With a top speed of over 160 miles per hour and only 54 units ever produced, the Lamborghini Silhouette is one of the most sought-after vehicles of the 1970s. About 23 units have been lost since production ended, and there are currently an estimated 31 Silhouettes remaining in the world.
Lamborghini has always been known for outrageous luxury and unimaginable performance, but the Silhouette was an early attempt to make Lamborghinis more accessible to the public. At a starting cost of about $27,000 ($114,000 in today’s dollars), the Silhouette was one of Lamborghini’s cheapest vehicles.
Lamborghini has made some pretty outstanding cars, and we all want to learn more about them. Here, we’ll cover everything from the Silhouette’s performance specs to its engine and styling.
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Start earning nowWhat makes the Lamborghini Silhouette special?
In short, the Silhouette was Lamborghini’s second attempt at releasing their V8 engine and was meant to stimulate sales after the Urraco failed to break into the budget-supercar market.
While its performance and comfort were miles above its cost, the Silhouette’s angular aesthetic broke away from Lamborghini’s traditional look—a quality that made it somewhat less appealing to buyers but adds to its historical significance.
Engine
The Lamborghini Silhouette came equipped with Lamborghini’s 90-degree V8 petrol engine. With 165 horsepower and a 5-speed manual transmission, the Silhouettes engine was at the cutting edge of its time in terms of budget vs. performance capabilities.
In fact, Lamborghini specifically designed the V8 engine for their budget cars. The reduced cost of building the V8 engine allowed Lamborghini to significantly mark down the market value of the Silhouette, opening the doors for a whole new demographic of buyers.
Speed
The Silhouette had a top speed of around 160 miles per hour, putting it right at the top of budget-supercar competitors at the time. Plus, the Silhouette could accelerate from 0-60 in just 6.5 seconds. While that may not sound like much in today's terms, the fastest accelerating car of the 1970s was the Porsche 911, which could go from 0-60 in just 4.9 seconds.
It’s also worth considering that the Silhouette was marketed to the upper-middle class. Considering its target group, price, and era, the Silhouette was just about as fast as you could expect.
Styling
As far as Lamborghinis go, the Silhouette’s aesthetic is somewhat underwhelming.While most of the design is fairly standard for a sports car of the time, the Silhouette incorporates a black bar at the front of its overhanging bumper. The result is a clunky design that doesn’t quite hold up against most other Lamborghini models.
Customization
Since the Silhouette has been out of production since 1979, it isn’t exactly customizable. Even at the time of its original release, the Silhouette was more of a take-it-or-leave-it kind of car. While buyers could pick the color, the car's design and the engine were standard across all units.
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When the Lamborghini Silhouette was first sold, it was priced at only $27,000.In today’s terms, that amounts to about $114,000.Of course, it’s been a while since the Silhouette has been on the market. Nowadays, the only way to find a Silhouette is at an auction, where they can sell for as little as $30,000 or as much as $130,000.
How much does it cost to insure a Lamborghini Silhouette?
Given the limited number of Silhouettes and the time since it was released, it’s difficult to assess exactly how much car insurance costs for a Lamborghini Silhouette.That said, Lamborghini car insurance rates
typically range from $5,000 to $8,000 a year. But given the Silhouette’s relatively low cost (in terms of Lamborghinis), it’s likely you can insure it for less. How does the Lamborghini Silhouette compare to other models?
The Aventador seems to be in a class of its own—but just how does it stack up against competitors? From the Lamborghini Huracán, Countach, and Urus to competing makes like Ferrari and Bugatti, here’s how the Aventador compares in price, specs, and speed.
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Chevrolet Corvette C3 Stingray | | | | |
Where you can buy a Lamborghini Silhouette
There are currently only around 31 Silhouettes left in circulation so finding one won’t be as easy as going to a dealership and asking for the Silhouette. Instead, you’ll need to find private sellers or keep your eye on major car auctions.
While there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to find one, the easiest way to buy a Silhouette is to track down a current owner and see if they’re interested in selling.
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