Lamborghini P140 Bertone: The Concept That Almost Shaped the Future
Unrealized Brilliance - Before electric hypercars and touchscreens became the face of modern performance, the late 1980s stood as a golden moment for bold ideas in car design. Brands like Lamborghini weren’t just crafting machines—they were shaping identity. In this exciting atmosphere of change, the P140 project was born. It was a mission to find a worthy successor to the aging Lamborghini Jalpa, one that could stand tall next to competitors from Ferrari, Porsche, and even the soon-to-arrive Honda NSX.
The 1987 Lamborghini P140 Bertone was one of three design proposals for the P140 project, standing out with its elegant yet futuristic shape. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Lamborghini, still driven by passion despite the winds of transition, opened its doors to several outside design houses. The company had just been bought by Chrysler in 1987, marking a dramatic shift from its previous owners. Chrysler’s acquisition came with expectations, and the pressure was on to deliver a modern V10-powered Lamborghini that didn’t just perform well, but looked the part too. With that in mind, the search for a fresh design led to proposals from three very different sources: the legendary Marcello Gandini, the bold and creative minds at Bertone, and the Chrysler Design Center itself.
The 1987 Lamborghini P140 Bertone, with its smooth curves and balanced surfaces, broke away from past aggressive wedges, offering a striking presence and a silhouette that hovered between supercar tradition and sci-fi imagination. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Each had their own take on what the next Lamborghini should be. Bertone's proposal, the P140 Bertone concept, stood out with its elegant yet futuristic shape. Its smooth curves and balanced surfaces departed from the aggressive wedges of the past. It had a presence that made people look twice, and a silhouette that seemed to float somewhere between supercar tradition and sci-fi imagination. Even though it never had an engine under its skin, it looked every bit the part of a Lamborghini ready to lead the brand into a new era.
The 1987 Lamborghini P140 Bertone exuded futuristic allure with its sleek lines and bold contours, reflecting Lamborghini’s drive to push design boundaries.(Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
The 1987 Lamborghini P140 Bertone, despite lacking the iconic V10 engine later tied to Lamborghini’s performance legacy, captivated onlookers with its striking visual presence. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
His legacy gave weight to his design, and his take on the P140 was chosen to move forward into functional prototypes. This led to real cars with real engines and eventually helped lay the groundwork for what would become the Gallardo years later.
The 1987 Lamborghini P140 Bertone remains one of the most compelling "what if" moments in Lamborghini’s history. (Picture from: Carrozzieri-Italiani)
Even so, Bertone’s concept remains one of the most intriguing "what if" moments in Lamborghini's timeline. While it was left behind as just a styling model, the Bertone-designed P140 still holds a strong visual identity that many enthusiasts admire today. It represented an alternate path, a version of the future that could have been, had the decision gone another way. | C3B8_0c5pwk |
Though it never rolled out of a factory or burned rubber on test tracks, the Lamborghini P140 Bertone did more than decorate a design room. It reflected a moment of ambition and change, a glimpse into a vision that dared to challenge what was expected. For those who appreciate the quiet brilliance of concept design, this forgotten Lamborghini continues to speak—silently, but with style. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI ]
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Lamborghini P140 Bertone: The Concept That Almost Shaped the Future
Though it never rolled out of a factory or burned rubber on test tracks, the Lamborghini P140 Bertone did more than decorate a design room. It reflected a moment of ambition and change, a glimpse into a vision that dared to challenge what was expected. For those who appreciate the quiet brilliance of concept design, this forgotten Lamborghini continues to speak—silently, but with style. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARROZZIERI-ITALIANI ]
