RM Auctions has revealed its list of offerings for their annual Monaco auction scheduled in May 10. Held in the Principality during the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique weekend, the selection includes several very desirable vintage offerings from Automobili Lamborghini.
Of those cars from the house of the raging bull are a pair of Miuras and two 400 GTs. Production years range from 1967-1969, with P400S Miura, a painstaking recreation of a rare Miura S Jota, a 400 GT 2+2 and a second 400 GT converted into a Spyder. We’ve added full galleries of each Lamborghini to our photo archive linked below and also to the right of this story, while you can also download the full digital catalogue of all offerings HERE. -Ed.
1969 Lamborghini Miura S Jota (Lot #169)
€450.000 – €550.000
Chassis no. 4280
Engine no. 30633
385 bhp, 3,929 cc mid-engined transversely mounted DOHC V-12 with four Weber carburettors, five-speed manual transmission, independent front and rear suspension with coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers, and four-wheel ventilated disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,500 mm
A Lamborghini Miura S that has been upgraded to Jota specification
Fitted with an original Miura SV engine
To many, the Lamborghini Miura is unquestionably the world’s first supercar. Upon its introduction, the Miura pushed the boundaries of what was thought to be possible in designing an automobile. Not only did it push the envelope of performance, but it also pushed the envelope of automobile aesthetics, and it remains one of the most celebrated and instantly recognisable automotive shapes to this day. The Miura’s sensuous form captivated the crowd at its unveiling at the 1966 Geneva Salon, and that same design would remain largely unchanged until the last Miura left the production line of Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata factory. The world had never seen all those aspects combined into such an incredible package, and because of it, Lamborghini became a household name almost overnight. Everyone wanted one, but only captains of industry, heads of state, and rock stars could afford to put one in their garage.
Despite its world-beating performance, the Miura was never intended to be more than a road-legal rocket ship available to paying customers. However, the late factory test driver Don Wallace believed that the Miura could be something more. Wallace dreamed of building a more focused Miura, one that took the production model to another level by decreasing weight and increasing horsepower. Since Ferruccio Lamborghini did not want to channel his company’s efforts into racing, Wallace was left to his own devices to build such an automobile. Left with one chassis to experiment with, Wallace decided to aim for designing a competition car that would fit into the FIA’s Appendix J.
In order to achieve this, Wallace focused on decreasing weight and achieving a better weight distribution for the car. Everything that could be discarded was, leaving a completely bare-bones interior, a single windshield wiper, fixed headlights, and Plexiglas windows. The gas tanks were repositioned from the Miura’s nose to the sills, and its spare tyre was relocated behind the engine. Additionally, Wallace utilised all the upgrades that were featured in the 1971 SV, including a more rigid chassis, a wider rear track with larger suspension wishbones, and a split-sump lubrication system that would be introduced in later production SVs. The resulting automobile was the Miura Jota.
Whilst the car was originally destined to be scrapped by the time the Miura SV was introduced, it was instead restored at the factory and subsequently sold to millionaire Alfredo Belpone in Brescia, Italy. Unfortunately, the Jota’s post-factory-prototype life would be short-lived, as it was crashed by Belpone in 1972 during additional testing on a closed Italian autostrada. The Jota was completely destroyed in the resulting fire and would never be rebuilt, closing the door on the history of one of Lamborghini’s most fascinating cars.
This 1969 Lamborghini Miura S was completed on 23 October 1969 as production number 423, and it left the factory finished in red. Following production, the car was shipped to Mizwa Motors, the authorised Lamborghini dealership in Japan, and it was sold to its first owner, who was located in Yokohama. From there, the car remained in Japan, passing through three subsequent owners in the cities of Kobe, Chiba, and Fukuoka over the course of the next 30 years. In the 1980s, the original S-specification engine was removed and the Miura was fitted with a genuine Miura SV engine, bearing number 30633, which was the first SV engine produced. The current owner purchased the car in 1998 from the previous owner in Fukuoka, Japan, who had owned it for 10 years.
The conversion to Jota specification was completed in early 2013 by two separate Italian car specialists located in Japan. Whilst the car was being converted to Jota specifications, all components were fully restored, ensuring that the Miura will function as it would when new in every respect.
Had the original Jota not met its end in 1972, there is no doubt that it would be one of the most desirable automobiles in the world, as it took the most radical automobile the world had ever seen and raised the bar of performance one step higher. The Jota, in its pursuit of greater performance, combined the best aspects of the original Miura design with more aggressive cosmetic and mechanical enhancements, to make the most intense Miura that ever left Sant’Agata. This converted Jota-specification Miura provides an excellent chance for a lucky enthusiast to relive the experience that the original Jota provided—an experience that is no longer available in its original form. For the enthusiast looking to have a Miura that stands out from the rest, look no further.
