The Lamborghini 350 GT Sports Car
It’s hard to imagine, isn’t it, a world without Lamborghini supercars. When you think of the pantheon of automotive excellence, a few names will always leap to mind: Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce, Ford. Lamborghini proudly takes their place alongside the best of them.
From the Miura, to the Gallardo, to the Aventador, Lambos represent power, beauty, and passion. But a world without Lamborghini cars isn’t some distant memory, in fact, it’s within living memory for many reading this post. In the 1950s, Lamborghini were famous for tractors, and were one of the largest manufacturers of farming machinery in Italy. That all changed in 1964, with the release of one car, their first production model – the Lamborghini 350 GT.
The 350 GT is an incredible debut effort. When you first look at the car, you’ll see shades of two notable classics of the era: the Aston-Martin DB5 and DB6. This isn’t a coincidence, the Lambo shares some DNA with the Astons; both were designed by the same house, Carrozzeria Touring.
The car practically radiates antique 60s cool, the mechanical equivalent of Miles Davis. From its carnally bulging headlights to the gentle curve of the windshield, and the gleaming chrome spoked wheels it sits on. It’s hard to believe this was the first car by a company that made tractors. It’d be like John Deere coming out with an answer to the Ferrari F12berlinetta.
This car was a competitor with the Ferrari 275, and under the hood, their engines were almost identical. The 350 GT packed a 3.5L V12, with the mechanics of Maranello throwing a 3.3L V12 under the 275’s hood. So how do they compare?
The Lamborghini made it to 60mph in 7 seconds, impressive even now, hitting a max speed of 155mph. In contrast, the Ferrari 275GTS is 0.2 seconds slower to sixty, and 5mph slower at full gallop. Ferrari had a challenge on their hands.
Its no surprise that the 350 GT was a smash hit. According to Topspeed, the model was so successful that the fledgling company massively increased the car’s production once it became well known – in 1964 they produced just 13 models; by the time the final car rolled out of Sant’Agata in 1966, 120 had been made.
So, the first Lamborghini production car, and the car that kickstarted their reputation as a master of sports cars. You’re probably expecting this car to be expensive, and you’d be right. In a recent auction a pristine, restored 350 GT sold for $825,000. Other examples have gone for anywhere from $165,400 to $742,500.
Let’s get down to brass tacks. If you buy a 350 GT today, what can you expect?
Driving the GT 350 is a classy experience. The power comes easily, driving the car onwards with buttery smoothness. Sophisticated handling, a beautiful interior, and the sheer pleasure of cruising along combine into a wonderful driving experience. It may not be the fastest car around, but it is a cruiser, a grand tourer.
The sheer guts shown by Lamborghini, deciding to branch out into cars, paid off beautifully. With a first car like this, you would have known, even back in 1964, that this marque was going to stick around.
