Lambo Bravo concept never ever been built

Less Known - During the 1970s, the Lamborghini was looking for a car design that would replace its old-model, Lamborghini Urraco (which means 'little bull'). The aim is to produce cars that have competitive prices and can be produced in larger quantities.

The 1974 Lamborghini Bertone Bravo with chassis no. #46.01 which is fully functional has been test-driven for over 270,000 km (168,000 miles). (Picture from: SynLube)

One of the car designs made for this purpose is the Lamborghini Bravo. It was a concept car designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone for Lamborghini. It was presented for the first time at the 1974 Turin Motor Show, the Lamborghini Bravo was intended to be a two-seater V8 engined companion to the Urraco 2+2.

The 1974 Lamborghini Bertone Bravo with chassis no. #46.01 prior "refreshment," on its last day while displayed at the Bertone Museum. (Picture from: SynLube)

The car was never put into the Lambo's production lines because of the raging bull-logoed company's financial problems at that time. The car which was only made 2 units has many styling features inspired by the Countach model, including the angle and window arrangement features, but the interior is never more than what is hardly needed to operate a vehicle.

These prototypes were made fully functional like a car in general by sitting atop a shortened P300 Urraco chassis and carrying a mid-mounted 3.08-liter V8 DOHC engine that is capable of producing power of 300 hp (224 kW) mated with a 5-speed gearbox to drive the rear wheels. Noted, those cars have run nearly 168,000 miles (270,000 km) of various testings before being placed in the Bertone museum.

The 1974 Lamborghini Bertone Bravo with chassis no. #46.01 after "refreshment" as presented at the auction. (Picture from: SynLube)

The Lamborghini Bravo with the chassis number of "#46.01" (originally painted in gold, then repainted in white) was sold at an auction at the Villa d'Este (Italy) on May 21, 2011, with the highest bid price of €588,000 (approx the US. $825,400) which was part of Bertone Museum asset liquidation ordered by Italian Bankruptcy court.

Before being offered and sold at the auction, the car was the only "fresh" Bravo of the Bertone Museum has, because another unit, the car with the chassis number "#46.02" (painted in green) was not intact due to been used for the crash test in 1976.

The 1974 Lamborghini Bertone Bravo with chassis no. #46.02 had been used for the crash test in 1976. (Picture from: SynLube)

The refreshment of the Bravo with chassis no. "#46.01" consisted of new upholstery of the Alcantara interior and new paint of white pearl color with several coats of clear. While the original Stewart-Warner Gauges were also replaced with new units.

The 1974 Lamborghini Bravo with chassis no. #46.01 shown with 1987 X1/9s at Bertone Design Studio after "measurement session". (Picture from: SynLube)

In December 1987 at the insistence of Miro Kefurt of M.I.K Automotive, Inc. of North Hollywood, California USA, who at that time was the Number One dealer for Bertone in the USA, the Bravo almost saw a production as a companion version to the Bertone X1/9, utilizing the same powertrain, but with mechanical supercharger.
But unfortunately "Project 1" had to stop when Fiat announced that the power unit (engine and transmission system) which was planned to be installed in the US version of Bertone X1/9 will be discontinued in 1988. Once again the Bravo failed to see the daylight. *** [EKA [15052020] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SYNLUBE ]

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