or so and was mesmerised with each one. Whenever I think of the Urraco three words enter my head straight away - I want one! The production Urraco is a thing of beauty but I've always liked the look of the first prototype, upon which Gandini based his outline for the 308GT4, with a fair bit of tweaking of course.
@@pchurchill not all cars have to be designed by bertone team, several lamborguni´s were ,if this was not ,well it´s one model ,i have cars designed by bertone and i paid maybe at the most what today is 300€ by each in perfect condition just having a problem high gasoline comsumption , only in 78 i bought my first ferrari having cars since the 60´s it was a good car maybe the first ferrari with midle engine the 308 GTB vetroresina, had the two dino´s but it were not ferrari´s the 2nd model almost was a crime to call it a ferrari but young men now they know it all so if they want to call a 2cv from citroen the best 4x4 off road car ,we older man that saw the cars being sold to the market would say the best off road car was the range rover when it came out looking like the 90´s model but better built with a powerfull gasoline engine,same colour (green metalic)same seats but without head rest because the seats were high but young men say it´s the 2cv who are we to know better ,there was never a early 70´s alfa-romeu gtv but now the market is flooded with them. Because of that now instead of two ferraris i have 4 and some alfa´s and BMW´s that one used to ask if it was for sale and after asking what today is 150€ ,we said no and they would run after us ,saying ,"it´s yours take it,please" now are formidable cars , "BMW, the best cars in the world ",i know i saw a video where a young men says this, well they tried but never achieve their most interesting objective being as good as mercedes when owned by daimler ,never did never will but some by being not interested in cars when they were children now they know better cars that were so bad that after 10 years it would become garbage but nice in the first 5 years but not 50 to 60 years old cars still driving around with millions of km´s done, that´s why 76 i kept them all very cheap ,at the time some friends of mine used to tell me "now you´re in the junkyard business"because i had in my back yard lot´s of old lancia´s ,alfa-romeu´s, bmw´s and even detomasos that when they were new no one wanted them,somehow today they are the best but only a car here and there in all world while others still being driven since the late 60´s or early 70´s those are bad cars ,the w201 never stoped being sold in my country ,it´s safe drives perfect no comsumption , cheap and no cars released at the same time appear like one to four cars in all europe being sold by a fortune when in reality they were never bought for being so bad, now they are the best, my cheapest ferrari was the mondial in metalic grey ,today when i let a friend drive it which is very rare ,after they say ,this is so poor and at the same time seems the best ferrari ever made ,while the older 308GTB is "way cool ,what a car" but where to find one that the engine works as it should, ferrari´s are bought by very old man that only drive it once a month after being bought than they are stoped by 10 years and then they enter in the 2nd hand cars business ,and it´s only 50.000 km´s or less looks like if it was bought now but these cars have engines to drive around 300km/h but only were driven at 80 km/h or slower, i remenber driving a opel corsa from the 80´s first model with the diesel engine 1.5 turbo-diesel and i used to pass new ferrari´s with it being already old ,this makes the so called super cars never fast or with enough power as in the specifications, i prefer a 700.000km/h ferrari driven by a crazy rich guy ,it as all revisions it was been driven like it should so this are real ferrari´s not looking new and with engines stucked, the 308gt4 was the first real mid engine ferrari not discarted by lamborguini and bertone is a empreza with designers nothing special ,they made a lot of cars or they wouldn´t survive but from the design till being a car doesn´t make them all supercars allthough they have interesting cars from peugeot or fiat , or SIMCA, etc. remenber the matrasimca or talbot matra what a car the first 3 seats in the front ,large and low sportive midle engine with a not that powerfull engine, in the 70´s there was a Volvo like the P1800 remade car in the 70´s van type with two doors it was incredible good looking but were expensive and most are wrotten, sorry most went to junkyards but when new what a car, no one knows them at least this new young men that think they know all