News Flash! Pirana Surfaces in the Desert!

If you read my recent articles about the Lamborghini Espada and its progenitor, the Bertone Pirana, you will recall that this Jaguar E-type-based, one-off show car had essentially been out of the public eye since Earl's Court Motor Show of 1967 and a few subsequent shows that year. My attempts to find modern photos of the car for the article had been unsuccessful. Then all of a sudden, BAM, the car appears on EBAY, and is located in Palm Springs, CA!!

Bring A Trailer broke the story, and I am just floored to find the car still exists, though it has been repainted a rather fetching shade of Green. Any bets on how much this exceedingly rare handmade prototype will sell for?? It's times like this I really wish I was a millionaire.

Update on Monday, October 11, 2010 at 5:34PM by Bradley Price

The Pirana's ebay auction ended with a high bid of 190K, but did not meet the reserve.  Item has been relisted with an opening bid of 150K.

Bertone Pirana - British Cat in an Italian Suit

In researching the history of the Lamborghini Espada, I was surprised to discover that it was not based solely upon the famously outlandish Marzal concept car, which was built on a stretched Miura chassis for the 1967 Geneva Motor Show. In fact, there was another less famous Bertone show car built for the 1967 Earl's Court Motor Show in London, which even more closely presages the Espada.  It was constructed by Bertone directly over a Jaguar E-type 4.2 Liter 2+2 chassis provided willingly(!) by Jaguar.  I think most observers would agree that Marcello Gandini's design doesn't hold a candle to Malcom Sayer's iconic feline curves, but the result is an fascinating historical footnote that is worth remembering, and puts the Espada into context. Does anyone know where this one-of-a-kind car ended up? I was unable to find any modern photos of the Pirana online.

By the way, don't you love the lightweight Dunlop alloy wheels?