Lamborghini Miura P400 S

Dream garage
For sale @ DK Engineering Chorleywood, Herts. Tel: 01923 287 687 www.dkeng.co.uk

Recent offerings from Sant’agata may divide opinion, but it’s hard to find any divergence from the view that the Lamborghini Miura is one of the most beautiful cars ever created.

“It’s a motoring icon,” agrees Harvey Stanley from DK Engineering, which has managed to source this magnificent example for its stock. “There are a few cars that even non-car people recognise without fail – Gullwing Mercedes, Aston Martin DB5, Ferrari F40 – and the Miura is one of those. It’s a car that belongs in every great collection. And they sound wonderful!”

The badge on those lovely aluminium flanks says Bertone, but the credit for the sublime outline goes to Marcello Gandini. His beautiful shape clothes bold mid-engined architecture, this being the first production sports car to put the driver ahead of the power unit, long before Ferrari went the same route. In fact some claim this makes it the very first supercar. The glorious-sounding 4-litre V12 sits sideways with the transmission integrated Mini-style in the crankcase, thus keeping the wheelbase short, and the result made a massive impact when revealed at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show.

This left-hand-drive example left the factory in 1968 as a P400, the original version, but shortly afterwards was returned to Bologna for a partial upgrade to ‘S’ spec, with chrome trim and wheels and the eye-grabbing overhead switch console.

It then spent 20 years in California where it was repainted yellow, before coming to the UK where for another two decades it remained in the possession of another attentive owner.

“During that time,” says Harvey, “it was restored by Colin Clarke and Tom Ransom, the Miura people, and returned to that wonderful electric blue – its original colour. More recently Lamborghini legend Bob Wallace rebuilt the engine, and since then it’s been in a museum in the Far East. Really, it’s as nice as you could want.”

Factfile

Year: 1968
Engine: 3929cc transverse V12, four triple Weber carbs, 350hp
Gearbox: integral, 5 speeds
Torque: 413lb ft@6500rpm
Suspension: double wishbones and coils all round
Top speed: 170mph
Number built: (all models) 763
Price: £POA