When we talk about classic cars, the first ones that spring to mind are Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche 911, Ferrari GTO, Aston Martin DB4, etc. However, we forget to mention a super cool but often ignored, the Lamborghini 350GT. It’s such a shame that the first-ever Lambo of the planet has also become one of the most forgotten models. Lamborghini 350GT was the very first Lambo model ever put into production. It was based on Lamborghini’s first concept car, the 350GTV. This grand tourer was styled with gorgeous curves, stunning looks, and futuristic specifications. Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1964, it was manufactured until 1966. In more ways than one, the 350GT shaped the car culture and the auto world will forever be indebted to the Lambo-Ferrari rivalry for this gem.
Lamborghini is known as one of the premium automakers throughout the world. However, there was a time when it used to build tractors from army surplus. Well, not exactly Lambo, but its founding father made tractors and farming equipment for a living. The Italian brand started as a manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs. In the first decade of its inception, sales shot through the roof but the 1973 financial crunch and the oil crisis affected the company badly. Forced to change the ownership three times and after going through a bankruptcy in 1978, it is now owned by the Volkswagen group through their subsidiary division, Audi. Even though the legendary brand has seen some really difficult times, it never really lost its charm. Founded by Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, the company went on to become one of the most respected and desirable sports car companies in the world and all credit goes to the 350GT.
Lamborghini 350GT didn't just place the brand amongst the greatest sports cars, it established the company as a true competitor of Ferrari.
350GT was not the greatest success of Lamborghini but it was the first and perhaps the most impactful. Scroll through the end for a detailed look back at the background story and specifications of the Lamborghini 350GT, the car where it all started.
The Origin Story
Even though it’s difficult to imagine, there was a time when Lamborghini meant nothing in the automotive world. Like every superhero, Lambo has humble beginnings too. First up, the Lambo 350GT was not the first Lamborghini model, technically. It was a prototype car called the 350GTV that rolled off the assembly line for the first time, in 1963. There is a super interesting story behind the origin of this concept car. It all started with a rift between Enzo Ferrari and Ferruccio Lamborghini.
Ferruccio was a mechanic who worked on tractors and farm equipment. The man had no plans to build sports cars but, he sure loved them. Ferruccio was successful at his business, and his enterprise used to earn him enough cash that he had a host of sports cars, including a Ferrari 250GT. However, he had a few minor issues with his Ferrari model. According to him, it was too rough and noisy for the roads. He also thought that its clutch was of inferior quality and often demanded repair. At some point in time, Ferruccio had had enough, and he took his list of complaints to the baron himself. As expected, Enzo Ferrari did not appreciate this feedback coming from a tractor manufacturer and reportedly ignored it, as per Top Speed. Filled with rage and ambition, Ferruccio Lamborghini took it upon himself to make better cars than Ferrari, and that’s how the 350GTV (and eventually 350GT) came into existence.
General Features And Specifications
Before Lamborghini made the 350GTV, he had worked on a Ferrari 250GT. He had modified the car to outperform even the stock Ferrari cars. Satisfied with the results, Ferruccio began designing and building his first car from scratch, the 350GTV. This prototype fetched great reviews from the press, following which it was extensively modified and finally launched as 350GT. According to the official website of Lamborghini, the 350GT was an instant success.
It came with a 3.5 liter, toned down V12 engine that churned 280 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. It also came with a rear-wheel drive. The engine was mated with a five-speed ZF manual transmission, and the top speed could touch about 158 mph. Due to its lightweight design and a powerful engine, the 350GT was quick as a fly. It was surprisingly agile and could hit zero to 60 miles in just 6.8 seconds, which was pretty impressive for the time. To put things into perspective, a Pontiac of the same year managed to accelerate from zero to 60 miles in 7 seconds.
The model was replaced by a larger engine 400GT in 1966. With just 120 pieces ever made, the Lamborghini 350GT is one of the rarest and most exotic classic cars to exist. However, considering that a fully restored 350GT sells itself at prices upwards of $900,000 these days, it has never gone underappreciated.