I’ve known for a long time that the Lamborghini Espada of the 1960s-1970s is an oddly attractive machine. In fact, it’s so strangely alluring that I bought a 1:18-scale model of one (in red, of course). However, it wasn’t until recently that I learned about the ultra-rare variant of the four-seater known as the Lamborghini Espada VIP.
Back when I was researching the Espada as part of my write-up of this 1974 model I selected as a Pick of the Day, I discovered the VIP. The Lamborghini website briefly mentions it: “Based on the Espada 400 GTE Series II, the Espada VIP was presented in 1971, a special series of only 12 examples that featured a mini-bar, refrigerator and a Brionvega Algol 11 television mounted on the center console for entertaining the rear seat occupants. The VIP is currently one of the most sought-after versions by Espada collectors.” Unfortunately, the blurb didn’t include any photos. I had to find this unusual creation.
Luckily, there were places online that filled the visual gap. Not surprisingly, the Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum was one of them. It shed a little more light on the VIP, stating that it had a two-tone leather interior chosen by Bertone, the coachbuilder responsible for the Espada’s distinctive exterior. There were a few pictures of the interior that showed the seats (which look like an X-Men costume), but what about all the goodies in the back? To me, those were the main attractions.
The search continued and took me to another no-brainer spot online: LamborghiniEspada.com, which states, “A few months after the 1970 Paris Motor show, the first Espada with the Bertone VIP leather interior was delivered to a customer, and a total of 12 Espadas were delivered with this probably unofficial option until 1973. About nine SII and one SIII Espadas with VIP interior are known to exist today, making them among the rarest Espadas.”
You might be thinking, OK, that’s nice, but were there any pics? Don’t worry—there was a whole rainbow of them. I personally like the orange and tan. Which combo is your favorite?
Even better, there was a shot of the minibar and the funky TV that the second-row passengers were able to enjoy.
Lamborghini intended the Espada to be “the best GT in existence, a sports car that was fast while still being comfortable and luxuriously appointed.” In its basic form, it had a 4.0-liter V12, a five-speed manual gearbox created in-house, and leather-lined cabin, which the VIP made even more opulent and indulgent.