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EUROWORKS EXOTICS HISTORY 4
During the latter Eighties, several developments of the Countach
were made under direct supervision of both Patrick Mimran
and Giulio Alfieri. The Countach Evolution and the Restyling
prototype were both built, the former was destroyed in a crash
test but the latter is currently still owned by Mimran himself.
But the Countach lasted long enough by now and something new
was needed, work on the Project 132 began, it was again designed
by Marcello Gandini, a gray painted fully drivable prototype
was constructed long before Chrysler arrived.
The Nuova Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini SpA was making
money again, but suddenly on April 23rd 1987 Lee Iacocca,
president of Chrysler Corporation, announced he bought the
SantAgata company from Patrick Mimran. Why Mr. Mimran decided
to sell the company remains unknown but he couldn't have chosen
a better time, the super car market was at the top and the
Countach was selling very well in the United States and prices
for exotic cars were booming at that time, second hand cars
costing even more than their new counterparts.
Chrysler changed the name back to Automobili Lamborghini SpA
but did keep the winning team together, Emil Novarro stayed
at his position, together with Daniele Audetto, Liugi Marmiroli,
and Gianfranco Venturelli and naturally Ubaldo Sgarzi they
were allowed to keep managing the Italian factory. Public
Relations was headed by Sandro Munari, who when he joined
Lamborghini was already a world famous rally driver and multiple
world champion.
The first car to emerge from this purchase was the Portofino
although this car was entirely built in the United States;
it never even entered the SantAgatha factory. Before the Project
132 was ready to go into production the Countach received
a final update, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding
of Automobili Lamborghini SpA, the Countach 25th Anniversario
was build. Intended to be a limited production car at first,
the orders began pouring in, and Chrysler decided to keep
it in production until their successor was ready, the 25th
Anniversary became one of the most successful Countach types
ever.
Chrysler decided to halt production of the Jalpa in 1988 and
the LM002 was being built in larger numbers than ever, this
mastodon off-road racer hybrid was becoming a very hot commodity
in the States, a head turner completely without competition.
Lee Iacocca didn't like the Gandini design for the P132 and
decided it had to be redesigned by his own American based
designers, but the Italian management was able to get him
to compromise between the Gandini design and the US designs,
so Marcello was still willing to put his signature on the
most drivable Lamborghini since the Espada.
Chrysler decided to sell Automobili Lamborghini SpA after
it became obvious to them the management of a small Italian
super car manufacturer was in no way comparable to that of
a mass-producer like Chrysler.
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