At the 1976 Geneva Motor Show, Automobili Lamborghini introduced the Silhouette. Developed from the Urraco, the Silhouette is a two-seater with a mid-mounted V8 engine. However, the model brought something new to Lamborghini’s series production lineup: a targa top. With it, the Bertone-penned Silhouette earned the distinction of being the first open-top production Lamborghini.
That was 50 years ago, and in the five decades since, open-top cars have been an important facet in Lamborghini’s lineage, with several models over the years capturing attention and delivering thrill with their open roofs. Compared to the Urraco, the Silhouette is different in more ways than its removable roof, however. The car featured widened wheel arches, dedicated aerodynamic solutions, and a sportier character than the Urraco while retaining its architecture and transverse-mounted V8.
The Lamborghini Urraco Silhouette also featured “phone dial” wheels derived from the 1974 Lamborghini Bravo that never went into production, wrapped in Pirelli P7 tires. One of the rarest-ever Lamborghinis, just over 50 examples of the Lamborghini Silhouette were made between 1976 and 1979. It was succeeded by the Jalpa, which was introduced in 1981 and produced until 1988.
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After the Jalpa, the concept of an open-top Lamborghini would reappear in the form of the brand’s V12 flagship Diablo Roadster. Succeeding it were the Murciélago Roadster and the Aventador Roadster. Meanwhile, compact supercars like the Gallardo Spyder and Huracán Spyder took up the mantle of the Jalpa as smaller performance models with open tops.
Lamborghini’s ultra-exclusive few-offs also featured open-top designs, like the Reventón Roadster, the Veneno Roadster, the Centenario Roadster, the Sián Roadster, the Fenomeno Roadster, and more. 50 years ago, the Lamborghini Silhouette introduced the idea of a Lamborghini with open-air thrill. Decades later, the doors the Silhouette opened made way for some of the brand’s most iconic supercars.
Image Source: Automobili Lamborghini
