1967 Lamborghini 400 GT

Sold for $330,000 at 2007 Gooding & Company.
Sold for $341,000 at 2011 Automobiles of Arizona by RM Auctions.
With the help and talents of engineers and designers, Gian Paolo Dallara and Gitto Bizzarrini, Ferruccio Lamborghini began a quest to build a GT car that was without fault. At the time, Bizzarrini had been working on a design for a Formula One Engine, which would become the basis for a new Lamborghini power plant. It was a four-cam V12 that displaced 3.5-liters and breathed through six two-barrel downdraft carburetors and had dry sump lubrication. In its initial form, it offered an impressive 360 horsepower. The engine was absolutely brilliant, and Dallara - who was 24 at the time - was tasked with creating an equally impressive design for the road-going gran turismo.

The car was given a chassis comprised of square and round tubing. The body was formed from lightweight aluminum. The result of this endeavor was dubbed the 350 GTV prototype which made its world debut at the Turin Motor Show in 1963. It was hailed as a sophisticated car that possessed the performance of a Ferrari with the refinement of a proper Gran Turismo.

The 350GT was later succeeded by the 400GT 2+2 which featured a four-liter version of the V12, and 320 horsepower plus additional torque. Though it was visually similar to the 350GT, it had additional seating which required several modifications to the design. The roof had been raised a little more than two inches and the floorpan was lowered. The rear window shrunk in size and the while the trunk did the opposite.

The current owner has owned this car since 2002, during which it has been well shown and awarded on numerous occasions. In 2007 it was awarded first in class in the Italian Class at the Palos Verdes Concours.

In 2007 this very rare car was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA where it was estimated to sell for $285,000-$350,000. It was one of the first cars to cross the block of the two-day auction. When the gavel fell for the third and final time, the lot had been sold for the sum of $330,000 including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2008

Sold for $181,500 at 2008 Sports & Classics of Monterey by RM Auctions.
This 1967 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 with coachwork by Touring was sold new in Argento Grigio Metallizzato (silver) with a black leather interior. The car is a matching numbers example that has traveled just 58,236 miles since new.

In 2008, this vehicle was offered for sale at the 'Sports & Classics of Monterey' presented by RM Auctions. It had an estimated value of $175,000 - $250,000. The lot was sold for a high bid of $181,500, including buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2009

Sold for $219,624 (€170,000) at 2012 RM Auctions at Monaco.
This Lamborghini is the 40th 400GT 2+2 built, and was originally delivered to Spain in Grigio Medio. The car has been given a complete restoration. It rides on Borrani wheels and is powered by a V-12 engine with dual overhead camshafts per cylinder bank and breathes through six Weber dual-choke carburetors. There is a five-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel, vacuum-assisted Girling hydraulic disc brakes.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at the RM Auction's Monaco sale. The car was estimated to sell for €180.000-€220.000. Bidding reached €170.000 but was not enough to satisfy the vehicle's reserve. It would leave the auction unsold.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2012

This Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 is VIN number 0529. It is the 9th example produced and the current owner has all of the original books and tools

Sold for $451,000 at 2013 Gooding and Company - Pebble Beach.
This Lamborghini 400 GT Interim was sold to Roswell and Elizabeth Sanford of Margaretville, New York in 1967. On October 21st of 1967, the Sanfords struck a deal with Ed Jurist of the Vintage Car Store, Inc., in Nyack, new York, and traded in their 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS toward the barely used Lamborghini. The Ferrari had served as Chinetti's New York Show Car just two years earlier. At the time, the car was valued at $6,000, while the Lamborghini commanded a staggering $11,500. The Lamborghini remained with the Sanfords for 18 years, during which time it accrued approximately 40,000 miles.

In 1985, Mr. Sanford passed away and soon-after, it was offered for sale. In fall of 1986, Michael Kerr of Woodsburgh, New York, purchased the largely original 400 GT Interim and commissioned a ground-up restoration. Between 1987 and 1989, approximately $150,000 was spent restoring it back to its original splendor. The initial restoration was completed in 1991 and over the years, work would continue. In 1992, he reupholstered the interior in fawn hides sourced from Connolly Leather in the United Kingdom.

In August of 1993, the 400 GT Interim made its concours debut during the Classic Car Week on the Monterey Peninsula. The car earned the People's Choice award at Concorso Italiano and a Third in Class at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2013

This Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 was originally finished in Grigio Saint-Vincent paint color and was exported to the United States at some point early in its history. In the early 1980s it was purchased by Southern California custom motorcycle builder Joe 'Alphabet' Skrzyniarz. It then passed through an intermediary owner for about three years, before being sold in the late 1980s to James Simkins of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was reportedly driven very little by three owners during 15 years. In late 1989, the 400 GT was acquired by Ken Gross who retained it until 1994, when it was sold to James Mullen of Massachusetts. It remained in his care for the next 22 years. Some of the hardware components were upgraded for improved aesthetics, and a complete engine rebuilt was also performed. It has new Michelin tires, a new stainless steel exhaust system, and a refreshed suspension system.

