Named after a strain of fighting bull, the Marzal featured a unique prototype engine developed by Lamborghini that would never see production. It was also sporting long gullwing doors that enabled the fitment of large windows that were accompanied by a lightly smoked glass roof.
The engine was a transversally mounted in-line six-cylinder which was essentially a rear bank of a Miura’s 3,929-cc V-12, fed by horizontal Weber carburettors and mated to the standard five-speed transmission.
The interior was highly futuristic, with a hexagonal honeycomb theme on the dashboard and center console housing most instruments and controls, a theme carried over even in the general shape of the seat’s cushions and backrests. In addition, the vehicle boasted Campagnolo magnesium wheels of the Marzal – complete with three-eared spinners.
The Marzal made a notable appearance at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 7, 1967, where it was driven around the circuit by Prince Rainier together with Princess Grace.
It was indeed followed into production the following year by the Lamborghini Espada four-seater couple, which retained the Marzal’s general aesthetics but did away with the rear-engine layout and glass doors. The initial Espada pre-series prototypes still sported gullwing doors, but those too had disappeared by the time the final car reached production.
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