1971 Lamborghini Miura P400S Review and Buyer's Guide

Rembember: Miura stands for “Motor Is Under Repair Again”

This car sold for $106,790, including buyer’s premium, at Bonhams’ Monaco auction, held May 26, 2003.

To begin with, this is a made-up car. It combines features of the original, one-off Jota with the original, one-off Spider. But in fact it is neither—a more appropriate term might be “Miura Speciale.” Clearly a child of the ’80s, period pictures show S/N 4808 finished in white, complete with a deep front spoiler, rear-deck wing and Gotti-style split-rim wheels—an example of a Miura modified by someone with more money than taste. Thankfully, when the car was refurbished in the early ’90s, these above-mentioned items were deleted and the paintwork redone in a more attractive silver.

I personally came across S/N 4808 early last year when a friend who was considering purchasing it asked me to take it for a spin. An hour behind the wheel convinced me of one thing: cutting a Miura is not something that should be done casually. With the roof gone, the wind noise tended to dilute the purity of that special Miura exhaust sound. Of greater concern, the car was squirrelly far from anywhere near where a Miura’s limits should be. The new owner might want to explore some serious (and expensive) structural chassis reinforcement to be on the safe side if he intends to drive it hard.

There are quite a few Jota copies and copies of copies. Each has a varying specification and attention to detail. Enthusiasts and collectors are aware of these non-factory cars, and value each according to its merits. The fact is that most Miuras that claim some sort of Jota association are not “works” cars and S/N 4808 is one of several such examples.

The much-modified bodywork on this car was not of the highest quality, with wavy panels, crooked vents, and non-existent seams where seams should rightfully be. At least the silver paint looks good. The front wheels are from a P400, the rears from an SV, the taillights are non-original, and the car sports an incorrect “SV” badge, all part of S/N 4808’s mix-and-match package.

The interior, in its non-factory two-tone color scheme, puts the finishing touch on the homemade package. While the black/gray combo is perfectly acceptable, the leatherwork’s finish and stitching is not up to factory standards. The traditional Miura “shut-up-and-hold-on” grab handle is missing and the shifter proudly displays a Countach shift knob. However, the relocation of the traditionally roof-mounted rocker switches to the center console is a clever idea.

Like people, Miuras can be divided into two groups: smokers and non-smokers. At operating temperature, 4808 was definitely not smoke free. Though some smoke from any Miura is not uncommon, the engine should be checked out by a specialist to prevent what might be an already expensive engine repair bill from becoming even more so. Remember, Miura stands for “Motor Is Under Repair Again.” For this reason alone, buying a Miura at auction is especially tricky if you have no prior knowledge of the car under consideration, or if you haven’t done your homework and consulted with a marque specialist. This fear of the unknown may be partly responsible for some recent low auction prices.

Enthusiasts tend to want Miuras with a pure or at least well-documented provenance, either in nice original condition (hard to come by and often not ideal for regular driving) or in totally correct restored form. Unfortunately, this car does not conform to either description. A “real” factory Jota (one of just five SVJs built) is probably worth three times the price achieved here. The fact is, S/N 4808 achieved a price consistent with recent values for a nice Miura P400 or a not-so-nice Miura S. The most sought-after Miura of all, the legendary SV, will cost today’s buyer around two and a half times the price achieved by this car.

For the amount paid, S/N 4808 seems like a fair-enough deal, especially if the owner simply wants to cruise around, top-down, in what will always be a one-of-a-kind car. Trying to return it to stock is not advisable, nor is spending any significant amount to upgrade it or correct its various sins. All things considered, and there are surely many things to consider here, the new owner should be satisfied with what he has.—Joe Sackey