LAMBORGHINI URRACO

A V8 Powered Lamborghini

in the early Seventies the late Ferruccio Lamborghini already decided it was time to add a smaller model to the line-up that until then only consisted of V12 engine cars, it was time 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 Urraco.

The very first Lamborghini Urraco delivered were really not up to the specs Ferruccio intended for his GT’s, workmanship left much to be desired. During October 1972 an improved Urraco S was introduced, using a full leather upholstery, powered windows that were now also tinted and optional metallic paint was available while the engine received new Weber 40 DCNF carburetors for cars with no emission control. All these modifications made the Urraco S a lot more reliable than the early models, however the belt drive used on the V8 engine was still a point to take into account when owning the P250.

Final evolution of the Urraco was a Tipo III, in fact nothing else than the US legal version of the Urraco, featuring large black bumpers, different taillights and a down-rated engine with only 180 Bhp instead of the earlier 220 bhp, adding another 200 kg in antipollution equipment. It didn’t take a genius to understand the Tipo III was seriously under powered, and subsequently did not sell too well, causing the original 2.5-Liter Urraco to end its career rather soon, only 520 units were made, but this didn’t mean the end of the Urraco series.

A much improved P300 was introduced in 1974, this new 3-Liter model would make a difference, the engine was enlarged and featured dual overhead camshafts with a much more reliable chain drive, the heads now incorporated the combustion chambers which placed this brand new V8 ahead of its V12 cousin in terms of specifications, we could state the P300 was the best Urraco of the series in fact.

Not only the engine was updated both the transmission and the suspension were modified which resulted in a more balanced ride, also the bodywork was slightly altered, the headlights were moved further forward and the front hood now used six fins instead of the earlier two seen on the P250, on the inside you would note a better finished interior made entirely in-house at Sant’Agata and no longer by Bertone.

The Urraco P200 received a special de-tuned 2 liters engine and it was only available on the local Italian market, it was built specifically to comply with the then new Italian tax laws that imposed heavy taxes on car engines with a displacement over 2000cc.