Concept Car of the Week: Lamborghini Marzal (1967)

In 1967, Lamborghini's lineup consisted of just two cars – the Miura and the 400 GT 2+2 – but this wasn't enough for Ferrucio Lamborghini, who fancied a true four-seater GT to add to his stable. After the successful collaboration on the Miura, he naturally returned to carrozeria Bertone which was commissioned to design the car.

The project was left in the hands of Marcello Gandini, who turned Ferrucio's vision into a revolutionary design concept. The renowned designer said, "The Marzal was drifting towards what science-fiction writers had been promising. With these prototypes a public declaration was made of our way of seeing the cars of the future".

Traditionally named after a breed of bulls, the Marzal was a unique opportunity for Gandini to design an entire car and step out of the shadow of his predecessor, Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The result is simply outstanding. Modernity, elegance and purity have rarely been combined with such virtuosity.

Gullwing doors were chosen in place of a conventional four-door configuration to preserve the coupé look, while improving accessibility to the rear. Four and a half square meters of glass surrounded the cabin, split only by very thin pillars and the horizontal belt line.

The cabin appears like a gem set into a futuristic white bezel although Ferrucio Lamborghini famously complained about the windows, noting that they "offer no privacy; a lady's legs would be there for all to see."

Angular forms throughout the design complete the sharp graphics. Six square headlamps were inserted in the sharply-cut nose. Honeycombs and hexagons were also a recurring theme inside and out, from the rear louvres to the dashboard and right down to the steering wheel and seat cushions.

If that was not enough, a space-age bright silver leather upholstery finished the interior. Aftershocks of the Marzal design are still visible today on the latest Aventador LP700-4 Roadster engine cover with its hexagonal vents.

Presented only a year after the Miura, at the 1967 Geneva Motor show, the Marzal owes a lot to its older sister. It is powered by a transversally-mounted inline six-cylinder, essentially the Miura's V12 cut in half lengthways, mated to the standard five-speed transmission and mounted on a Miura's chassis extended by 120mm in order to accommodate the two extra passengers.

Shortly after the show, the Marzal made another notable appearance at the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix when it was driven by Prince Rainier with Princess Grace.

A production version known as the Espada did away with the gullwing doors and the rear engine layout although its aesthetics were a lot closer to the Jaguar Pirana concept, another of Gandini's creations.

The Marzal made its last appearance at the 2011 Villa d'Este when it sold for just over €1.512m to a very lucky private owner.

Designer Marcello Gandini
Presentation 1967 Geneva Motor show
Engine Six cylinders in line, 1964cc, rear mounted
Length 4,450mm
Width 1,709mm
Height 1,110mm
Wheelbase 2,620mm
Power 175bhp

Your author, Flavien Dachet is a UK-based, French-born car designer. You may know him as the purveyor of KarzNshit,a photo blog that if isn't already in your bookmarks, certainly should be.

By Flavien Dachet