Chrysler almost put a Lamborghini badge on a K-Car

Chrysler Imperial, by Lamborghini.

In 1987 Chrysler acquired Lamborghini. I barely remember it and if you’re younger than 40 you probably don’t remember it either. Even those who do, probably never knew that we were about five seconds away from a Chrysler Imperial Lamborghini Edition, according to Bob Lutz writing for Road and Track. But here are the basics.

Chrysler bought Lambo for $25 million just after “Maximum” Bob Lutz joined Chrysler. Lee Iacocca wanted Lamborghini to be a top level trim based on a K-Car chassis. “All it would require was more expensive leather, rampaging-bull badges, and the familiar Lamborghini script displayed prominently inside and out,” says Lutz.

Tom Gale, vice president of design acquiesced, but made the concept so over the top with, Italian red paint, brown leather with Lambo badges, Lamborghini wheels and tires that even Iacocca thought it was too much. It never made it to production, thankfully.

The next plan for the Italian brand was to create F1 engines with the help of chief engineer Francois Castaing. He once was the technical director for Renault Sport and was the designer of the Renault RS10, a car that started F1’s turbo era.

That proved too expensive, but the consolation was that the Italian company could supply engines for the sport. Lutz sold the idea to Iacocca “as being beneficial to the luster of the brand.” It too ended up a disappointment, never taking a victory or pole, just managing third in Japan in 1990.

At the same time, the Dodge Viper was being mulled. Chrysler had a V10 but it was too low tech for the application. The idea was to let Lamborghini convert the 8.0-liter to something more sports-car friendly. But around 1994, Chrysler was in a selling mood. Its rental car business went, then Gulfstream, then Lamborghini. We did, however, get the an alloy V10, and eventually the Viper, so, good deal for us buyers.

Check out the rest of the piece at R&T.

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