Miguel Sánchez
Today there are so many audiovisual media that one does not know what to focus on. Some are hooked on this or that series platform while others… They get informed through their mobile screen with videos destined directly to Youtube. All this hubbub implies that "Go out on TV" It is no longer synonymous with the fact that a good portion of the population of a country is watching you.
However, when a major sporting event was broadcast decades ago, it concentrated the attention of millions and millions of viewers attentive to the few existing channels. What does this mean? Well, even if you do not know the unit that we are going to present to you today ... This already had its minutes of fame when Prince Rainier III led it for the inaugural ride of the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix in the company of his wife Grace Kelly and the then lad -and today king- Albert II.
That way Lamborghini it managed to show the whole world what would be its most successful model from 1968 to 1978 with about 1217 units sold: the 4-seater coupe Sword. A great tourism with all the comforts that its wild hiding 12-liter V4 engine and up to 350CV under the body of a flattened coupe.
LAMBORGHINI PLEXIGLAS SWORD: LOVE FOR CAMERAS
As you have seen, the 7293 chassis was born with a certain flair for stardom. In fact, after the media tour of Monaco he left for the USA, where was showcased at the New England Auto Show achieving a great impact in the American motor press. In short, before being delivered to its first buyer -Franklin S. Davis- this car was key to the advertising campaign that rolled out the red carpet at the Sant'Agata factory in America.
And in addition to its history… There are technical elements that make it truly unique. Because this Espada S1 -key with which we know the models of the first series- is the only one that has a eye-catching plexiglas ceiling capable of delivering even more light and spaciousness to an interior designed for long trips without sacrificing the sportiness of a muscular Italian.
Well it is true that this transparent piece is not as impressive as the plexiglass body of that Pontiac assembled in 1939, but it predates the sunroofs so widespread today in almost any type of vehicle. A license to comfort that coordinates perfectly with the luminous paint "metallic blue" also used by Bertone on the one and only Miura Roadster.
RETURN TO LAMBORGHINI AND DIRECT TO THE 50 ANNIVERSARY
After passing through various collectors on the East Coast and Texas, he finally returned to Italy when he was bought by one of the nephews of Ferruccio Lamborghini, which was auctioned during the last Historic Monaco GP within a lot where they were included other Sword, a Jarama and three tractors. Of course ... A very representative image of the duality in which Ferruccio always moved, which earned him sentences such as "You will know how to drive tractors, but you will never know how to drive a Ferrari" on account of the same mouth of "Il Commendatore".
Restored in 2013 and signed by a grown Alberto de Monaco, the Espada S1 with chassis 7293 is being one of the sensations of the 40th anniversary of the model, estimating between 550.000 and 750.000 euros the value it will reach in its next Monegasque auction. And the thing is, anyway… As much as we love Maranello's cars, if we had Enzo Ferrari in front of us, we couldn't stop telling him "Wow, not bad at all for a tractor, huh?".
We leave you with a Video of the 1969 GP, which is always a pleasure to travel back in time 😉
