Lamborghini Urraco
1972–1979 · Lamborghini Urraco — Sports Car, V8, designed by Marcello Gandini.
The Story
The Urraco was Lamborghini’s bid for the big time — the volume car meant to take the fight to Porsche and Ferrari’s everyman exotics. Unveiled in 1970 and on sale from 1972, it was the ‘baby Lambo’: a compact, transverse mid-engined 2+2 aimed squarely at the Ferrari Dino, Maserati Merak and Porsche 911. Gandini styled it; Paolo Stanzani engineered an all-new 90-degree V8 — Lamborghini’s first — giving it two more cylinders than the Dino plus a pair of small rear seats the Ferrari couldn’t offer.
On paper it was a giant-killer. In reality it arrived at the worst possible moment. Ferruccio sold control of the company in 1972; deliveries ran late; quality and reliability problems made headlines; then the 1973 oil crisis gutted demand for thirsty exotics. Lamborghini had tooled up for 1,000 cars a year and managed barely a quarter of that in its best season.
By 1979 just 791 had been built — against more than 4,000 Ferrari Dinos. Yet the Urraco matters enormously: it founded the Lamborghini V8 line that ran on through the Silhouette and Jalpa, and seeded the ‘junior Lamborghini’ idea that the Gallardo and Huracán would, decades later, finally cash in.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Sports Car class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Marcello Gandini
One of history’s most influential car designers; defined the wedge era at Bertone (Miura, Countach, Stratos). Penned the EB110’s body for the reborn Bugatti. Born Turin 1938, died 2024. Sources: Wikipedia; Car Design News. PARTIAL: his Lamborghini cars (in the Lamborghini file) will join at the cross-make consolidation.
Studio Motors POV
The Urraco is the flawed founder of the affordable-Lambo bloodline — historically vital, still cheap, and finally being appreciated. We’d take a sorted P300: the most interesting way into a 1970s Lamborghini, at a fraction of the badge’s usual cost.
The Engine
Lamborghini V8 (vintage)
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Urraco
Worth Knowing About the Urraco
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- Its Paolo Stanzani-designed V8 was Lamborghini's first-ever V8 engine.
- It was built to beat the Ferrari Dino, Maserati Merak and Porsche 911 — and even had small rear seats the Dino lacked.
- It arrived just as the 1973 oil crisis hit — disastrous timing that helped doom its sales.
5 Fast Facts
- Built 1972–1979; 791 made (P250 520, P300 190, P200 77).
- Transverse mid-mounted V8: 2.0L / 2.5L / 3.0L (180–247 hp).
- Designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone.
- Tooled for 1,000/yr; managed ~285 in its best year (1973).
- Founded the Lamborghini V8 line (Urraco → Silhouette → Jalpa).
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
No individual owner is firmly documented in this pass; an enthusiast’s affordable vintage Lamborghini. (We don’t guess owners.)
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The 3.0L P300 (247 hp, the best-developed) is the one to want; P250s are more common and the 2.0L P200 was Italy-only. Parts scarcity, build quality and rust are real risks — buy the best, most-documented P300 you can find. Values ~$60K–150K, P300 highest.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Lamborghini Urraco
- Class
- Sports Car
- Production years
- 1972–1979
- Units built
- 791 total (P250 520; P300 190; P200 77)
- Variants
- P250, P200, P300
- Engine layout
- Mid
- Engine
- V8
- Engine family
- Lamborghini V8 (vintage)
- Displacement
- 3.0L (2,996 cc)
- Power
- 247 hp
- Torque
- 195 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 5.6 s
- Top speed
- 162 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 190 hp/tonne · 11.6 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 2866 lb
Questions
Urraco FAQ
Why did Lamborghini build the Urraco?
The Urraco was Lamborghini’s bid to create a volume-selling compact sports car to rival the Ferrari Dino, Maserati Merak and Porsche 911. Unveiled in 1970 and launched in 1972, it was the first Lamborghini designed for higher production numbers, though build-quality issues and the 1973 oil crisis severely hampered its commercial success.
What engine does the Lamborghini Urraco use?
The Urraco uses a transverse mid-mounted V8 designed by Paolo Stanzani — the first V8 engine Lamborghini ever built. It was available in 2.0-litre (P200), 2.5-litre (P250) and 3.0-litre (P300) forms, with the P300 being the most powerful at 247 hp and the most sought-after variant today.
How many Lamborghini Urracos were made?
About 791 Urracos were built between 1972 and 1979, with commonly cited variant splits including roughly 520 P250s, around 190 P300s, and a small P200/P111 run (registry sources conflict on exact sub-counts). Production fell well short of targets due to quality issues and the severe impact of the 1973 oil crisis on exotic-car demand.
How much does a Lamborghini Urraco cost?
Lamborghini Urraco values range from approximately $60,000 to $150,000, with the 3.0-litre P300 commanding the top of the market as the most powerful and developed variant. Values have been rising steadily as collector appreciation for the model’s historical role grows.
Can you buy a Lamborghini Urraco?
Yes. The Urraco appears through specialist classic-car dealers and private sales, with the P300 the variant most worth pursuing.
The Lamborghini Lineup
Explore every Lamborghini
350 GT ’64400 GT ’66Miura ’66Espada ’68Islero ’68
Jarama ’70Urraco ’72Countach ’74Silhouette ’76
Murcielago ’01Gallardo ’03Reventon ’08
Aventador ’11Veneno ’13Huracan ’14Centenario ’16Huracan Performante ’17Urus ’18Aventador SVJ ’18Sian ’19
Huracan STO ’21Countach LPI 800-4 ’21Revuelto ’23Temerario ’25
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