Lamborghini Urraco, A Celebration Of 50 Years Since The Launch Of Their First V8
Lamborghini Urraco, A Celebration Of 50 Years Since The Launch Of Their First V8
It is now 50 years since Lamborghini introduced the Urraco in 1970. 1970 seems to have been a good year for a diverse range of cars being launched. Lamborghini’s anniversary helps to prove that point.
Lamborghini unveiled the Urraco at the Turin Motor Show in October 1970. This was quite a significant car as many innovative technical features were introduced. Paolo Stanzani was the Chief Technical Officer and had technical control over the Urraco. The styling was done by Marcello Gandini who the principal designer for Bertone at the time.
When launched the Urraco came with a 220 hp 2.5 litre V8. maximum power being delivered at 7,800 rpm and managed a top speed on 245 km/h. The V8 had a single camshaft per cylinder bank and each combustion chamber had what is known as a Heron Chamber. This is where the cylinder head is flat, and the combustion chamber shape is a depression on the top of the piston. This allowed Lamborghini to run higher a compression ratio without having increased costs. Another new thing to feature was the four Weber 40 IDF1 carburettors.
It was a pretty decent handling car too. Lamborghini producing the first production car to feature MacPherson struts both front and rear.
Lamborghini’s production system was another step forward. In a move to expand production, and to increase volumes, the wish of Ferruccio Lamborghini. To make the Urraco available to more people it was necessary to remove some of the hand finishing and craftsmanship required on such a car. It made it cheaper.
The Urraco isn’t a large car, it’s actually pretty compact. It’s only 4.25 meters long, or just under 14 feet. The interior space used the dimensions pretty well, from the dashboard and instrument positioning. There is also a pretty deep dished steering wheel, a very 70s look and feel, but in a good way.
When introduced as, the Urraco was known as the P250. P stood for posteriore, referring to the rear positioning of the engine. 250 stood for the engine capacity of 2.5 litres.
This first model was produced from 1970 until 1976. The P200 was introduced from 1974 and introduced at the Turin Motor Show. The reduced displacement car, with 1,994cc and 182 hp was primarily aimed at the Italian domestic market with their favourable taxation on smaller engined cars.
The final version, the P300 with its 2,996cc engine with 265 hp was made from 1975 until the end in 1979.
The mid mounted V8 Urraco was the forerunner of many more models that followed. The Silhouette and the Jalpa were based on the Urraco.
The total production figures for each model are as follows.
P250 Urraco: 1970-1976: 520
P200 Urraco: 1974-1977: 66
P300 Urraco: 1975-1979: 190
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