The car currently displays 13,000 miles. 200 miles have been put on the engine since its rebuild.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2017

Sold for $451,000 at 2017 RM Auctions : Amelia Island.
This Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 by Touring is from the middle of production in 1967. It is finished in a color combination of silver grey over tan hides. The paintwork was redone recently and the car was treated to a comprehensive servicing.
By Daniel Vaughan | May 2017

Ferruccio Lamborghini had built a significant amount of wealth as a tractor builder. When he bought a Ferrari he expected a vehicle with superior performance and few problems. What he got was a car that did have superior performance but was plagued with mechanical difficulties. Upon returning the vehicle to the Ferrari shop and complaining about the lack of build quality, Enzo Ferrari replied 'You should stick with building tractors and let me concern about the cars.' Ferruccio was so enraged, that he began a new quest - to build proper supercars that had performance and quality.

Bizzarini, a brilliant engineer, had just left Ferrari and was a suitable candidate to build Lamborghini a twelve-cylinder engine. Franco Scaglione, an employee of Sargiotto located in Turin, was tasked with designing a new vehicle for the newly formed Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini S.p.A. Scaglione's resume included work such as the Alfa Romeo BATs and the ATS 2500 GT. Sargiotto Bodyworks were responsible for the metal work while Neri & Bonacini were given the task of building the square tube steel chassis. The result was a prototype labeled the Lamborghini 350 GTV and first displayed at the 1963 Turin Auto Show. The interior was leather while the finish was a bright metallic blue color. The engine was not installed in the car because it would not fit. The vertical carburetors were too large and did not fit under the hood. Only recently has the vehicle been restored and the chassis was altered to allow room for the engine.

After the Turin Show, Carlo Anderloni of Touring was brought in to redesign the 350 and prepare it for production. The design was smoothed out and the pop-up headlights were replaced with units that were gracefully incorporated into the hood of the vehicle. The 3.5-liter V12 with twin overhead camshafts and six twin-choke Weber carburetors was placed horizontally between the camshafts in order to fit under the hood. Along with the redesign, the engine was detuned because Ferruccio Lamborghini desired a smooth running, refined engine rather than a highly-tuned racing power-plant. Horsepower dropped from 350 to 270. A 320 horsepower version was available as optional equipment.

Two shortened chassis's were sent to Zagato, renowned for their lightweight construction, to create alternative creations to the Touring design. Ercole Spada of Zagato was given the task of designing the body. The result was a very elegant coupe that drew inspiration from previous work such as Lancia and Alfa Romeo racers. It was shown at the 1965 London Motor Show under the name Lamborghini 3500 GTZ. Only two examples were ever created. One was retained by the factory while the other was sold to a customer after the show.

Another coachbuilding factory was commissioned in the mid-1960s to create a mid-engined supercar. It was known as the Miura and was powered by a four-liter V12. In 1966 the four-liter engine was available in the front-engined Lamborghini as optional equipment. This version became known as the 400 GT. A few examples were built before it was replaced by the 400 GT 2+2. The two-plus-two configuration made the supercar a little more practical, allowing room for additional occupants in the rear seats. The design of the 2+2 varied slightly from the 400 GT. The 2+2 was constructed of steel while the 400 GT used aluminum. The most distinguishable difference was the double-oval headlights in the front of the 2+2.

In 1966 a Lamborghini 400 GT Monza prototype was created that carried the mechanical components of Lamborghini with styling reminiscent of Ferrari's legendary 250 GTO series. The design was handled by Neri & Bonacini and was shown to the public at the 1966 Barcelona Motor Show. It was sold to a wealthy Spanish individual who used the vehicle as a daily driver. It was put into storage in the early 1970's with the odometer reading just 7,000 km's. It remained in possession of the family until the owner's death in the mid-2000's. Bonham's Auction had the pleasure of offering the vehicle up for auction at the 2005 London Olympia sale where it was sold for $315,000.

During its introductory year, only thirteen examples of the 350 GT version were created. Around 120 examples were created in total and all were mostly hand-built. Since these were mostly hand-built, specifications and designs may vary. For example, most of the 400 GTs intended for the US market were given four round headlights, however, a few had larger oval units that were common on the 350 GT.

There were about 224 examples of the 400 GT 2+2 constructed. Five examples being right-hand drive.

The 350/400 GT Series represent Lamborghini's intention to construct the finest Grand Touring autombiles ever assembled. Many automotive journalists at the time hailed the cars as being better than equivalent exotic machinery.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2006