1963 Lamborghini 350 GTV

Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. was founded in 1963 in Sant'Agata Bolognese, a small village between Bologna and Modena, Italy, by Ferruccio Lamborghini. The company's first car, the 350 GTV was introduced at the Turin Motor Show in the fall of 1963 and the production started, with the model 350 GT the year after.

The twelve-cylinder at the heart of the brand with the bull Lamborghini V12 – a long and glorious story. According to the history books, Ferruccio Lamborghini established a car company in the early sixties because he wanted to better the products on offer at the time from the competition, with the best possible technology and quality. The prototype for all later Lamborghini super sports cars was the 350 GTV study presented at the Turin Motor Show in 1963. It featured an all-new aluminium twelve-cylinder developed from scratch by engine designer Giotto Bizzarrini and boasted performance figures that were nothing short of breathtaking by the standards of the time. The 12-cylinder V-engine with 60 degree cylinder bank angle, four overhead camshafts (at a time when single camshafts were still the norm), a six bbl carburetor and dry sump lubrication, generated 360 hp at 8,000 rpm from a displacement of 3,497 cm3 that would take the concept car to a top speed of 280 km/h. The 350 GT series production version with conventionallubrication launched the following year produced 320 hp at 7,000 rpm from adisplacement of 3,464 cm3.

After the presentation of the first prototype in 1963, the 350 GTV was mass-produced a year later. The name was changed to 350 GT and several modifications to the car's bodywork were made. The car was an immediate success. 120 units were produced, the majority with the 3.5 liter 12-cylinder engine and 320 HP.

Lamborghini 350 GT

Introduced in 1964, the 350 GT was characterized by its balanced lines and developed by Franco Scaglione from prototypes of the 350 GTV, the 1964 350 GT was the first  Lamborghini to be mass-produced. With its 3.5 liter, 12 cylinder engine  perfected by engineer Giotto Bizzarrini and rated at 280 hp, it could reach a maximum speed of 250 km/h.

The vehicle body featured aluminum components, four-wheel independent suspension and disc brakes on all four wheels. And, some models were equipped with a self-locking  differential. By the end of 1966, 120 of these remarkable vehicles had  been produced at Carrozzeria Touring. The final versions featured a 4 liter engine with the same power as the 3.5 liter power plant, but with  greater torque. Carrozzeria Touring also produced two Spyders (350 GTS).

1963 – The 350 GTV was unveiled at the 1963 Turin Auto Show, and despite the fact that its V12 engine was not installed in the car but put on display next to it, the 350 GTV attracted the attention of press, audiences and competitors

1963 – Ferruccio Lamborghini made his dream of building his own sports car come true with the 350 GTV prototype. This unique car with the now famous bull shield helped create the legend. It was a sign of more to come