One to Buy: 1968 Geneva Motor Show Lamborghini Miura P400
Ferruccio Lamborghini established his car making factory to build the kind of discrete, conservatively-styled Grand Tourers that he and many other low-key industrialists liked to own.
However, his talented pool of young engineers had different ideas and famously spent their evenings and weekends coming up with a wild mid V12-engined flagship that looked like something from another planet: the Miura.
Having agreed to display the new car as he thought it would garner some useful publicity, Ferruccio Lamborghini was inundated with orders and quickly gave the green light for production.
Remarkably, the Miuras that began to roll out of Sant’Agat from spring 1967 were almost exact replicas of the car that had wowed on its world debut a year earlier at Geneva.
Among the star lots lined up for Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auctions on August 18th and 19th is this superbly restored early P400 presented in its original colour scheme of Rosso Miura with Nero leatherette and matching carpet.
Believed to have originally been displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1968, chassis 3378 (which comes with its original bill of sale) has in more recent years been subject to a ground-up concours restoration in collaboration with Lamborghini Polo Storico.
Reprinted below is Gooding & Company’s description for this magnificent Miura:
Estimate: $2m - $2.4m
Chassis: 3378
Engine: 1739
A Pristine, Show-Quality Example of the Original P400 Miura
Believed to Have Been Exhibited at the 1968 Geneva Motor Show
Magnificent Restoration by Cairati Milano to Factory Specifications
Lamborghini Polo Storico Certified; Retains Matching-Numbers Engine and Body Panels
Offered with Restoration File, Build Sheets, Manuals, Tools, and Literature
Among the Finest Examples of Its Type; A Miura for the Perfectionist Collector
The Miura presented here, chassis 3378, is a magnificently restored example of the original P400 model, the purest version of Lamborghini’s groundbreaking supercar. Bearing production no. 147 and engine no. 1739, this Miura was originally finished in vibrant Rosso Miura (Miura Red) over black vinyl upholstery – the same color scheme seen on the first P400, which debuted at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show.
According to factory records, 3378 was completed in February 1968 and shipped directly to Grand Garage des Nations, the dealer in Geneva, Switzerland. While it has not been confirmed, the car’s original delivery date and handwritten “S.G.” notation in Lamborghini’s records strongly suggest that this was the Miura that was displayed at the prestigious Salon Auto Genève (Geneva Motor Show) held March 14–24, 1968. Original documents contained in the car’s file confirm that 3378 was sold that April to Zurich dealer Garage Foitek who, in turn, sold the Lamborghini to Werner Ruf AG in Oftringen, Switzerland.
The subsequent ownership history is well documented: The P400 was kept by two owners in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 1975 until 1994, when it returned to Europe. It then passed among owners in Germany, Italy, England, and Belgium through 2016. While owned by Gianni Beltrami of Alessandria, Italy, 3378 took part in the Miura 40th anniversary event held at Sant’Agata in 2006. There, it was driven by famed test driver Valentino Balboni, as featured in the pages of Car magazine.
In 2016, Vince Finaldi, a passionate Miura enthusiast and collector, acquired 3378 following a lengthy search for an ideal candidate. He enjoyed the P400 as an occasional driver for two years and then, in 2018, commissioned Cairati Milano in Italy to perform a ground-up, concours-quality restoration. Mr. Finaldi selected Cairati because of its previous involvement in significant restorations (including Gian Paolo Dallara’s personal P400 and the one-off SVR), its contacts with the Lamborghini factory and original contractors, as well as its in-house expertise with the Miura’s mechanical systems.
This restoration, undertaken in collaboration with Lamborghini Polo Storico, was carried out with the directive to return 3378 to exact factory specifications, using original parts and materials wherever possible. Upon its arrival in Italy, the Miura was completely disassembled and documented, and a comprehensive restoration plan was devised.
The first step was to send 3378 to Marchesi in Modena – Lamborghini’s chassis supplier – for inspection and repairs using the original Miura frame jigs and tools. Once prepared, it was subjected to cataphoresis anti-corrosion treatment, an important process considering the Miura’s complex construction. The bodywork was carefully prepared, assembled to ensure proper fit, and refinished in Rosso Miura, using period-correct single-stage paint. The interior was also meticulously restored using Cairati’s proprietary materials, custom-tailored to replicate the original factory specifications, including color, weight, texture, and sheen.
With work on the chassis and body underway, the Miura’s mechanical components were subject to a complete restoration. The engine was rebuilt, balanced, blueprinted, and subjected to two days of break-in and dyno testing before installation. The cylinder heads were also updated to accept valve seals, addressing an inherent flaw in the original design. Additionally, the transmission and differential components were rebuilt, a new wiring loom was fabricated to exact specifications, and the suspension was restored using special-ordered shock absorbers painted to look like the original Armstrong units.
After final assembly, the Miura was subjected to extensive on-road testing on public and closed roads between Milan and Como. The testing was carried out by Massimo Cairati, a professional racing driver. He tested 3378 at speeds over 150 mph, confirming its suspension settings and overall performance capabilities. Before returning to California in October 2020, 3378 was inspected by Lamborghini Polo Storico and received a “clean sheet” certification book, verifying its matching-numbers engine and body panels.
Under the current ownership, the Lamborghini has been driven sparingly and has continued to benefit from expert care, including recent attention to the fuel system. As a result, the Miura still appears impeccable in all respects and is accurately presented, down to the chalk-marked production number, “In Rodaggio” decal, Fiamm horns, and Pirelli Cinturato tires. Consistent with its exceptional presentation, 3378 is accompanied by its Polo Storico certification book, complete copies of the Lamborghini build sheets and internal records, tool roll, jack kit, sales literature, period key fob, parts catalogue, as well as owner’s and usoe manutenzione manuals. Also included are extensive records, including the original 1968 Bill of Sale as well as invoices, photos, and videos taken throughout the restoration and testing process.
Presented in concours-ready condition and mechanically “on the button” according to the consignor, 3378 is surely among the finest restored P400s in existence – a Miura fit for the perfectionist. Since its restoration was completed, 3378 has not been entered into any concours, tour, or museum display, providing its new owner with an exciting opportunity to debut this exquisitely restored Miura in judged competition. A Polo Storico-certified P400 Miura, likely debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1968, faithfully restored by one of the leading Italian specialists, and now presented in its definitive, factory-delivered color scheme, complete with proper tools, books, and accessories, 3378 checks all the boxes for discerning collectors.
