This weekend, RM Sotheby will auction off a naked 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S. Wearing its bare metal, the Lamborghini Miura P400 S is one of approximately 50 examples built with improved components as part of the Miura’s Series II S cars. So, where is the paint job on this rare ultra-desirable classic Italian supercar? The reason behind that is the story that took four decades to complete. It all started with the car’s first owner, a 19-year old Iranian student studying at the University of California, Berkeley.
According to RM Sotheby, this was not a graduation present. The owner’s parents took delivery of the Miura at the Lamborghini factory. They then had the car shipped to the United States with instructions to sell it. However, being 19 years old with keys to a new Lamborghini and parents an ocean away, she decided to keep the car for a while.
After two years of use, the 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S had its nose pushed in during a car accident. The San Mateo body shop purchased the Miura with intentions to repair the damaged aluminum clamshell hood. Yet, like with so many project cars, time slipped away, and the repairs went undone. The car sat in storage from the mid-1970s until it was purchased by the current owner in 2019. The rare Miura P400 S underwent an eight-month-long restoration to repair its bodywork. Thankfully, the car’s blue leather interior had been well maintained, with the odometer showing only 16,000 miles. Everything mechanical on this vintage Lamborghini Miura has been restored, reconditioned, or replaced.
The 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S original paint was stripped during the restoration, leaving its bare metal exposed, adding to its exclusivity. RM Sotheby estimates the car’s value between $1.6 and 2 million dollars. A hefty sum for an old sports car, but then again, the Lamborghini Miura is much more than just a car – it is rolling art. The car will be auctioned on August 14, 2021.
If this interested you, check out the 1972 Lamborghini Miura SVJ.
