Lamborghini 350GTV

Last updated
Lamborghini 350 GTV [1]
Lamborghini 350 GTV.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer
Production1963
Designer Giorgio Prevedi, under the supervision of Franco Scaglione
Body and chassis
Class Prototype / Sports car
Body style 2-door grand tourer coupé
Layout Longitudinal front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine 3.5 L (3,464 cc) Lamborghini V12
Transmission 5-speed ZF manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,450 mm (96.5 in)
Length4,370 mm (172.0 in)
Width1,760 mm (69.3 in)
Height1,050 mm (41.3 in)
Kerb weight 1,292 kg (2,848 lb)
Chronology
Successor Lamborghini 350 GT

The Lamborghini 350 GTV is a Lamborghini prototype and forerunner of the automaker's first production model, the 350 GT. It was first presented to the public at the 1963 Turin Auto Show. [1] [2]

Contents

Development

Rear three-quarter view Lamborghini 350 GTV rear.jpg
Rear three-quarter view

The design and development of the 350 GTV was overseen by Lamborghini chief engineer Giampaolo Dallara, assistant Paolo Stanzani and test driver Bob Wallace, the core engineering team that developed many early Lamborghini cars. Giotto Bizzarrini was commissioned to design the engine and an early version of the chassis. [3]

The 350 GTV's name signified the 3.5 L displacement of the engine, the "GT" for grand tourer and the "V" for the Italian word "Veloce" (meaning "fast"). [4]

The 350 GTV body was designed by Franco Scaglione and built by Carrozzeria Sargiotto in Turin. [1] [5] Ferruccio Lamborghini's opinion had a significant amount of influence on the design. He reportedly requested styling echoing the Aston Martin DB4's tapering rear bodywork and the sleek front of the Jaguar E-type. The 350 GTV had many styling details that were unusual at the time of its introduction, including hidden headlamps and six exhaust tailpipes (three on each side of the car's rear). The body was constructed of aluminum and steel. As workers at Sargiotto were primarily skilled in building molds for plastic products, the 350 GTV's body had numerous fit and finish issues. [4]

Initially, Bizzarrini designed a racing-style tubular spaceframe chassis for the 350 GTV. Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini built the tube frame chassis in Modena. [6] [7] [4] This design was later reworked by Dallara into a more conventional, heavier design constructed of mostly square and rectangular section tubing that would be used in the production 350 GT. [4]

Ferruccio Lamborghini commissioned Giotto Bizzarrini to develop the 350 GTV engine. This was the first iteration of the Lamborghini V12 series of engines, which would power future Lamborghini models up through the end of Murciélago production in 2010. Bizzarrini developed a 3.5  litre racing-specification V12 engine, with an output of 255  kW (347  PS ; 342  bhp ) at 8,000 rpm, and torque of 326  N⋅m (240  lbf⋅ft ), [1] using the DIN measurement standard. [6] [8] This design was derived from Bizzarrini's plan for a 1.5 litre Formula One racing engine. [3] Top speed was claimed by the factory to be 280 kilometres per hour (170 mph), [7] although this was an estimate as the car was never driven or tested by the factory. [4]

This engine had a compression ratio of 9.5:1 and relatively aggressive valve timing compared to later versions of the Lamborghini V12. The higher redline, compression ratio and timing made the 350 GTV's engine more suitable for competition use rather than as a comfortable road car. The 350 GTV engine was also equipped with six downdraft Weber carburetors and a dry sump lubrication system. [9] [3]

The transmission was a 5 speed manual made by ZF. Power was directed to the rear wheels via a Salisbury self-locking differential. [9] The independent suspension used triangular wishbones on the front and trapezoidal wishbones on the rear, with telescopic shock absorbers and coil springs at all four corners. Servo-controlled disc brakes were equipped on all four wheels. The Borrani center locking wire wheels were fitted with Pirelli Cinturato HS tires. [3]

350 GTV Interior Concorso Eleganza Villa d'Este 2013 (8846434749).jpg
350 GTV Interior

The 350 GTV was never a complete, driveable car during its time as a Lamborghini prototype. [4] During assembly, the workforce discovered that the body panels would not fit around the engine. Since he had no further plans for the 350 GTV beyond being a show car, Mr. Lamborghini had the engine bay ballasted with bricks and kept the bonnet shut throughout the Turin Auto Show. The incomplete show car also lacked brake calipers, foot pedals and windshield wipers. [2]

Introduction and influence

Ferruccio Lamborghini (center, with hand outstretched) discussing the newly introduced 350 GTV with journalist Giovanni Canestrini 1963 Lamborghini 350 GTV Ferruccio e Canestrini.jpg
Ferruccio Lamborghini (center, with hand outstretched) discussing the newly introduced 350 GTV with journalist Giovanni Canestrini

