Nice article in April C&SC They basically conclude that the Jalpa was always the better car (read more involving sportscar) but because its a Lamborghini it was always going to take second place behind Ferrari. The Jalpa always intrigued me, probably because its so rare, but unfortunately I've never had the chance to drive one. I could try and post some scans if people are interested. Cheers Simon
Simon, Please post some scan of the article...I live in Thailand and may never be able to buy a copy of C&SC...they do sell the mag here, but I must go to Bangkok to get it, which I ma afraid I might not be quick enough to snap one up.... I love the 328.. even if the Jalpa is a better car, I would never consider one. Though the article will be interesting to read.
No car with an interior so Kitsch could ever be described as better than the 328! Perhaps the worst dashboard of the 80's. A quote from QV500 - http://www.qv500.com/lamborghinijalpap1.htm There's a picture with the remark "Did Bertone fail to unpack the Jalpa dash".
Very strange. This is the first time I have ever heard that Jalpa would come even close to a 328 in any test. A friend who has made a back to back test with my 328 and a Jalpa came back with a big laugh on his face telling that the Jalpa was a joke compared to 328. Ciao Peter
i posted this imfo two weeks ago. How many weeks is the us behind the uk.I also cant find an outlet for Forza in the uk(i think its US published) i have to buy it from France or spain every month.
I agree, somewhat interesting lines, lesser known than the Countach, but I think it's OK, even if I did NOT own a 328 I would still pick the 328.
Like Tifosi69 said, Jalpa is probably lesser known Lambo. I have never seen it in person yet. What is the going market price for this car? And how many are in the US? Jalpa could be the collectors' car, if there is not many of them. Then again, you don't see 328 on the road so often either. I would be very much interested driving Jalpa myself to compare w/ my 328. Yoshi
I have seen several in person at shows or dealers over the years, saw on at an Italian car show 2 years ago, funny thing is the lines are kind of sexy but the interior does not seem to properly match the exterior IMO.
Ive driven several, and a Jalpa is more than a match for the 328 in every way. The interior is a little bland, but then again, so is the 328. It would be hard for me to pick between the 2. Id prob skip both, and buy a 930 Turbo.
i'm with allan on this. the 930 always wins in that price range. actually in that price range you geta 30k mile 930 w/ 450 or more hp! so the 930 actually drills a hole in all of them from the stop light or the twisties. now i do love the 328 as i feel it is a sexy (no question it looks like a ferrari) design that will age ...or never age! it is so much better looking than the jalpa but performance wise is is not as strong. road and track tested the car in 86 or 87 and had the comparison of the 328 and turbo esprit. the lambo was the fastest 0-60, quarter, and top speed. the esprit was quickest through the slalom and had the best skid pad numbers.
I had that 328 a few months ago here, and when i was going to pick it up i was very excited. Hadnt driven one in years. In about 15 minutes, i was ready to park it. Times change, car is very very boring. Im sure same would hold true for a Jalpa. Car has to be fast by todays standards, or im not interested. If i bought either of them, id start ripping them both to shreads trying to make them fast. That would cost.... ALOT. Now take a stock 930, add a 1 bar boost spring, and it will run very well for $100.00 in mods.
I had a Silhouette for two years, it looked good but just didnt drive well,very harsh ride,and even small bumps in the road would cause it to shake violently. It was also difficult to maintain in the UK, very few dealers who understood the car, and parts were a real problem, even such things as dampers had to be rebuilt as new ones were unavailable!! In my humble opinion there is no contest between the Lambo and a 308/328.
I had an 1987 Jalpa, and I still have my 1986 328, the Lambo sucked then and it sucks now. Handled like a truck, worst gearbox I ever drove, lousy sound, kit car looks and a Ford derivative engine. You know I actually kind of liked the interior! Seriously, the Porsche and the 328 is an enthusiast's argument, but the Lambo at that time was definitely seconf rate.
The Jalpa has one of the sweetest sounding V8's ever produced!! Most people will aleast agree on that one!! I only wish my 308 sounded like those things. Handeling is not too bad...just about like a 308 but not quite as sharp though. interior was really bad. Gearbox had alot of troubles but not really that bad. It was more a linkage problem then anything (as far as I remember). Ford derivative engine?? Never heard that one before. I thought that engine was a clean sheet design by Lambo right from the start. Could be wrong though. Tom
I came very close to buying a jalpa in 1996 from the uk lambo dealer of the time afn.It was black/black and a 1984 model.The ad in the times started at £37,500 and by the time i got to it the dealer would accept 30k for it. I remember the nose bobbing a la 911 and the engine sounding like a cosworth dfv!The problem lay in the fact that the car felt unfinished and underdeveloped.I struggled to use the pedals, the amount of force required was ridiculous.Very characterful though.However road tests of the time showed the 308 to be a better car overall never mind the 328! The jalpa in question was also featured in a copy of classic and sportscar in 1998-still for sale!
In a magazine article by a major U.S. mag, they remarked: "If Magnum ever had to chase villains fleeing in Jalpa, he might as well park the Ferrari" I think there is a forum member here in Az with both a 308 and Jalpa, who loves them both.
Sold my '88 Jalpa last April after 4 wonderful years. It was a late '88 (ser# 403 out of 410) and never gave me any problems at all. It never needed the timing belts replaced (wonderful, beautiful, easily adjusted cam chains!) or any $6000 service during the 12000 miles I put on it. I did check with a local shop about the 30k check-up and was told it would run about $3k because you have top drop the engine sub-assembly to adjust the valves. The engine sounded fantastic and the car shifted well but not as precise as my 348 or 456 (after they're warm). It was great fun to drive and even had a real trunk and a little space behind the seats for storage. I sold it to a guy in the San Fran area who bought it sight unseen (amazing) for my asking price (unbelievable). Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
the Jalpa was described by autocar as having breadvan looks! actually the engine sounds very nice but they go for very low money in the UK- 328 is the way togo!
I love my Jalpa. I think there are only about 50-50 in the USA. Never any major problems. The engine sounds great! In terms of power the Jalpa feels much stronger than a 328. The trans shifts smooth as silk weather hot or cold and feels very bulletproof. The Jalpa is bigger and has more room inside as well as a seperate trunk. Visibility is poor in the rear 3/4 area but I learned to deal with that. The 308/328's are easier to drive because thay are smaller and have better visibility with the glass in the rear sides. Can I say which is better, not really. They both have something special.
Awsome cars, Sunburn and Steve M -- absolutely stunning, IMHO!! SteveM: yours has to be the shiniest and well sorted out engine bay that I've ever seen in a Jalpa! The whole Lambo looks showroom new. Sunburn: I especially like the style of rims, and how they contrast so well with the black. You must really miss that beauty. Thanks for posting the pics...