Broken Dreams: Baby Lamborghini. The Spark of Rebirth

Lamborghini’s determination to survive even in the most difficult years can clearly be seen in two important projects, the P140 and the Calà. When the company was absorbed by Chrysler in the late 80s, Lee Iacocca himself asked for a mid-range model to accompany the now-ready Diablo. The completely in-house project was designed by Marcello Gandini, who penned a mid-engined, targa-top sports car with a removable roof, powered by a beautiful 10-cylinder engine.

This model, in 1:1 scale, was put into competition with two prototypes, one built by Chrysler and the other by Bertone. Needless to say, it was Gandini’s instantly recognizable hand that prevailed, with its sober lines that were nevertheless deeply connected to the Lamborghini image in those years. Just as everything seemed ready for production, Chrysler sold the company to an Indonesian Group in 1994, which had other ideas and focused all the company’s commercial efforts on the Diablo.