• Highly desirable early-production Miura P400 S; one of 338 of its type
• Powered by its matching-numbers V-12 engine, rated at 370 horsepower
• Finished in its factory-correct exterior colour of Rosso Miura
• Restored in Italy in the mid-1990s; subject to further renovation and an engine overhaul in 2015
• Delivered new to Italy; formed part of a prominent French collection since 2014

At Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata Bolognese headquarters in 1965, Gian Paolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani, and Bob Wallace—three of the company’s top engineers of the era—put the finishing touches to a revolutionary prototype. It is unlikely that any of the men could have anticipated the ensuing supercar arms race that their incredible new Miura would spark over the coming decades. The mid/rear-engine platform set a new standard for driving performance, leading the V-12 Lamborghini to be retrospectively hailed “the world’s first supercar”, and creating one of the most enduringly popular sports cars of all time.

First presented as a rolling chassis at the 1965 Turin Auto Show, and later as a prototype that more closely resembled the P400 at the 1966 Geneva International Motor Show, the overwhelmingly positive public reaction to the Miura signalled to company bosses that the supercar simply had to enter production. The original model enjoyed a production run of 275 units, before a revised Miura P400 S was revealed in 1968—again, in Turin, three years after the earlier announcement.

Visual adjustments for the P400 S were relatively minor, with a revised Bertone badge and the use of chrome on the headlight bezels and window trim constituting the more obvious exterior refinements. The interior brought broader changes, though, with improved upholstery options, a revised switch layout on the roof, the addition of power windows, and optional air conditioning—a first for any Lamborghini. The 4.0-litre V-12 remained essentially unchanged from the original P400, yet the camshafts and tuning were modified to develop an improved 370 horsepower, which was capable of propelling the car to a top speed of 276 km/h.

The example offered for sale here, chassis 4155, was built early in the production run of the P400 S. The Miura left the Lamborghini factory on 6 August 1969 finished in Rosso Miura over a Nero and Beige cloth and faux-leather interior. It was bought new by Dr Breviglieri, who had previously owned an earlier P400 and only retained this car for a few months before it was sold to Dr Pietro Manfrinato in January 1970. In April 1971, it was sold to Mr Ubaldo Gardelli, who kept the Miura for over 10 years until it was acquired by Sasso Car Srl in January 1982. The renowned collector, Mr Pier Paolo Apicella, bought the Lamborghini in January 1986. The car is believed to have been restored by Officina Sauro of Bologna in the mid-1990s. In 1999, it joined what was considered at that time to be one of the most significant collections in Europe, The Gnutti Collection, before being acquired by its consigning owner in May 2014.

Throughout 2015, the Lamborghini was subject to renovation work in order to return it to a condition worthy of concours display. The consigning owner worked closely with Valentino Balboni, Lamborghini’s former chief test driver, to define the areas of improvement required. As evidenced by invoices in the accompanying history file, the Miura was subject to €31,528-worth of works, including an engine overhaul by Top Motors of Salvioli in Modena. A set of wider rear SV wheels and ventilated disc brakes enhance the driving experience.

With a useful increase in power and refinements throughout, while remaining close to the original ground-breaking design, many Sant’Agata faithful consider the ‘S’ variant to be the definitive Miura; this stunning early example only reinforces that view. To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/pa23.