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1966 TP200 Bertone Marzal (1 Made)
Chassis #10001 (0964?)
Engine #5001
The Marzal was the 1966 creation of Bertone's chief designer Marcello Gandini that would be unveiled to the public at the 1967 Geneva show. The car created quite a sensation with its gullwing doors and silver interior. Two months later the Marzal had the honor of being driven by HRH Prince Renier with Princess Grace in the passenger seat, around the Grand Prix circuit in Monte Carlo as a pace car for the start of the 1967 Monaco Grand Prix.
The Marzal was built on a lengthened Miura chassis to allow for two extra seats in the rear. Extra room was still needed and so the Miura engine was cut in half and the remaining bank of six cylinders was angled back further. The resulting two litre engine (1965cc) had to work pretty hard to move the Marzal's bulk which was about 50% heavier than the Miura. This arrangement was later scraped when it was decided to put it into production. The complete V12 would then be used but would be mounted in front of the passenger compartment.
The Marzal while having great expanses of glass, didn't have rolldown windows. This would surely cause much discomfort on hot summer days. One wonders how the Prince and Princess faired on their short drive. The gullwing doors could also pose a problem in the car were put on its roof.
The Marzal suffered from many problems that would have to be overcome were it to reach production. It's low 43 inches height left little in the way of ground clearance and even less room for luggage even with the radiator in the rear. The honeycomb dash did influence the early series I Espada but was later changed for obvious reasons.
The Marzal, while exciting to look at, had its drawbacks and they were many as with most showcars. It did get much publicity for Lamborghini which is probably worth the price paid to build it. The car was used for a year, being shown at shows around the world before being retired. Today it resides in the Bertone Museum in Italy and is taken out on special occasion.
The car appeared at the 1996 Concours Italiano in Monterey, California just outside of San Francisco. It was brought for the celebration of Carrozzeria Bertone who was the featured constructor that year. Pictured at left, is contributor Paul Clemence of New Zealand at the wheel. In the background can be seen the Athon show car also by Bertone.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Lamborghini TP 200 Marzal
| | ENGINE |
| Type | In-Line 30° DOHC 6 Cylinder
Transversely Mounted
Mid-Engined |
| Valves | 2 per cylinder |
| Bore/Stroke | 82mm x 62mm |
| Capacity | 1.965cc |
| Max power | 175bhp @ 6,800rpm |
| Max torque | 1732 ft/lbs @ 4,800rpm |
| Compression | 9.2:1 |
| Carburation | 3 Weber 40 DCOE Twin Throat |
TRANSMISSION |
| Gearbox | 5-speed + reverse
All-Syncromesh |
| Clutch | Single dry plate
hydraulically operated |
| Differential | ZF-type limited slip in unit with
engine/transmission |
| Final Drive | 5.30:1 |
STRUCTURE |
| Chassis | Tubular |
| Body | Aluminum |
| Builder | Bertone |
| Suspension | Independent, coil springs
and telescopic shock absorbers |
| Axle Ratio | 11/45 |
| Brakes | Girling ventilated discs |
| Wheels | Campagnolo Cast Magnesium |
| Tires | 205-14
Pirelli Cinturato HS |
MEASUREMENTS |
| Overall Height | 1080 mm / 42.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 2620 mm / 102.1 in |
| Front Track | 1480 mm / 57.7 in |
| Rear Track | 1480 mm / 57.7 in |
| Weight | 1200 kg / 2640 lb |
| Fuel Tank | 80 L / 21 gal |
| Luggage | 11 cubic feet |
PERFORMANCE |
| Top speed | 118 mph |
COST TO BUILD |
$70,000 in 1966 |
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