This Lamborghini Espada got away, but there are more like it here.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

Sold for $215,000 on 10/22/21comments-icon150Comments
28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

This 1975 Lamborghini Espada is one of 465 Series III examples and was purchased by the seller in 1993 from the son of its original owner in Palo Alto, California. The car has since won awards at numerous Concours events over the last 28 years, including the Lamborghini Club America’s Best of Show, also known as The Bull Award, at the Concorso Italiano in August 2021. Finished in its original combination of Bianco over Senape leather, it is powered by a numbers-matching 3.9L quad-cam V12 mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Additional equipment includes six Weber carburetors, Girling ventilated disc brakes, five-lug Campagnolo alloy wheels, power steering, air conditioning, and power windows. This Espada is now offered with a Lamborghini Polo Storico certification of original configuration, owner’s literature, a tool kit, and a clean California title in the seller’s name listing the car as a 1974 model.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

The Espada was unveiled at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show featuring Bertone bodywork styled by Marcello Gandini and was produced in three series over the subsequent decade. Design features include a transparent vertical rear panel, a glass hatch with an electric defroster, roof vents, and an aluminum hood panel incorporating twin NACA ducts and dual side fender vents.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

This Series III example is finished in its factory shade of Bianco, and closeups of the finish, trim, and lenses are presented in the photo gallery below. Work following the seller’s acquisition in 1993 included a repaint of the hood and replacement of the front bumper to correct damage said to be incurred during a parking-lot mishap under previous ownership.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

Five-lug Campagnolo alloy wheels are wrapped in correct 215/70 VR15 Michelin XWX tires. A matching spare secured in the rear compartment. Servo-assisted braking is handled by Girling ventilated discs with three-piston calipers all around, and a freshening between 2004 and 2005 included rebuilds of the booster and master cylinder as well as the replacement of the pads. Four-wheel independent suspension comprises double wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, and anti-roll bars.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

The cabin is trimmed in Senape leather over seating for four, with matching upholstery over the door panels and full-length center console. The leather was restitched in 1995 using nylon thread through the existing holes in place of deteriorated cotton thread. Replacement matching Wilton wool carpets were also fitted at that time. Additional features include power steering, air conditioning, power windows, three-point front seatbelts, and rear lap belts.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

Behind a leather-wrapped steering wheel, the black flocked dash houses an aluminum-faced wrap-around instrument panel that was introduced for Series III cars. Jaeger instrumentation includes a 180-mph speedometer and a tachometer with a 7,200-rpm redline along with auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 47k miles, 11k of which were added by the seller. A Bertone radio blanking plate is in place over the factory radio position.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

The 3.9-liter V12 features an aluminum block with cast-iron cylinder liners, aluminum pistons, and aluminum cylinder heads with dual overhead camshafts on each bank. Factory output was rated at 350 horsepower and 290 lb-ft of torque. Additional equipment includes six Weber 40DCOE carburetors, Bosch electronic ignition, and an electric fuel pump. An oil change was performed in 2021.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

Engine number 41380 is stamped on the block, matching the number provided on the Lamborghini Polo Storico certificate.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

Power is sent to the rear wheels by a five-speed manual transmission, and a new clutch was installed in 2004 at 40,981 miles. The clutch slave cylinder was rebuilt at that time, while the clutch master cylinder was rebuilt in 2018.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

The certificate of original configuration from Lamborghini Polo Storico lists the original build date as well as the original colors and engine identification number. An odometer statement from the seller’s purchase in 1993 is shown in the gallery below along with invoices from work by Prancing Horse California in Burlingame between 2004 and 2005. Also included in the sale are an owner’s manual and other factory literature as well as a tool kit. The car was featured in a 2011 profile in the San Francisco Chronicle that is shown in the gallery below and can also be found here.

28-Years-Owned 1975 Lamborghini Espada Series III 5-Speed

A collection of several trophies won by the car is pictured in the gallery below, although the trophies are not included in the sale. Among the accolades are first- and second-place class finishes and special awards at events such as Concorso Italiano, Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance, Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance, and Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance from the mid-1990s to 2021.

Auction Result

Winning Bid USD $215,000 by CPQ
Auction Ended October 22, 2021 at 11:20AM PT
Bids 38
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BaT Essentials

Seller: rkw007
Location: Oakland, California 94611
Listing Details
  • Chassis: 9794
  • 47k Miles Shown
  • Numbers-Matching 3.9L Quad-Cam V12
  • Six Weber Carburetors
  • Five-Speed Manual Transmission
  • Bianco Paint
  • Senape Leather Interior Upholstery
  • Five-Lug Campagnolo Alloy Wheels
  • Servo-Assisted Ventilated Disc Brakes
  • Power Steering
  • Air Conditioning
  • Power Windows
  • Tool Kit & Owner's Literature
  • Lamborghini Polo Storico Certificate
  • 2021 Bull Award Winner
Private Party or Dealer: Private Party
Lot #57949