The Italian coachbuilder Pietro Frua created the only four-door Lamborghini in existence in 1978; the Frua Faena was constructed on a reinforced 1974 Espada Series II chassis (nr. 18224). It took Pietro Frua 8 months to create his four-door Lamborghini; he stretched the standard Espada chassis 178 mm (7 in) to accommodate the rear seats and ended up with a car totaling 4586 mm (18 ft) in length which added 200 Kg (440 pounds) to the total weight.
This ‘special’ was revealed on the 57th Salone Internazionale dell’Automobile, in Turin during the spring of 1978, and it was shown again to the public at the 1980 Geneva Auto Show. The car’s lines looked clean at the front, with big headlights mounted in twin pop-up units, but the rear design spoiled the vehicle. It included a sliding sunroof, unlike the weird-looking glass panel found on one specific Espada. Although it was very nicely built, the Frua Faena didn’t prove a success, and Pietro Frua hoped it could be produced in small quantities, but this show car was the only one ever made.
After the Geneva Auto Show, the car was sold to Lambo-Motor AG in Basle, who sold it to a German collector. He still owns the car, but it remained registered in Switzerland. In 1996 the Faena could again be admired at the Pullicino Classics in London; the vehicle was in excellent condition, although it wasn’t restored yet.
