Description
Details:
Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale this Australian delivered, factory right hand drive 1986 Lamborghini Jalpa.
According to the Lamborghini Registry this car was completed on the 24th November 1986 for Australian importer A. A. de Fina. The car was originally ‘rosso’ (red – paint code 215157) with a ‘panna’ (cream) interior, which is how the car is presented today. The Australian compliance plate is dated 1/ 87.
The early history of this car is not definitively known, however, it is understood to have come from long term Sydney ownership. The car was then sold to another Sydney owner in circa 2005 before being sold by Oldtimer Australia to the Gosford Car Museum in July 2015. At that time the odometer read 45, 005 km.
The current owner acquired the car from the Gosford Car Museum in early 2018. At that time the car presented well cosmetically, but it was a little tired.
In July 2018 Melbourne based classic Lamborghini specialist, Sports and Classic Car Services completed a major mechanical refresh of the car. They rebuilt the engine, which included reconditioning the cylinder heads and engine ancillaries, rebuilt the gearbox, installed new rear shock absorbers, replaced the brake hoses and installed new rear wheel bearings. At the same time a new Quicksilver exhaust system was installed. In total, $43, 000 was spent on the car to bring it up to its current condition. At that time the odometer read 45, 054 km.
In May 2020 Sports and Classic Car Services performed an annual service and safety check and at that time the odometer read 45, 819 km. The next service was performed in June 2022 and at that time the odometer read 47, 242 km.
The current owner has used the car sporadically in the last eighteen months and today the odometer reads 47, 630km.
First impressions of this car are good, really good! Overall, it presents well. It is understood the car was repainted back in 2005 shortly after it changed hands. The ‘rosso’ paint has retained a high gloss and a strong dept of colour. However, if you look closely you will notice some small paint imperfections. The most noticeable one is on the edge of the B pillar on the driver’s side and there are some small paint bubbles on the rear bumper. The Lamborghini badge on the front is showing its age and is the first thing we would replace! The ‘Lamborghini’ and ‘Jalpa’ badges on the rear of the car are in good condition. All the glass presents well with no cracks or delamination evident. The targa top is in very good condition.
The original and quite unique Route Oz wheels present well. There is some very minor curb rash visible, but nothing too noticeable. The front wheels are shod with Pirelli Cinturato P7 tyres, size 205/ 55 R16. These are date stamped 5117 (week 51, 2017). The rear wheels are shod with Hankook Ventus RS4 tyres, size 225/ 50 R16. These are date stamped 1221 (week 12, 2021). Both the front and rear tyres are still in good condition.
Open the door and you are welcomed by a sharp and very good looking interior. The interior was refreshed less than twelve months ago and as a result the seats present well and are in very good condition with no rips, tears or cracks evident. They are surprisingly comfortable and provide ample support. The matching door cards are also in very good condition. The seats and door cards are both trimmed with red piping, which is ‘so eighties’ and as the car was finished new. The matching carpets are also in very good condition with no excessive wear evident.
The dash presents well and the top has not been affected by the harsh Australian sun. There are no cracks evident nor is there any discoloration. Overall the instruments and controls present well and appear to be in good working order. A known problem with Italian cars from this period is that the needles on the speedo and the tacho have a tendency to warp. Both instruments on this car are slightly warped, but both are working and look to read correctly. The metal gear shifter gate is showing its age and is something we would have cleaned up and polished. The Nardi steering wheel is most likely original and generally in good condition, though there are a few cracks appearing in the leather. A good leather doctor would attend to this easily.
Under the front bonnet everything is very original. Unfortunately, the space saver spare wheel is missing.
The engine bay presents well and behind it, underneath the rear spoiler, you’ll find the boot, which whilst relatively small is bigger than it looks! There is plenty of room for a few overnight bags. The boot retains its original carpet and is in quite good condition.
Shortly after the car arrived at our showroom, we found a break in the inclement Brisbane weather and were able to get it out for a quick test drive and photo shoot. The car starts easily, even from cold. The Quicksilver exhaust system has a fabulous note to it without being too noisy. Out on the road the car drives easily and the more you drive it the more you like it! The engine has loads of power and the gear changes are smooth, both up and down the box. The steering feels precise and is not too heavy. We did notice the AC was not working and upon further investigation we discovered that the hoses have been disconnected and the compressor is missing.
Whilst the car runs and drives well, it would benefit from a tune and it probably needs to used and enjoyed more regularly.
