The Lamborghini Jarama is a little-known and last 12-cylinder front-engined Gran Turismo put into production under the personal direction of Ferruccio Lamborghini. Against the backdrop of Lamborghini’s other extravagant models like Miura, the conceptual Marzal, and Espada, it looked like “just a car.”
Source: AutoVercity
Ferruccio liked Jarama so much that once in an interview confessed that he would prefer this model to all other models, as it was a great compromise between Miura and Espada. And he was right. Miura was a sports car for reckless youth, hungry for breakneck speed and attention, and the Espada was a kind of Rolls-Royce – fast, but at the same time large and comfortable. so the new vehicle was perfect for those who wanted to combine these characteristics, yet have one car. In a word, it was conceived as a supercar for every day! Production of the vehicle started in March 1970. The famous Bertone studio and personally Marcello Gandini were responsible for the design: this was not new cooperation. The atelier had already done quite successful projects like Miura, Marzal, and the Espada for Lamborghini. However, Jaram’s new design was not well received.
Source: Lamborghini
Jarama (400 GT) turned out to be quite low, and wide, with protruding wheel arches on the sides and four headlights, partially hidden by metal covers. These covers did not extend as usual, but, on the contrary, were moved down by an electric drive. The headlights of the automobile were partially closed, and when they were turned on, the dampers were drawn into the body which was supplied by Marazzi. Interestingly, the first examples were criticized for poor finishes and insufficient quality. Since the body was mainly made of steel, it was surprisingly heavy. The English magazine Motor, which tested the car, noted that the heavy doors did not have latches in the open position and sought to hit the driver in the legs. In addition to this, poor ergonomics – poorly located instruments and controls, a very large effort on the steering wheel when driving at low speeds, and parking were noted. But these shortcomings immediately faded as soon as the vehicle was in motion. 215/70 Michelin tires gave the car wheels superb traction. Plus, neutral steering was a pleasure to drive and allowed the driver to take corners easily, quickly, and without noticeable body roll.
Source: Car Interior
The characteristics of the car fully met expectations: acceleration from standstill to 96 km/h in 6.8s, and to 161 km/h in 16.4s. This was largely due to the easy shifting of the gearbox, smooth clutch engagement, and very effective brakes with ventilated discs. But on wet surfaces, it was necessary to be careful, as the car’s handling was insufficient, and the front brakes locked up quite easily. The 1970 model could easily cruise at 209 km/h for long periods, and its top speed (261 km/h) was faster than the competition. But fuel consumption was not the best – 25.6 l/100 km, although almost no one expressed dissatisfaction with this circumstance before the energy crisis. In general, in the 1970 release, the emphasis was on power qualities, rather than on design delights. This one-piece frame car was equipped with a 4-liter V12 engine with 350 hp. and had outstanding speed performance.
Source: A777
The 2+2 equipment assumed the placement of either children or adults in the back row. There was even a decent size trunk. The bulk of the GTS was equipped with a ZF hydraulic booster, some received a three-speed Chrysler automatic. In terms of design, the Jarama did not become a revelation, the car looked very specific, especially the “narrowed” front. Unfortunately, especially after the Miura, this model did not impress Lamborghini customers. In addition, the fuel crisis raged, knocking down the demand for such vehicles. In total, only 327 vehicles were made during the overall period of production. Despite its unpopularity in the 70s, today the Jarama model is a desirable piece for collectors. It can hardly be called cheap, as on average such cars cost about $100,000. It’s remarkable, but after Jarama’s failure, Lamborghini still got the wanted model from Bertone: the provocative Countach – that’s where Gandini came off to the fullest!
The model was named after the famous race track and Spanish Jarama River, known as the area where fighting bulls, so respectable in this hot and temperamental country, are bred.
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