Lamborghini 350 GT, Jalpa featured at Techno Classica Essen

Techno Classica Essen is going on as we speak at Messe Essen in Germany. It offers a bit of everything -- a sort of car and motorcycle show mixed with a swap meet and a club meeting. And Lamborghini is there displaying its beautiful 1964 350 GT and a 1981 Jalpa.

The Lamborghini 350 GT was the first mass-produced vehicle from the company, developed after a few prototypes called the 350 GTV. Released in 1964, it’s celebrating 50 years in 2014. The 350GT featured a 3.5-liter V12, engineered by Giotto Bizzarrini, making 280 hp. It was good for an impressive top speed -- for the time -- of 155 mph.

It also featured four-wheel independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes. Some had a self-locking differential. Only 120 examples were produced; the final few housed a 4.0-liter motor with the same amount of power but more torque. Carrozzeria Touring also produced two Spyders called 350 GTS.

The Lamborghini Jalpa was produced from 1981 to 1988. It was conceived under the watchful eyes of the Mimran brothers, who took over the company during its bankruptcy in 1981. The Jalpa was based on the earlier Silhouette, and it was equipped with a 255 hp 3.5-liter V8. It was a commercial success and sold more than 420 units. The car on display at Essen is the last to leave the production line in 1988 and bears Ferruccio Lamborghini’s signature on the glovebox.

The company’s stand will also feature info about authorized Lamborghini Workshops, which specialize in servicing the classic Bulls. Lambo says owners can log on and look at catalogs of every model produced, which facilitates ordering of spare parts. If a component isn’t available, the company can make it from its original blueprints.

Lamborghini will be at Essen today, Saturday and Sunday, so if you happen to be near Norbertstrasse -- that’s a street -- stop on in. It could be the only time you’ll see some of these rare machines in person.

By Jake Lingeman