| |
| Lamborghini Marzal | |
|---|---|
| Lamborghini | |
| aka | |
| Production | 1967 1 unit produced |
| Class | Concept Car |
| Body Style | 2-door, fixed-head coupe with 2+2 seats |
| Length | 4,520 mm (178 in) |
| Width | 1,710 mm (67.3 in) |
| Height | 1,100 mm (43.3 in) |
| Wheelbase | 2,620 mm (103.1 in) |
| Weight | 1310 kg |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Engine | 2.0 L I6 |
| Power | 175 bhp (177 PS/130 kW) at 6800 rpm |
| Similar | |
| Designer | Marcello Gandini under Bertone |
The Lamborghini Marzal was a prototype concept car presented by Lamborghini at the 1967 Turin Motor Show.
Designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone, it was created to supply Ferruccio Lamborghini with a true four-seater car for his lineup which already included the 400GT 2+2 and the Miura. It was distinguished by amply glazed gullwing-doors and an equally amply louvered rear window. Propulsion was by a 2L 175bhp V6 engine, actually a split-in-half version of Lamborghini's 4L V12, mated to a five speed transmission.
The Marzal remained a one-off, though the general shape and many of the ideas would go on to be used in the Espada. The Marzal design probably found wider recognition as a die-cast model by Matchbox, albeit in orange livery, although the original show car was painted in silver. This car was driven only once by Princess Grace and her husband as the Monaco Grand-Prix pace car the same year it was designed.
History of Marzal[]
In 1967, Ferruccio Lamborghini had two steady sellers on the market, the 400 GT and the P400 Miura, but what he lacked was a full four-seater offering. He had a body designed by Marcello Gandini for Bertone. The car was put on a lengthened Miura chassis, it was designated the TP200 Marzal.
This car was powered by half a Miura engine; the V-12 was cut in half lengthwise, resulting in a two-liter, in-line six, and was mounted transversely in the rear.
All this weight in the rear probably destroyed the road holding, but that was a problem to be dealt with once the car was tested prior to production. The body built by Bertone was too controversial for Ferruccio’s taste; it used no less than 49 Sq.ft. of glass, and even the lower part of the upward swinging gullwing doors were glass-filled. This glass was built in collaboration with the Belgian Glaverbel company, but it was too excessive for even the most eccentric tastes, and the late Ferruccio didn’t like it at all.
However, Bertone thought it could be produced and even built the chassis in his own plant to ensure himself of the rigidity to deal with all that glass.
The interior of the car was finished in bright-silver leather upholstery and provided space for up to four adults. Thanks to the large gullwing doors (in true Mercedes 300SL style), the entry to both the front and rear seats was very easy.
The Marzal was the epitome of the ‘Hexagonitis’-period, through which Bertone was going at that time; everything that was designed at his studios had to resemble, one way or another, an hexagon.
Ferruccio couldn’t be convinced about this car, and it remained strictly a one-off unit that was displayed on various Auto shows on Bertone’s or Lamborghini’s stand.
But the Marzal really became known to the world when it was used by Rainer and Grace of Monaco to open the track at the 1967 Grand Prix of Monaco, some people even claimed this was the only use for this car in parades.
The Marzal made a second public appearance at the 1996 Concours Italiano in Monterey, California, to celebrate Carrozzeria Bertone; the Lamborghini Athon was also exhibited at this time.
Details[]
Some general information about the car based on what’s been reported about its appearance and limited known features:
- Exterior: Marzal’s exterior was quite revolutionary for its time. It had gull-wing doors made almost entirely of glass, allowing for a panoramic view from inside the car. The design was quite angular, with straight lines and sharp corners, giving it a very distinctive look compared to the more rounded designs common in the 1960s. The overall shape was quite low and long, following the traditional sports car aesthetic.
- Interior: The interior of the Marzal was no less distinctive than its exterior. The seats were covered in silver leather, and the dashboard had an unusual hexagonal theme, with hexagonal patterns on the dashboard itself and hexagonal cutouts in the steering wheel. The car was surprisingly spacious for a sports car, offering room for four passengers in a 2+2 configuration.
- Drivetrain: The Marzal was powered by a 2.0 L inline-six engine, which was essentially half of Lamborghini’s 4.0 L V12. The engine was mounted transversely and connected to a five-speed manual transmission. As a concept car, detailed performance figures were never published, but it was reported to produce approximately 175 horsepower.
- Chassis: Marzal’s chassis was made from steel, and its body panels were made from aluminum. It was reported to have independent suspension all around, but detailed specifications are not available.
- Pricing: As a one-off concept car, the Marzal never had a set price. It was sold at auction in 2011 for €1,512,000.
Specificacions[]
| Engine | 2.0-liter, naturally aspirated, 6-cylinder |
| Power Output | 175 horsepower (177 PS/130 kW) at 6800 rpm |
| Torque | 179 N·m (132 lb·ft/18.3 kgm) at 4600 rpm |
| Carburetors | Three twin-choke Weber carburetors |
| Drive | Rear-wheel drive |
| Top Speed | Claimed to achieve 190 km/h (118 mph) |
Gallery[]
.webp "Lamborghini Marzal (1).webp (94 KB)")
.webp "Lamborghini Marzal (2).webp (240 KB)")
.webp "Lamborghini Marzal (3).webp (275 KB)")
.webp "Lamborghini Marzal (4).webp (281 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal (5).jpg (83 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal (6).jpg (115 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal (7).jpg (159 KB)")
.webp "Lamborghini Marzal (8).webp (74 KB)")
.webp "Lamborghini Marzal (9).webp (59 KB)")
.webp "Lamborghini Marzal (10).webp (156 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal (11).jpg (203 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal (12).jpg (192 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal (13).jpg (208 KB)")
The Grand Prix Historique (2018)[]
In 1967 Lamborghini presented the concept car Marzal during the Grand Prix of Monte Carlo in Monaco. The futuristic Bertone styled prototype showed silver paint combined with big glassed gullwing doors, a panoramic glass roof and four leather seats in silver metallic. Before the race started Prince Rainier III and his wife Gracia Patricia – better known as actress Grace Kelly – got into the car and drove some well-noticed demonstration laps on the circuit. Afterwards the car was shown at a few motor shows before ending up in the Bertone depot.
51 years after its first appearance in Monaco the Marzal now rolled again around the Formula 1 circuit next to the Mediterranean Sea – first public kilometers for this car since 1967.
This time the demonstration runs took place during the Grand Prix Historique, where the car was placed in front of qualifying and race of the race class for F1 cars from 1966 until 1972. It was driven by Prince Albert II and his nephew Andrea Casiraghi. Albert II is the son of Prince Rainier III.
- Images: © Lamborghini
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (1).jpg (165 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (2).jpg (126 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (3).jpg (95 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (4).jpg (109 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (5).jpg (147 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (6).jpg (172 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (7).jpg (65 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (8).jpg (192 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (9).jpg (84 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (10).jpg (77 KB)")
.jpg "Lamborghini Marzal IN 2018 (11).jpg (288 KB)")
