Lamborghini 350 GT Dazzles at Italy’s ‘Lamborghini & Design’ Event

Stunning front-engined 1964 350 GT was painstakingly restored by Lamborghini’s in-house restoration department.

While Lamborghini’s latest vehicles certainly impress with their aggressive styling and outlandish horsepower figures, the company’s first production car took a far more more subtle approach. The 350 GT made its debut at the 1964 Geneva Salon, and it was the car that started it all for Lamborghini. And recently, this special Lamborghini took top honors in the second annual “Lamborghini & Design” Concorso d’Eleganza in Venice, Italy.

The 1964 Lambo 350 GT won the Best in Show at the event. This particular 350 GT is something very special indeed. According to Lamborghini, the car, chassis #102, was the first Lamborghini ever sold by the company to a private customer. It is also the oldest known Lamborghini production model still in existence. The gorgeous sports car is owned by a Swiss collector.

In addition to winning the Best in Show award, the 350 GT also took home top honors in Class A “Front Engine Dawn.” The 350 GT was recently restored by Lamborghini Polo Storico, a department of Lamborghini that specializes in preserving, restoring, and certifying Lamborghinis that were produced up to 2001. Polo Storico also produces spare parts and takes care of the company’s extensive archives.

The cutting-edge, space frame chassis was designed by Gian Paolo Dallara, who had worked previously for Ferrari and then Maserati before working with Lamborghini. Touring of Milan created the fastback, aluminum body of the 350 GT, of which only 131 examples were produced. Thanks to its 283 hp, 3.5-liter V12 equipped with six Weber DCOE-2 sidedraft carburetors, the 350 GT boasted an impressive top speed of 165 mph.

A total of 36 classic Lamborghinis from 1964 to 1991 took part in this years event, along with a selection of contemporary models. The three-day extravaganza included a drive from Venice, Italy to Trieste, Italy. The event was also a tribute to Italian architect Gae Aulenti, who was born near Trieste and was internationally acclaimed for Italian architecture and design. After driving 200 KM from Venice, the Lamborghinis were exhibited on three seaside squares in Portopiccolo, Italy. After that the group drove up the streets of the historic Trieste-Opicina hill climb and then returned to Portopiccolo after a brief detour through the neighboring country of Slovenia.