Lamborghini showcases V12-powered Espada 400 GT

This year, Lamborghini is celebrating the V12, an iconic engine that has powered many of its most notable cars for nearly 60 years. To give the “pure” internal combustion engine a proper send-off before it goes out of production at the end of 2022, the luxury carmaker is showcasing some of the popular nameplates to have donned the 12-cylinder powerplant. This includes the brand’s first four-seater — the Espada 400 GT.

Owner Ferrucio Lamborghini wanted to produce the fastest, most luxurious, and most comfortable grand tourer of his time. This idea gave birth to the Espada 400 GT, which made its first appearance at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show.

Upon presentation, the Espada boasted comfortable seating for four adults. It had more space for both luggage and passengers than the 400 GT 2+2 (its predecessor) and the Islero 400 GT 2+2. In addition, 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.

It sported an improved version of Lamborghini’s 60-degree V12 engine. The previous models were first made with a 3.5-liter displacement and the Espada’s mill received a 4-liter displacement increase allowing it to make 325 horses. It made a top speed of between 245 and 260kph and was able to keep up with the sportier Miura in most conditions.

According to Lamborghini, the engine was fed by six Weber 40 DCOE side-draft carburetors with a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and two chain-driven overhead camshafts per bank. Thanks to the substantial use of aluminum to make not only the cylinder head but also the crankcase and the pistons lightweight, the engine only weighed 232kg.

Lamborghini later released the Espada Series II which had an engine with an increased compression ratio of 10.7:1 and offered 350hp.

The Espada 400 GT became a commercial success for Lamborghini with a total of 1226 cars produced across three series. Celebrities and personalities took notice that even Sir Paul McCartney couldn’t resist owning one. Other popular names to have taken an interest in Lamborghini’s Espada include American television host Jay Leno and EVO magazine founder Harry Metcalfe.

Photos from Lamborghini

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