1987 Lamborghini Jalpa Sells for Big Cash on BringATrailer
As the collector car market warms to its charms, a late-production Jalpa is not the bargain it once was.
The Lamborghini Jalpa is often forgotten when discussing the brand. After all, as an entry-level model, it always stood in the shadow of its brawnier, more dramatically-styled older brother, the Countach.
This black 1987 model, which just sold on BringATrailer, represents one of the nicest examples of the breed. That’s thanks in no small part to covering just 7,500 miles since new. When the hammer fell, it sold for a whopping $87,000, and is proof positive that the collector car market is finally beginning to wake up to the Jalpa.
Just a decade ago, these cars were changing hands with some regularity for less than $40,000. While this exceptionally clean example may very well be the mountaintop, the saying goes that a rising tide raises all ships. The days of being able to buy a Jalpa for Camry money are over. The secret’s out.
The Jalpa is an evolution of the previous Silhouette, itself an update of the Urraco. With just 410 built between 1981 and 1988, it seems like buyers forgot it even when it was new. The contemporary Countach models – the LP500S and the 5000 QV – outsold it two to one. That’s despite being driven by Sylvester Stallone on the big screen in Rocky IV, and by Phil Collins on the small screen as a guest star on an episode of Miami Vice.
The Jalpa was Lamborghini’s last V8-powered road car to date. While it wasn’t as dramatic-looking as the Countach, it was almost certainly easier to drive and live with on a day-to-day basis. When new, it offered performance similar to the Ferrari 328, which also served as that brand’s entry-level model.
The car seen here was built relatively late in the production run. That means that it received the benefit of all of the minor styling updates that occurred throughout the Jalpa’s run. Those updates include body-colored bumpers, round taillights, and an optional Countach-style rear spoiler. In our eyes, that makes this one of the most attractive Jalpas we’ve seen offered for sale.
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