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1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 Coupe

  • Designed by Bertone
  • Chassis Number: 4892
  • Engine Number: 30640
Lamborghini's influence has certainly helped shape and define the supercar arena. Their vehicles are inspiring, memorable, exotic, and offer enviable performance. Lamborghini's Miura, despite its impressive performance, was never proven and campaigned on the world's race tracks by the factory or clients. Although it had been designed for street use, Bob Wallace (Lamborghini's chief test driver and road development engineer), felt it would be a formidable contender against Ferrari and Porsche. Determined to prove this belief, he set out produce a special race-ready Miura that could help bring the company into motorsport. The resulting vehicle was called the Jota. It was built in 1970 as a one-off test bed vehicle and as a contender for FIA's Appendix J race category (hence Jota). Wallace selected the new-for-1971 SV-spec engine with split-sump lubrication for the project. The compression ratio was raised slightly and tuned to produce 440 horsepower at 8,000 RPM. The chassis was stiffened, the rear track widened, the fenders were flared to fit wider rear tires, and the Miura's 'eyebrows' disappeared. The fuel tanks were repositioned from the nose to the door sills resulting in better weight balance. The spare tire was also relocated to just behind the engine. Inside the vehicle, it was completely stripped of all non-essential materials. The windows were replaced with Plexiglas and a single windshield wiper was installed. One-millimeter-thick chrome-moly steel pipes were welded to the ladder chassis, and aluminum sheet skin was riveted over the chassis, forming an aluminum semi-monocoque shell. The entire body was formed from aluminum, whereas the standard Miruas had roofs constructed from steel. Upon completion, the special Jola weighed 1,784.5 pounds and sat four inches lower than the road-going Miura.

Upon completion, the car was put through rigorous and extensive testing, including a 20,000 mile road test. The SV made its introduced at the Geneva Salon in 1971. After the show, Ferruccio Lamborghini scheduled the car to be scrapped, as he had no interest in competition. Luckily, it was saved and sold to Alfredo Belpone in Bresica, Italy, who retained all of its racing modifications. Since the car needed a production certificate, it was given chassis number 5084, an SV-continuation number. Before being sent to Belpone, the car was restored and its racing upgrades were preserved. Shortly after receiving the car, it was crashed and burned on a closed autostrada while being tested. The original (and intended to be only) Jota was never rebuilt.

Several customers requested similar modifications be added to their cars. Five (and possibly as many as seven) Miura SVJs were built. Inside, they retained their original interior and creature comforts. SVJ modifications included the engine tuning, exhaust, suspension and brake cooling upgrades.

One of the cars to receive the Jota specifications upgrades was chassis number 4892. It was constructed by the factory in July of 1971 as a Miura SV that was finished in white with a blue interior. It was sold new to Dr. Alcide, of Rome. It is not known when the upgrades were performed; there is a letter issued by Lamborghini in 1974 listed it as a 'P400 Miura SV Mod. Jota' at that time.

Chassis number 4892 was given engine modifications including a wet-sump engine. The car was refinished red at that time and imported to Japan by Tomita Automobile Inc. It was cared by two more owners before Kazuo Takahashi restored it in the late 1980s. It came to the United States in 2007 and was shown at the 2007 William K. Vanderbilt Jr. Concours d'Elegance in Newport, Rhode Island, where it earned the Vanderbilt Award. A short time later, the car was given a complete restoration which took two years and cost $225,000. Upon completion, the car was painted in its current shade of Rosso Granda.

The current caretaker acquired the car in 2010.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2015

2015 RM Auctions - Automobiles of Arizona

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $2,000,000-USD $2,600,000 
Sale Price :
USD $1,897,500

2010 RM Auctions - Automobiles of London

Pre-Auction Estimates :
£800,000-£1,100,000 
Sale Price :
USD $1,152,278 (£ 728,000.00)

1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 Auction Sales

Recent Sales of the Lamborghini Miura P400

(Data based on Model Year 1971 sales)
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone
Chassis#: 4926
Sold for USD$3,580,000
  2023 RM Sothebys : Arizona
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV By Bertone
Chassis#: 4924
Sold for USD$1,824,197
  2022 RM Sothebys : London
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV
Chassis#: 4884
Sold for USD$2,582,220
  2022 RM Sothebys : Monaco Grimaldi Forum
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S by Bertone
Chassis#: 4761
Sold for USD$2,095,000
  2021 RM Sothebys : Monterey
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone
Chassis#: 4840
Sold for USD$2,938,023
  2021 RM Sothebys : Paris
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Speciale
Chassis#: 4878
Sold for USD$4,258,267
  2020 Gooding & Company : Passion of a Lifetime
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone
Chassis#: 4974
Sold for USD$1,391,000
  2020 RM Sothebys : Scottsdale Arizona
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone
Chassis#: 4912
Sold for USD$2,205,000
  2018 RM Sothebys : The Petersen Automotive Museum
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone
Chassis#: 4920
Sold for USD$2,177,500
  2018 RM Sothebys : Monterey
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S 'SV Specification
Chassis#: 4863
Sold for USD$759,350
  2016 Coys at Alexandra Palace
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV
Chassis#: 4920
Sold for USD$2,255,000
  2016 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone
Chassis#: 4912
Sold for USD$2,000,000
  2016 RM Sothebys : Arizona
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone
Chassis#: 4906
Sold for USD$2,475,000
  2015 RM Sotheby's : Monterey
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S by Bertone
Chassis#: 4827
Sold for USD$1,108,890
  2015 RM Sotheby's : Villa Erba
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV
Chassis#: 4884
Sold for USD$2,310,000
  2015 RM Sotheby's : Amelia Island
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura SVJ by Bertone
Chassis#: 4892
Sold for USD$1,897,500
  2015 RM Auctions - Automobiles of Arizona
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV
Chassis#: 4942
Sold for USD$2,090,000
  2014 RM Auctions at Monterey
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S ‘SV Specification'
Chassis#: 4863
Sold for USD$704,017
  2014 RM Auctions - Paris
 
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV
Chassis#: 4906
Sold for USD$1,100,000
  2012 Gooding and Company - The Scottsdale Auction
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Prototype
Chassis#: 4758
Sold for USD$1,705,000
  2011 Gooding and Company - The Amelia Island Auction
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 image  

Lamborghini Miura P400s That Failed To Sell At Auction

1971 Lamborghini Miura P400's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
VehicleChassisEventHigh BidEst. LowEst. High
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV49762019 Bonhams : Scottsdale Arizona $1,700,000$2,100,000
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S by Bertone48632018 RM Sothebys : London $1,200,000$1,400,000
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone49462017 RM Sotheby's : Arizona Auction $2,300,000$2,600,000
1971 Lamborghini Miura LP400 S by Bertone47822016 RM Sothebys : Arizona$1,000,000$1,300,000$1,500,000
1971 LAMBORGHINI MIURA SV COUPE 2001 Kruse Auction Santa Clara, CA$186,000  

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1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 vehicle thumbnail image  
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1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 vehicle thumbnail image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 vehicle thumbnail image  
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1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 vehicle thumbnail image  1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 vehicle thumbnail image  

1971 Lamborghini Miura P400

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