The Italian marque has always dazzled with its road cars, but a parallel universe of one-off experiments simmered beneath the surface. From the mid-sixties to the cusp of the 1990s, a handful of designers—Zagato, Touring, Bertini, Gandini and others—crafted ultra-rare studies that never saw mass production. These prototypes reveal a restless quest for performance, aerodynamic daring, and occasionally even military ambition.
While most of the models vanished after a single chassis, each carries a distinct story about power output, chassis length, or a bold styling cue that later influenced production Lamborghinis.
1965-1968: Early experiments and short-run models
350 GTZ – Zagato’s aggressive take
In 1965, Ercole Spada at Zagato re-imagined the 350 GT with a shortened wheelbase—ten centimetres less than the original—and a body that echoed the Alfa Romeo TZ2’s sharp lines. The 3.9 L V12 delivered a formidable 320 CV. Only two units were ever produced, making the GTZ one of the most coveted Lamborghini oddities.
350 GTS – Touring’s first Lamborghini conversion
That same year, the coachbuilder Touring transformed the 350 GT into a coupe with a removable roof, preserving the 3.5 L V12’s 280 CV. Again, production halted at two cars, underscoring the rarity of early custom work for the brand.
Monza 400 – An American Le Mans dream
Commissioned by a US client in 1966, Neri & Bonacini produced a one-off aluminum-skin machine called the Monza 400. It housed the same 3.9 L V12 at 320 CV yet Le Mans regulations prevented the car from competing, consigning it to private collection.
Flying Star II – Touring’s shooting-brake experiment
Also in 1966, Touring introduced the Flying Star II a two-seat shooting brake based on the 400 GT. Its wheelbase was shortened, and the body stretched into a low, taut silhouette that foreshadowed 1970s styling trends.
1970-1978: Bold variations and military ideas
Miura Jota – The ultimate race-car laboratory
Bob Wallace’s 1970 masterpiece took the iconic Miura and stripped away excess weight, reinforced the chassis, and re-engineered the aerodynamics. The transverse 3.9 L V12 was tuned to an astonishing 440 CV. The resulting Jota served as a testbed for extreme performance before being destroyed in an accident.
Bravo – A compact Gandini-styled Urraco evolution
In 1974, Bertone explored a smaller, two-seat derivative of the Urraco, dubbed the Bravo. Powered by a 3.0 L V8 delivering 300 CV the car was fully functional and underwent extensive testing, demonstrating that Bertini’s design exercise was more than a sketch.
Cheetah – Lamborghini’s foray into off-road military tech
The 1977 collaboration with the American firm MTI yielded the Cheetah a 4×4 prototype equipped with a rear-mounted 5.9 L Chrysler V8 at 183 CV. Although the anticipated contract never materialised, the project seeded the development line that would later produce the LM series.
Faena – Frua’s four-door Lamborghini experiment
Pietro Frua extended the Espada’s wheelbase in 1978, adding a second set of doors to create the Faena. The car retained the 3.9 L V12, now rated at 350 CV. Frua hoped for limited production, yet only a single chassis survived.
1980-1990: Late attempts and the road to the Diablo
Athon – A futuristic barchetta from Deschamps
Despite financial turmoil, Bertone’s Marc Deschamps used the 3.0 L Silhouette V8 (260 CV) in 1980 to craft the radical barchetta Athon. Its geometric lines and futuristic cockpit hinted at a design language that would reappear in later concepts.
LM-001 – Early iterations of the “four-wheel-drive” idea
Building on the Cheetah’s layout, 1981’s LM-001 placed a rear-mounted 5.9 L V8 at 180 CV. Weight distribution problems led chief engineer Giulio Alfieri to relocate the engine to the front, a step that directly preceded the iconic LM002.
Marco Polo – Giugiaro’s aerodynamic four-seater
In 1982, Giugiaro and Italdesign imagined a four-seat Lamborghini with soaring gull-wing doors and an ultra-low drag coefficient of 0.24. The study centred on the 3.0 L V8 (260 CV) and originated from an early DeLorean project.
P132 – The hidden predecessor of the Diablo
The development trail for the Countach’s successor began in 1987 with the P132 prototypes, showcasing Marcello Gandini’s radical styling. Chrysler’s involvement in 1989 softened the design, culminating in the final Diablo that debuted in 1990.
