The Lamborghini Silhouette - Brilliant.. Yet Virtually Unknown?

I drive a true 70s legend.. the Lamborghini Silhouette - A Brilliant Baby Countach that is one of Lamborghini's rarest cars. Only 54 were ever made and yet from the V8 engine to the looks this is truly a special Italian supercar of the 1970s.. so why were so few sold?
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[@dudovich13]

James May bought one that arrived on a flatbed and broke down immediately. All three of their cars - a Dino 308 GT4, the Jalpa, and Clarkson's Maserati Merak were all pieces of crap. The moral was, don't buy used supercars.

[@Number27]

Yes.. but they bought then 40 year old cars that had issues, hadn’t been looked after properly for years (they were cheap then) didn’t fix them before driving, took no care of them and I’m sure parts were staged.

[@DonCarnaje]

Top Gear is fake as fnck.

[@manofweed1]

Urraco not a Jalpa. Anyway that whole supercar edition was very entertaining, but total BS.

[@robellis2011]

you know the whole top gear show was scripted, right? everything they said and everything that happened was pre-planned by the writers. don't disagree that buying the cheapest 70's supercar you can find then driving the crap out of it and doing a mega road trip is likely to result in some sort of breakdown, but its not necessarily the nightmare that the show portrayed.

[@RUfromthe40s]

it was an urraco, this is similar but a silhouette

[@Jaq365]

Incredible car. It's almost as if a Countach and an X1/9 had a baby.

[@kttk4564]

Same father, though... 😊

[@RICHBLACKCOCK]

​@@kttk4564Countach & 914 PORSCHE hybrid❗❗❗

[@djsilverva]

All of the 70’s Bertones looked very similar, this Lamborghini, X1/9 and Ferrari have the same genetics 😂

[@anonymous_bot_bot]

I remember the Jalpa very well, the Silhouette was one of those cars which escaped my radar. Jalpa's were also very good looking cars.

[@RUfromthe40s]

@@djsilverva but the X1/9 was poorly built .allthough it looked very nice when new and cheaper than the mid 70´s improved wolksvagenporshe and called something 16 ,this was a cheaper and nicer to drive option but today the poor materials make it look horrible but it was a Fiat, lot´s of diferent models look bad today and when new they looked very good , so why spend a fortune on a porshe, that it wasn´t ,if a new and atractive model was maybe less than half the price, but earlier i had bought when released in yellow the Wolksporshe and it looked beautifull compared to the more powerfull version after a few years and didn´t look good but strange, allthough they made it faster, but the X1/9 was more atractive when new

[@bicyclist2]

The Lamborghini Silhouette has always been my favorite Lambo since I was a little kid. Most people I talk to have never seen one, and don't know what it is. This is the first time I've ever seen a review of one. I have only ever seen two of these Silhouette's ever go up for sale in the last 30 years. One red one at Curated in Miami, and another gold one at a auction. I believe that the Lamborghini Silhouette is the best looking car Lamborghini has ever made and Bertone ever designed. I'm probably the only one who thinks so. I was always a big fan of anything Bertone designed. Thank you.

[@leolopezvalido1892]

After reading your words, I agree with you. To me it looks absolutely timeless, beautiful and unique. My favourite Lamborghini... ever! Thanks

[@simonhodgetts6530]

No, you’re not the only one - this, and the Jalpa are by far my favourite Lambos.

[@ThunderChunky101]

Oh no I mostly agree! I don't like most lambo's, but this one is pretty special. The Miura of course, and some special edition Countach's, but this is nicer looking than nearly every car they ever made.

[@richardconway6425]

Oh, this is a great looking car, no doubt. It still looks like a very modern design. Bertone designs were always very 'modern' looking.

[@kmisad]

Credits to great Marcelo Gandini for all those great cars Bertone did while he was chef designer. He had to wait for a couple of years, to get the position, as in his first attempt, Giorgetto Giugiaro, had his veto against Bertone recruiting him.

[@ThePedroDB]

I owned a Jalpa (one of only 35 RHD made..) for a few years back in the Noughties and used to meet a few Silhouette owners at car events. The sharp design of the Silhouette is very 70's cool. Mike Pullen of Carrera Sport used the manifolds from his Silhouette as a 'pattern' to make Stainless examples for my car. A couple of points. No Urraco had recirculating ball steering - they were all rack & pinion. The 3.0L engine appeared in the Urraco P300 and was used unchanged in the Silhouette. The 3.5L engine in the Jalpa was the ultimate development of the Lambo V8 - it was more flexible engine and sounded equally epic (especially with the Sport Exhaust fitted - which mine had!).

