How it all begun

Automobili Lamborghini was founded by Ferrucio Lamborghini. Ferrucio was born on 28th april off 1916. His parents where farmers who lived in Renazzo near Cento. In his teens Ferrucio was very interested in mechanics, so his parents send him to the technical university off Bologna where he studied industrial design. When he finished university he started working as an apprentice in a factory. During the second world war Ferrucio was send to an airforce base located on the Island Rhodos, he stayed there till 1946 when the British troops returned home. Ferrucio returned to Renazzo and started building tractors from abanded military vehicles. After a while he built tractors after his own design. In 1954 he was the first to produce an aircooled Diesel with direct injection. After a trip to the United States he started a factory witch produced central heating equipment. For this he got the title 'Commendatore' from the Italian government. But how he started Automobili Lamborghini is not so clear. Ferrucio had driven a lot off sportscars but there was always something wrong with them according to Ferrucio. He also had a Ferrari, witch gave a lot off problems with the gearbox. So at a day Ferrucio went to Ferrari in nearby Maranello to complain. But Enzo Ferrari said to Ferrucio he didn't know anything about sportscars and that he should stick to tractors. From these comments Ferrucio got the idea to start building sportscars. Some say this story is not true and that Ferrucio only started the car factory for the prestige. But in 1962 a factory was built to produce sportscars under the name Automobili Lamborghini. The best engineers where hired to make this possible. The young Bob Wallace was attracted as test driver and would play a big role in the character off the cars. Giampaolo Dallara who had worked at Ferrari and Maserati was responsible for chassis design. Dallara is now best known for producing F3-chassis. Together with Dallara came engineer Poalo Stanzani who later (after Dallara left) became chief engineer. Giotto Bizzarini designed the first Lamborghini engine. Bizzarini had made a big name designing Ferrari engines. So in 1963 the first Lamborghini was shown to the public at the Turin motor show. It was named 350GTV, but the car shown was not ready, it even hadn't an engine fitted. Five months later in Geneva the 350GT was shown, it was slightly different from the 350GTV and was production ready. The 350GTV's exterior had been designed by Scaglione but Ferrucio wasn't to happy with it so for the 350GT Carozzeria Touring had fine-tuned the design.

 

The beginning : 350/400GT

The 350GT debuted in 1964 and the factory started to recieve the first orders. In the first year only 13 cars where built. The reason for the slow production was the decision off Ferrucio to take it slowly. Ferrucio wanted to built cars to the highest quality and it took a lot off time to achieve this. A lot off journalists visited the brand new factory and all where very impressed by the quality off the production. The 350GT was powered by the Bizzarini designed V12. The engine generated 270 DIN horsepower at 6500rpm and 323NM (torque) at 4000rpm. The body off the car was built by Touring, using the Superleggera method the car still weighed 1200kg. In 1965 the first Lamborghini was shipped to the US it cost 13900$, witch was about the same for a Ferrari. But the Lamborghini was much more modern, it had four camshafts, six carbs and a 5-speed gearbox. At the time Ferrari still used a 4 carb setup and 2 camshafts. The first road tests praised the car for its good handling and solid feeling. A lot off small improvements where made to the car during the first years, the front grille changed and dual windscreenwipers where fitted. Also in 1966 customers where able to order a 3,9 litre engine. The car was then named 400GT. The 3,9 liter engine was a bored out 3,5 litre, it produced 320 DIN HP at 6500rpm. In October 1966 Road & Track tested a 400GT, they called it the best GT they had ever driven. Only 23 400GT's where built, 20 off them didn't have the Superleggera bodywork and where heavier and because off that a bit slower.

 

The other cars: