Courtesy Bertone Group.
By Roberto Motta and Pete Vack
As a consequence of the financial reorganization of Bertone, the liquidators of the Bertone Museum have chosen to offer six automobiles to collectors. These wonderful cars will be auctioned by RM at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Cernobbio, Italy, 21st May, 2011. Three of the most original, thought provoking and classic Italian designs launched on high performance Lamborghini chassis are previewed in depth below. The remaining three–the Stratos Zero, Corvair Testudo and Lancia Sibilo will be showcased next week.
Strictly speaking, Marzal is a Spanish adjective pertaining to the month of March. It may also be the name of a type of bull. Whichever, Marzal seems a fitting name for this Gandini creation based on the Lamborghini Miura chassis, which was lengthened by some 120mm to gain extra room for a four seater showcar. While the frame was more, the engine was less, using a straight six, half of the Miura’s V12, angle into to the rear of the car, not midships but hanging over the rear drivetrain. The 1964 cc six produced 175 bhp, with three Weber 40DCOE carburetors and a five-speed gearbox.
It is one of the most spectacular Italian concepts ever to be realized in metal. It was also driven by Prince Rainier and Princess Grace Kelly around the circuit of the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix. (The auction estimate is €1.000.000 – €1.800.000).
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Courtesy Bertone Group.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Lamborgini Bravo,1974 s/n NS46 01
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
First seen at the 1974 Turin Auto Show, the Bravo was distinctively Marcello Gandini, with the angled rear wheel cutout and a proliferation of slats and strange openings that provided a total leitmotif for the entire design. The slot motif included the dashboard, which failed to appreciate Gandini’s otherwise brilliant efforts. The Bravo had a mid engine V8, with a wheelbase of 2250 mm was built on a shortened Uracco P300 chassis. Intended as a two-seat companion to Urraco 2+2, it used the 2,996 cc transverse mid-mounted 90° V-8 DOHC engine, of about 300 bhp. Connected to engine there is a five-speed gearbox. The Bravo has independent front suspension with McPherson struts, independent rear suspension with Chapman struts
As with many other Bertone show cars of the era, the Bravo was repainted early on in its life; the original light metallic yellow gave way to a darker shade of green. It was subsequently finished in pearlescent white just a few years ago as part of a light overhaul. RM will offer the Bravo in very presentable condition, directly from the Carrozzeria Bertone Collection.
(The auction estimate is €150.000 – €220.000)
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
1980 Lamborghini Athon, 1980 s/n S155/01
Pronounced AH-tawn, it is a word taken from Egyptian mythology that roughly means “Hymn to the Sun”, this showcar was introduced at Turin in April of 1980. Not a Ghandini design, it was the first Bertone concept car created under the direction of Frenchman Marc Deschamps, Gandini’s successor. The Athom is perhaps the least pleasing of the Lamborgini showcars, somewhat chunky and heavy in appearance. It has no top, but like many of the Bertone showcars, was fully drivable, (except in the rain.) Mechanically, the car was based on the Silhouette, itself closely derived from the Urraco. The three-liter V-8 gave 260 bhp at 7,500 rpm fed by four Weber carburetors and was mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The Athon remains an evocative styling statement of its era. Having never been subject to restoration, this striking example of Bertone’s design excellence is offered in absolutely original condition.
(The auction estimate is €150.000 – €220.000)
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
Photo by Tom Wood ©2011 Courtesy of RM Auction.
The Marzal is over the top and the Athon looks like an electric shaver, since I grew up in the 70s Ill take the Bravo, Gandini at his best.
And those deep dish wheels, that’s how a wheel should look!
I kinda like the horizontal dashboard. It reminds me of a dashboard!
€150k for the Bravo? Surely there’s a zero missing! As a seminal one-off Lamborghini concept it must be worth more than a common mid-range Ferrari?
It is interesting to see these Gandini designs and to think in your minds eye of the Muira. They lack the sophistication in execution which Giugiaro was always able to achieve with his Mangusta and the other sheer car designs like the Ace of Spades, etc. Giugiaro made curved lines look straight and curved surfaces look flat, these straight lines look negative and the curved surfaces look hollow.
They are dramatic because of architecture and proportion but do not rise to the Muira design standard in surface development, character and harmony.
There is no doubt in my mind that there is the presence of Giugiaro in the Muira.
DICK RUZZIN
Sad to see these historic cars go on the block, that said there will be some very happy and fortunate collectors when the hammer falls on these cars. I wish Mrs. Bertone well.
Best wishes for the future success of this amazing and historic styling studio.
The fame of Bertone will live on long after these and all cars have faded into obscurity.
I guess beauty must be in the eye of the beholder. I don’t see any classic ellegance in any of these 3 designs.
I think the Marzal will double it’s estimate , I had one back in 1972 it was orange and one day while racing a friends E type it we hit each other and my car dissapeared into a drain ( true story ) ahhh Matchbox cars …..
The auction estimates are all over the map; the least expensive ones seem fairly cheap for what they are, while the Marzal seems very high. The Marzal is spectacular, but the lines and details aren’t nearly as well resolved as on the Espada which was based on it. That said, detail resolution isn’t exactly the purpose of concept cars like the Marzal.
Mostly, though, I completely agree with Jim Simpson; it’s just a terrible shame that these are being liquidated in the bankruptcy of such a great design firm. Hopefully, a successful sale could pay off the creditors and still leave enough for Bertone to reorganize, if that’s possible. If so, there would seem more pont to the sacrifice.