1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 Coupe

Giampaolo Dallara was a prodigal graduate of the aeronautical engineering program at the famed Polytechnical Institute of Milan. He worked closely with other talented individuals named Paolo Paolo Stanzani and Bob Wallace. Stanzani graduate engineer from the University of Bologna and Wallace was a New Zealander and a former Ferrari and Maserati test driver. Their work at Lamborghini had included the front-engined 350GT and its new V-12 engine. One evening, while enjoying drinks at the Palace Hotel bar in Modena, they introduced the idea of building a mid-engine grand-touring car in a similar fashion to a contemporary Group 7 racer. They presented the idea to Lamborghini with a completed design that would eventually become the world's first mid-engine road-going sports car. A bare chassis was displayed at the 1965 Turin Auto Show, and after final styling revisions were handled by Bertone's Marcello Gandini, the finished prototype was displayed at the 1966 Geneva Show.

This 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S was the second produced that year of 140 S models built and number 277 of a total Miura production of 764. It was purchased in 1971 and its last known registration was around 1985. It was put away in a barn with 28,000 miles on its odometer and would remain there for the next three decades. When it emerged from the barn, it had the original paint, original Pirelli CN12 tires, and original plastic cap on the clutch reservoir. It was sold to an enthusiast who brought it back to Florida and put it on display in an art gallery. It was later sold to a professional athlete before coming to auction in 2018.

In 2018 the car was offered for sale at the Hollywood Wheels 'Amelia Island Select' auction where it had a pre-estimated value of $1,500,000 – $2,200,000.

The car remains in unrestored and original condition wearing its original Rosso Corsa paint and Skay Nero interior. It rides on Pirelli Cinturato CN12 tires which are factory original. It has tinted clear-plastic rear-window louvers that were in place when the car was first discovered in storage. It is currently the only known example with this feature.

Since this is an S model, it has the Pirelli Cinturato 70-series tires fitted to Cromodora alloy knock-off wheels. Power is from a 370 horsepower four-cam 3.9-liter V-12 engine with larger 30 mm intake-port diameters and refined combustion chambers, backed by a 5-speed manual transaxle. There are chromed window surrounds, upgraded upholstery and paneling, power windows, improved ventilation, and new switchgear.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2018