Imagine the perfect compromise between the stupendous, legendary Lamborghini Miura and the wild and polarizing Espada 2+2. This car features the Italian company’s robust and throaty 3.9-liter V-12, mounted up front—the final car Lamborghini with such a layout, if you ignore the LM002 SUV. Oh, and be sure to line up the peerless Marcello Gandini to pen its angular sheetmetal, a design dress rehearsal of sorts for the Countach that came later and changed the brand forever. You’ll end up with Ferruccio Lamborghini’s perfect car: the Jarama 400 GT, the Lamborghini to get if you can only have one.
At least, that’s what Ferruccio told Thoroughbred & Classic Car back in 1991. Maybe he told other people something different. Either way, Ferruccio was right—the Miura is very extroverted and the later Espada isn’t as sporty. The Jarama, named after a region where fighting bulls are bred, includes a V-12 making a very healthy 350 horsepower thanks to six Weber carburetors, and its shortened Espada chassis makes it nimbler than its bigger sibling. And yet, it’s still a 2+2, with cozy but usable rear seats with a large console in between.
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A careful look at the exterior design reveals a more intricate design than you might first expect. The tumblehome above the belt line is extreme, which has the effect of peeling back the upper quarter panels to reveal deeply sculpted fender bulges. The twin NACA ducts add some aeronautical futurism, and the semi-hooded headlights preview the pop-ups that would become all the rage later in the decade. The C-pillar detailing is a little fussy, but the greenhouse is otherwise airy and nicely proportioned. The profile conveys pure muscle, and there doesn’t appear to be room between the low hood and the large rolling stock to fit a large V-12—everything’s stretched relatively tautly over the mechanicals, save the little lip above the rear glass. The rear is a bit plain, and there’s not a hatch as you might expect but rather a trunk.
While it has a few off notes, and it’s nowhere near as dramatic as the Countach that followed, the Jarama is the kind of car you appreciate the more you take it in. And this particular 1972 example on BringaTrailer.com, in silver with a lovely red leather interior, is particularly appealing, especially rolling on 15-inch Campagnolo wheels. Bidding is at $45,000 at the time of this writing and there’s a day left on the auction. The car is located in the Netherlands, so if you’re repatriating it you’ll have to consider shipping. That said, it was originally a U.S.-market car.
And remember: There were only 177 of these cars built, so it’s not every day that you come across the one Lambo Ferruccio recommends.
