The Lamborghini 350 GTV prototype was the forerunner of Lamborghini’s first production model, the 350 GT.
Lamborghini presented the 350 GTV at the 1963 Turin Auto Show as an ambitious two-seat grand tourer prototype. Its name combined the engine’s approximately 3.5-litre displacement with GT for grand tourer and V for veloce, meaning “fast” in Italian.
The prototype introduced the basic concept that became the 350 GT, including a 3.5-litre, quad-cam V12, four-wheel independent suspension and an aluminium body. However, the production car was substantially revised for practicality and customer appeal. Carrozzeria Touring redesigned the 350 GT’s body, while Lamborghini engineers adapted the chassis and engine for road use.
The show car itself was not a fully usable production automobile. Its engine was displayed separately because the engine bay and body fit were problematic, and the car lacked several operating components. Even so, its public debut helped generate interest in Lamborghini’s first road car. The 350 GT appeared at the 1964 Geneva Motor Show, with production beginning soon afterward.