Lamborghini P140 prototype remains unrealized, shaping future supercars

The Lamborghini P140 was a planned 1980s "baby" supercar that never entered production. Designed by engineer Paolo Stanzani with an aluminum chassis and a 4.0‑litre V10 delivering about 370 hp, it featured advanced suspension and a lightweight body under 1,300 kg. The project was overseen by chief engineer Giulio Alfieri and intended to succeed the Jalpa and Silhouette models.

When Chrysler, led by Lee Iacocca, acquired Lamborghini in the late 1980s, the company faced financial strain. The early‑1990s recession and the change in ownership halted the P140, and the prototype never saw a factory. Although the car never materialised, its technical concepts and V10 engine layout later influenced Lamborghini’s successful Gallardo and Huracán models, and ultimately the Urus SUV.

The P140 story illustrates how corporate decisions and economic conditions can curtail automotive innovation, while its legacy lives on in later Lamborghini supercars.