The Remarkable History Of The 1965 Lamborghini 350 GT

The Lamborghini 350 GT featured a 3.5-litre V12 engine designed by Giotto Bizzarrini, a chassis by Giampaolo Dallara, and bodywork by Touring Superleggera. It perfectly embodied Ferruccio Lamborghini’s vision to challenge the dominance of the sports car world, especially Ferrari.

A Bold Debut at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show

The 1965 Lamborghini 350 GT was revealed to the world at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1964, with production commencing shortly thereafter. At that time, its competition came in the form of the Aston Martin DB5, the Jaguar E-type and the Ferrari 330 GT.

Groundbreaking Engineering and Design

The car received critical acclaim upon its launch, thanks to its four-wheel independent suspension, quad-cam V12 engine, and lightweight aluminium bodywork. For the first 50 or so cars, this aluminium bodywork was crafted by Carrozzeria Touring. When Touring went into receivership in mid-1966, Mario Marazzi then took over production of the bodies, bringing most of the unemployed Touring staff with him. As a result, subsequent 350 GTs were mostly constructed in steel.

A Special 350 GT: The First Lamborghini in Africa

This 350 GT, that I photoed at the Concours of Elegance 2024, number 25 from the second year of production, is one of the aluminium-bodied models by Carrozzeria Touring. Initially, the car started life painted in Grigio St Vincent with a Sanape interior. It was first delivered to JS De Villiers in Johannesburg, South Africa, in December 1965.

This thereby became the first Lamborghini ever delivered to the African continent. It would remain the sole 350 GT in South Africa until its recent export to the United Kingdom in late 2023 by its fourth registered owner.

A Journey Through Colours and Owners

The car underwent several colour changes in South Africa, first being painted BMW Henna Red by its Bloemfontein’s second owner. Its third owner, a German collector from Johannesburg, later changed it to Night Blue with a Crema interior, which remains today.

Admired by a Lamborghini Legend

It appeared at the 2022 Lamborghini Corsa Del Capo in Cape Town, where legendary test driver Valentino Balboni admired it. After adjusting the carburettors, he then autographed the car’s history file.

A New Chapter in the UK

Fresh from a thorough recommissioning by Lamborghini specialists Colin Clarke Engineering, the car is now enthusiastically driven by its owner. He has owned it since 2017, when he got it as part payment for his classic car business sale.

Technical Specifications

ENGINE – 3464cc/V12/ naturally aspirated/DOHC

TRANSMISSION – Four-speed manual, RWD

POWER – 280bhp

TORQUE – 240lb ft

TOP SPEED – 155mph

0-60MPH – 6.7secs

WEIGHT – 1400kg (est)

I’ve always loved the look of these old Lamborghinis. I would so love to own and drive this car. What a beautiful work of automotive art. Super cool. What do you think of this car? This car really caught my attention and made it into my top 10 cars at the 2024 Concours of Elegance. Check out that top 10 here.