Why The Lamborghini Jalpa Was Cooler Than you Realize

While Jalpa may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think 80s Lamborghini, here's what made this rare baby Lambo so undeniably cool

Lamborghini is a legendary name synonymous with supercars and sportscars alike, with multiple models that have captured the attention of people spanning every generation. As the company is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary, it's important to remember the models that have cemented its reputation with classic examples like the Miura, Countach, Diablo, Murcielago, and the Aventador.

However, Lamborghini’s rich history also consists of rather obscure models which never got around to garner the type of attention that its flagships received. One of these was the Jalpa, a two-seater model that first made its debut at the 1981 Geneva Motor Show and remained in production till 1988. Sadly, it was not very successful in terms of sales as Lamborghini had hoped since only 400 units made it to customers during its seven-year production run. Despite its obscurity and lack of success, the Lamborghini Jalpa was quite unique and important in its own ways, and here’s why.

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Even before the Huracan or a Gallardo, there were certain models in the 70s and 80s that were introduced as entry-level models. The one that kickstarted this trend for Lamborghini was the Urraco from 1971, another two-door coupe that was designed by Marcello Gandini, who at the time was working for the famed Carrozzeria Bertone.

Lamborghini had positioned the Urraco as a more affordable version of the venerable Miura flagship and rivaled the likes of the Maserati Merak and the Ferrari Dino. Before extensively diving into the Jalpa, an honorable mention has to be made for the Silhouette P300 from 1976 which was a rear-wheel drive, mid-engined successor to the Uracco. Only 54 units were ever created and this is because it was conceptualized as a design exercise for the model that’s set to arrive as a true successor.

This is where the Jalpa comes in as it was the official successor to the Uracco and Silhouette along with being the more affordable alternative to the flagship Countach. When it came to design, it's fair to say that the Jalpa is very much an evolution of the earlier Silhouette as it incorporated the transverse mid-engine layout along with its wedge-shaped angular profile.

Another unique aspect of the Jalpa was the fact that Lamborghini offered it exclusively as a Targa-roofed model, which was again inspired by the Silhouette. Now, just like all Lamborghini’s ever made, ‘Jalpa’ is quite a unique name for a car, but what does it mean you may wonder? Well, it follows the brand’s tradition of being named after a breed of fighting bulls called the Jalpa Kandachia.

Other notable exterior highlights of the Jalpa were the semi-supporting steel body, black bumpers and engine air intakes, and 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P7 low-profile tires, aspects taken directly from the 1980 Athon prototype.

When the car was sold in 1981, the plastic components such as the bumpers, air intakes, and engine cover were finished in black and the car carried over the rectangular taillights from the Silhouette. However, changes were made in 1984 whereby round taillights were fitted, the black plastic parts were replaced by body-colored ones, and similar to the Countach, a rear wing was made available as an option as well.

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The prerequisites for any Lamborghini is that it should look the part and make heads turn of course along with offering performance that thoroughly excites the driver. The Jalpa certainly did look the part as we just discussed but what about its ability to get going? Well, another unique aspect of the Jalpa was the fact that it was the final Lamborghini to be fitted with a V-8 engine until the modern-day super SUV, the Urus came along 30 years later. Additionally, the Jalpa featured a transverse engine setup was a heavily revamped version of the 3.0-liter V-8 used in the Silhouette and Uracco.

Therefore, the all-aluminum, 3.5-litre V-8 with dual overhead cams that powered the Jalpa developed 255 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque in European-spec whereas in US-spec its output was marginally less, putting out 250 horsepower. The engine was assisted by four twin-barrel Weber carburetors and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.

With this powertrain, Lamborghini claimed that the Jalpa was capable of achieving 0 to 62 mph in a time of six seconds and could reach a top speed of 155 mph. Combine these outputs with a curb weight of 3,329 pounds, and you have a sportscar that was faster than its immediate rival, the Ferrari 328 which itself was based on the older 308.

What made the Jalpa truly special, however, was just how easy-to-use and practical it was compared to the flagship Countach which was always known to be one of the most difficult cars to live with on a day-to-day basis.

Manufacturer

Lamborghini

Production Years

1981-1988

Engine Type

V8

Gearbox

5-speed manual

Displacement

3.5 liters (212.5 cu in)

Power

255 hp

Torque

225 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Claimed 0-60 MPH

6 seconds

Layout

Mid-engine, RWD

Some of these practical attributes included the rather large trunk located right behind the engine, the large glass area around the windows that aided in visibility while driving or parking, and the fact that it was narrow and had a small footprint. However, since this sportscar was from the 1980s it didn’t have the creature comforts like power steering or ABS, or traction control which made it a truly analog yet cumbersome experience to drive.

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Lamborghini as a brand today bears little to almost no resemblance to what it was during the 1970s and the 80s. A very important part of the brand’s history is the 1973 Oil Crisis during which time, none of its two-car line-up was ever officially sold in America which was the biggest market at the time and the failure of the Cheetah prototype military vehicle meant that it could never win a supply contract with U.S. Armed Forces.

These events really put Lamborghini in a major pickle and the firm's ownership changed three times after 1973, including facing bankruptcy in 1978. However, when new management took over in the form of two Swiss brothers, Jean-Claude, and Patrick Mimrin, a plan was formulated.

This is when the Silhouette was heavily reworked and revised as the Jalpa with the hopes that people would actually end up buying or selling multiple units in order to keep the company afloat. Even though Lamborghini ended up selling around 400 units of the Jalpa over its entire production run, this combined with the Countach managed to save the company.

This is when Lamborghini used the money it collected to further update the Countach and finally got approval for it to be sold in the U.S. as the LP500S. Additionally, Lamborghini further updated the Countach by introducing the LP5000 Quattrovalvole versions and reworked the Cheetah to introduce its first-ever luxury SUV, the LM002, after which point it was sold to Chrysler for $25 million dollars in 1987 money.

Despite Chrysler shutting down the production of the Jalpa due to diminishing sales and lack of profits, the idea of having an entry-level model in the line-up was never forgotten. This is how the Gallardo was introduced in 2000 as the spiritual successor to the Jalpa which became a smash hit among the masses, as over 14,000 units were produced during its 10-year production run. The legacy of Lamborghini’s entry-level model lives on in the form of the Huracan but one mustn’t forget the role that the Jalpa played in order to keep this idea going.

A penchant for all things on four wheels and tonnes of research pertaining to evolution of automotive technologies.