Description
The Espada was unveiled at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show featuring Bertone bodywork styled by Marcello Gandini and was produced in three series over the subsequent decade. Design features include a transparent vertical rear panel, a glass hatch with an electric defroster, roof vents, and an aluminum hood panel incorporating twin NACA ducts and dual side fender vents.
This Series III example is finished in its factory shade of Bianco, and closeups of the finish, trim, and lenses…
The Espada was unveiled at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show featuring Bertone bodywork styled by Marcello Gandini and was produced in three series over the subsequent decade. Design features include a transparent vertical rear panel, a glass hatch with an electric defroster, roof vents, and an aluminum hood panel incorporating twin NACA ducts and dual side fender vents.
This Series III example is finished in its factory shade of Bianco, and closeups of the finish, trim, and lenses are presented in the photo gallery below. Work following the seller’s acquisition in 1993 included a repaint of the hood and replacement of the front bumper to correct damage said to be incurred during a parking-lot mishap under previous ownership.
Five-lug Campagnolo alloy wheels are wrapped in correct 215/70 VR15 Michelin XWX tires. A matching spare secured in the rear compartment. Servo-assisted braking is handled by Girling ventilated discs with three-piston calipers all around, and a freshening between 2004 and 2005 included rebuilds of the booster and master cylinder as well as the replacement of the pads. Four-wheel independent suspension comprises double wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, and anti-roll bars.
The cabin is trimmed in Senape leather over seating for four, with matching upholstery over the door panels and full-length center console. The leather was restitched in 1995 using nylon thread through the existing holes in place of deteriorated cotton thread. Replacement matching Wilton wool carpets were also fitted at that time. Additional features include power steering, air conditioning, power windows, three-point front seatbelts, and rear lap belts.
Behind a leather-wrapped steering wheel, the black flocked dash houses an aluminum-faced wrap-around instrument panel that was introduced for Series III cars. Jaeger instrumentation includes a 180-mph speedometer and a tachometer with a 7,200-rpm redline along with auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 47k miles, 11k of which were added by the seller. A Bertone radio blanking plate is in place over the factory radio position.
The 3.9-liter V12 features an aluminum block with cast-iron cylinder liners, aluminum pistons, and aluminum cylinder heads with dual overhead camshafts on each bank. Factory output was rated at 350 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque. Additional equipment includes six Weber 40DCOE carburetors, Bosch electronic ignition, and an electric fuel pump. An oil change was performed in 2021.
Engine number 41380 is stamped on the block, matching the number provided on the Lamborghini Polo Storico certificate.
Power is sent to the rear wheels by a five-speed manual transmission, and a new clutch was installed in 2004 at 40,981 miles. The clutch slave cylinder was rebuilt at that time, while the clutch master cylinder was rebuilt in 2018.
The certificate of original configuration from Lamborghini Polo Storico lists the original build date as well as the original colors and engine identification number. An odometer statement from the seller’s purchase in 1993 is shown in the gallery below along with invoices from work by Prancing Horse California in Burlingame between 2004 and 2005. Also included in the sale are an owner’s manual and other factory literature as well as a tool kit. The car was featured in a 2011 profile in the San Francisco Chronicle that is shown in the gallery below and can also be found here.
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