1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 S

Immortal as the world’s first production supercar, Lamborghini’s Miura was first shown in bare rolling chassis form at the 1965 Torino Motor Show. Fully clothed, it sent shockwaves worldwide at its formal March 1966 Geneva Salon debut and drew orders from the wealthiest and most influential personalities of the era, including the former Shah of Iran, who ordered two Murias and reportedly kept them under armed guard once delivered to him. Named for an infamous fighting bull, the Miura was the after-hours brainchild of seven young engineers, including Gian Paolo Dallara. While some name Bertone’s young Marcello Gandini as the designer of the Miura’s dramatic and lightweight aluminum body, others credit another famed Italian stylist, Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The Miura’s specifications remain impressive today, including a lightweight chassis, all-independent underpinnings, four-wheel disc brakes, and an exotic DOHC V-12 engine with multiple Weber carburetors. While designed essentially as a front-line sports racing car worthy of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and looking the part with clamshell front and rear body sections, the Miura was conceived as a blindingly fast and glamorous road car without racing pretensions, given the rapidly escalating costs of operating international-level racing teams during the 1960s. First available in 1967, the Miura P400 backed up its provocative look with shattering performance including reported top speeds near 170 mph.

Swift evolution, courtesy of Dallara with relentless field-testing by Bob Wallace, brought the enhanced Miura P400 S, with the “S” denoting spinto, or tuned specification. First shown at the 1968 Torino Motor Show, the P400 S’s comprehensive improvements addressed handling, build quality, and interior comfort. The prior electric window lifts were replaced by hand cranks, carpeting, and optional leather upholstery upgraded, some switches were redesigned, the glove compartment received a locking lid, and a passenger grab handle – necessary for triple-digit speed runs – was thoughtfully added. The mighty Lamborghini V-12 engine was fortified with reworked cylinder heads and revised Weber carburetors, yielding a claimed 20-horsepower bump to a 370 bhp factory-advertised rating. Rear suspension updates and newly available, state-of-the-art 70-series Pirelli Cinturato radial tires enhanced handling, while, later in production, new ventilated disc brake rotors reduced fade under hard usage.

While the original Miura P400 is rightly coveted for its “first of line” status and was immediately recognized as a fierce performer, the P400 S offered a wide array of welcome refinements and increased power output. Visually identified by its “S” tail-panel script matching the stylized “Miura” model-identification logo, the Miura P400 S would receive further selective upgrades during its production run, spanning November 1968 until the advent of the P400 SV in March 1971, with just 338 examples of the P400 S produced.

Bearing chassis 3799 and finished in Verde Miura (Miura Green), this captivating 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 S was supplied new to Piero Quadro of Torino, Italy on January 2, 1969. Remaining in Italy with seven subsequent owners and then owned by a Swiss collector in the early 2000s, this Miura was sold to a highly selective private collector in the UK in 2004, who retained the Lamborghini for the next 14 years, followed by the consignor. A high-quality restoration was performed during the early 2000s, with the Miura refinished in its eye-catching Verde Miura paint color and the interior restored in the current Blu (Blue) livery. While the Lamborghini is fitted with a period-correct Miura engine, numbered 1908, it is not the original unit. Maintained over a number of years by GTC Engineering in Stowe, Buckinghamshire in the UK, the Miura is a well sorted example, and has been enjoyed by the consignor on long drives. In addition to photographs, videos, and UK MOT test certificates, this compelling 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 S is accompanied by a Certificate of Origin issued by Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. Coveted by enthusiasts and collectors from introduction, the Miura is the template upon which all true supercars are based – even today.

Glamorous, blindingly fast, and steeped in fabulous history, the Miura conjures vivid images of transcontinental jaunts. Accordingly, the 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 S offers a rare opportunity to share the passion.

*Please note that this lot is currently located in the UK. It is UK registered and has a UK DVLA-issued V5C. Please note that the DVLA-issued V5C states the engine number is 2529, but the engine number is actually 1908. For further information, please contact concierge@goodingco.com.

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