Of All, Only This One

When you think of all the Lamborghini models ever released, the ones that probably come to mind quickest are the Miura:

…the Countach:

…or if you’re one of those Readers of more recent vintage, the Murciélago:

…or the Aventador:

It will probably come as no surprise to anyone that I wouldn’t touch any of the above with Bill Clinton’s dick.  (No comments on that topic, please, this is a serious automotive post.)

No, the only Lambo I would ever consider owning — and that only after Iain Tyrrell had worked his magic, re-tuning and rehabbing it — is the early-60s model 350 GT, with its 3.5-liter V12 engine:

Now, my children… if you are unfamiliar with the design expression “half a teardrop”, follow me to Mr. Tyrrell’s Workshop and let him explain, in just over half an hour, what that means; and along the way, you may just start to agree with me.

No electronic gizmos, no nanny warning noises, no rev limiters, double-clutch automatic gearboxes or any of that modern folderol;  just a car that one can enjoy driving, in the truest sense of the word.  With Mr. Tyrrell babying it for me on an annual basis, it is unquestionably the car I could drive for the rest of my life.

7 comments

  1. As you noted it has no electronic gizmos, and the other minor difference is that it’s a front engine 2+2 Gran Touring car rather than a mid engined boy racer. So, yes, good choice, they are glorious cars in person. But it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a hand built aluminum bodied 60’s era Italian car. On the plus side, you’ll become good friends with Mr Tyrrell after paying all those regular maintenance bills. Maybe he’ll even let you visit and drive the car occasionally.

    You did win that Billion $ lottery….. right??? You’re going to need it.

  2. A triumph of optimism over experience. Plus, from the back it’s as ugly as a hat full of assholes, that squared off rear wheel arch looks very 1960s kit car. You would die from heatstroke driving that in Texas. God knows what the first pothole would do to it.

    Hard pass.

    1. You’re assuming I’d want to drive it anywhere other than in northern Italy… motoring around Lake Como with Shania Twain by my side.

      And you say “60s car” like this is a negative to me.

  3. Kim, thank you for that link and the wonderful story it tells on this car. I can only marvel at the man’s skill in tuning the engine. My E type with a straight 6 and 3 SU carburetors was a pain for me to tune. I had help back in the day from a lovely UK emigre, former race car driver and later mechanic for exotic cars. He did the same trick with the rubber hose and a screwdriver in minutes whereas I had to use a Selsyn to visually observe the air flow then adjust by ear the even sound of cylinder pairs. Wish money were no object (sadly it is) as I too would own one of those in a heartbeat. Keep up the good work and ignore anyone that bitches about your choice of topics, they are nekulturny.

  4. Don’t worry Kim they wouldn’t let you touch those cars either.

    I drove a Countach once. (They moved the entire manufacturing plant to South Africa.) It fucked off at very high speed. Zero rear vision but why was that a problem? Not a summer car. Let’s face it a Lambo is the ultimate vacuum cleaner.

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