While Lamborghini had produced 23 350GTs with an enlarged 4-liter version of their V-12 (calling them 400GTs), the “official” and new 400GT 2+2 was introduced at Geneva in 1966. It was comfortably appointed, a capable cruiser at speeds above 150 mph, and had two small rear seats for four hypothetical occupants. The car broadened Lamborghini’s appeal as it offered more power and more seating than its 350GT predecessor.

The new Lamborghini 400GT 2+2 was sheathed in steel bodywork that was thoroughly revised by Touring in order to accommodate the back seats while preserving the 350GT’s attractive proportions, resulting in almost every panel on the car being new in spite of its likeness to the previous car. The 2+2 had four headlights instead of the 350GT’s two, but numerous other features of the 400GT 2+2 improved upon and set it apart from the 350GT. In addition to the larger and more powerful 320-hp 3929-cc version of the wonderful Bizzarini-designed six-Weber V-12, Lamborghini also introduced their own five-speed gearbox that by all accounts was easier to use and quieter than the 350GT’s ZF unit. Changes to the four-wheel independent suspension were also introduced to accommodate the car’s 400 extra pounds of weight. Reviews at the time compared the car favorably in handling and performance to its Ferrari contemporaries.

Lamborghini built approximately 250 examples of the 400GT 2+2, and these GTs are seen today as some of the more desirable and useable of the marque’s front-engine cars. Aside from their ample performance, the cars exude a classic sensibility in styling that wasn’t as prominent in its successors. Like any aging exotic, maintenance records are the key to an enjoyable experience. Issues that have been neglected can be costly and frustrating to repair, so the better documented a car is, the more piece of mind a buyer will have.