[@TheOriginalGeekyNoob]

The steering wheel alone is absolutely heroic.

[@rogerwennstrom6677]

Love it! The whole cockpit just exudes 80's sci-fi and arcade cabinets :)

[@ChishanFipz]

wow - I didn't notice that but it's now my absolute favorite car steering wheel - those angles! That depth!

[@10secondsrule]

You need a pretty long hands to use a the most important device on a car for Italians - the horn 😂

[@diazfernandezantonio]

I thought the same 🤔

[@Truth-Machine5000]

Like an early 80s Dodge/Plymouth Charger/Horizon, steering wheel.

[@Greg-io1ip]

That's a real beauty. Perfect balance and 3 liters. Proof anything bigger is more than a mouthful.

[@johnandrews3568]

That engine note is GOLD! I always loved the Silhouette as the lines are SO VERY 1970s supercar. Just a shame they couldn't pass the emissions on this side of the pond. Awesome review, Jack! Thanks.

[@EdDale44135]

What a glorious noise from that engine!

[@davidstenhouse5908]

what an incredible sound from that engine, that would never get old :)

[@icsunonove72]

I had a thought, yes it happens... Most car reviewers start by standaing around the car and they babble for at least ten minutes. You do the opposite, you just drive and tell everything about the car at the same time. I like that! It makes the movie come alive right from the start.

[@w.e.s.]

Most people like me likes to see all the details more then the drive...he didnt review anything just the drive.

[@icsunonove72]

@@w.e.s. Well, in that case, "most people" get what they want from other rather boring youtubers.

[@Gatitasecsii]

Instant gratification in full display. I love the build up and learning about the car and appreciating it's beauty and details before delighting on it's driving experience vicariously.

[@markland_swe]

I really enjoy the shorter format (compared to many other youtubers) and even though short you get most of what one would expect to get to know! It's great, thanks so much! Oh and yeah, that car is lovely!

[@OneCatFamily]

There are very few videos on YT that bring a smile to my face, and Jack's are always among those. Thanks, Signor Jack!

[@Number27]

Thank you, really good to hear you enjoyed it!!

[@TijgerTim]

The Silhouette has always been one of my favourite Lambos; nothing can displace the Miura but for mid-engined, this is a beauty.

[@rhettcorcoran2879]

What a great looking and sounding car, excellent video.

[@lambd5578]

Thank you too, Richard you lucky man, for sharing your beautiful motor car. Belissimo!! Great review 27.

[@matthewnicholas6365]

Holy ****ing ***t, that noise

[@VndNvwYvvSvv]

It's clipping. That's not what it really sounds like. What a shame.

[@Arthurroo00]

I have never seen one before, and oh my god this is true beauty to watch, this might be honestly the most beautiful car ever made and that color with that wheels, its perfect. These lines are a real work of art, it is very satisfying to look at this car and the engine sound its perfect for it. Congratulations to the owner, it's a very special car, this is a dream car.

[@benbustama3430]

What a treat this was! What an epic car. The sound is total eargasm! Thanks for this awesome presentation! Lamborghini FTW! Cheers

[@georgebettiol8338]

A wonderful video of the Silhouette, noting it's glorious engine note. However, the Urraco was fitted with a rack and pinion steering, whilst the Silhouette used the engine as fitted to the Urraco P300 (3.0 ltre version) with twin over head cams per bank. It was the later Jalpa that used an enlarged 3.5 litre version of the said V8 engine - also with twin over head cams per bank.

[@Number27]

You are absolutely right.. don’t know where I got the steering rack comment from… and I did know the later Urraco had the bigger engine but I guess I was comparing to the original!

[@ianminter7822]

I'm glad you enjoyed the Silhouette, Jack. I owned my Urraco P300 from 1987 to 1993 and loved almost every minute. Even back then, I thought it was an underrated car and not appreciated by those who had yet to experience one. A 'friend' used to sneer that it was merely a product of a tractor manufacturer, so couldn't be much good. Needless to say, he never got to have a ride in it!

[@bobstevens9040]

There's that impish grin again Jack , whenever you put your clog down in anything Italian...LOVE IT!!

[@steveluck9541]

Got to love the junior Countach looks and noise. What a great car.

[@mantarayal]

OMG...the sound...and those wheels!!! They are...astonishing.

