Lamborghini Bravo

The Lamborghini Bravo came across as a provocation. In the first half of the 1970’s the energy crisis hit the car market, and as everyone ran for cover, the designer (Marcello Gandini) were forced to scale down their work too. However, in 1974, at the Turin Motor Show, Bertone presented the Lamborghini Bravo, a prototype with a central transversally-mounted engine, using the same mechanics as the Urraco (1971). The car featured some very interesting design and functional elements, like its total visibility window surfaces, a classic in Bertone’s repertoire. The Lamborghini Bravo showed some novel features like the front and rear bonnets completely covered with fins designed to improve the cooling of the engine and radiator respectively. The interiors were in Alcantara material, an interesting new textile which had previously only been used on the Lancia Stratos HF. The name of the prototype is also significant: “Bravo” is the name given to particularly aggressive and courageous bulls in the bullfighting arena. And it was with the same spirit of daring that Bertone presented this provocative design to the public at an economically difficult time. As he himself declared in October 1974, when the Lamborghini Bravo went on show at the Turin Motor Show, “The Bravo represents my trust in the future, which will undoubtedly see the present difficulties overcome”. The Lamborghini Bravo was designed to showcase ideas for a replacement to the Urraco. The completely working prototype featured a 3L 300 hp (224 kW) V8 that powered the rear wheels, and underwent nearly 168,000 miles (270,000 km) of testing before it was placed in the Bertone museum. It was never put into production, but many styling features were inspired by the Countach, including the angular features and the window arrangement, but the interior was never more than what was barely necessary to operate the vehicle. In 1987 it was considered for production as a companion car to the Bertone built Fiat X1/9. That “Project 1” was, however, ended when Fiat stopped the production of the 1.5L SOHC engine and rear-mounted 5-speed transaxle. Car chassis number “46-01” (originally painted gold, repainted white) was sold in auction at Villa d’Este (Italy) on 21 May 2011, for the highest bidder of €588,000. Prior being offered at the auction the Lamborghini Bravo was the only car from the Bertone Museum that was “refreshed”. Car chassis number “46 02” (painted green) was crash tested in 1976.