The 350 GTV was introduced to the public at the 1963 Turin Auto Show. It was covered extensively by the press and received both positive and negative reactions. [3] [7] A sales brochure was produced and Ferruccio Lamborghini used the unveiling of this prototype to cultivate interest in a production version. [9] [3] [10] At the time of the 350 GTV's introduction, Mr. Lamborghini told Road & Track magazine of his intention to make both touring and competition versions of the 350 GTV, [11] although no competition version was ever realized. Lamborghini later garnered a reputation for being reluctant to build racing versions of his cars. [4]

Ferruccio Lamborghini was dissatisfied with several design features of the 350 GTV, [5] and with the state of tune of the engine. [6] [8] He commissioned Carrozzeria Touring to redesign the car to be more practical [5] and had the engine detuned to 270 bhp (201 kW; 274 PS) at 6,500 rpm for use in the production car. [6] [8] The compression ratio and redline were lowered and the camshaft profiles altered to moderate the valve timing. [3] The racing-derived dry sump lubrication and downdraft carburetors were also replaced with a simpler wet sump system and a more common model of Weber sidedraft carburetors. [3] The new body and retuned engine resulted in the first production Lamborghini, the 350 GT. [2]

Later history

After the 1963 Turin Auto Show, the 350 GTV was placed into storage at the Lamborghini factory. [3] The 350 GTV remained in storage until the mid-1980s, when car dealer Romano Bernardoni and his cousin, Lamborghini expert Stefano Pasini, convinced the management to sell the 350 GTV to them. Bernardoni and Pasini did not receive the gauges and steering wheel with the car. They did, however, receive several proposals to modify the car into running condition and accepted one. During the modification process, the car's colour was changed from its original pale blue to deep metallic green at the owner's request. [2]

The 350 GTV was then sold to a Japanese collector, who placed the car in the Noritake Collection. Several years later, the 350 GTV was placed on display at the Lamborghini Museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini</span> Italian automobile manufacturer

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini Countach</span> Sports car produced by Lamborghini (1974–1990)

The Lamborghini Countach is a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer Lamborghini from 1974 until 1990. It is one of the many exotic designs developed by Italian design house Bertone, which pioneered and popularized the sharply angled "Italian Wedge" shape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini Miura</span> Motor vehicle

The Lamborghini Miura is a sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1966 and 1973. The car was the first automobile with a rear mid-engined two-seat layout, although the concept was first seen in a production road car with René Bonnet's Matra Djet, introduced in 1964. This layout has since become the standard for high-performance sports cars. When released, it was the fastest production road car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ASA (automobile)</span> Motor vehicle

ASA was an Italian automobile manufacturer active from 1961 to 1969, who is known for manufacturing the ASA 1000 GT. This car was developed by Ferrari engineers in the late 1950s as a less expensive, compact alternative to existing Ferrari GT cars. ASA used inline-four and straight-six engines derived from the "250" 3-litre V12 designed by Gioacchino Colombo. The chassis was developed by Giotto Bizzarrini and was derived from the tubular frame chassis of the 250 GTO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari Daytona</span> Motor vehicle

The Ferrari Daytona is a two-seat grand tourer produced by Ferrari from 1968 to 1973. It was introduced at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 to replace the 275 GTB/4, and featured the 275's Colombo V12 bored-out to 4,390 cc. It was offered in berlinetta and spyder forms. The car came in two variants: the 365 GTB/4 coupe, and the 365 GTS/4 convertible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 250</span> Series of sports cars and grand tourers built by Ferrari from 1952 to 1964

The Ferrari 250 is a series of sports cars and grand tourers built by Ferrari from 1952 to 1964. The company's most successful early line, the 250 series includes many variants designed for road use or sports car racing. 250 series cars are characterized by their use of a 3.0 L (2,953 cc) Colombo V12 engine designed by Gioacchino Colombo. They were replaced by the 275 and 330 series cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini V12</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Lamborghini V12 refers to the flagship V12 engine used by Lamborghini. Lamborghini has had two generations of V12 engines through their history, both of which were developed in-house. The first-generation Lamborghini V12 was a sixty degree (60°) V12 petrol engine designed by Lamborghini, and was the first internal combustion engine ever produced by the firm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bizzarrini</span> Italian automotive manufacturer

Bizzarrini S.p.A. was an Italian automotive manufacturer. In 1964, the company was founded by former Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Iso engineer Giotto Bizzarrini. The company built a small number of highly developed and advanced sports and racing automobiles before failing in 1969. In 2020, it was announced that the name had been acquired by Pegasus brands, together with plans to restart production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giotto Bizzarrini</span> Italian automobile engineer (1926–2023)

Giotto Bizzarrini was an Italian automobile engineer who was active from the 1950s through the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini Espada</span> Motor vehicle

The Lamborghini Espada is a 4-seat grand touring coupé built by Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini between 1968 and 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini Islero</span> Motor vehicle

The Lamborghini Islero is a grand tourer produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1968 and 1969. It was the replacement for the 400 GT and featured the Lamborghini V12 engine. The car debuted at the 1968 Geneva Auto Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini 350 GT</span> Italian sports car

