Less than 450 copies of the Lamborghini Jalpa were ever built, and we think it’s safe to say that this is the only one with an LS1 V-8 under the hood, not to mention the fact that it’s also twin-turbocharged.
Compared to Lamborghini’s stock 3.5-liter V-8 that only produced about 250 horsepower, the 5.7-liter LS1 powerplant makes a hefty 690 horsepower driving the rear wheels. While the LS1 is now equipped with two Ford XR6 Garrett turbochargers, it was previously fitted with a supercharger. In that form, it ran a 9.7-second quarter-mile at 137 miles per hour. But for Nick, the builder of this Jalpa, it wasn’t all about the fastest times; he wanted a car that could hold up to the abuse.
By swapping out the blower for two turbochargers, Nick was able to lower the boost ramp for less jarring delivery and a higher trap speed. Doing so also took some of the load off of the drivetrain, which was partly comprised of a modified Toyota Camry transaxle… ’cause replacing one-off parts can be a real headache.
Go ahead and hit play to hear more about this Lamborghini Jalpa LS1 build, and watch it rip down the straightaway at last year’s Calder Park Street Drags event in Australia. Once you’re done watching, check out how the Jalpa performed with the Magnusson supercharger.
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