Stand ground - In the global automotive industry, if the collaboration between brand owners and coachbuilder companies is commonplace and frequently happened. As we all know, the Italian car manufacturer Automobili Lamborghini Spa. launched its first production car called the Lamborghini 350 GT whose bodywork was done by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera di Milano in 1964.
1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ was a solution which originated from the philosophy at that time for racing
cars with a Zagato body and transferred with success to a more
comfortable and well refined GranTurismo (GT) car. (Picture from: LamboCars)
In order to show its existence as an automotive company in an atmosphere of intense competition with its compatriot rival Ferrari, Lamborghini then tried out another Milan based coachbulder company designs namely Carrozzeria Zagato. And in 1965, known as the beginning of the collaboration between the coachbuilder company Zagato and Lamborghini to design and build the new cars based on the Lamborghini 350 GT, later named the Lamborghini 3500 GTZ.
1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ is made on a 10 cm shortened chassis of the 350 GT and debuted at the 1965 London Auto Show. (Picture from: Zagato-Cars)
In an official meeting between the two companies in the Lamborghini HQ in Sant’Agata Bolognese which was attended by Paolo Stanzani (body division), Gian Paolo Dallara (technical division), and Elio Zagato, the first son of the coachbuilder company's founder Ugo Zagato. Well, both companies were finally agreed that the mentioned new car was built with a special 350 GT-based bodywork.
1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ has a lightweight aluminum-made bodywork with the surfaces and volumes is adopting the Zagato's typical cut-tail design of the era designed by Ercole Spada. (Picture from: LamboCars)
Shortly thereafter, the Milanese Carrozzeria Zagato received a 10 cm shortened 350 GT chassis from Lamborghini, and then 'dressed' it in a lightweight aluminum-made body with the surfaces and volumes is adopting the Zagato's typical cut-tail design of the era designed by Ercole Spada. And it was also mentioned that the design was a solution which originated from the philosophy at that time for racing
cars with a Zagato body and transferred with success to a more
comfortable and well refined GranTurismo (GT) car.
The Lamborghini 3500 GTZ is powered by a V12 engine with a capacity of 3,939 cc, which is capable of producing the power of 320 bhp (238 kW) at 6,500 rpm, with a peak torque of 375 Nm (276-ft.lbs) at 4,500 rpm. The engine is mated to a five-speed ZF manual transmission, and capable of making the 3500 GTZ racing up to a top speed of 161 mph or 260 kph.
1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ has an interior somewhat resembles an evolution of the 350 GT is featured with the quintessentially Italian bespoke dials, steering wheel and switchgear remained stock, the dashboard was fitted with a wooden panel framing a 3500 GTZ badge in front of the passenger. (Picture from: OtoBlitz)
As quoted of Lambocars, the finished car looked rather awkward with the front lacked personality (showed some resemblance with a Ferrari 25O GTO, and the structure line of the car’s was shared with the Alfa Romeo TZ2), noted only two cars were ever built, a white over black one (nr. 0310) and a silver over black one (nr. 0322).
1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ has the structure line was shared with the Alfa Romeo TZ2. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
Then the Zagato bodied Lamborghini 3500 GTZ(finished in white exterior with a black plastic vinyl interior) made its official debut at the 1965 London Motor Show. Unfortunately, this car was built only as the prototype, and was never got into the production lines of the Italian raging bull plants in San'tAgata Bolognese.
1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ is powered by a V12 engine with a capacity of 3,939 cc, which is capable of producing the power of 320 bhp at 6,500 rpm, with a peak torque of 375 Nm at 4,500 rpm. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
After the London's auto expo is over, the first car (nr. 0310) sold toMarchese Gerino Gerini, a former F1 driver
who was also Lamborghini’s official agent in Milan during that period,
later he sold to car to a fortunate customer in Australia who had it
converted to right-hand drive and repainted in red. Later, this scarce Lamborghini 3500 GTZ was bought by a German collector who shipped it to The Netherlands for a fully restoration, which converted back to left hand drive and repainted in a fresh red paint.
1965 Lamborghini 3500 GTZ has also some resemblance with a Ferrari 25O GTO as you can see it at rear. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
Meanwhile, the second one did really exist with the chassis number 0320 and had engine number 0228 installed, it was driven by Paolo Stanzani himself at first, later this one was sold to an American enthusiast, unfortunately its current whereabouts are unknown. Rumours were this car was later destroyed in a rather big accident and was damaged beyond repair (but this statement was never officially confirmed).😭
And that was the end of the collaboration between the two companies in the 1960s, reportedly at that time Ferrucio Lamborghini as the founder and owner of the company preferred to the designs made by other coachbuilders such Bertone and almost all Lamborghini designs that were born after the 350/400 GT were done by Nuccio Bertone and his designing team.
But in the 1996, Zagato was seen came back to make some designs for the Lamborghinis through the Lamborghini Zagato Raptor and continued with the Lamborghini 5-95 Zagato in the 2014. *** [EKA [17092021] | FROM VARIOSU SOURCES | LAMBOCARS | ZAGATO-CARS | CARIOS | CARSTYLING.RU | ]
