A 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S with a unique look and interesting backstory is heading to auction at an RM Sotheby’s sale scheduled for August 14 during 2021 Monterey Car Week in California.
Unveiled at the 1965 Turin Motor Show, the Miura established a line of Lamborghini V-12 supercars that continues with today’s Aventador (and soon, a successor to that car). Sleek Bertone styling and a transverse mid-engine layout made Lamborghini’s reputation.
This car—chassis number 4671—is a later Series II P400 S model, with so-called “transitional” performance upgrades like a reinforced frame, improved cooling, larger-venturi Weber carburetors, ported intake manifolds and cylinder heads, CV-joint rear axles, and brakes from the more hardcore Miura SV model.
Chassis no. 4671 was imported to the U.S. by a 19-year-old Iranian college student attending the University of California, Berkeley. Her parents purchased the car and took delivery at the Lamborghini factory, then instructed their daughter to sell the car upon arrival in the U.S., possibly as a means of getting money out of Iran, per the listing, as the political situation in the country destabilized ahead of the 1979 revolution.
1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S (photo via RM Sotheby’s)
The daughter apparently didn’t sell the car, and she drove it for roughly two years, based on repair invoices included in the car’s file. It was then damaged in a fender bender, and parked in a California Bay Area warehouse for over four decades.
The current owner acquired the car in 2019, and sent it for repairs. While the crash damage has been fixed, and the Miura is now drivable, it currently sports bare metal bodywork instead of its original Gray-White paint, which is still visible in the door jambs and front bulkhead, according to the listing.
RM Sotheby’s expects the car to sell for between $1.8 million and $2.2 million. Considering that a low-mileage Miura SV—arguably a more desirable model—was listed for $3.2 million last year, that seems within the boundaries of reason.
Monterey Car Week runs until Aug. 15. For full coverage, head over to our dedicated hub.