Short-Lived
If you’re a long-time automotive brand, chances are you have an extensive list of cars in your back catalog. Some of these cars may not have caught on for some reason and had short-lived production runs.
It doesn’t mean, though, that they weren’t special; in the case of Lamborghini, it’s celebrating the half-century mark of making open-top supercars by highlighting the very first one it ever made.
Lamborghini
Silhouette
In 1976, Lamborghini launched a new car at the prestigious Geneva Motor Show. It was called the Silhouette and was also the first series-production open-top model from Sant’Agata Bolognese. The base car for the Silhouette was the Uraco, but the overall design integrating the open-top was penned by the legendary design firm Bertone. Overall, the Silhouette’s combination of a targa top, two-seater, mid-mounted V8 was also a first for Lamborghini.
It wasn’t just a simple “remove the top” job; the team behind the Silhouette also revised the proportions, widened the wheel arches, and added new dedicated aerodynamic features that made the Silhouette sportier and more dynamic, according to the brand. Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, had this to say about the Silhouette 50 years on: “This car introduced a new dimension to the Lamborghini driving experience, combining the brand’s performance and sporting character with the freedom of driving without a roof. This principle remains part of our product philosophy today: creating cars that not only deliver ever-better performance, but also offer a unique and emotionally engaging driving experience.”
At the heart of the Silhouette’s design is the removable top, a synthetic-material panel that detaches from the windscreen frame and rear roll bar and fits into a dedicated compartment behind the seats, where special fasteners secure it. The interior also featured a redesigned dashboard, instrument layout, new seats, and upholstery. The airflow around the car was also studied so that passenger comfort wasn’t compromised with the roof down. Lastly, the Silhouette uses the same V8 from the Uraco, producing 265 hp, paired with a 5-speed transmission. However, dynamically, the car was given a reinforced body paired with stiffer springs and dampers to compensate for the lack of a roof.
Lamborghini
Regulations and Turmoil
If you’ve never heard of the Lamborghini Silhouette, don’t blame yourself; it had a small production run of only 54 cars. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a commercial success and was born at a time when the brand was struggling. It also apparently didn’t meet US emissions and safety regulations, which severely hampered sales.
However, it now remains a highly sought-after model, a unique and rare piece of Lamborghini’s history of carmaking.
Lamborghini
