1969 Miura S Chassis number 3961

Ferruccio Lamborghini had hired two young and very talented engineers to create his cars and complement the marvellous V12 of . With the early success of the 350 GT and 400 GT he now gave the promising skills of Giampaolo Dollara and Giampaolo Stanzani their head. Taking their inspiration from two-seater sports racing cars rather than from Grand Tourers, the two young men (Dallara at the time was just 28) created in essence a road-going race car. They took the initial innovative step in sitting the four-litre V12 Lamborghini 400 GT engine transversely mounted behind the driver. The chassis needed to be strong but light and to do this they made it out of bent welded sheet metal that had been drilled with holes. Ferruccio approved the project without a moment’s hesitation and the chassis was hurriedly completed to be exhibited at the October 1965 Turin Motor Show. All it needed now was a body.

Nuccio Bertone, Head of the radical thinking Carrozzeria Bertone based in Turin, saw the concept and volunteered to build the body to sit on the revolutionary chassis. A wonderful relationship between Lamborghini and Bertone, and the Miura was born. Bertone turned to 26 year old , an interior designer, and his first project for the Carrozzeria was to interpret and fulfil his new boss’s vision. It was the clarity of thinking, unfettered by tradition, that led Gandini and Bertone to create the Miura

November 1968 saw the arrival of the Miura S. First shown at the Turin Motor Show the S offered more power with the engine up-rated from 350 hp to 370 hp. Externally the S looked almost identical to the car it replaced but inside the cockpit the Miura now featured electric windows as well as options such as air-conditioning and leather seats in what was a much more cosseted space than in the original version of the car

This rare factory right hand drive example in incredible original condition has covered less than 29,000 miles and was first owned by the first Supermodel “Twiggy”. Chassis number 3961, engine number 30399, which has been in Australia for the past 34 years under its current

owner, comes with definitive Factory documentation signed by Ubaldo Sgarzi on letterhead dated July 4th 1988 stating, “Your car, production no.436, was sold indeed by us to Twiggy through our U.K. Importers in 1969. It was painted lime green with orange-white stripes, probably at our factory, whilst also according to our records it was white originally.” The current owner has also had verbal confirmation from another long-time Lamborghini employee, , who was chief test driver with the company for 40 years, retiring only in 2008, that the colour scheme was to Twiggy’s specification.

This Miura S has spent much of the last 34 years in the Australian National Motor Museum but has been regularly used by its owner and consistently maintained. It comes with remarkable, extensive and complete history and provenance and is one of the most desirable and original Miuras available anywhere in the world today.

Estimate $1,100,000 – 1, 250,000

Specifications

Engine: 3929cc V12

Transmission: Five-speed manual with integral clutch/gearbox/final drive mounted behind engine

Wheelbase: 2500mm

Highlights

Factory right-hand drive

Factory authentication

Ex-supermodel Twiggy

Current owner last 34 years