lambodiecast
the COLLECTION
Lamborghini 350 GT
1/18 by Ricko (32135)
Up to now I only had a few 1/43 models of the first Lamborghini production model, the highly sought after 350 GT, a very rare model from Small Wheels and a more reasonably priced one from Minichamps, but today Ricko changed all this with this amazing looking 1/18 masterpiece.
Now Ricko may not yet be in the same league as Kyosho or AutoArt, but still this all-opening Ricko diecast model does present itself very nicely, featuring some amazing details on this classic Lamborghini Gran Turismo from the early Sixties, an important piece of Raging Bull history.
Being the first, large 1/18 scale diecast model of the Lamborghini 350 GT I was already impressed with the large cardboard box this model arrived in, when opening it the good impression lasted, this is a large model with very nice details, sure it is more expensive than A Bburago or a Maisto model, but the details are a whole lot better too, and this Ricko Lamborghini 350 GT has a nice weight too.
On the outside the amazing metal scripts and logo are finished in a kind of gold plating on this model, on the real car these would be silver or brushed metal, while I do like gold I would have preferred them being correct ... also the Ricko model has an Automobili Lamborghini script on the rear side windows, this isn't correct compared to the real car either in fact.
Note that the Lamborghini 350 GT was built by Touring using their bespoke Superleggera method, hence both 'Touring' crest and 'Superleggera' script are found around this model, just like on the real car, a very nice touch which makes this model a real must have for me.
Opening the engine cover required a very flat tool to avoid damage to the paint ... Ricko supplied this tool in the box, while the engine in this model looks really good, I highly doubt the real car has the gold finish seen on this model, the red spark lines look right and what I really admire is the quilting Ricko put on the inside of the engine cover ... just like on the real car by the way.
As the luggage compartment also opens you'll find a nicely lined area under the cover and the inside of that cover is painted in flat black, another testament to the attention to detail Ricko put into this scale model.
Opening the doors unveils a nice, black interior, complete with wooden steering wheel and those traditional metal spokes and the four dials in the central console set on a brushed aluminum panel ... Ricko even put the radio in front of the passenger seat, just like on the real car.
Bottom line
Being the first 1/18 scale model of the classic Lamborghini 350 GT is enough reason for me to add this model to the collection, the attention to details from Ricko on this model is second to none, sure there are dogleg hinges on the hoods and the doors, but this still is a very nice model that deserves a spot in the collection.
Nice to know
One thing I did notice ... it is not a reproduction of the regular production 350 GT, if you take a look at the rear wheel arch you will notice the Ricko model has a completely round arch, this only featured on one particular car, chassis number #0118, which together with #0110 were the first two 350 GT to be finished in red, the #0118 car was finished on October 30. 1964 and is at this moment still on display at the official factory museum.
The regular production model of the Lamborghini 350 GT had a flattened upper section on the rear wheel arch, so Ricko based their scale model on a one of a kind, real car ... which no longer exists.
Well, she still exists, and she's still on display at the factory museum, but when she returned from a full restoration the rear wheel arch was replaced with a production styled version ... so the original Ricko Lamborghini 350 GT with the unique round rear wheel arch no longer exists in this form but has been converted to production specifications.
Measurements
Some people like to know if a model is in fact a real 1/18 scale version of the real deal, so I measured this one and compared it to the real car:
| 1/18 Ricko scale model | 1/18 scale to real life | #0118, the real car | |
| Length | 255 mm | 4590 mm | 4640 mm |
| Width | 97.06 mm | 1747 mm | 1730 mm |
| Height | 70.56 mm | 1270 mm | 1220 mm |
| Wheelbase | 144.33 mm | 2598 mm | 2550 mm |
| Track | 80.77 mm | 1453 mm | 1380 mm |
| Wheel diameter | 24.16 mm | 435 mm | 381 mm |
| Wheel and tire diameter | 36.16 mm | 651 mm | 683 mm |
The real Lamborghini 350 GT at the museum runs on 15 inch Borrani wheels with Pirelli P4000 tires in a 215/70R15 setup by the way, so that's where I got the wheels and diameter measurements from.
our RATING
| Overall rating |  | 8/10 |
