Lamborghini Espada Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lamborghini Espada
A Series III Espada
Overview
Manufacturer	Lamborghini
Production	1968–1978 1217 made
Assembly	Italy: Sant'Agata Bolognese
Designer	Marcello Gandini at Bertone
Body and chassis
Class	Grand tourer
Body style	2-door coupé
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine	3.9 L Lamborghini V12
Transmission	5-speed manual 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,650 mm (104.3 in)
Length	4,730 mm (186.2 in)
Width	1,860 mm (73.2 in)
Height	1,185 mm (46.7 in)
Weight	1,630 kg (3,594 lb)

The Lamborghini Espada is a cool grand touring car made by Lamborghini. It was built from 1968 to 1978. This special car had four seats and was designed for long, comfortable trips.

Lamborghini made 1,217 Espadas in total. There were three main versions, called Series I, Series II, and Series III. Each new series brought updates and improvements to the car.

The Espada's Story
Engine and Transmission
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

The Espada's Story

The Lamborghini Espada was designed by Marcello Gandini in 1967. He worked for a famous design company called Bertone. The Espada was a four-seater car, meaning it could carry four people comfortably.

When it first came out, the Espada was sold alongside other Lamborghini models. These included the Islero and the super-fast, mid-engine Miura. The Espada and the Islero were made to replace an older model, the 400 GT.

Series I: The Beginning

A Series I Espada

The Espada first appeared at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show. This is a big car show where new models are revealed. The Series I Espada had a powerful 3.9-liter V12 engine. This engine was similar to the one used in the 400 GT.

In the Series I cars, the engine produced 325 horsepower. Lamborghini made 186 Series I Espadas before January 1970.

Series II: More Power!

In 1970, Lamborghini showed off the Series II Espada at the Brussels Motor Show. This version got a boost in power! The engine now made 350 horsepower. This was thanks to a higher compression ratio, which helps the engine work more efficiently.

The brakes were also improved. They changed from solid discs to vented discs, which help them cool down better. Lamborghini built 575 Series II Espadas. This made it the most popular version of the Espada.

Series III: New Features

The Series III Espada came out in 1972. It had wider tires for better grip on the road. The front grille, which is the part at the front of the car that lets air in, got a new look. It changed from a hexagonal (six-sided) pattern to a square one.

A sunroof also became an option for the Series III. This meant you could enjoy the open air while driving. The powerful 350 horsepower engine from the Series II was kept. Power steering and air conditioning became standard features, making the car even more comfortable to drive.

In 1974, an automatic transmission became an option. This made driving easier, as you didn't have to shift gears yourself. Later, some changes were made to meet safety rules in the United States. These cars had larger bumpers. Some people even think these later US-spec cars were like a fourth series of the Espada.

Engine and Transmission

The Espada used an updated version of the 4.0-liter V12 engine from the Lamborghini 400 GT. This engine was very powerful.

In the Series I Espada, the engine made 325 horsepower.
In the Series II and III Espadas, it made 350 horsepower.

Most Espadas came with a five-speed manual transmission. This means the driver had to shift gears by hand. For the Series III Espada, a three-speed automatic transmission was available as an option.