Putting the word cheap and Lamborghini in the same sentence is quite oxymoronic. Since the Sant’Agata Bolognese, these Italian bulls have been sold for the price of gold. And that’s for a very good reason.
Unlike a Ferrari, which is all about glamour and status and less about speed, a Lamborghini is more about brutality and power. All Lamborghinis are known to be top performers styled so aggressively yet elegantly that you can’t afford not to have one as your poster car. Ask folks born in the ‘80s. If you didn’t have the Countach pasted on the walls of your bedroom, then you knew nothing about cars.
Interestingly, despite being one of the most expensive marques you can buy in the world, Lamborghinis can also be quite cheap – in comparison to what you can get brand new. There’s nothing horribly wrong with these 10 in particular. They are still ravaging bulls that can embarrass a few prancing horses in a straight-line or track battle. That’s why they’re still worth the investment given that prices are bound to hike as the years progress.
10 1981-1988 Lamborghini Jalpa ($70,000 – $100,000)
The Lamborghini Jalpa was released as an entry-level supercar. Also known as the “baby Lambo”, the Jalpa was used to finance bigger projects for Lamborghini. Specifically, the finances accrued from its sales were used to build the Miura and Countach.
The Jalpa, just like most baby Lambos, was thus less intimidating to drive which made it perfect for day-to-day use. It also donned the classic wedged Lamborghini design. The only downside to it was that it was costlier to run than a V8 Ferrari from the same era. Nonetheless, given about 410 were ever built, the prices of this unique Lamborghini keep climbing by the day. However, there is a listing of the 1988 Lamborghini Jalpa on sale with an asking price of $95,000 according to Hemmings.
9 2004 Lamborghini Murcielago – $134,999
The Lamborghini Murcielago is the spiritual predecessor of the ravaging Aventador. When it was launched in 2004, it came to announce one thing, that there’s a new Sherriff in town. This happened just after Audi had acquired Lamborghini and the company was being restructured back to its successful Italian roots. This marque sells at $134,999 according to Autotrader.
The Murcielago was a very cool car. Just like all Lamborghinis, it fit the poster car description. Its power came from a hard-charging, naturally aspirated, 6.2-liter V12 that sent power to all four wheels. However, the front rubber got 30% of it, with the remaining 70% being sent to the rear.
8 1994 Lamborghini Diablo – $169,900
The Diablo is Lamborghini’s not-so-little devil. Also, it is one of the company’s most famous cars. This wild machine was built between 1990 and 2001. It showcased just how wildly fast a Lamborghini could be, becoming the first Lambo to hit 200 mph.
That ushered Lamborghini into a new era where their marques were all about raw character. The Diablo felt more than a car. It was a living being. Apart from looking wild and driving aggressively, it was also the second longest-running production car in Lamborghini’s history. That is after the Countach which was produced for 16 years. This Lamborghini Diablo version is priced at $154,000 according to Hagerty car listings.
7 1972-1979 Lamborghini Urraco ($55,000 – $95,000)
The Urraco was a continuation of Lamborghini’s now evident pattern of naming their marques after famous bulls. The Urraco translated to “little bull”. It was launched at the 1970 Turin Motor Show.
The Urraco would remain in production until 1979.
Interestingly, the Urraco didn’t receive much attention as compared to other Lamborghini models. But that can be attributed to the fact that Lambo was selling a few other faster, better-styled, but more expensive marques. Only 800 were ever sold, each packing a quite powerful 2.5-liter V8 power unit. This stylish Lamborghini Urraco could be yours for $68,200 according to Classic.com.
6 1969 Lamborghini Islero – $170,000
The Lamborghini Islero first made it to the scene at the Geneva Auto Show in 1968. It packed a couple of eye-catchy features such as hidden pop-up headlights, which was a first for the company. The naming was in line with Lamborghini’s attachment to bulls, just like they had named the Espada and Miura.
But this was not a sports car or supercar. The Lamborghini Islero was built to be a grand tourer that could sit four. That meant that its styling wasn’t going to be as wild as that of the Espada that was launched alongside it. Nonetheless, it still packed a powerful 4-liter V12 that Lamborghini was now attaching to most of its marques.
5 1968-1978 Lamborghini Espada ($80,000 – $120,000)
The Espada is one of the few Lambos that changed the trajectory of the company in the late ‘60s as far as its vehicle lineup is concerned. This marque had to succeed if Lamborghini was going to have any hopes of a future. That’s because it was one of the first three nameplates the company ever produced.
When it was launched at the 1968 Geneva Auto Show, this Italian four-seater did not disappoint. Its production went on for years with Lamborghini adding a few modifications over time. Under the hood, the Espada ran on a 4.0-liter V12 engine that could cough up 325 hp. According to Hemmings, The Lamborghini Espada is listed for a whopping $109,900.
4 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder – $94,000
This is the cheapest Lamborghini droptop you can buy. The 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder is a work of art. It comes in different striking finishes, a black and white interior being one of the most striking. This particular Lambo was being sold in the used car market, having raked only 30,000 miles on the odometer. That’s after 10 years.
Despite being a droptop, the Gallardo Spyder did not compromise on performance. Behind the cabin sat a peppy 5.0-liter V10 engine that could pump out 520 hp. All this power was sent to the four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. This marque could set you back for about $94,000 per Car.UsNews price listings.
3 1970-1976 Lamborghini Jarama ($60,000 – $100,000)
Rarely do people talk about the Jarama when having conversations about Lamborghinis. That’s despite this Italian machine being a great daily driver packed with sporty styling and usable back seats. Plus, Lambo didn’t compromise with the power unit, packing the Jarama with an angelic and powerful V12.
The Jarama was also very special. It was the last front-engine Lamborghini before the Urus came a few years ago. Moreover, it was Ferruccio Lamborghini’s favorite model. The Jarama also happened to be one of the rarest Lamborghinis ever built. The 1976 Lamborghini Jarama can be found for around $96,000 per Hagerty price listings.
2 2016 Lamborghini Huracan – $ 177,984
The Lamborghini Huracan stepped in as the spiritual successor of the Lamborghini Gallardo after its retirement in 2014. It carried over the peppy V10 engine with 5.2-liter of displacement that the Gallardo used to carry behind the cabin.
Early versions of this wild machine could do 0-60 mph in just 3.2 seconds before hitting a top speed of 202 mph. As far as making some money off it is concerned, the Huracan is still in production so it's hard to tell how much profit you can get from a resale. However, earlier versions are cheaper than a new one from the factory by quite a significant figure.
1 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo ($80,000 – $120,000)
The Lamborghini Gallardo was launched in 2003 before the nameplate finally hit the production line in 2004. What would follow would be almost a decade of unbelievable performance and wild success. According to most petrolheads, this is the car that saved Lamborghini.
Almost 14,000 Gallardos were produced over the production period. In 2008, the car got a major update with Lamborghini expanding the V10 into a 5.2-liter with odd firing which was more powerful and smoother than the even firing 5.0-liter V10 they had hooked up in previous models. The updated Gallardo could thus do 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds before maxing the speedo at 202 mph.