by Mike Gulett –
I have listed my 1971 Lamborghini Espada Series II on Bring a Trailer (click here to see the listing), where you will see many new photos and new videos.
I have never sold a car at auction before but I did buy one – the Bizzarrini GT 5300 at an in person auction, Russo & Steele in August 2008, in Monterey.
My Espada auction ends Wednesday May 25, 2022 at 12:20 PM PT. It will be interesting to see how this auction works out. I am impressed so far with the Bring a Trailer experience.
The Espada like some classic Lamborghini (and some Ferrari) can cost more to repair or restore than the market value so the maintenance history of each example is very important. One special part of the history of this Espada is that I have service records from 1973 to now. The second owner of 43 years seems to have kept most, if not all, of the records.
Out of the 1223 Espadas made (according to Sports Car Market) there are likely only about half still on the road (my guess based on how many I see at concours events, which is much fewer than the Lamborghini Miura or Lamborghini 400GT 2+2). Almost every Concours event that I attend I see at least one Miura and almost never do I see an Espada (except for Concorso Italiano during Monterey Car Week where 2-4 Espadas will be on display) along with the same number or more Miuras.
This Lamborghini had spent its entire life in the San Francisco Bay Area until 2016 when I brought it to Carmel. It has won many awards at several concours in the Bay Area as well as Concorso Italiano during Monterey Car Week.
Below are photos, given to me by the daughter of the long time second owner, of this Lamborghini Espada from various events.
Notice the Lamborghini has not changed much from the current photos above but fashion and hair styles have changed quite a bit.
Probably at Concorso Italiano in 2005 where it won the Lamborghini Club Award
1975 – Unknown events (probably Palo Alto and/or Hillsborough)
1978 – Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
Lovely car and beautifully presented Mike. Good luck for a premium sale.
What a fun window into early Concours d’Elegance events these photos give us, thanks for sharing them. I’d love to see more on the topic in a future post. As you know, I launched Concorso Italiano for the founders several decades ago. At that time, and ever since, both Lamborghini Jalpa’s and Espada’s have always been a rare sight in a sea of Miura’s and Countach’s. I think both models truly showcase just how much metal the bodies have, something that has sadly disappeared from car design over the years. It was tough for me to watch you sell your Bizzarrini and that pretty red Iso Grifo. Are you SURE you want to sell this one Mike? It’s a wonderful example.
I’d be interested in why you’re selling it. I think you’re a rare person who buys one great car after another but eventually dispenses of it, maybe you feel that it had it its time, and so did you with it, and you have a more interesting car in mind.
I do recall him saying it was time for someone else to enjoy the Bizzarrini. That’s a good way to look at it. That was Seinfeld’s theory about the years of pleasure his Porsche collection gave him.
There is a certain art to knowing when to let a car go, then turning that car into a new collectible to enjoy.
We all have space, time and other resources limitations. As Wordsworth wrote;
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower
We will grieve not; rather find
Strength in what remains behind