Following Lamborghini’s first production model, the 350 GT, the similarly styled 400 GT 2+2 was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966, with a higher roofline, featuring occasional rear seats, a four-liter engine, and a Lamborghini-built gearbox and differential. Bridging these two models was the 400 GT, colloquially known as the ‘Interim,’ which utilized the two-place body of the 350 GT, but featured the Lamborghini-built mechanical advancements of the 2+2 model, including the new 4-liter engine. Even by Lamborghini standards, production was very low, and though the number of 23 examples is debated by some historians who claim fewer, it is clear that just a handful of these special cars were built, and it is one of the lowest production models in the revered marque’s history.

The 400 GT ‘Interim’ offered here is fortunate to have been the impassioned focus of the consignor for over 20 years, who sought to restore a significant, early Lamborghini to reference standards, without regard to cost – the scope of which had likely never been equaled at that time. He procured chassis 0517 in 2002, and soon discovered this car’s particular importance: it likely has the earliest completion date of any 400 GT, making it the first ‘Interim’ to be built at Sant’Agata with an all-Lamborghini drivetrain. Though imported through Bob Estes, Lamborghini’s West Coast distributorship, 0517’s early owners resided in the southeast. Its third owner, after enjoying it on the road for several years, shipped the car to California and placed it in long-term storage, until it was sold to the consignor in 2002.

The restoration was entrusted to San Diego-based Lamborghini specialists Bobileff Motorcar Co. The body was found to be in exceptional condition; just two small areas of the steel coachwork behind the rear wheels required replacement. Original materials were meticulously researched, original colors were faithfully matched, including the stunning light blue hue of Azzurro Fiat, (code 25539) and Senape interior. Samples of the original colors and materials, and their replacements, have been preserved side by side in a volume of restoration invoices, correspondence, and chronology of the restoration. Even a cursory review reveals the fortitude, financial and otherwise, that is required to restore a low-production vehicle to the highest level. The odyssey was documented in a humorous but unflinching four-part article entitled “Restoring a Lamborghini 400 GT, a Captivating Tale of Obsessive Compulsion,” published in Robb Report in 2003.

The Lamborghini was shown soon after the completion of its restoration, but its major exhibition career began over a decade later when, following a refinish by master restorer Mike Regalia, extensive improvements were made to the 400 GT’s most minute details. In 2016, the fanatically focused and dedicated restorer Joseph Demeo accepted the challenge to further improve the presentation and level of authenticity of the car. After significant effort, again without regard to cost, numerous best in class and best of show accolades followed at major concours against formidable competition at each outing.

Today, the continual improvement of this fortunate Lamborghini has created one of the finest restored sports cars that many enthusiasts have ever seen. Taken as a whole, the 400 GT dazzles the senses, but it is the car’s myriad details that are truly astonishing. The panel fit, the grain of the metallic paint, the sparkling stainless steel and chrome trim of the exterior, and the upholstery, carpet, details of the dash, and the balance of the interior have been assembled with an obvious dedication to the pursuit of perfection by experienced artisans. As astounding as all of these details are, they are further complemented by the level of attention lavished on the engine bay, while the underside, suspension components, brakes, and wheel wells are simply a level apart. It is easy to see that many hundreds of thousands of dollars were well spent.

This car is best experienced in person, under the brightest of lights, and will most assuredly appeal to the perfectionist collector. Breathtaking is an oft-overused term, but it is entirely appropriate in the case of this spectacular Lamborghini. Gooding Christie’s is proud to present this “reference standard” 400 GT ‘Interim,’ and we welcome your critical inspection of this remarkable automobile.