Lamborghini Faena

Vehicle Overview

The Lamborghini Faena is a unique, one-off creation by the renowned Italian coachbuilder Pietro Frua, who was tasked with transforming the 1974 Lamborghini Espada into a four-door luxury vehicle. Completed in 1978, the Faena was designed on a reinforced Espada Series II chassis, marking a distinctive departure from Lamborghini’s usual design philosophy, which was more focused on two-door sports cars. Frua’s modifications to the Espada were extensive. The chassis was stretched by 178 mm (7 inches) to accommodate the rear seats, which added an additional 200 kg (440 pounds) to the car’s total weight. Despite the added weight, the Lamborghini Faena retained its powerful presence, with a total length of 4586 mm (18 feet) and a width of 1900 mm. The wheelbase was extended to 2830 mm, and the vehicle maintained a sleek height of only 1250 mm, giving it an impressive stance on the road. The Faena’s extended body and proportions made it a remarkable sight. When it was first unveiled at the 57th Salone internazionale dell’Automobile in Turin in 1978, the Faena captured attention with its clean front lines, featuring large twin pop-up headlights. It was shown again to the public on the 1980 Geneva Auto Show. . However, its rear design was less well-received, which may have contributed to its lack of commercial success. Despite the car’s attractive overall appearance and advanced features like a sliding sunroof (which set it apart from the odd glass panel sunroof found in a particular Espada), the Faena never found a market. Frua had hoped that the Faena could be produced in limited quantities, but the car was ultimately a one-off. Despite its failure in terms of production, the Lamborghini Faena remains a fascinating piece of automotive history, showcasing the potential of coachbuilding artistry and Lamborghini’s willingness to experiment with new designs. Today, the Faena is remembered as an impressive, yet elusive, example of bespoke automotive craftsmanship.