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Car Tales: A Raging Bull? The Lamborghini Urraco P250
‘Just imagining this vehicle of sophisticated choice for such rock’n’roll superstars as Rod Stewart, it is hard not to think of cruising through the leafy, luxurious lanes of Beverly Hills in one.
‘And right now at Beverly Hills Car Club we have just what you need for such a ride: an extremely sought-after 1975 Lamborghini Urraco P250, in Rosso with a red interior. This Urraco comes equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission, Weber carburetors, power windows, 4-wheel disc brakes, Campagnolo wheels, and a spare tire. It is a great opportunity to jump into the ownership of this gorgeous Italian sports car that is mechanically sound.
‘But it would have been less appropriate in such a locale if you were to be driving one of the earliest vehicles developed by the now late Ferruccio Lamborghini.
‘Yet even that was one you would have been able to consider the most chic in its particular arena – if agricultural tractors were your especial field (as it were). For in 1948 Ferruccio Lamborghini had used military surplus material purchased from the US armed forces to create a tractor that would go down in history – a machine that met the needs for contemporary agriculture with Italian flair, matching solid engineering with stylish looks.
‘This was the dawn of the firm known as Lamborghini Trattori, and the birth of the power of Lamborghini style.
‘Lamborghini Trattori flourished. Symbolizing his success, Ferruccio Lamborghini purchased a Ferrari GT. Yet he came to feel there were certain design deficiencies in his vehicle: for example, that on long journeys the car was not as comfortable as he felt it should be and he was unhappy with the movement of the clutch. Accordingly, he contacted Enzo Ferrari to tell him of his complaints. Enzo was not in the mood to offer any salve: he simply dared Ferruccio Lamborghini to do better.
‘And as a successful manufacturer of tractors and related machinery, possessed of the wherewithal in both finances, talents, and abilities, Ferruccio Lamborghini vowed to do precisely that, and at a cheaper price than that of a Ferrari.
‘Accordingly, Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini S.p.A., as the new company was named, with manufacturing facilities in Bologna in northern Italy, debuted its prototype Lamborghini 350GTV at Turin in Italy in late November 1963. This was soon followed by series production of the two-seat touring-styled 350GT. Yet after 120 examples had been built, it was replaced by the 4.0-liter, interim two-seat 400GT. This was essentially the older 350GT with an enlarged 3,929cc V12 engine. Only 23 of these cars were produced, three of them featuring aluminum bodywork.
‘The second, commonly known as the 400 GT 2+2, had a different roofline, plus minor sheetmetal changes compared to the 350 GT and first 400GT.
‘It was presented at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show. The larger body enabled the +2 seating in the rear, where the 350 GT only had had room for luggage or +1 seating. The 400 GT 2+2 also had a Lamborghini-designed gearbox with greatly improved synchromesh on all gears.
‘But then there was an entry level ‘Lambo’ that Ferruccio Lamborghini developed: he had decided to add a smaller model to a line-up that until then only consisted of V12 engine cars. It was time, he decided, to add a V8 powered model to be able to compete on the same level as the Dino 246 or the successful Porsche 911. So preliminary work began on a model that would become the Lamborghini Urraco.
‘At the November 1970 Turin Auto Show the first pre-production Urraco, designed by Marcello Gandini of Gruppo Bertone and very much the shape of the future, went on display. But the Urraco prototype was far from finished, and another two years were required before the first customer car could be delivered.
‘When it finally arrived on the market in 1973 the Urraco – which translates as ‘little bull’ – proved a trailblazing car and legendary milestone in Lamborghini’s history and heritage. With its double novelty of a 2.5-liter V8 engine and single overhead camshaft per bank distribution, the original P250 model delivered an unforgettable driving experience with a top speed of 149 mph and 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds.
‘And it had a legendary shape, styled into the dynamic wedge that later became the hallmark of the Lamborghini Countach. With its signature teardrop headlights, louvers and slanting roofline the Urraco’s exciting exterior is matched by its ground-breaking interiors that feature angled windows, a revolutionary dashboard design and dished steering wheel.
‘All in all, the Lamborghini Urraco P250 was a world-beating car that was considerably ahead of its time. And it is as world-beating today as when it first rolled off the production line.
-Alex Manos, Owner
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