One to Buy: 49,000km 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV
Having been the first manufacturer to shoehorn a V12 motor into a mid-engined production car (the Miura), it was inevitable that Lamborghini would need to refine their pioneering machine as time went by.
The initial update arrived nine months after production began in January 1968 when Lamborghini switched from a 0.9mm guage to a thicker 1mm gauge chassis. A more powerful Miura S then followed in December 1968 when improvements to the suspension, tyres and cockpit were made. Vented disc brakes arrived during April 1970.
Lamborghini saved some of its most significant updates for the Miura SV unveiled during March 1971. In addition to an even more powerful engine (now with 385bhp, up from 370bhp on the S and 350bhp on the original Miura), the SV featured a further stiffened chassis, uprated rear suspension, wider rear wheels, the latest Pirelli tyres and some distinctive cosmetic tweaks.
Unfortunately, at the same time as Lamborghini unveiled the Miura SV (Geneva in March ‘71), Bertone presented what would become Lamborghini’s successor: the dramatic wedge profile Countach. It meant, combined with poor trading conditions, demand for the SV was subdued.
In total, just 147 cars were built to SV specification (plus a further three to SV/J trim), a superb example of which is currently on offer at the Schaltkulisse showroom in Munich.
Configured in its original colour scheme of Rosso Corsa with Bleu upholstery, chassis 4840 was delivered on June 26th 1971 to the Righetti dealership in Vicenza. It departed for Germany a year later and more recently has been restored back to standard trim in Italy having been modified to incorporate several SV/J-style features during the 1970s.
Today, this outstanding Miura, which has covered a little under 50,000km, is being offered with an enormous history file to include Lamborghini Polo Storico certification which confirms its matching numbers status.
Reprinted below is Schaltkulisse’s description:
Year of Manufacture: 1971
Exterior: Rosso Corsa
Interior: Blue
Key Facts:
Lamborghini Polo Storico Certified
One of only 150 examples built
Presented in its original colour combination
Matching numbers chassis, engine and gearbox
HISTORY
The Lamborghini Miura SV represents the ultimate evolution of the car which recast the sportscar landscape in the late 1960s and created the supercar as we know it today.
In an era where the mid-engined layout was becoming increasingly present in motorsport, few thought it was suitable for production road cars in the late 1960s, however Ferrucio Lamborghini’s young, ambitious and brilliant design team were able to fully realise the potential of the format.
By the time the Miura SV was launched at the 1971 Geneva Show the Miura had been in production for four years and had definitively established the marque. In fact, the SV was presented alongside the Countach Prototype, testament to the speed of progress in only four short years and bridging the gap between car which truly established Lamborghini amongst its peers to the model which would define the supercar in the 1970s and indeed into the 1980s.
Christened ‘SV’ for ‘Spinto Veloce’ meaning ‘tuned’ and ‘fast’, the SV is by some margin the best production Miura. On paper the car was quicker than the ‘S’ variant, however the qualitive difference really came from road holding and useability improvements which allowed drivers to appreciate the 385 bhp available.
Visually the car had a more purposeful stance thanks to larger wheels and lower profile rear tyres, combined with larger rear arches and cleaner details like the removal of the characteristic ‘eyelash’ light surrounds and new rear lenses.
Improvements to the suspension and chassis design improved handling, and mechanical durability was advanced by the introduction of a split engine and gearbox oil sump allowing two different lubricants to be used.
In the end only 150 cars would be built between 1971 and January 1973, finding homes in the garages of some of the most famous celebrities, illustrious millionaires and decerning connoisseurs worldwide.
OUR MIURA SV
Between 1972 and 1977, this car (chassis 4840), underwent a cosmetic conversion to Jota specification to resemble the one-off 1970 Miura ‘Jota’ or ‘SV-J’ which was built as a testbed to enter FIA Appendix J regulations.
A handful of cars were subsequently built for private buyers and some further examples were converted post-production at owner’s requests. These Jota cars had fixed headlights with Perspex covers, modified air intakes through the front clam and an exterior filler cap. The rear exhaust was also different with centralised outlets.
In this period, it was not very unusual for owners to modify their Miuras to resemble these rarified variants, even if it might be unthinkable to do so today.
In 1978 the car was sold to a third owner who kept it up until 1997. By this time the car had only 30,000km on the odometer when the next custodian decided to fully restore 4840 in dark green with gold wheels. During this period the car was a regular feature at numerous shows and exhibitions.
In 2015 it was decided to finally return the car to its original specification. Carrosseria Battaglia-Bolognesi of Ferrara were tasked with stripping the body to bare metal and removing the Jota style elements, including again fitting the front clam with retractable headlights.
The car was repainted in its original Rosso Corsa. The interior was retrimmed in Dark Blue by Auto Interni.
Top Motors Salvioli, one of the leading specialists in everything Miura, were responsible for the mechanical requirements and the installation of a factory specification exhaust system.
After driving the Miura for the better part of 50km, we are able to confirm that the car started at the turn of the key, and that the full power of 385 horsepower was very present and healthy. The gear changes were smooth during up- and downshifting. A fantastic car to drive and an absolute pleasure to move quickly.
Recently, the Miura SV has been awarded a Polo Storico Certification, which confirms that the car is matching numbers and colors. Accompanying the Miura is a huge history file with invoices and titles dating back to its early life in the 70’s, a truly stunning documentation like no other we’ve seen before!