without having any type of knowledge, only money from their parents and than say stupid things here on KZhead like if they were owners of the truth when they don´t know nothing at all, the bmw Z3 sold a few cars no one wanted one it was so bad but of all sold there are maybe 10 bought by who knows who ,no one would want that thing ,and the Z8 ,they rented them for one at the weekends destroy in circuits but 2 or 3 cars of those were bought by 83 year old man and now "what a car, it´s a very valueable car" when at the time one could buy a 850ci V12 for less money(i think they were nice cars) and the 2+2 were never for 4 people but a way of brands saying they had a four seat car normally to put the photograph machine or the newspaper not a human being, or 3 very drunk guys at early hours in the morning, that is what 2+2 were for(mainly to save money in taxes)
How are the Lamborghini Urraco and Ferrari 308GT4 cousins❓🤔
@@CutcliffePaul i was wrong the 308 was my first ferrari ,had the dino´s but they are not ferraris , sold with dino badge but cousins in what sense the ferrari was a better built car but also enjoy very much the urraco ,after i only bought a Mondial till today, prefer litle sport cars they handle very well on secondary roads ,also mountain roads, the BMW 2002 (not that expensive)but it´s a low driving position and called the death car when buying the first a 74 model in the 90´s restored in the 80´s i felt like if it was the best car to drive ,very safe glued to the corners ,after i bought 6 more from diferent years and versions ,the most expensive one cost me almost what 500€ is today, two were ofered to me, a 73 alpina and the first 2002 without head rests and the metal by the side of the front seat was chromed instead of cheap black aluminium, i refer to this car for having it´s fame and in reality was very good to drive this also to refer the building style very minimalist and almost perfect refering to the assembling and shape of the car, i say this because i never thought of owning one, but after the first i just went after them , german kids in a camping were surrounding the car and when i arrived from the beach ,they asked me if it was really a BMW ,they never had seen one ,i even asked them what said in the metal parts of the dash what was written there it was in german language and i didn´t knew what it mean
That car sounds amazing! @8:00 Can you imagine running that thing back in the day? Overrun is perfect. It hits a modern driver's buttons; and automakers are even trying to replicate it with digital sounds. Good looker too. I don't always feel that way with 70's Italia, but this one looks good.
1st production road car with McPherson struts all round. Came out before the 308: it was to be up against the Dino 246 and the 911.
It only ran against the 246 for two years.. right at the end of its production run. . The 308gt4 came out a year (73) after this one was first sold (72).
@Number27 I don't think the 308gt4 actually appeared until 1974. There were only around 2,826 gt4s made so it's pretty rare too (the 246GTB/s and 308GTB/S are not 2+2, so not really comparable). AFAIK Bertone offered the 'Urraco' to Ferrari first, but they didn't want it at the time. I like the Ferrari V8 sound personally, but the Urraco sounds more like an American V8 if that's your thing!
I thought 💭 the Fiat 128 that come out in 1969 had McPherson struts all the way round?
@@johnchurch4705 “Raw facts first: The Fiat 128 uses MacPherson struts at the front, with coil springs and a transverse anti-roll bar, and at the rear, transverse arm up with transverse leaf spring.” 🤷♂️ The Urraco was unveiled at the 1970 Turin motor show, but production was delayed until ‘72, partly due to engine issues and also due to Lambo’s tractor division suffering as a result of a coup in Bolivia and cancelled tractor orders. 🙄
@@DrRock2009 thank you 😊.
What a great video. I really don't care much for 'quirks and features'.. it's better to see and hear that classic automobile driving winding through the beautiful British countryside with some of Jack's narration.. Superb!
Nah. Doug is good too.
Yelp, Doug is rather annoying... sadly, our mutual hometown isn't that big.
I don't know.. He seems like a nice guy to me, but I think Jack's videos are much better. I feel like I'm riding in the car with him!
As I noticed in one of Iain Tyrrell's videos - a clue to the car's intended production volume was the attention paid to serviceability, notably the ease with which the engine / transmission subframe can be removed - quite a contrast to the difficulty of threading the engine & transmission in & out of a Miura or Countach.
