Lamborghini Athon, a convertible sci-fi model

Bertone designed the company’s most revolutionary cars: the Miura and Countach. With its always futuristic style, in 1980 the Italian bus company presented an equally futuristic prototype at the Turin Motor Show, but it was never built. Today remember a little, Lamborghini Athon It was a mid-size convertible with (especially) futuristic exterior and interior design that stunned the world at the time. They have inspired science fiction for a decade.

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In the early 1980s, Lamborghini was in the worst crisis in its turbulent history. In fact, it was for sale. So Burton created this supercar on his own initiative, In recognition of the work done years ago under the direction of Ferruccio Lamborghini. And he not only flaunted his aesthetic prowess, but produced a fully functional prototype. Marc Deschamps, Marcello Gandini’s successor at Burton, relied on the Silhouette, adding its 3.0-liter V8 engine that generates 260 horsepower and 321 Nm of torque.

The movement achieved its goal. The press and the public at that time stunned the Lamborghini Athon. They praised the straight front lines, Curved windshield that wraps around the driver, The gorgeous shapes of the extra-long tailgate…even the way the wings and doors around the wheels drew attention.

But the most striking thing was the interior, where the passengers were in a somewhat forward position. Starting with a very strange steering wheel, which seemed to float, as it had no speakers and its connection point to the steering column meshed with the brown leather dashboard. The devices were on a long electronic board, Long before his time (in fact, reminiscent of some current screens). Additional controls were also in a “floating” “chamber” next to the steering wheel. The rest of the interior was full of buttons and speakers, ’80s style, and by the way, there was a small trunk between the seats and the engine.

The Athon (named after the Egyptian sun god for being a convertible car) didn’t save the Lamborghini. After all, it was a “one-off”. But it may have helped prevent it from disappearing. It aroused a lot of interest, and once the company was liquidated, it already had several suitors ready to buy it. Above all, it had a huge impact on science fiction in the 1980s. Seemingly , It inspired, among others, the Tron, Total Challenge, and RoboCop cars. A car, it wouldn’t have been better to say, than a movie, and it’s still around. In fact, Bertone kept itself and was sold in 2011, when payments were suspended, for around €400,000.