Chassis No.: 0583

€185 000 | Sold

Founding GT of the brand Produced to only 224 units American registration title Customs cleared vehicle Chassis n° 0583 Engine n° 0521 Born from the will of the industrialist Ferrucio Lamborghini to compete with Ferrari by producing more powerful and exclusive sports cars, the Lamborghini 350 GT, then 400 GT, are the founding pieces of the new car brand installed in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1964, the 350 GT caused a stir. It must be said that in order to achieve his goals, the wealthy Italian, until then better known for his tractors and heaters, invested in his new project the means of his ambitions.

The initial design of the bodywork was entrusted to Francesco Scaglione, former head of styling at Bertone, who created modern and dynamic lines, as well as a large glass roof, on which Touring will make the final touches to achieve the final version. This Lamborghini also stood out for its oval headlights, protruding from the hood like frog’s eyes. Finally, the interior has all the signs of Italian refinement: leather, wood, chrome ... Lamborghini also saw things big for its engine. The mission was entrusted to the engineer Giotto Bizzarini, a transfer from Ferrari, to whom we owe the Testa Rossa and 250 GTO.

On the basis of plans of a V12 intended for Formula 1 (1,5 l at the time), he will adapt his project to a displacement of 3,5 l which will lead to mechanics more sophisticated than the 3,0 l Ferrari V12. Enriched by his experience in racing, with notably a dry sump lubrication, the Bizzarini’s V12 will receive six vertical twin body carburetors housed not in the V of the engine, but between the camshafts. With a displacement of 3,464 cc, it develops 280 hp transmitted to the rear wheels via a ZF 5-speed gearbox.

The chassis was entrusted to Gian Paolo Dallara, who created an 85-kilogram frame made of a tubular lattice with a circular cross-section that was both lighter and better suspended, thanks to four independent wheels, than the Ferraris and Maseratis still equipped with a rigid rear axle and leaf springs. In the end, the 350 GT weighs only 1,200 kg and delivers top performance, with a top speed of 250 km/h and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 7 seconds. This was the starting point for the 400 GT 2+2, which was presented at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show. The newest creation of the Sant’Agata Bolognese firm was redesigned and made more spacious.

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The larger body shape, with a lowered floor and a roofline slightly raised by Touring, made it possible to install two seats in the rear, where the 350 GT only had space for one seat or luggage. The 400 GT 2+2 thus became Lamborghini’s first true 2+2 model. It is also characterized by its double headlights. The displacement of the V12 has been increased to 3,929 cc to reach 320 hp at 6,500 rpm. More powerful, but also 300 kg heavier due to steel body parts instead of alloy as on the 350 GT, the 400 GT 2+2 gained 10 km/h in top speed to reach 260 km/h.

The 400 GT 2+2 also benefits from a Lamborghini-designed gearbox, with a Porsche-style synchronization system on all gears that dramatically improves the trans - mission. Between 1966 and 1969, only 224 examples of the 400 GT 2+2 were produced. This makes it an extremely rare and therefore highly sought-after model. This emblematic icon of 1960s Italian sports cars is a real tour de force, performed by a small manufacturer against the «giant» from Modena. Sold new in Italy where it stayed for many years, it was then exported to the United States where it successively moved from the East Coast (Oklahoma and Virginia) to the West Coast (California).

The car returned to Europe in the early 1990s in Aachen. It was then acquired at auction at the end of 1990, before joining the Anna-Lisa Collection. Its engine, which is in very good condition, was dismantled for a restoration that never took place. It is up to the future owner to reassemble it and drive it in a car with a very nice original condition, or to start a complete restoration.

https://www.aguttes.com/lot/116225/640db4df-0d57-4ef9-b0ef-38ef320d69bc