I was always a big fan of all of Bertone's designs since I was a kid. This one is absolutely gorgeous in gold. I'd much prefer this to a Ferrari Dino or 911. Thank you.
The sound , ribbed seats , hood vents ! Enjoyed the video , Thank You !
Always loved a wedge car (child of ‘70s and ‘80’s. Khamsin, Urraco, 308gt4, Esprit Turbo. This one is beautiful.
Drop dead gorgeous, Italian playboy looks, way more preferable to the GT4 or the 911 As an ex-Porsche service manager, I can vouch that the 911’s reputation for quality is completely unfounded I real life. Archaic engineering, thrown together build quality, numerous rust traps, never ending oil leaks and engine rebuilds at low mileages.
Arthur my experiences as a Porsche technician, shop foreman, service manager and multiple 911 have been quite the contrary to yours. We can pick foibles through every "real" from '64 through '98, but have you ever had to service Ferraris? They make almost any 911 seem like a Toyota Camry in regards to build quality and reliability. My '75 Carrera is on its first overhaul with 164K miles on the chassis. 2nd clutch, transmission never been into. Still sporting K-Jet injection.
@@keepyourbilsteins maybe it’s the conditions here in Greece but with all due respect , my experience is completely different During my 12 years we did a lot of 911 restorations, admittedly the vast majority were German imports so had seen their fair share of salt… As you correctly stated we can write for hours with regard to the foibles of each series, I do think the early G-series cars were better built I’ve worked on 308’s, agree they are a pain in the posterior, many seemingly easy and quick jobs need the engine out, the wiring loom was designed in the lunch hour etc etc
It's the same with air-cooled VWs. Been working on a few over the years, and everybody's like "they're easy to work on!". But I'm like "that's because you need to work on them ALL THE TIME".
@@arthurdardalis If you were to choose a Porsche model that would likely give the least trouble in ownership what would it be?
@@varmastiko2908 944 Turbo & 968
A beautiful looking and sounding Lamborghini! Good grief that engine sounds sooooooo good, you can hear it revving its heart out, with pops and crackles added to its soundtrack. Almost alive! What the hell has happened to modern cars???
You are gradually working through the trump card cars of my childhood, and they appeal to me as much today.
Exactly why I’m doing it too!!
I was in high school when the 308 GT4 and Urraco were introduced. They were cars one could aspire to. Unfortunately, at my full adult height of 6'5", they were never realistic options. I still find them fascinating and appealing, even though their performance doesn't match that of my Audi S4.
@@fredhannaham9421 Yeah, your Audi would blow them away, but sometimes it's how you get there that counts. I am lucky, I have Italian 5'10'' body, short legs, long torso and arms, so I fit!
This has to be among your absolute best vids! Awesomeness galore 😁😍
Great video as always. But how many times have you needed to change shoes to be able to drive the car you were testing? Ha ha!
What an addictive exhaust note!! ❤
The Urraco looks dainty, a real ballerina. In comparison, the 308 GT4 looks muscular, a bit chunky. Sad that the Urraco didn’t make it, it deserved better. Maybe Bob Wallace didn’t have time to develop it and fine-tune it sufficiently ? Whatever, great looking car.
What an absolutely gorgeous car. And that noise! I had this as a toy car when I was little and have always loved it, but could never have imagined how it sounded. Glorious!
That's a real gem, Jack. The gold paint is a rare sight. My late father had a Ferrari Mondial QV coupe in the exact same gold over tan color combination. I've never seen another one like it here in the US. That is the best sounding 2 liter engine I've ever heard, certainly better than the QV.
everyone repaints them "resale red".
Being a UK model, the Urraco tested by Jack is likely a 2.5 liter, good for 220 BHP. Criticism came from the perceived lack of torque compared to Ferrari’s larger V8. The Urraco P300 was a real beast with 265 BHP (10 more than the 308 QV) but it came too late and by that time the Urraco’s chance was gone.
