LMC is very proud to offer for sale this 1969 Lamborghini Miura S
Since its arrival in 1966, the Lamborghini Miura has been an icon of automotive design being regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever built and the first ever Supercar. A work of art created by the young Marcello Gandini, the newly promoted head designer at Bertone. Moving in a different direction to their competitors, Lamborghini used a V12 3.9-litre engine that was mid-mounted, providing the car with excellent weight distribution which layout had only been utilized by race cars previously. Throughout its life cycle, the Miura was improved creating variants in the form of the P400, S, SV and SVJ.
A name synonymous with the marque is the legendary Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni who has become the hero of many Lamborghini enthusiasts. When Valentino first started at Lamborghini, he worked in the service department mostly cleaning the shop and tools while the mechanics serviced the vehicles. His dream job was occupied by his role model Bob Wallace who was the chief test driver and engineer. Valentino dreamed of the day when he would be able to take the newest models built in the Sant'Agata factory out on the local roads. Sometimes when the car was completed from service, he would sneakily drive the cars around the building a few times. After getting caught by Paolo Stanzai , Ferrucio offered Valentino a job as an apprentice test driver underneath his role model Bob Wallace.
This Miura S offered here for sale is believed to be the first Lamborghini Valentino Balboni ever drove at the factory before starting his amazing career as the world’s most famous test driver. In a video of Mr. Balboni driving and talking about this particular Miura he states "This Miura was my first road test" and "The car has always been in my control". Ordered new by M. Penchinat, a successful developer in the Southeast of France, who ordered his Miura from the marque importer, Voitures Paris Monceau, after reading in the papers that french singer Johnny Halliday drove a Lamborghini Miura. Mr. Penchiant ordered his Miura S with exclusive Cinghiale (wild boar skin) interior of which only few Miura’s were optioned. Popular lore states that this material was introduced to Lamborghini by Frank Sinatra, but according to Balboni, it was Nuccio Bertone himself who recommended this extravagant hide as a unique and fitting option for the Miura. The car arrived in Paris at the start of November 1969, and was registered 9259VY75 on 20 November 1969., M. Penchinat was lucky enough to travel the autoroutes in France regularly going from Nîmes to Paris and back.
In the early 1980’s, Mr. Penchiant sold his Miura to Josie Cabrezing of Toulouse, as he wasn’t using it anymore and became nervous of his teenage son’s driving it. In the mid 1990’s Mr Caberzing brought his Miura to the Lamborghini factory for an inspection which established that the car was still in beautiful original condition, both the paintwork and interior as well as the mechanical elements - the engine and transmission. Knowing this, Balboni advised an acquaintance and great marque enthusiast, Mr Carlo Mauri, who subsequently bought the car. The deal was done in 1997, and on the advice of the same Mr Balboni, he entrusted the car's maintenance to the Top Motors garage, owned by none other than Orazio Salvioli, former technical director at Lamborghini for decades. Balboni who drove this car for the last time at the end of 2012 and judged this car to be in exceptionally good, original condition at this time, corroborated by the matching numbers of the different mechanical and body parts.
To have one’s Lamborghini known and cared for by Valentino Balboni is a goal of any proud connoisseur of the marque. Due to the incredible standard of this example’s history, Balboni stated clearly that this unit could be used as the very reference for all Miuras, in questions of authenticity. Simply put this example has been known and beloved by the foremost expert on the marque. Mr. Balboni stated that this car is a "benchmark example which all other Miuras could be compared for originality”.
Recently this special Miura underwent a complete restoration and is ready to be enjoyed by its next caretaker. The original Chingale interior was preserved during the restoration with the exception of the carpets. Included in the sale are owner’s manuals, ownership history and a letter from Valentino Balboni/Polo Storico. This Miura S is a special example of the first ever supercar and a must for any prominent collection!