PROVENANCE
Heinz Brunner, Zürich, Switzerland (acquired by 1972)
Ian Wade, Hong Kong (acquired circa 2006)
Terry Healy, Capistrano Beach, California (acquired from the above in 2007)
Tom Shaughnessy, Oceanside, California (acquired from the above in 2007)
Current Owner (acquired from the above in 2008)

EXHIBITED
The Boston Cup, Boston, Massachusetts, September 2015
Tutto Italiano, Brookline, Massachusetts

THIS CAR
Legend has long held that Italian tractor manufacturer Ferruccio Lamborghini believed that the Ferrari sports car he owned in the early 1960s could be improved upon. When Enzo Ferrari rebuffed his suggestions, Sig. Lamborghini began manufacturing cars, assembling an all-star engineering team and developing the 350 GTV concept, which became the sensation of the 1963 Torino Auto Show.

While based closely on his prototype, the production 350 GT Lamborghini introduced at the 1964 Geneva Auto Show included an abundance of refinements to prepare it for the road. The striking and distinctive semi-fastback shape penned by Franco Scaglione featured fixed oval headlamps and a large rear window allowing for excellent rearward vision. The manufacture of the bodies was contracted to Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, which employed its Superleggera – or “super light” – method of construction, with the aluminum body panels supported by an ingeniously lightweight tube structure.

The Giotto Bizzarrini-designed four-cam V-12 of the Torino show car was tuned for increased driveability by way of a revised compression ratio and camshaft profiles, and sidedraft Weber carburetors. Delivering 270 hp at 7,000 rpm through a five-speed ZF gearbox, the 350 GT was capable of 0–60 mph in just 6.8 seconds, boasted a top speed of 158 mph, and was equipped with four-wheel independent suspension for nimble handling and power-assisted disc brakes for safety. According to the Lamborghini registry, 120 examples of the capable Grand Tourer were built by 1966, when it was succeeded by the steel-bodied 400 GT.

Chassis 0111, offered here, was the 11th example of the 350 GT built at the Lamborghini factory at Sant’Agata Bolognese and one of just 13 produced in 1964. According to Lamborghini Polo Storico, the car was originally dispatched on December 12, 1964, to a private owner in Torino. Following a succession of owners throughout the world, the consignor acquired the 350 GT in early 2008.

Presenting well today in a rich, burgundy finish, this 350 GT has seen limited use of late and has been maintained within the consignor’s private collection. Receipts on file document that the cylinder heads were extensively serviced in 2009, and that Coachtrim of Danbury, Connecticut, re-trimmed the interior with new leather, headliner, and Wilton wool carpets in 2013.

Among the first cars to bear the Lamborghini name, this early 350 GT should be a candidate for a great number of driving and concours events, and it would be an excellent choice for astute collectors and driving-event enthusiasts. With so few made, and far fewer surviving today, this highly capable Italian Grand Tourer presents an appealing opportunity.