I remember hearing one of these in Australia around 1983. The exhaust note will stick with me forever. Sounded like a wild animal!
There's a lovely blue one that rolls in for most of the car shows here in Geelong. Not sure quite where they come from, but it sounds fantastic.
Loved seeing the black one in Rocky IV, always wanted to have a go in one with No Easy Way Out by Robert Tepper playing loud as the car starts. Would be great on the way to the gym.
That's a later Jalpa 350. I obsessed over that movie scene before buying my Jalpa. Still enjoy the memories
Je ne connaitrais pas cette Lamborghini si des émissions de télévision comme Top Gear ou Wheeler Dealers n'en avait pas parlé.
Thing to note is that back in the 1970s when these were made, the 911 did not have the reputation it has today. Back then people just referred to it as a glorified VW Beetle. Also, a single cam V8 was not a disadvantage to a twin cam V8 back then as these engines only had 2 valves per cylinder and not 4 valves per cylinder where twin cam designs come into their own. Back then in the 1970s there were only three makes of car which had pedigree and that wealthy people bought: Rolls Royce, Bentley and Mercedes. You very rarely saw anything like a Ferrari or a Lamborghini, if you did it would have most likely been at a motor show. The production numbers you quoted confirm this...
Mercedes pedigree? They made taxicabs, not quality cars, and still do.
Please check MB cars from that time. MB 600 most probably the best car ever.
Great review - the most noticeable is indeed the sound. I think that is mostly due to the crankshaft being a different configuration than that of the Ferrari 308. The Lamborghini sounds much more like a Pantera (and any other American V8) while the V8 Ferrari sounds like two four-cilinders howling together.
I would not be surprised if the accelerator pedal just needs a slightly softer but still long range spring. Having just put my old classic back on the road I had the same issue which was transformed by that simple remedy. Lovely engine sound I agree. Although not of the same degree, the triumph stag always sounds great compared to the rover V8 in my opinion. 😊
A Beautiful, beguiling car, so glad you've done a vid on the 'little bull' at last Jack It's easy to forget (or dismiss) the fact that the 308GT4 was born of the first Urraco prototype which appeared in 1970 but was rejected by Ferruccio Lamborghini (and still exists in the Lamborghini museum), both were designed by Gandini and it was three years later that the 308GT4 actually appeared on sale. I love all of the 'smaller' mid engine Italian exotics but the Urraco is top of my list, with the 308GT4 and Merak a close second.
Me too. Always hoped the smaller cars were lighter and more maneuverable. Based on appearance Urraco was my fave (except US emissions ruined it), then Merak (ditto), not to much the 308GT4 because I was still hung up on the 246GT (that Road & Track tried to compare with a 911 but the Dino was too expensive).
Mr Chapman would approve of the struts. Those front wheel arches look like a Mini. The throaty noise comes from a cross plane crank, rather than a flat plane like a 308. Peak power was at 7500 rpm. Perhaps Lambo should have used the 6 cylinder engine from the Marzal?
Awesome car. Thank you for showcasing this very rare car. Keep up the good work.
never seen one close but your video is good is as good as it gets for me, really enjoyed the video thanks 💜💜
I have loved this Urraco since childhood. The shape is so beautiful. A RHD is hard to find nowadays. There was 2 for sale recently in the last 6 months one black one yellow in the UK. The rest are usually always left hand drive and outside the UK mostly. These were worth next to nothing 15 years ago, now they are nudging £90.000+ for a very good one. A P300 is even more and the silhouette, well never seen one for sale in years, many years. The gold of this one tested is perfect for the car. The last time I saw one on the road was about 1992, a lovely black car being driven up west end lane in London. A dream car for me, but starting to get too high in price for a reality. Still classic Fiat 500's are still good value restored 🙄 I might start doing the lottery as a Urraco is right at the top of my classic car list and has been for many years. My other favourites are the SM ,Fiat 130 coupe, a late model XJS 3.6 manual and of course a classic Fiat 500. Great video.
