Summary

• The Lamborghini 350 GTV pioneered the distinctive mix of Italian class and aggressive design that defines trendy Lamborghini.
• The 350 GTV’s V-12 engine, designed by Giotto Bizzarrini, set new requirements for energy and mechanical craftsmanship within the trade.
• The 350 GTV’s design and efficiency pushed Lamborghini to compete with and surpass its major rival, Ferrari, establishing Lamborghini as a number one Italian automaker.

In the world of supercars, only a few producers have the prominence and importance of Lamborghini. Founded by Ferruccio Lamborghini, the Italian automaker’s story of how his firm was created is among the most spectacular and galvanizing in your entire trade, with Lamborghini right this moment being one of many biggest Italian automakers of all time. Their unbelievable efficiency and unmistakably putting seems to be continually push the bounds of simply how far supercars can go, setting new requirements for his or her opponents to chase.

After Ferruccio was turned away by Enzo Ferrari after he believed he may enhance his automobiles, Ferruccio made it a precedence to create one of the best supercars on this planet, beating out the legendary prancing horses in Maranello. Today, his imaginative and prescient has most positively materialized with automobiles such because the Revuelto and the Huracan, however these automobiles can all hint their roots again to the first-ever Lamborghini prototype overseen by Giampaolo Dallara, the 350 GTV.

Unveiled in 1963, this was the automobile that launched Lamborghini to the world stage as a severe contender within the luxurious grand touring market and spearheaded the Italian model into the legend that it’s right this moment. Soon developing into the brand’s first mass-produced car, the 350 GT, Here’s why the Lamborghini 350 GTV has such an essential place within the model’s wealthy legacy.

In order to provide the newest and correct data doable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from the producer’s web site and different authoritative sources, together with Classic.com

The Unique, Aggressive Yet Elegance Design Style

As quickly because the Lamborghini 350 GTV was unveiled, its putting stability between the classic Italian elegance seen in lots of different automobiles of its time and its sharp, aggressive strains made for a very distinctive entry onto the grand tourer scene. Lamborghini’s right this moment are usually low-slung supercars, a design model that the majority positively originated with the 350 GTV prototype.

Being so low to the bottom with its total streamlined design was what gave this automobile its character and authenticity. Although the hard-edged strains are a staple design function in trendy Lamborghinis, the 350 GTV successfully places this philosophy to make use of, even when it is in a way more delicate method.

The most outstanding instance of that is via the strains that start on the corners of the entrance bumper, and stretch over the wheel, making a uniquely stunning arch design. Although barely curved to stick to the general clean, elegant design of the bodywork, options like this have been a transparent indicator that Lamborghini was decided to take their designs to a brand new, assertive place in comparison with the likes of Ferrari.

It’s Unmistakable Italian Influence

In right this moment’s automotive trade, Italian producers are identified for his or her unmatched magnificence, with Italy being world-renowned for being the nation that produces the most beautiful cars in the world. These manufacturers have now developed their very own id via years of development and innovation, however within the post-war period, when manufacturing began to increase, Italian manufacturers have been taking inspiration from one another to maintain the evolution of their automobiles forward of one another.

With Lamborghini being based in 1963, it could not assist however take a look at its competitors and see the best way to enhance upon their respective automobiles. One of the manufacturers that embodied Italian class was Maserati, with the equally named 3500 GT additionally utilizing a low-slung design that Lamborghini put to make use of for his or her first automobile. However, there was one model that impressed everybody else essentially the most, that being Ferrari.

One-Upping Ferrari

Ferrari was all the time the model that Ferruccio Lamborghini was aiming to dethrone for the Italian grand touring crown, as they have been definitely the leading manufacturer for a blend of performance and opulence. Ferruccio’s major function for creating Lamborghini was to create the sports activities automobile/grand tourer that nobody else was going to construct for him, making it no shock that he took inspiration from the main firm that turned his ideas on the best way to enhance the transmission.

Keeping to the outside design, automobiles such because the Ferrari 250 California additionally utilized the low-slung design for a heightened sense of class, however stored it extraordinarily clean and customarily uninterrupted. This is the place Lamborghini sought to one-up Ferrari, by additionally drawing inspiration from Ferrari’s low-slung automobiles and including sharper, extra aggressive components all through the bodywork. The pointy, shark fin-esque design was in contrast to something seen earlier than.

By discovering the best stability between class and aggression, the 350 GTV laid the groundwork for Lamborghini’s distinctive id that has been at its peak for thus lengthy. Lamborghini fashions right this moment most positively lean additional into the aggressive facet of the model’s design philosophy, however nonetheless managing to retain the class of the first-ever Lamborghini is a testomony to how impactful the 350 GTV’s design actually was.

The 350 GTV’s Trendsetting V-12 Engine And Mechanical Craftmanship

As properly because the daring, brash exterior designs of the fashionable Lamborghini, these automobiles are additionally massively famend for the screaming V-12 engines that energy them, which may additionally hint their routes again to the primary Lamborghini. The 350 GTV is powered by a 3.5-liter V-12 engine, able to producing 360 horsepower, which is an excellent spectacular quantity for its time.

