The Lamborghini Islero was unveiled at the 1968 Geneva Autosalon as the successor to the 350 GT and 400 GT 2+2.

Whilst the angular style of the car was contemporarily controversial, the passage of time has been kind and today it is the epitome of the type of car that Ferrucio Lamborghini envisioned his company creating from the outset: an elegant gentleman’s express, capable of outperforming its peers at Ferrari and Maserati whilst making the minimum of fuss in the process.

For the chassis, Lamborghini used the same square tube design as that employed in the 400 GT, choosing to retain the same inner structure and wheelbase but increasing the track to permit the use of wider tyres.

Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera would have been the logical choice for the bodywork, given its involvement with the 350 GT and 400 GT, but the company had been wound up in 1966 and instead the task fell to a group of ex-Touring employees led by Mario Marazzi at Carrozerria Marazzi.

Eschewing the fastback...