the official birth of Lamborghini out much earlier, specifically in 1963. But for many, me included, the legend of Lamborghini was born between October and November of 1965. Exactly 50 years ago. Lamborghini went to the Hall of Turin, 1965. And you would not believe that he did it with a supercar amazing, with something spectacular, or with beautiful hostesses leaning gently on its polished body. All that showed was a a sort of stripped chassis, without bodywork. What is surprising is that the chassis was so important, influential, and providential for Lamborghini to become the true representative of the concept of a supercar, that today we still talking about him.
Lamborghini would be submitted to the Salon of Turin in 1965 with a chassis, bare, without a body, so influential as to define the history of the brand and the evolution of modern sports.
In those early days, Ferruccio was clear on who should trust. Crafted his Dream Team from the hand of Gian Paolo Dallara, then a young man who would end up being an institution for the competition; Paolo Stanzani and Bob Wallace, who had already made his first steps in the racing machines of Ferrari.
The confidence that Lamborghini provided to this team of engineers, ambitious, young, and loaded with ideas, breakthrough, and experience in sports and competition, it would take for you to conceive the basis on which they would build a sports racing licensed street. They say that the team recruited by Ferruccio worked behind his back for months, fearing that this would stop their progress, by considering that the end result would be too expensive and exotic. In any case, when Ferruccio learned of what was happening, approved it went ahead. Thus was born the project 400 TP.
Ferrari still showed their reluctance to the lace of a concept of a central motor, already amortized in competition, in sports street.
Imagine the face you had to put Enzo Ferrari when it was found to Ferruccio, once-proud client of the prancing horse and come to more, after some disagreements, as a rival of Ferrari, when he knew the project. Lamborghini had not invented anything. The concept of a central motor was not new. Ferrari had already demonstrated its potential in competition, but while Enzo had his doubts about applying it to sports street, and how it would fit in with the driving habits of their customers, Ferruccio had given way to a project to launch a Lamborghini mid-engine, installed just behind the back of the driver and his companion.
So he went to Lamborghini to that Room in Turin in November of 1965, celebrated makes just 50 years. The attendees were found with a chassis formed of steel, and drilled for aligerarlo. With a cabin two-seater, with two seats, after which there was a engine of twelve cylinders in vee.
And no, this was not the assault of Lamborghini to the competition, something that was never a supporter Ferruccio, but the heart of your next beast.
Ferruccio did not think that Lamborghini outside to enjoy a great success, not predicted to sell more than fifty units, but he was confident in his development, by the mere fact of providing a strong boost to its popularity. Ferruccio is wrong, and the result of that project, the Lamborghini Miura, it would sell more units planned (many more) until about the 764. And best of all: the concept of sports is to become the true letter of presentation of Lamborghini.
Who also relied on the need of building a sports mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, it was Nuccio Bertone. Imagine that the day on which Nuccio contemplated that chassis, it is imagined that before I had the perfect canvas, felt for a moment like michelangelo contemplating the vault of the Sistine Chapel in white before you start your work. They say that Bertone was directly to talk with Ferruccio and tell him that he would design a shoe that would fit perfectly to your foot.
The idea of creating sports street motor, with a central-posterior, not only boasted some dynamic qualities are excellent, but that it also ensured the designer a freedom unusual at the time of venturing into designs as daring as soon after to see in Miura and, decades later, Countach, Diablo, Murcielago and Aventador.
And even Ferrari, who for years doubted in the concept of a central motor in sporting street, you would end up throwing your response to that chassis of Lamborghini.
The chassis was hidden away in the workshops of Sant’agata for 12 years, and from there to disappear for decades, until 2008. It was then when he reappeared, and, surprisingly, in a state of relatively acceptable, enough process for reconditioning and auction years later. He stripped chassis would achieve at auction in 2013, 473.000 dollars, about 440.000€ according to the current exchange rate and a price similar to that paid in the same auction for a Lamborghini 400 GT, 1967, or a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona of 1969.
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