Performance Specifications

(Data was gathered from Lamborghini and Automobile Catalog)

Designed by the legendary Giotto Bizzarrini, who was paid further for each horsepower it may produce in comparison with Ferrari’s V-12, he went to nice lengths to make sure that the primary Lamborghini engine was one thing actually particular. The 350 GTV basically had a racing V-12 fitted into it.

Compared to the Ferrari 250 GT0’s 300 horsepower produced by its V-12, it is secure to say Bizzarrini delivered what Lamborghini desired. As properly because the engine, Bizzarrini was additionally appointed to design the automobile’s chassis from scratch, making him one of the vital essential figures within the improvement of the first-ever Lamborghini.

Maintaining Quality Throughout The Car

Equipped with a six-weber carburetor system, the 350 GTV may successfully make the most of the automobile’s gas to provide its mighty energy output. As properly as this, the V-12 was fitted with a twin overhead camshaft, which allowed for far more intricate and exact management over the engine’s valves. A contemporary, cutting-edge system of the identical form is still employed in today’s Lamborghinis, of their hottest automobiles, such because the Aventador SVJ. By nonetheless utilizing the identical system 60 years later, it reveals simply how superior the expertise was for its time.

It wasn’t simply on the entrance of the 350 GTV that noticed some unbelievable mechanical feats. Another vital step that Lamborghini took when crafting their first automobile was with the suspension, choosing cutting-edge impartial suspension. This kind of suspension supplied many advantages compared to common suspension programs, together with total higher dealing with, a smoother experience, improved traction, and improved braking efficiency. This modern system additionally laid the groundwork for the Lamborghinis of the long run, with their automobiles right this moment nonetheless using impartial suspension.

Standing Head Above Shoulders Against Its Competitors

Ferruccio’s sheer dedication to create the best-performing buyer sports activities automobile/grand tourer in Italy led to the 350 GTV setting a very new commonplace within the trade. Many different producers, most notably Ferrari, also feature a V-12 for its flagship cars. However, as a result of Lamborghini managed to provide as much as 60 extra horsepower than the Ferrari 250 GT0 via distinctive improvements, Ferrari grew to become the model that was on the catch-up.

Moving ahead, Lamborghini would proceed to set new requirements, with instances such because the Miura sending shockwaves all through your entire trade, being dubbed as the primary supercar. This time period was used generally within the ’70s and ’80s with so many alternative producers chasing the title of one of the best supercar. While the 350 GTV may not be as properly often called the likes of the Miura or the Countach, all of those automobiles owe because of the technical marvel that was the first-ever Lamborghini.

Influencing The Modern Raging Bull Brand And Beyond

Today, the Lamborghini model continues to be competing on the very prime of the efficiency automobile scene, 60 years after being based by a businessman with a giant dream. Although the rivalry between the likes of Ferrari will not be as intense because it was when the founders have been in cost, the competitors is hotter than ever. With expertise growing at an equally fast price because it was within the ’60s, each model is continually pushing one another to new heights.

With Lamborghini currently making the likes of the Revuelto, the Huracan, and even the Urus, all of those automobiles function components that may be linked again to the place it began with the 350 GTV. Firstly, the mix between Italian class and brutal aggression continues to be on full show with the newer Lamborghini, sustaining the distinctive id that Ferruccio Lamborghini sought to create in ’63. As properly as the fashionable designs, the huge, screaming V-12s are nonetheless featured within the Revuelto, as did the Aventador that the Revuelto changed. As did the 350 GTV, right this moment’s V-12s produce simply as memorable an exhaust observe that solely a Lamborghini can create.

Inspiring The Future Of Lamborghini

Like nearly all of producers throughout all automobile classes, Lamborghini will be embracing hybrids and fully electric motors to ship the blistering efficiency that we have already been handled to. But simply because the V-12 featured within the 350 GTV, Lamborghini’s motors of the long run are certain to create simply as a lot of an affect because the model managed to make in 1963.

Even if the kind of engine/motor does see vital adjustments sooner or later, the bodywork design of the 350 GTV is certain to proceed to encourage the subsequent technology of Lamborghini automobiles. The mix between class and aggression is a philosophy that Lamborghini will all the time be synonymous with, and because of the 350 GTV being the primary automobile to function this design model, each future Lamborghini will share similarities and be impressed by the prototype that launched the enduring Italian model.

Where Is The Lamborghini 350 GTV Today?

Due to being a prototype, there was just one 350 GTV mannequin ever produced. However, the automobile that adopted the 350 GTV into mass manufacturing, the extra balanced 350 GT, noticed 120 examples produced. As that is additionally a reasonably small quantity for such an impactful automobile, the common value for this automobile is $574,249 during the last 5 years.

While nonetheless coming in at over half one million {dollars}, this automobile is considerably lower than different Italian automobiles of its time, with the likes of the Ferrari 250 GTO recently sold for just over $50 million. Despite being only one % of the value of the Ferrari, the Lamborghini 350 GT continues to be an extremely uncommon automobile that’s wanted by fans and collectors around the globe.