1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S (Lot#139)
€550.000 – €700.000
Chassis no. 4155
Engine no. 30409
370 bhp, 3,929 cc DOHC transverse mid-mounted alloy V-12 engine with four Weber 40 IDL-3C carburettors, five-speed manual transaxle, independent front and rear suspension with A-arms, coil springs, tubular shock absorbers, and anti-roll bars, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,500 mm
Desirable early-production S variant
Matching-numbers drivetrain
Single ownership for 31 years
Includes FIVA and ASI passports
Lamborghini’s beguilingly handsome, awesomely powerful, and ground-breaking mid/rear-engine Miura set a new bar for performance cars, and it is now widely recognised as the opening salvo of the Italian supercar battle that emerged over ensuing decades. With Touring, of Milan, falling on tough financial times, Lamborghini called upon Nuccio Bertone to create coachwork for Gianpaolo Dallara’s innovative chassis. A relatively unknown Bertone stylist named Marcello Gandini, then just 28 years old, penned one of automotive design’s most enduringly popular sports cars of all time, and a legend was born.
After the Miura P400, named for a breeder of fierce Spanish fighting bulls, debuted at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, it posed an undeniable challenge to Ferrari’s longstanding supremacy of the premium high-performance market, just as Ferruccio Lamborghini intended when he originally set out to make his own sports car. With a low volume of hand-built production and the careful input of renowned test driver Bob Wallace, the Miura was steadily improved from car to car, and some experts contend that no two examples are exactly alike.
Coachwork modifications to be found on the Miura S were rather minor, with a revised Bertone badge and the use of chrome headlight bezels constituting the more obvious exterior refinements. The changes were more pronounced in the interior, with the use of superior upholstery, a revised instrument layout, power windows, and the first availability of optional air conditioning in a Lamborghini. Whilst the revered four-litre V-12 remained essentially unchanged from the original P400, the camshafts and tuning were modified to develop an improved 370 horsepower, which was capable of pushing the car to 168 mph, as demonstrated by a road test in the April 1970 issue of Road & Track. As the Miura S was manufactured in a modest quantity of no more than 338 examples (with early registers contending that as few as 140 cars were built), it is considered by many marque enthusiasts to be the definitive Sant’ Agata model, and the car continues to hold a special place in the hearts of sports car connoisseurs far and wide.
It is believed that chassis number 4155 was completed on 6 August 1969, making it one of the earlier S examples manufactured. This Lamborghini, wearing Bertone production number 401, was factory-finished in Rosso Miura paint over a black and beige interior. It was sold new to an Italian enthusiast named Breviglieri and was later acquired by well-known collector Pier Paolo Apicella, who in turn sold it in 1983 to the current collector.
Chassis 4155 has been seldom driven and carefully garaged over the intervening 31 years, and it continues to display in overwhelming originality. It desirably retains its original matching-numbers V-12 engine and driveline, and other than being fitted with wider rear wheels from the subsequent Miura SV, it is correctly equipped as per its original factory specifications.
This superb Lamborghini remains every bit as arresting as it was in August 1969, and as it is currently accompanied by a FIVA Passport and ASI papers, it is warranted entrance to some of the world’s most discerning vintage events. A sensationally presented Miura displaying such dutiful care and mild use would make a noteworthy addition to any sports car collection. This Miura P400S is a wonderfully original example of one of the most rhapsodised speed machines ever constructed, and it is the distinctive forerunner of a long line of “Raging Bulls”.
1968 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 (Lot#152)
€375.000 – €475.000
Chassis no. 1210
Engine no. 1301
320 hp, 3,929 cc 60-degree DOHC V-12 engine, five-speed all-synchromesh gearbox, independent front and rear suspension with unequal length wishbones, coil springs, and anti-roll bars, and four-wheel Girling disc brakes with servo-assist. Wheelbase: 2,550 mm
One of only 247 produced
A fresh sympathetic restoration by renowned Lamborghini specialists
A matching-numbers example
Ferruccio Lamborghini was a hugely successful tractor and air-conditioning manufacturer when, as legend has it, he was spurred by a disagreement with Enzo Ferrari to produce his own GT car in 1963. Being extremely wealthy, resources were not an issue for Lamborghini, who displayed his first prototype, the breath-taking 350 GTV, styled by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, to the world at Turin in November of that year. The first model offered to the public was the 350 GT, which was adapted from the show-car design by Touring for serial production. It appeared at Geneva in March 1964, wearing a sensational aluminium-alloy superleggera body that was produced by Marazzi. The car was unique when compared to Ferraris and Maseratis of the period, with its distinctive design earning rave reviews, as well as its V-12 performance and superb handling, courtesy of engineer Giotto Bizzarrini (the “father” of the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO). The new model had a fantastic top speed, which was in excess of 150 mph!
