Can the enthusiasts explain what makes this car different than the production cars? I know one of the cars had a full length US spec rear bumper.
Both prototypes were converted P300s and do not have production Silhouette chassis or body. There are some minor external differences including the shape of the rear arches. The front compartment has the P300 electrical layout. The dashboard has the clock in front of the driver and the heater controls on the radio panel. Note also the P300 window switches, the chrome edged warning lights and the red switch labels. The first prototype was the 1976 Geneva show car and this one was the 1976 Turin show car.
Imagine, this car of the former Wicki Collection was for sale for several years on autoscout.ch for CHF 45k until Steve Maman bought here.
Went to Colin Clarks workshop today, he has an original Countach/Silhouette paint swatch. Comparison with the swatch confirmed my paint is a very good match to the original Rame Colorado... Image Unavailable, Please Login
yes i remember that car in switzerland in 2001. exchange rate was favorable for cdn or usd too then. too bad i bought something else.
This photo reminds me of a Pantera photo in 'Car' magazine, I think in the late 70s: Jonathan Image Unavailable, Please Login
There should be a good turnout of cars at Sharnbrook Hotel [near Bedford UK] on 3rd July as there is an LCUK timeline to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ferruccio Lamborghini. I don't know how many models there will be but 40006 will be representing the Silhouette...
Found this ad for a yellow RHD Silhouette in the December 1985 edition of Classic and Sportscar. Is it known to anyone? Image Unavailable, Please Login
#40098 was advertised in different magazines around 1985. First for sale at Sporting Stables , later at Heathmans. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Although still offered at no reserve an estimate of $275k to $325k has been added plus some new pictures... https://www.mecum.com/lots/CA0816-244494/1976-lamborghini-silhouette-prototype/
the whole REAL AND COMPLETE story of the Silhouette has been revealed in 1988 by Ph.D. Stefano Pasini in "Rivista Lamborghini" #3 and in the previous #1 he published the International Silhouette Registry. This was the official revue of the company, published during the Chrysler ownbership. It is stated there, that there have been 1 prototype, only (V.I.N. 40026) followed by 2 pre-production cars, V.I.N. 40000 and "Your" 40002, subsequently was sold and registered as the first production car. From my point of view this is quite rilevant. Other present-day Lamborghini Registry that you can find on the web tell different details (different amongst each other, and amongsts Pasini's company-approved Registry, as well). But Pasini's Registry is the only one written down upon cooperation with the Company, and approved by her ! This is for the generic Silhouette story. When speaking about #40002, her story is unfortunately the most difficult one to be traced. The only thing confirmed, from my point of view, is that she cannot be referred to as a "prototype" and that she was sold and registered as the first production car. 1976 Lamborghini Silhouette Pre-production Prototype #01 Chassis #40002 states that the car belonged, in 2006 to a Canadian collector and this seems to be confirmed by other blogs. As far as I have read on internet, the car was bought on an "ebay"auction (I would be curious to know the acquisition price) has very different details in comparison with the pictures published in Your site: White roof, White engine lid, White engine air intakes. But what make me feel astonished, is that the air filter boxes has been changed with a separate twin boxes... This means that some works have been done on mechanics, as well as for coachwork painting...! These 2006 tecnical details which made this Silhouette different from every other production cars were previously depicted in 2000 pictures, when those days' owner (a Swiss collector) sold V.I.N.40002 in an auction at 30000 CHF (more or less 35000 US $). As far as I have heard, the car still wears Swiss registration (by the way, does anybody know the Swiss registration plate?), but she is registered in Canada as a collectible not-drivable car.
Check again that register of Pasini and look at the delivery dates. You are incorrect on the first delivered car. Production #1 & #2, 40006 & 40004 were both delivered weeks before 40002. Also the preproduction cars are development cars, maybe not THE first prototype used to actually style the cars but prototypes nonetheless. 40002 was built on a Urraco chassis with a Urraco body number from Bertone which clearly says prototype in my books. None of the other Silhouettes have this. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks for Your reply. In Pasini 's publication mentioned in my original post, ho also explains the reasons for the unmatching dates. As I said I have a different opinion regarding #40000 and the prototype herself in comparison with his explanation, but Pasini had been approved and supported by the Company, and published on the official Lamborghini review as well. He states that the modified P300 chassis is #40026 and on rispect to his huge specific knowledge of the Silhouette. He had a strong cooperation with the Company, so I surrend to his explanation. He should be in the group, maybe we will have his reply. I will ask to two friends of mine to give a glance to tre production sheets, but I am not confident that there Will be an answer in short time. In late '70s and '80s Lamborghini was not organized in the present german style, and was a little bit rushed and artistically confused in our tipical Italian style. Is Valentino Balboni in touch with this group? He could answer properly any question, I guess. Anyway, I agree that #40002 was a chassis intended for the developement of the styling, and that's why I stressed the differences between the nowadays coachwork painting and the engine's airbox. I was curios to know il she had been produced all white, as in yr. 2000-2006 pictures or with the regular Black/gunmetal details of the other following cars, but with Black/Red leather interiors. I think You saw the original brochure, and the white car is certainly a styling developement car, but she doesn't match with any description of #40002. (by the way, the red car of the brochure is #40000. Then, considering Lamborghini's those-day difficulties it would be rather expensive to completely dismount the car, to do a total repainting and re-trimming). I suppose that most of You have Lamborghini Review. In case I am wrong, I can send You some scanned pages. La Kind regards
40000 and 40002 were both based on P300s. There are several differences between these and the production cars. I have reason to doubt the published consignment date of 40000. 40026 was the homologation car and not a prototype. The red brochure car is a production car.
You are right, the Red brochure car was a regular production one. Sorry. I didn't notice the normal indent around the Silhouette badge. I talked about the brochure instead of other marketing pictures (or the use and maintenance manual cover) showing a Red Silhouette with natural leather interiors, but with reverse indent around the Silhouette badge (unique to the pre-production cars, prototype included). I have these pictures somewhere, but notte these days Here (I am on holidays) I Just have few B/W pictures, but it is evident that the car depicted is not Black as the prototype, nor White as #40002. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks. But which chassis is the white brochure car? Do You know that #40000 has been repainted in white? This could be an expensive nonsense for a Company affected by economical problems and having other developement vehicles to be produced... Then, is it a casuality that #40026 and this red pre-production car share the same exterior/interior color scheme? Or is there any chance that this car has undergone a conversion into regular production car (as happened to #40002) ? This could explain the delayed serial number and this could confirm Pasini's explanation about the prototype, as well. In the meanwhile the prototype could have bene converted in #40000. In the '70s-'80s when severe lack of money in the Italian handcrafted automobile production, compelled producers to rely on our tipical artistic italian way of problem solving, this kind of job were normal. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
yes its possible that #40000 was repainted white....than red again and reupholstered with tan interior as it made its way to japan. i wouldnt rule out anything since those were dark times at the factory.
