Words: Rory FH Smith
At the 1966 Geneva motor show, Lamborghini revealed something rather special to the world in the shape of the Miura. The company, founded in 1963, developed a reputation as a rival to Ferrari after it produced the elegant 350GT grand tourer in 1964. Just two years later came the Lamborghini Miura, arguably the first ‘supercar’ the world had ever seen.
Shaped like an aircraft wing, the sensuous, low-slung silhouette of the Miura was made possible by mounting the V12 engine transversely, behind the passenger compartment. Styled by Marcello Gandini at the age of 27, the Miura represented a monumental shift in the way high-performance cars were designed. While it proved a popular poster car for the generation of bright young things, the Miura also found its way into the garages of icons such as Miles Davis, Rod Stewart and Frank Sinatra.
The SV variant, as is this particular model, came later in the Miura’s lifespan and featured numerous improvements over the P400 S that came before it. With revised suspension, a wider rear body and larger carburetors, the SV handled better and proved more user-friendly, particularly at lower rpms. With a V12 producing 385bhp, the SV could sprint from 0-60mph in 5.8seconds and on to a top speed of 180mph.
This particular example was first delivered to the USA by the Modena Racing Company of New York City. With two owners in the US, the car became part of a private museum collection in Portugal, from which its current owner acquired it. When bought, the car was refinished in the original Rosso colour while repairs and restoration work was carried out on the car’s mechanicals and interior. Once finished, the car was entered into the Concorso Italiano at Monterey in 2016 where it won Best Lamborghini during the celebration marking 50 years of the Miura.
This car will be auctioned at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale between 19 and 20 January 2017. Click here for more details.
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