In 2019 Motortrend wrote an interesting article about the Jalpa called “Driving the Lamborghini Jalpa: A Classic Supercar Worth Remembering”. In the article the Jalpa is described as “ . . . an intriguing car with a beguiling personality far different from the bigger, better-known Lamborghinis”. In the article automotive historian Massimo Delbo describes the Jalpa as “ . . . simply and enigmatically: If you know, you know.” Unfortunately, the Jalpa was introduced at the wrong time, America was pulling out of a recession and people favoured its bigger brother the Countach or even Ferrari’s entry level car, the 328. As far as the nouveau riche were concerned, there was only one Lamborghini worth considering. Motortrend questions this; Was their belief correct? The Jalpa is arguably the better sports car, a ballerina compared to the brutish Countach. The author, after his test drive, states: “Given the choice between a Countach and a Jalpa – a guy can dream, right? – I know which I would pick. A week ago, my answer would have been different, but now I know – and hopefully you do, too.”
With only 410 examples ever made and approximately 35 in right hand drive, the Jalpa is indeed a very rare car.
Here is a unique opportunity to own an Australian delivered, factory right hand drive example and become part of the small group of people who can experience first hand how good and how much fun this junior super car is to own and drive.
This car won’t win a concours, but it is a really nice example that presents and drives well. It can be used as is or easily taken to the next level should one desire to do so.
What a fabulous alternative to a Ferrari 308 / 328!
Highlights:
- Rare Australian delivered, factory right hand drive example.
- Major mechanical work, including engine rebuild, in July 2018.
- Quicksilver exhaust system fitted.
- Recent interior refresh.
- Join an exclusive club.
Price AUD $189, 950.
Background:
The Lamborghini story is fascinating in itself, but for the company to have survived all these years and indeed celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2013 is quite amazing. Ferruccio Lamborghini was an entrepreneur, a very successful businessman and a lover of the finer things in life, including sports cars. He was fortunate enough to own some wonderful cars including Ferraris however, he found fault with them all. According to the legend following a meeting with Enzo Ferrari to discuss some of the short comings of his cars Enzo dismissed Ferruccio and he subsequently decided that he could build a better car.
Not long after, in May 1963, Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini SPA was established and the small town of Sant’Agata Bolognese, located between Modena and Bologna, was chosen as the location to build the factory. Born under the Zodiac sign Taurus Lamborghini chose the raging bull as the emblem for his sports cars.
Lamborghini knew what he wanted and he put together a highly skilled team. His first car the 350 GTV was shown at the Turin Motor Show in October 1963. This car received mixed reviews; however, Lamborghini was not deterred and made a number of improvements and design changes to the original concept. The first Lamborghini production car the 350 GT left the factory in mid-1964.
The 350 GT evolved into the 400 GT 2+2 and later the Islero. In parallel to building these classic front engine V12 GT cars Lamborghini wanted to build a super car, enter the Miura first shown as a rolling chassis in 1965, and also a GT car that could comfortably seat four people, enter the Espada in 1968. The mid to late sixties were good times for Lamborghini and his cars were revered the world over.
In 1970 the Islero was replaced by the Jarama. Lamborghini also wanted to enter the junior supercar market and introduced the Urraco or ‘little bull’, named for the fighting bull which killed the toreador Manoleten, at the 1970 Turin Motor Show. The Urraco attracted huge interest from the motoring world and Bertone’s classic wedge shape received critical acclaim at the time.
It wasn’t until some two years later, in 1972, that the first production cars rolled off the Sant ‘Agata production line. Lamborghini hoped to build the Urraco in big numbers, however, this never eventuated and only 520 of the P250’s were built up until 1975 when the P300 was released. The world economy changed quickly and the early 1970’s were a tough time for Lamborghini. Additionally, the Urraco had some teething problems early on and the car unfortunately developed a reputation as unreliable. This was perhaps unfair as once Lamborghini ironed out the bugs the car was in fact a little gem and properly sorted was a genuine threat to Ferrari’s 308, Maserati’s Merak and the Porsche 911 of the day. The Urraco P300 was indeed a fabulous little car and in Sports Car World magazine July – September 1976 Mel Nichols wrote: ” . . . I was not hard pressed to conclude that the Urraco 3-litre is the most enjoyable car I have ever driven.” In the October 1978 issue of Car Magazine Nichols pits the Lamborghini Urraco against a Ferrari 308 GTB and a Maserati Merak SS. The article is compelling reading and Nichols picks the Urraco as his favourite. Only 205 Urraco P300’s were built. Lamborghini also built 66 Urraco P200’s (with a 2 litre V8 engine) specifically for the Italian market.
The Lamborghini Silhouette was a further development of the Urraco and it was first shown at the 1976 Geneva Motor Show. The Silhouette was a genuine 2 seater and the 2+2 seating of the Urraco was removed to allow space behind the seats to store the targa top. The Silhouette is one of the rarest Lamborghinis with only 54 cars built, of which only ten were factory right hand drive.
Lamborghini’s last iteration of their V8 engined junior supercar was the Jalpa (pronounced “YAWL-pa”), named after another breed of fighting bull. The Jalpa was introduced at the 1981 Geneva show and 410 examples were built spanning seven years from 1982 through to 1988. Of these it is understood that only 35 left the factory as right hand drive and perhaps there are 10 in Australia.
