Lamborghini 350 GT
Lamborghini in the 1960’s was an entirely different beast to Lamborghini today. While Lamborghini today is known for their over the top supercars, the brand started with a less “in your face” model. The 350 GT was originally launched in 1964 and was tasked with taking the fight to Ferrari’s grand tourer cars.
Originally the 350 GT started out as the 350 GTV prototype, but had to be redesigned when designers Gian Paolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani realized that the car was not suited to mass production. The 3.5-litre V12 race engine was detuned and a number of other changes were made to make the GTV prototype more reliable and drivable on the road. With the new design, Lamborghini decided to drop the V from the GTV name, resulting in the 350 GT.
The 350 GT had an all-aluminium alloy V12 engine mated to a five-speed ZF manual transmission. It had a Salisbury differential, four-wheel independent suspension, and vacuum servo-assisted Girling disc brakes all round. The body of the 350 GT was aluminium (although some were steel) which gave the 350 GT a total weight of 1,450kg.
Performance might not be blistering today, but the 350 GT could keep up with the best in the 1960’s. 0-100 km/h (62 mph) was done and dusted in 6.8 seconds and it could reach a top speed of 254 km/h (158 mph).
The 350 GT was succeeded by the 400 GT, which was essentially the same car but with an enlarged 3,929 cc V12 engine, with a power output of 320 bhp. The 400 GT 2+2 was also based on the 350 GT but with an extra 2 seats, so you could let your whole family experience the V12 fun!
Lamborghini Miura
While the Lamborghini Miura might not be the first supercar ever produced, it is credited as the first production supercar with a rear mid-engine, two-seat layout. Not only can it be credited as the car that started the trend of modern mid-engine supercars, the Miura was also the fastest production road car on the market at the time of its creation.
The car was produced from 1966 until 1973 and its achievements are even more amazing when you consider the fact that the Lamborghini engineers designed the car in their spare time. This was because the company founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini preferred powerful yet sedate grand touring machines over the race car-derived machines produced by the likes of Ferrari.
The mid-engine layout gave the Miura exceptional handling balance, but also remarkably low noise compared to its competitors. The earliest model of the Miura (the P400) was produced with a 3.9 L V12 engine that was mounted transversely. It produced an incredible 345 hp, with the later P400SV producing 380 hp.
In total only 764 Miura’s were built, making it a true collector’s item. For some, this is the ultimate Lamborghini ever produced.
Lamborghini Countach
Lamborghini’s have always been regarded as the ultimate poster car due to their extreme styling and distaste for practicality. While modern Lamborghini’s have competition from many other manufacturers, the 80’s and 90’s were where Lamborghini was the king of children’s bedroom walls.
The Lamborghini Countach was the poster child for the 70’s & 80’s and with just one look you can understand why. Starting out as what appeared to be a wedge of cheese, Lamborghini added all kinds of wings, vents, slits and angles to make one of the most iconic looking supercars of all time.
Lamborghini produced the Countach from 1974 until 1990, making it one of the Lamborghini’s longest-serving models. The Countach continued the mid-engined layout and popularized the “cab forward” design concept which pushes the passenger compartment forward to make room for a larger engine.
A number of different Countach models were produced, with all featuring a V12 engine with varying displacements. The fastest model was the 25th Anniversary Countach with a 5167 cc V12 that could do 0-100kn/h in 4.7 seconds and reach 295km/h.
Lamborghini Diablo
The Lamborghini Diablo was the epitome of a supercar and cemented the idea that the designers at Lamborghini were just plain bonkers. It was the first Lamborghini capable of attaining a top speed in excess of 200 mph (320km/h) and was pinned up on every child’s bedroom wall in the 90’s.
Lamborghini took the concept of the mental Countach and refined it, making it feel more modern, usable and just better all round. While the Diablo might have been more refined than the Countach, there is still no doubting that it was an old-school Lambo with unforgiving handling and woeful build quality.
Depending on the model, the Diablo either came with a 5.7 L or a 6.0 L V12 with power figures close to 600hp. Interestingly, Lamborghini borrowed the headlights from a Nissan 300ZX for the facelifted Diablo models from 1998.
Lamborghini Murciélago
The Murciélago marked a new chapter in the company’s history and was the first to be entirely conceived under the direction of Audi. Despite Audi’s influence, the Murciélago was still a Lamborghini of old, with insane styling and a monstrous 6.2-litre (later 6.5-litre) V12 engine.
Lamborghini produced the Murciélago from 2001 until 2010. It was the successor to the much loved Diablo and was the flagship of Lamborghini’s lineup. In 2004 a roadster version was produced, which was followed by the updated LP 640 coupé and roadster. A limited edition LP 650–4 roadster was next in line and the final car to wear the Murciélago nameplate was the LP 670–4 SuperVeloce, powered by the a 6.5-litre 661bhp V12 engine.
The first generation of the Murciélago was powered by a 572bhp V12 engine that could move the car from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. The SuperVeloce’s 661bhp V12 could get it from 0-100 km/h in as little as 2.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 336 km/h (209 mph).
The Murciélago was replaced by the Aventador in 2011 with a total run of 4,099 cars produced.
Lamborghini Veneno
The Veneno is culmination of all things that make Lamborghini what it is. You could say it’s the masque’s most extreme, ballsy car and only four were produced (five including the prototype), with three being sold to customers. Lamborghini based the Veneno off the Aventador to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary and it was the most expensive production car at the time of launch, with a price of US$4,500,000.
It featured a revised 6.5 L V12 from the Aventador that produced an impressive 740 hp. The car was electronically limited to a top speed of 220 mph (354km/h) and could do 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds. While other hypercars like the P1 and LaFerrari have similar performance figures, there is something about the look of the Veneno that just makes it the most insane rendition of a hypercar.
Due to enormous demand, Lamborghini produced a roadster version of the Veneno, for which the production was increased to a total of 9 units.
Lamborghini Aventador
As the successor to the Murciélago, the Lamborghini Aventador had a lot to live up to. The Aventador is Lamborghini’s current flagship car and gave birth to the insane Veneno and Centenario hypercars. While the Aventador upholds the fire breathing, mental legacy of its forebears, the car manages to be more usable and accessible too.
The Aventador comes with a 6.5 L V12 engine that makes it one of the last in a dying breed of big engined supercars. Since its launch in 2011 we’ve had a number of models including the return of the SuperVeloce models with around 750 hp. Depending on the model, the 0-60 mph time is around 2.8 to 2.9 seconds and the top speed is in excess of 350 km/h (217 mph).
The Aventador keeps the Lamborghini tradition of being named after a fighting bull. Aventador was a bull that fought particularly valiantly in the bull ring of Zaragoza. We think the Aventador is worthy of the name and is the culmination of years of development from the Italian automaker.
