The Lamborghini Jalpa was a sports car produced between 1981 and 1988. A development of the Silhouette, which was discontinued alongside the Urraco in 1979, the Jalpa was Lamborghini’s entry-level sports car in the 1980s. It was slotted below the iconic Countach, being not only significantly more affordable than the supercar, but also easier to drive in heavy traffic and at slow speeds. Unlike the Countach, the Jalpa was powered by a V-8 engine. Its retirement in 1988 meant the end of the entry-level, affordable Lamborghini until the introduction of the Gallardo, in 2003.
The Jalpa was developed in Lamborghini’s most difficult period financial-wise. Affected by the 1973 financial downturn and the oil crisis, Ferruccio sold the company in 1974, only 11 years since its birth. Purchased by Georges-Henri Rossetti and Rene Leimer, Lamborghini went bankrupt in 1978 and was placed in the receivership of brothers Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran in 1980. The Mimrans, who purchased the company out of receivership by 1984, were responsible for creating the Jalpa and the LM002 truck, two vehicles that were supposed to expand the brand’s offerings beyond V-12-powered supercars.
The Jalpa was discontinued shorty after the Chrysler Corporation bought Lamborghini from the Mimran brothers in 1987. The Jalpa was the last Lamborghini to feature a V-8 engine. Since 1988, all "Raging Bulls" had either V-12 or V-10 powerplants.
Continue reading to learn more about the Lamborghini Jalpa.
from Top Speed http://ift.tt/1dJmihv
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