There were only 54 Silhouettes ever made, so it's hardly surprising that they're rarely seen. One of the 410 Jalpas might be marginally more common.
I love these so much! That look, to me is simply amazing. Then you hear it and wow...
Cars and reviews like this will make us come back time after time. 🙌🏼 keep up the great work Jack.
It would be very interesting to see a review of the rare Italian supercar marque Bizzarrini from Livorno (Tuscany).
Thing sounds amazing!!!! Interior much nicer than I expected, too.
Heart breaking gold as per the old Convoy ! feature in Car Magazine gold Countach Silhouette and Urraco beautiful
The super-rare P300 is the one I lust after. This is a prettier car than the 308GT4 and it wears the same turbine fin Campagnolos as the Countach LP400. The feature I like most are the polygonal wing mirrors. Never understood the dashboard gauge arrangement choices though. Was Gandini a fan of Marty Feldman?
Love your videos man!
I have seen a few Baby Bulls here in the U.S.A. over the years, a delight every time.
That's one angry V8 engine... I love it.😍 I also love that ribbed roof-liner.
Super Video,used to have a Matchbox Urraco,the Lamborghini Jalpa makes a cameo in the film Rocky IV with a good sound track 👍🎨
A beautiful car, a personal favourite of mine.🤩 And you got the pronunciation spot on. Cheers
Great review. As always.
The first time I saw a Porsche Cayman on the highway I said "Oh my God what is that? I have to have one!" And I eventually did get one. It's a good thing I've never heard a Urraco in person.
I like the styling - inside and outside. Really futuristic. The car also seems quite small. And the sound 😊
I’d so love to get hands on with the rear seats on these 2+2s! amazing as always Jack 🙌😎
Since I first saw one of these back in the 70’s in a ‘Big Book of Cars’ in my elementary school library, I have had a slow-burn lust affair with the Urraco. It’s the clean, simple wedge design that does it for me. No surprise then that my all time favourite car design is the Alfa Romeo Carabo 😊
nice one Jack , liked it from the start of the video !
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks buddy!
What a super cool car! Lovely styling, and that engine note….my goodness….sounds fantastic!! Great video, Jack!
Sounds like the Corvette C3 Small Block L46! kzhead.info/sun/q7iFoL6Qg2uvlZ8/bejne.html&t
Lovely car. It needs a contemporary GB reg number plate in white and yellow.
I had one for12 years during which time I restored it. It is and felt a heavy car, and never prompted you to blast into corners for fear of oversteer. The gearshift was always heavy and lazy, the throttle long, and the clutch heavy; but hey, lamborghini made tractors right? 😂 It was however a glorious car (I saw it recently at Silverstone Classic, so it still is!) Not a nimble roadster by any means, as way too heavy, but a fabulous Grand Tourer. I now run a VX220, the polar opposite; swift, nimble and light, but the Urracco remains my best ever for gracefully gobbling up the miles
It is breathtakingly beautiful and sounds sublime.
I remember seeing a new one on the street in Montreal and being absolutely stunned. In my view as lovely a design as the Miura, and worlds better than the Ferrari. Bob Wallace (one of the Lambo chief road testers and designers of the day) said that he thought the Urraco was well designed, but the company just didn't have the expertise (or money) to make it properly. Too bad, but still a beautiful expression of late 70's design.
I’m so happy for reviews like this. Thank you for being fair and black-and-white when necessary… I feel like videos like yours are starting to right the wrongs of yesterday’s car media (Top Gear cough cough cough)
It sounds absolutely glorious! And it looks beautiful too! These were the days when manufacturers weren't afraid of being bold but without going too crazy. Wish today we had more of the Urraco and less of the Urus.
I have been looking forward to this! I remember James May driving it on the Top Gear Supercar Challange. I'm surprised how low powered the US cars were. One featured on an early Petrolicious video!
