Iconic Lamborghini Concept Gets A New Lease Of Life

There’s a bit of a Lambo fever going on around in our office as of late. We’ve been trying to dig up some old and forgotten Raging Bulls and have come across two that are worthy of your time and attention. Today, we take a look at the 1967 Marzal.

The Marzal was a one-off concept car that Lamborghini showcased at the 1967 Geneva Motor Show. This concept was designed to complement the Miura and the 400GT 2+2 at the most prestigious auto show of the time. It also paved the way for what is arguably the most lovable Lamborghini ever made, the Espada.

Designed by Bertone’s Marcello Gandini, the Marzal featured see-through gullwing doors, four seats and a cockpit swathed in silver leather. It was based on a lengthened Miura chassis and the supercar’s V12 engine was chopped into two to make a 2.0-litre in-line 6-cylinder motor that could be mounted transversely behind the passenger compartment. This engine continues to be the only 6-cylinder ever produced by Lamborghini. The four-and-a-half square metres of glass for the gullwing doors was created by a Belgian company called Glaverbel, while the doors themselves were made at Bertone, cannibalising steering rack parts and operated by springs, pulleys and steel cables.

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After showcasing it at Geneva, Ferruccio Lamborghini brought the car to the Monte Carlo to showcase it at the Grand Prix weekend. There, he convinced His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III to do a lap of honour on the track in the Marzal. The prince obliged and took to the track with his wife, actress Grace Kelly, sitting beside him. Photos of the prince driving the car around the track spread like wildfire and earned the futuristic-looking Lamborghini international fame. Unfortunately, that outing remained the only time the car appeared in action at a public event. Until now, that is.

The Marzal will not only make an appearance but be driven twice a day for three days this weekend (May 11-13) at the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, a vintage race event that is usually held two weeks ahead of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. However, it hasn’t been an easy task as the car had to be restored to its former glory after being neglected for almost half a century.

The story goes that the Marzal returned to the Lamborghini factory for evaluation after its only outing in Monte Carlo. Here, legendary test driver and engineer Bob Wallace spent some time setting up the car to see if it made any sense to put it into mass production. However, it still felt long and ungainly to drive. And no one would want a Lamborghini with just six cylinders, would they? Later, Bertone showcased the Marzal at its stand at the 1967 Earls Court London Motor Show and followed it up with another public appearance in Brussels, Belgium the next year. After that, it was supposed to be shipped off to the US, but instead, it was impounded by officials at the Genoa dock for not having the required paperwork.

The Marzal would then lie in the open at the harbour and be exposed to the rain and salty air for over a year. Being a show car, it was not waterproofed. It soon started developing rust and the officials finally decided to move it to a warehouse nearby. It stayed there for several years until Bertone decided to restore the car and put it on display at the company museum. The Marzal was repainted and given a new steering wheel and gear knob.

In 2011, Bertone was declared bankrupt and the Marzal, among many other cars, was sold off to recover debts. By the time the Marzal found a collector, its steel lower half had corroded, while the silver leather upholstery needed a makeover. Even the mechanical parts were left untouched for over 30 years. Finally, it was shipped off to Lamborghini’s Polo Storico team for a full restoration. The company managed to find the original paint and leather to recreate the Marzal as close to its original specifications as possible.

The results of Lamborghini’s painstaking work was first showcased at the Geneva Motor Show this year. Now, fans of the Raging Bull from around the world can see it drive through the streets of Monte Carlo as well. Well done, Lamborghini.