Two years later, this car evolved into the 400 GT 2+2, with the addition of vestigial rear seating and subtle styling alterations, all whilst maintaining the same wheelbase. Whilst the style of the 350 GT was preserved, virtually every panel had been revised, with quad headlamps added. The floor pan was lowered, the roof raised, and additional interior room was made possible by reversing the upper and lower control arms in the front of the rear-suspension arrangement. Most importantly, the 3.5-litre V-12 engine was increased to four litres, resulting in an increase in horsepower to a substantial 320. All around suspension was via double wishbones with four-wheel disc brakes, along with a Lamborghini-built five-speed gearbox that was designed by Gian Paolo Dallara, which replaced the earlier ZF-derived unit and was considered to be superior by aficionados.
Only 247 Lamborghini 400 GTs were manufactured between 1966 and 1968, and according to the Lamborghini Registry, the car offered here was the 202nd produced. It left the production line on 29 August 1967 and was delivered on 2 October to Socaria in Belgium. The 400 GT was recently subjected to a thorough yet sympathetic restoration, which was performed by German marque specialists Kremer. The work included a full engine-out rebuild, a rebuild of the suspension, a thorough detailing of the chassis, and a refinish of the body in a Grigio St. Vincent, a beautiful silver with a stunning touch of light green, as well as having the Borranis polished and balanced. The door gaps and detailing are superb. The original Tobacco leather, as specified by the tasteful original owner, was in very impressive condition, and so it remains in the automobile to this day, whilst the matching carpets have been renewed with correct wool.
With recent invoices on file totalling roughly €70,000, the Lamborghini is now presented in spectacular condition, it is reported to run strongly and flawlessly, and it would be a worthy addition to any stable of “Fighting Bulls”.
1967 Lamborghini 400 GT Spyder Conversion by Jerry Fandytis (Lot#121)
€270.000 – €320.000
Chassis no. 01267
320 bhp, 3,929 cc DOHC V-12 engine with six Weber 40 DCOE dual-choke carburettors, five-speed manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: 2,550 mm
A beautifully executed convertible 400 GT
Finished to factory standards
Shown at Concorso Italiano
Whilst the stunning Miura may have been the Lamborghini that stole headlines, it was the 400 GT of the same era that met the needs of the marketplace and established Lamborghini as a constructor of fast, high-quality, and well-appointed grand touring automobiles. It was one of the final production cars to be designed by Carrozzeria Touring, which ceased operations in 1968, and only 247 examples were produced.
As always with beautiful, fast automobiles, a handful of select clients desired something truly special, if they had the financial means to pay for it, and as a result, a very small number of special-bodied 400 GTs were created outside the factory.
The car offered here is one of a mere two beautifully executed 400 GT Spyders that were created in the 1990s by restorer Jerry Fandytis. Both of these cars began life as steel-bodied 400 GTs, chosen for their strength and rigidity, and had lightweight aluminium bonnets and deck lids. This particular car, chassis number 01267, was originally delivered by Lambrocar of Milano to Dr Sampietro on 11 June 1967.
The conversion was finished to concours, better-than-factory standards, with both cars wearing a handsome Nero finish. This car also had a lovely beige interior with Wilton wool carpeting and a Hellebore steering wheel. The open spyder body style improves the 400 GT’s already attractive lines, and predictably, the restoration created a sensation when it made its public debut at the 1999 Concorso Italiano in Monterey.
This spectacular Lamborghini, benefitting from a recent cosmetic freshening and mechanical service, offers a wonderful combination of stunning beauty, a quality restoration, and superb speed. It is very much the one-off that could have been ordered in the late 1960s, were one a member of the lucky few.
About RM Auctions
RM Auctions is the world’s largest auction house for investment-quality automobiles. With over three decades of experience in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from restoration to private treaty sales, auctions, estate planning, and financial services, coupled with an expert team of car specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM proudly holds six of the top ten all-time records for the most expensive motor cars sold at auction, and RM’s restoration division has achieved unprecedented accolades, earning Best of Show honours at the world’s top concours events. For further information, please visit rmauctions.com, find us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @rmauctions.
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