Discussion
I VERY nearly bought one in 1998. Spoke to a great bloke - Colin Heaney - oop north for advice as he'd sold a few of these and other exotics. His advice was fine if you want to keep it for some time as they're difficult to shift...didn't stop me wanting one but I did a bit more research about cost of ownership etc and wimped out as it were - ended up buying a 964 RS which didn't disappoint me...I stil love Jalpas though - the noise and even the looks, but I'd be concerned about build, rust and other sensible things I'm afraid - but if you buy one, please take me out for a ride? Finally, in 5 years they don't appear to have dropped in price - I was looking at about that money for a low mileage rhd car in those days...
Just sold my 308 GT4 and looking for another toy.
Have seen a Lambo Jalpa Targa advertised at £24,995 (1988) RHD with 32,000 kms.
Anyone driven or owned one? I'd like advice on whether, or not, they are reliable etc - or should I look for somethning else?
Don't do it! Don't want to upset anyone who's got one but... If you're spending that kind of cash why not get a LHD 328 - FAR FAR better looking, faster, better handling, FAR better looking, sounds better, easier / cheaper to maintain, FAR better looking etc....
Seriously, the Jalpa was not rated in it's day, and still isn't, hence the reason there difficult to sell - 215bhp is not my idea of a baby Lambourghini! certainly different, but if you want something different, how about one of these?
http://eng.autoscout24.com/home/index/detail.asp?ts=4658019&id=16004583&sc=&make=25&model=&pricefrom=0&euroto=0&zip=
trackdemon said: Seriously, the Jalpa was not rated in it's day, and still isn't, hence the reason there difficult to sell - 215bhp is not my idea of a baby Lambourghini!
215bhp? Is that all. I always remember the Jalpa as a great looking car in Black (There was one in Colchester in the late 80's when I was at Uni), I've always assumed they had more power than that though. DAZ
I think they had at least 250 bhp - I have a 1984 edition of Motor's road test annual with one in it - Ill check the stats and what they thought of it too and post here tomorrow. ISTR its sound was compared to that of a Cosworth DFV though...
IMHO the Pantera doesn't have real "pedigree" - but then it offers relability and the good old American vee 8 rumble to go with it I suppose.
IMHO the Pantera doesn't have real "pedigree" - but then it offers relability and the good old American vee 8 rumble to go with it I suppose.
rubystone said: I think they had at least 250 bhp - I have a 1984 edition of Motor's road test annual with one in it - Ill check the stats and what they thought of it too and post here tomorrow. ISTR its sound was compared to that of a Cosworth DFV though...
IMHO the Pantera doesn't have real "pedigree" - but then it offers relability and the good old American vee 8 rumble to go with it I suppose.
No they didn't all have 215bhp but none had more than 255bhp at a time when (much lighter) Esprits had a little more grunt (264bhp Turbo SE) and (lighter) 328's had 270bhp. The strangled 215bhp versions are much like early injected 308's - best avoided unless you're unconcerned about performance...
I was 'chased' by a red one near Gatwick last year and gave it some 'Johnny large potatoe's' (©Mungo) up a clear dual carriageway - absolutely destroyed it, although he didn't quit after that and proceeded to goad for a few miles. Sounded pretty good though, I'll give you that!
Figures are here:
www.lamborghiniregistry.com/Jalpa/index.html
0-60mph over 6.5 secs
Thats what over 1500kg does for you... Shame there's nobody around to service the Pantera, wonderful looking car, great sound with Detriot iron reliability (and tuneability
). Not sure about the handling though.... >> Edited by trackdemon on Tuesday 22 April 17:25
The Jalpa and associated Urracos were, certainly as far as Bob Wallace, the long time antipodean Lambo development engineer cum racer was concerned, massively flawed, fundamentally by a hugely underdeveloped V8 power plant.
The small Lambos had/have a certain quirky charm but are really bad cars and best left in your 70s and early 80s 'Dream Cars' type Christmas present books of yore.
Contemporary Fezzas, Masers and Porkers were all hugely more accomplished which when you think how ropey some of they were, ain't too spiffing!
The Pantera would be a good idea but for the scatter gun approach to interior ergonomics.
Surely a 308 would be a fantastic progression over the Bertone?
The small Lambos had/have a certain quirky charm but are really bad cars and best left in your 70s and early 80s 'Dream Cars' type Christmas present books of yore.
Contemporary Fezzas, Masers and Porkers were all hugely more accomplished which when you think how ropey some of they were, ain't too spiffing!