[@Lucan-ve6zc]

Spot on. Delicious wheels.

[@grayfool]

Love those Lambo V8s. All three of the series were terrific things. What a privilege to drive one.

[@TripleZ89]

I am glad this video exists. I was under the impression the Silhouette was a prototype and not an actual production car. Wow.

[@MGman100]

I had a die cast one of these when I was young in the late 70s. Always thought they looked fantastic. I didn't realise that they were so rare. Great review, the car sounds amazing! 😊

[@Nowheremt]

Playart?

[@MGman100]

@@Nowheremt I honestly can't remember!

[@michaelgautreaux3168]

From Urraco, thru Silhouette & finally the Jalpa...just fabulous. 👍👍

[@thatcheapguy525]

what a wonderful soundtrack coming from the rear!

[@740414daan]

It looks absolutely incredible!!!!

[@thelonelywolf88]

That engine noise is absolutely gorgeous 😍

[@VndNvwYvvSvv]

It's absolutely clipping beyond the limits of the mic. It doesn't sound like that IRL. It's a shame they let it distort

[@jokerzwild00]

Wow. I rarely ever see anything like this that I haven't seen before. Honestly. I'm 45, and have been rabidly browsing the internet since the 90s, learning about all sorts of different things. Cars are one of the things that I like as well, so naturally i watch and read a lot about them. I am stunned that I've never seen or heard of this one before, especially since the Countach was so iconic when i was a child. Amazing, and thank you.

[@RedLP5000S]

Pantera vibe with Countach looks. I love it.

[@andrewnorris5415]

I love the looks personally. Sounds amazing! Glad it drives so well.

[@ryaneccles1237]

I love the look of it, like a Countach and a Pantera had a baby!

[@mmolt36]

That color and wheel combo is to die for! Bellissima!

[@MrBigPipesYT]

That car sounds absolutely AWESOME! Never heard of it before... gave me Jalpa vibes but WOW! This may be one of the most beautiful V8 engines I have ever heard!

[@Ricketik65]

Always loved this one but never seen, let alone heard one. Absolutely fabulous. And those wheels!!!

[@zaidshanan4882]

So beautiful......the ultimate development of the Urraco before the Jalpa appeared.

[@will4688]

It sounds amazing. Great video.

[@UberLummox]

@4:55 that always freaks me out when I see a car coming in the "wrong" (to me) lane! My heart jumps a little! Great video!!!

[@sebastiend.5335]

We'll get out of the way before you are anywhere near us! :)

[@UberLummox]

@@sebastiend.5335 Ha! Good plan!

[@RA-uj3nm]

Spectacular car. Have always loved those "bravo" wheels. Just stunning. 🍺🍺

[@zzhughesd]

Addictive car. Addictive video. What a thing.

[@albertseabra9226]

Indeed, a fabulous machine! The meandering Road is ideal to dance with ser, rain or no rain. Thank you for another awesome Video.

[@johnmclaughlin8877]

Brilliant video Jack on a very underappreciated Lamborghini. To me, it's much better looking than the Urraco and actually nicer than the Jalpa too (the black air intake on the Jalpa is angled awkwardly, this looks great). Great forward-leaning stance as well. Growing up in the early 80s, car magazines listed these (and the Jalpa) in the stats sections at the back but there were never any articles on them. For years I didn't even know what this or a Jalpa even looked like. They were a bit of an exotic mystery and to some extent the Silhouette still is. Thanks for shedding some light onto a fantastic and interesting piece of sports car history. This channel just gets better and better.

[@jackaubrey8614]

CAR did a bunch of issues featuring the Silhouette (in the days before they added the car lists at the back of the mag) - I still have them.

[@mrsaizo0000]

Beautiful car, beautiful sound!

[@longbeachcarguy]

Grew up in Belgium, I remember friends of my neighbor showing up about once a month in an Urraco. Design and engine sound, as a 10 or 12 year old kid, I fell in love with sports cars. I still remember that beauty 45 years later. Great video on the Silouhette, thanks

[@Willie-tf7zr]

That sound is heavenly. What a gorgeous beast.

[@davesmith60]

Beautiful car. Thanks to the owner for sharing it with us all.

[@ordinaryjoe2247]

Thank you, Richard and Jack. Much appreciated!

[@the_normsk]

Lovely looking car. I’d forgotten about this one and thought it was the Jalpa at first. Which is one of my favorite designs of all time, up there with the Pantera.

[@michaelpegasiou4531]

Looks like a Jalpa on old countach wheels,never heard of it.