The Lamborghini 350 GT is a grand tourer manufactured by Lamborghini between 1964 and 1966. It was the first production vehicle produced by Lamborghini. The 350 GT was based on the earlier Lamborghini 350 GTV and was equipped with a 3.5 liter V12 engine and a 2-door coupé body by Carrozzeria Touring. The 350 GT debuted at the March 1964 Geneva Motor Show and production began the following May. The success of this model ensured the company's survival, establishing it as a viable competitor with rival manufacturer Ferrari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini Jarama</span> Motor vehicle

The Lamborghini Jarama is a 2+2 grand tourer manufactured and marketed by Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini between 1970 and 1976. It was styled by Bertone designer Marcello Gandini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini 400 GT</span> Motor vehicle

The Lamborghini 400 GT is the name given to two grand tourers produced by Italian manufacturer Lamborghini between 1966 and 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini Flying Star II</span> Motor vehicle

The Lamborghini Flying Star II was a one-off concept car built by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera in 1966 on a Lamborghini 400 GT chassis. It debuted at the 1966 Turin Auto Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 250 GT Lusso</span> Motor vehicle

The Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso is a GT car which was manufactured by Italian automaker Ferrari from 1962 to 1964. Sometimes known as the GTL, GT/L or just Lusso, it is larger and more luxurious than the 250 GT Berlinetta. The 250 GT Lusso, which was not intended to compete in sports car racing, is considered to be one of the most elegant Ferraris.

Neri and Bonacini, also known as Nembo, was a small carrozzeria and mechanic shop based in Modena, Italy, active from the late 1950s to around 1967. Founded and run by Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini, the shop worked on and produced bodies for Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati road and race cars, both in an official capacity for those manufacturers and for private owners. Their best known projects are the Ferrari 250 GT-based Nembo spiders and the Lamborghini 400GT Monza. Neri and Bonacini also designed a car under their own name, the Neri and Bonacini Studio GT Due Litri. Two prototypes of this car were made between 1966 and 1968 but it never entered series production. The shop closed around 1967 when Bonacini went to work for De Tomaso and Neri started his own shop, Motors-World-Machines (MWM).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Lamborghini</span>

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. is an Italian brand and manufacturer of luxury automobiles. Lamborghini's production facility and headquarters are located in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy. Italian manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini founded the company in 1963 with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with offerings from established marques such as Ferrari. The company's first models were introduced in the mid-1960s and were noted for their refinement, power and comfort. Lamborghini gained wide acclaim in 1966 for the Miura sports coupé, which established rear mid-engine, rear wheel drive as the standard layout for high-performance cars of the era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ferrari 250 GT Coupé</span> 1954–1960 grand touring car produced by Ferrari

The Ferrari 250 GT Coupé represented a series of road-going, grand touring cars produced by Ferrari between 1954 and 1960. Presented at the 1954 Paris Motor Show, the 250 Europa GT was the first in the GT-lineage. The design by Pinin Farina was seen as a more civilised version of their sporty Berlinetta 250 MM. Series built cars were an answer to the wealthy clientele demands of a sporty and luxurious Ferrari Gran Turismo, that is also easier to use daily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AMC AMX III</span> American sports car made by American Motors Corporation

The AMC AMX/3 is a mid-engine sports car produced by the American carmaker American Motors Corporation (AMC), which was presented to the Italian press in March 1970 and was to be produced in Germany by Karmann starting in 1971. AMC wanted to compete with the similarly designed De Tomaso Pantera that Ford marketed in the United States. The car's body and drivetrain were originated and developed by AMC, and Dick Teague designed the car. AMC consulted and partnered with Italian suppliers to build the chassis and suspension.

References

Citations
  1. 1 2 3 4 Automobili Lamborghini Holding SpA: Lamborghini - History - Masterpieces - 350 GTV
  2. 1 2 3 4 Lamm, p.127
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Marchet, Jean-François (1985). Lamborghini Espada & the 4-seaters : 350GT, 400GT, Islero, Jarama, Marzal, Espada. London: Osprey Pub. ISBN   0-85045-592-8. OCLC   12806744.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lyons, Pete (1988). The Complete Book of Lamborghini. New York: Beekman House. ISBN   0881764892. OCLC   18937830.
  5. 1 2 3 Lamm, p.123
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 LamboCars.com - Lamborghini 350 GTV
  7. 1 2 3 Borel, Jean-Marc (1982). Lamborghini. Bolognese (BO), Italia: Lamborghini. ISBN   2-903652-00-7. OCLC   9458867.
  8. 1 2 3 QV500.com - Lamborghini 350 Part 1: 350 GTV
  9. 1 2 3 Rive Box, Rob de la; Crump, Richard (1981). Lamborghini : the cars from Sant' Agata Bolognese. London: Osprey. ISBN   0-85045-408-5. OCLC   8431194.
  10. ↑ Smeyers, Mark (3 January 2016). "350 GTV". lambocars.com. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
  11. ↑ Lamm, John (2013-04-19). "A Long Way From Tractors". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-04-12.
Sources
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.