It seems that Lamborghini adopted the same emission regulation band-aid measures as most of the US car manufacturers of that period - where the engine performance was very significantly reduced when compared to pre-emission reg levels.
The interior is just gorgeous.
Really beautiful car. Really beautiful. I love the Gandini's stile, one of the best at all.
When the sound of an engine makes your eyes fill up. Sublime
Jack, attenzione: la Urraco fu un intelligentissimo progetto, pronto per la produzione in serie, ce lo spiega Stanzani in un'intervista di Davide Cironi (la trovi facilmente). Il motore è montato su di un telaietto facilmente estraibile per la manutenzione; il motore prevede la camera di conbustione ricavata nel cielo del pistone così da avere teste perfettamente rettificate, con grande risparmio, etc. Avrebbe meritato molto di più, ma come dice Stanzani forse l'auto non era abbastanza spettacolare, di rottura, come i clienti Lamborghini si aspettavano per ogni nuovo modello. Da quella delusione scaturì l'idea della Countach (letteralmente "contagio", intercalare usato al tempo di un meccanico piemontese in Lamborghini). Anch'io sono di Milano! Un caro saluto e tanti complimenti per i tuoi video.
Gandini design as always, such a shame poor uracco! Rare to see nowadays! 😢🙏🏽🌹Thank you Jack, brilliant!
My pleasure! Thanks 🙏
I think one of the most elegant Lamborghinis. Just lovely.
What a beast. I find it amusing that there’s ‘room’ for four, yet the interior’s design hardly coddles the occupants with its appointments. Having not driven one, I’d guess it might remind one of riding a thrilling and lo-tech rollercoaster - intoxicating and addictive.
I disagree about the steering. About 30 years ago, i restored a 1974 P250S to as new condition. Bare metal respray, Connolly hide and Wilton carpet ( the interior was very neglected) On taking a female passenger for a very quick spin, she screamed so loudly when the revs hit 7500 in 4th: my hands jerked on the wheel and we ended up in the next lane! Lucky not to crash.
You should have mentioned the designer. Just because the shape of the car really looks like other cars of its era. For instance like the Alfa GTV. So this Lamborghini could have designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. Then working for the house of Bertone. (?).
At 2:08, Jack mentions the designer was Gandini - where he designed both the Urraco and Ferrari GT4.
Great looking car. And the sound the engine makes at the higher RPM’s with the burble and pops sounds amazing! Love it! As far as the heavy throttle. You can lighten it up with a lighter spring.
My friend used to have a Urraco. I drove it many times. The sound of the one you drove in this video doesn't sound as great; it sounds more "throaty" than my friend's. I'm wondering if that's maybe your video camera or differences in exhaust or maybe it needs tuning but I'm just guessing. Great video, as always.
The Urraco's styling is impeccable. Much more attractive than the 308GT4. Lamborghini really missed it in regards to US emissions. They should have started out with the 3.0L 4-cam engine and whatever Bosch fuel injection was available at the time Also, another huge oversight by Lamborghini for US sales was in not having a dealer network that amounted to more than a few outlets. Porsche knew it needed eyeballs on cars so teamed up with Audi way back in the day. Also, it's my view 911s have always punched above their weight considering their published horsepower. The 911s "added lightness" to help out. the Urraco is missing that "feature". Add in an Arab oil embargo with the resulting recession, I think some Italian labor strikes, and you had a recipe for failure. This is one of my all-time favorite cars so it's too bad so few were made.
What a cool coincide that you and Harry share the same tarmac for testing and filming some great cars.
Great sound and lovely interior Jack
WHAT A BEAUTY!!! Visually and audibly. Love the engine note, love the headlining, love the styling. It's as if Lambo said "that De Tomaso Pantera has got kerb appeal: how would it be in 2+2 format?" I can see though how a leggy passenger might tire of having their legs thrown over to the right.
Love seeing these older examples getting some attention. This is where it all started, Hope you get a Silhouette soon.