The Pantera would be a good idea but for the scatter gun approach to interior ergonomics.
Surely a 308 would be a fantastic progression over the Bertone?
I still love the way the Jalpa looks. I too have a loft full of such publications as M & S "dream cars" and the likes...all with the same pictures of flawed '70s exotica and the Jason King lookalike posing next to the 2.7RS in a dusty layby on a West Coast US road. And why do those books always include the Geneva 75 Motor Show pictures of the Monteverdi Hai and Bitter CD?...I guess they never made it into production - Top Trump Supercars anyone?
rubystone said: I still love the way the Jalpa looks. I too have a loft full of such publications as M & S "dream cars" and the likes...all with the same pictures of flawed '70s exotica and the Jason King lookalike posing next to the 2.7RS in a dusty layby on a West Coast US road. And why do those books always include the Geneva 75 Motor Show pictures of the Monteverdi Hai and Bitter CD?...I guess they never made it into production - Top Trump Supercars anyone?
Now we're talking - the 450SS and GTS - what was it? 6.9 litres of yank V8 mid-mounted by a Swiss watchmaker to produce a 190 mile an hour estimated top hole? Exceptional stuff.
I also used to gawp in awe at said TT refs to traditional Yank iron, stuff like the 7447cc of the early 70s 'vette Stingrays.
Remember the Pininfarina Modulo? One of my all time faves as a nipper, only in later years did I realise this to be the forerunner concept of the seminal 365GT BB (ah...
) - the Countach's constant nemisis. And the Maserati Bora - 4.7, 0-60 in around 5.5 and a top whack north of 160mph...thunder on ze tundra, I suspect.
One could weep. In fact, I will. Bloody marvellous.
Maf said: Daz
I am in Colchester, and there is a black Japla just up the road from me. I wonder if it is the same one survived all these years in the same area?
I have never talked to the owner, but the car looks well looked after, nay worshiped.
Maf
Of the times I saw the car it never looked dirty. Having said that I could have been looking through rose tinted specs. I hope it is the same the vehicle well maintained by an enthusiast.
Great memories of Colchester, I remember the time I drove past Lancaster Porsche at 7am in the morning and they had a 959 in the show room. Cue, emergency stop, dump car on side of road run across the grass and stand there for about 10 minutes in complete awe. Of course my passengers (fellow students) didn't understand the more important things in life!!!
DAZ
Mr DeR - blue Corvette - 7447 CC only to be beaten by Sbarro SS Roatary engined thingie - no one could work out what 4 x 222 cu in meant so Sbarro wins by default I'm afraid 
On topic again - I frequent Colchester sometimes - never seen a black Jalpa there - whereabouts in said fine town is the car?
On topic again - I frequent Colchester sometimes - never seen a black Jalpa there - whereabouts in said fine town is the car?
Maf said: Daz
I am in Colchester, and there is a black Japla just up the road from me. I wonder if it is the same one survived all these years in the same area?
I have never talked to the owner, but the car looks well looked after, nay worshiped.
Maf
Is is that one? :
www.qv500.com/jalpaedmonds.htm
It was advertised on mobile.de and above site was referenced in the ad 
Pity about the warnings, i think that it looks pretty good especially with the rear spoiler.
The 308 GT4 was delivered to its new owner today so i want to find something else soon but several countach owners have also warned me off Lambos.
The Pantera looks pretty good too - any other suggestions for a budget of up to say £25k - anyone?
The 308 GT4 was delivered to its new owner today so i want to find something else soon but several countach owners have also warned me off Lambos.
The Pantera looks pretty good too - any other suggestions for a budget of up to say £25k - anyone?
Esprit V8, Cobra rep, GT40 rep, Ferrari 308, 328, 348, Pantera GTS, NSX, 911, Skyline, Exige, 340R, Caterfield, Radical, BMW Z1, Jaguar E-type, Austin Healey, BMW 3.0CSL, Mazda RX7, Morgan(?),
Porsche 928GTS, Bentley Turbo RT, Jag XK8, Alpine A610 Turbo, MVS Venturi, Integrale EVO, TVR Chimaera, Griffith, Cerb...
Choices, choices...£25k is a good petrolhead spend
Porsche 928GTS, Bentley Turbo RT, Jag XK8, Alpine A610 Turbo, MVS Venturi, Integrale EVO, TVR Chimaera, Griffith, Cerb...
Choices, choices...£25k is a good petrolhead spend
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