[@richdixon]

This car looks incredible.

[@glennlambert5112]

Thanks. For those of us who grew up playing Top Trumps Super Cars in the seventies cars like this are very familiar. We got to see rare exotic makes like Monteverdi. maybe you could get a pack and work your way through it. Or maybe that is what your secretly doing

[@TzadikTheManic]

Have to say this is making me smile; love the Silhouette and have been fortunate to see a white example several years at the Greenwich Concours (CT, in the states). Your presentation style is quite engaging, I’m happy I stumbled upon your channel! -cheers

[@Wargasm54]

Looks like a Pantoghini 😎. Nice job Jack. And thanks to the owner for sharing. Especially considering how rare this beast is.

[@paulmatschull1923]

There is no such car as a Pantoghini.

[@Scotty70]

​@paulmatschull1923 He's joking and I believe making reference to the later model Pantera which does share some styling cues with the Shilouette.

[@McLarenMercedes]

@@Scotty70 So in essence not combining a brand name with another brand name or the model name with another model name but the model name with a brand name? Everybody will pick up on that... I suppose DeTomaghini or Pantoulette would be too obvious...

[@Scotty70]

@McLarenMercedes The original Pantera looked similar to the Urraco and even more so as the Urraco developed into the Silhouette and the Pantera into the GT-5, both becoming more angular and both adding wider wheel arches to accommodate wider wheels and tyres. I understood what he meant as did 7 other viewers that bothered to up vote the comment.

[@stephenricketts7764]

What a great sounding car and 70's look some of which is still nice to look at. What a shame they only mad a few. Great review Jack thanks.👍👍

[@andrewsutton7727]

Nice! I had a pair of remote control Silhouettes back in the early eighties! Forgot to mention the Jalpa, which followed the Silhouette in 1981, it had a production run of 410 cars.

[@wombatsauce]

Wow!! Had no idea so few were produced. I had a Testors model of this car which is the only reason I ever knew it existed.

[@xr8rick]

What an utterly glorious sounding machine. That steering wheel is a piece of art, in itself. From some angles the car looks beautiful but other times I’m not sold on it. Thanks for the video. I loved it.

[@rupertorgan7749]

I remember reading a road test on the Silhouette in Car magazine in period. I wanted one then and still want one now over 45 years later! Love the looks and please get it back and drive it on a sunny day along those beautiful Cotswold roads!

[@astroshooter1960]

That's a beautiful car, and it sounds awesome 👌

[@leolopezvalido1892]

Hello Jack! I'm left speechless after watching your video.. Probably my top dream car since seeing the Silhouette on the cover of Car magazine over 40 years ago... and now you putting us all in the driving seat.. absolutely epic!! A big thank you to your friend Richard for sharing this priceless gem with us all.

[@steveforde7475]

I remember that it was silver with black details and gorgeous.

[@merrowhouse2309]

Somehow, supercars back then seemed so glamorous. I know that rose-tinted glasses is a thing and supercars now are far far better built but also too fast, not as beautiful and somehow too common. Give me an Urraco built to modern standards.

[@leolopezvalido1892]

@@merrowhouse2309 I couldn't agree with you more!

[@Bamsebrakar2011]

I agree completely that the Urraco is the prettier car. All Lamborghinis of the 1960-90 era were made in small numbers, and it’s really a miracle that they survived. No wonder the Countach was developed for all it was worth, to keep the company floating.

[@jgg02]

Another great choice and review

[@LBRacingCars]

Very rarely have I not heard of a car. Well done Jack. Top content as always ❤

[@motorv8N]

Great drive, Jack - your smile as you wind up through the gears says it all!

[@landhopper4296]

I recommend Mel Nichols drive story “Convoy!” from Car magazine. 3 Lambos from Italy to the UK, across France when the Autoroutes had no speed limit, Lambos were fully run in before delivery and even a small one could do 160mph…

[@richardelder6519]

Quite A Machine! WHAT A NOISE😍🥰🤤😘

[@jmanhuntley]

what a sound! love it..

[@raydelamare5014]

Thanks Jack, a great car, it sounds epic, and that steering wheel.....

[@robbwatson2088]

Such a cool car. Thanx Richard for sharing with us all. Cheers

[@TheBasementChannel]

I could just sit and stare at those wheels. Gorgeous.

[@bfc3057]

Never heard of it - looks gorgeous

[@Assimilator1]

Never heard of this Lambo! Sounds epic!😎 I prefer it to it's predecessor, and I can see where the Countach got some of lines from.