Just listen to that engine! Love the rarity aspect as well. Fantastic.
The difference in sound between a flat plane crank (308) and this cross plane is perfectly exemplified by this vid.
Congratulations on a great review of a wonderful car, although I understand the Urraco is fitted with rack & pinion steering. One of my favourite Wheeler Dealer programs was when the program recommissioned a met green Urraco that was sourced from Poland (??). I understand that it was purchased by Edd and was later sold because of his move to the US.
The Wheeler Dealers Urraco is now in Switzerland, it's a very early one too with the badge mounted in a depression on the boot lid. I've watched that episode so many times now and you can see on Edd's face how much he loved that car.
Thanks Jack. You have done it again. I have never seen a Urraco running. What a beautiful car. That V8 sounds great too.
Gorgeous car. Epic soundtrack!
Those circular vents are definitely Fiat, you can find them in most of '70s Italian exotics. My 1st car, a '77 Lada was far from exotic but had them too. Thank you for another great video.
And my '72 Fiat 127!
Very attractive and practical design!
Top review, one of my favourite Top Trumps cars, I think it was the high rpm that made it a winning card. This one was burning oil, had a flat spot etc so needs a rebuild, but I still love it.
Amazing car. Thanks for this video. May you please track down and review an AC 3000ME, Supercharged MR2 or a Stratos?
I own a 1970 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV...also Bertone design. So many of these Italian supercars that look sexy on the outside have absolutely bizarre, often gaudy, interiors that are totally incongruous with the exteriors. The Dash of the Ferrari 308GT4 looks like a home kit...or from some B Sci Fi. The older Ferraris 250 350 GTs have stunning interiors but they were the last of the classy Ferrari interiors. But I have to say one the reasons I fell in love with the 1750GTV was it's stylish classy interior and Dash. The the changes Alfa Romeo made with 2000GTV interior were utterly tragic...as was the grill change. If I had the money, I wouldnt own so many of these Italian super cars because of the horrible interiors. The 911 as stark and utilitarian as they may appear are far nicer than most Italian sports cars. The 911 instrument cluster and dash is one the best there is...especially from the early 70's 911's.
Whatever else you might think, ergonomically speaking, the 308GT4 dashbaorad was better laid out than that of the Urraco - which has parallels with the Countach LP400. That 'curved pod' dash - similar to the Lotus Esprit - was far better for positioning controls in front of the driver
In full fairness I had a soft spot for the Urraco. It was a marvel on 4 wheels. Alas Lamborghini already was declining as a company and couldn't afford either a serious engineering dept. and enough testing related to a thorough finishing of any project. Creativeness and talented labour force must be paired to consistent research testing and refinement.Regrettably these conditions were out of reach for the company.In addition the early 70es oil crisis heavily affected the sportcars market overall so the beautiful Urraco series didn't achieve the success they deserved or better saying....that their gorgeous body style deserved. I was a Porsche guy and the 911S 2200/2400 I used to own really were in a class of their own when it came to reliability and raw performance notwithstanding a smaller engine displacement. The late P300 rated at an impressive 265 hp was no exception : difficult to be properly tuned and easily going out of tuning as a daydriver it was outperformed by my 1976 Carrera 3.0 - To end with the P200 variant I owned for a few months was a complete disappointment in all respects and as soon as possible I traded it in for another 911. Thanks for the upload !
These are fantastic looking car's, first time I ever saw one was on wheeler dealer in an amazing Green colour..... I'm surprised they didn't have more success with the numbers sold back in the day Jack!
Mike Brewer on Wheeler Dealers is a complete w###er. He sold that car for low £20+k IIRC and barely made a profit. It was up for sale in a French Dealership literally a couple of weeks later for £50K+...
What a gorgeous car with a great soundtrack. Spot on review.
Beautiful car, what a glorious sound, excellent and interesting video. The V8 soundtrack certainly puts a large smile on my face!
Couldn't agree more! Cheers Rhett!