[@dtengineering1]

Fabulous noise! Thanks for sharing.

[@leebuckles2364]

What an interesting car and amazing soundtrack

[@Challenger540i]

Lovely to see still cherished

[@chewybunz]

Fell in love with this model after seeing it in Road & Track back in 1976!

[@tomlanigan4308]

Ever since I saw one of these (a yellow one) in a 1978 Thoroughbred & Classic Cars magazine I fell in love with its dramatic looks.

[@kf2510]

Love this rare Lambo! 😊 Esp this one the red color and brown interior and that V8 sound! But where do you find parts and service for such a car??

[@murrieteacher]

Thanks Jack, that is the 1st time I have seen a Silhouette in action. It is a pretty car, maybe attractive is a better word. That engine sounds great too. They never made it to Oz. Needless to say, that is another great video, thanks.

[@ianminter7822]

Hmmm... are you sure? I had a P300 Urraco in Sydney from 1987-93 and thought I saw one, but maybe my memory is playing tricks!

[@rodrigoantunes8502]

what a glorious sound... just amazing... lovely car...

[@RobCallawaya2b]

Thanks for this, never seen a real one. I have an original brochure from when I used to collect car brochures as a kid.

[@julianadams2206]

Great review of a truly special car. I am sure that I’ve seen this very car displaying at a Goodwood breakfast club meeting before. It looks incredible in the flesh. As A kid of the 80’s these are true unicorns.

[@jeffreysalzman1497]

I wish they had made loads of these cars, I want one.

[@dad_jokes_4ever226]

What a beautiful car, and what a sound from the engine and the colour combo between the body , wheels and interior is spot on as well

[@hard-wired-g3787]

After reading a road test of one of these in the late '70's, either Car and Driver or Road &Track, I fell in love with this car as a 14 year old. ENTEX made a very nice 1/20 scale model kit of the Silhouette back then which is now long out of production. I ended up building 5 of them in various colors, I still have two.

[@chewybunz]

I think you read the same R & T article that I did. 1976.

[@mikewysko2268]

Oh my! The sound of that v8 engine! 🎶 🎶

[@buzzcrushtrendkill]

Alright, there it is. My new favorite car. How did I only learn of this now??

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

This is awesome car. I love this colour and design. Thank you for showcasing cars that never knew exited or could find on Gran Turismo. Nice video. Keep up the good work.

[@robertchapman6795]

As a kid, I always imagined the Urraco was a car for a doctor or dentist with a trophy wife and two well mannered young children. And the Silhouette and Jalpa were for young, well heeled tv stars. [edit] great vid and I loved it when you let it rev and clicked through the box! 👍

[@dazz400]

One of your best videos yet, I love love love the baby bull 🤗

[@gustavoflorio5383]

This is a hidden gem! And it looks great too! Amazing car!

[@Jonoponomono]

Amazing machine. The sound is epic, I bet you wish the 308 had sounded like that.

[@phils2180]

I still have a copy of Car magazine from the late 70's which features a road trip starting at the factory in Italy with the, then new, Silhouette, a Urraco P300 and a Countach. Naturally, most of the comparisons were done against the similarly powered Urraco, the performance from the V12 in the Countach being in a different league.

[@chrisnotley4563]

Back in 2016 so 40 years on from when CAR magazine first published “CONVOY” which featured a Silhouette, Urraco P300 and a Countach we recreated the amazing adventure and this car was a one of the trio along with my Urraco. We spent time sharing and comparing each others cars and which remains forever in my memory of epic road trips.

[@henryhol8538]

I think I saw this car at the London Concours! Looks brilliant, to me it looks better than the Uracco!

[@Compo67]

Simply awesome ❤😎

[@howardmckenna]

I've always loved the older "baby" Lambo's!!!

[@MartinD-r1f]

Always loved these but never seen one or heard one. Now I have!! Thanks so much Jack - you rock!

[@wallyr.7854]

That sound, that glorious sound, I need to change my shorts ☺️

[@robellis2011]

what a great car. 70's angular styling, mid-mounted v8 and a gated manual. doesn't get much better than this imho. who cares about top speed (or handling tbh) when it looks and sounds this good

[@rogermouton2273]

Love the looks; dash also looks good, much better than other Lambos of that era, if you ask me. I think the lack of sun visors must be an indication that they were targeting the British market...

[@highschoolrebuilds3972]

Music to my ears😊