The Shah of Iran Miura

[Rey]

This thread is truly amazing. Couldn't stop reading from the beginning. This car is one of my top 5 all time. You have a piece of history John.

[bounty]

Originally Posted by johnhoughtaling

The shah used the car alot, as did his sister who the shah allowed to drive the car to impress men when she was single. (I have a few wild acounts of this)

Wow, she was part of a royal family AND still needed a Miura to attract the opposite sex? Was she half ogre?

[dicoomafia]

any pics of shah driving the car?

[sachin]

Beautiful cars in the collection from page 1! I am amazed at how a DD Countach would pull 11.4 in the 1/4 mile when an LP 640 has a hard time achieving that number. My 87 Fuel Injected QV car (yes I know the DD versions are quicker) is slower than a stock 2008 Corvette... how could an 11.4 be possible unless it had been factory wound up to aroud 575hp which I think is very difficult at best

Originally Posted by johnhoughtaling

"is the countach a QV or 5000S? carbed car?"

The Countach is a downdraft carbed QV. Originally purchased by Alpine NA, for use in their ad campaign. As far as I can tell this was the only Alpine car purchased by the company.
The DD is very rare in north America. (only 12-14 in US, and a few in canada).

This particular example is extremely fast. On 20 year old tires, it ran a 11.4 in the quarter mile. The test was done in conjunction with a story about the car for the Discovery Channel called "ten best sportscars." They ran the car on the drag strip against a new Enzo. Out of 5 times, this car, on 20 year old rubber, with me driving (first time on a drag strip), beat the Enzo 2 out of the 5 runs.

[Diablo_4_Ever]

Nice thread.

Today I was reading in the 1993 Lamborghini Yearbook and there was this article about the "Lamborghini Day 3" event that took place in September 1993 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Automobili Lamborghini, when the Diablo SE was presented at the factory. Also about 140 Lamborghinis showed up including this car, the Shah's Miura:

"During the afternoon the SE opened the motorcade of Lamborghini cars parading through the main square of the village Sant'Agata for the election of Miss Lamborghini, not a lady but the most beautiful lady on four wheels ... The jury was made up of prominent people, well known journalists of the automobile world: Paul Frere, Luca Ciferri, Leopoldo Canetoli, Ciancarlo Perini, Alberto Sabbatini and the president of Bologna's ACI Mr. Jovi ... Of course, chosing the three best cars was not an easy task, so the members of the jury took their time and were very severe in the examination. It would have been impossible for them to miss the beauty of the Miura SV previously owned by the Shah of Persia; this beautifully restored car has its original colours (exterior in metallic dark blue, white leather interior) and is now a possession of the Sinistrario brothers from Pescara. It was unanimously voted as the most beautiful car, truly a Miss Lamborghini."

[ken qv]

Originally Posted by sachin

Beautiful cars in the collection from page 1! I am amazed at how a DD Countach would pull 11.4 in the 1/4 mile when an LP 640 has a hard time achieving that number. My 87 Fuel Injected QV car (yes I know the DD versions are quicker) is slower than a stock 2008 Corvette... how could an 11.4 be possible unless it had been factory wound up to aroud 575hp which I think is very difficult at best

DD's are quick. I can't believe you could buy a car so fast back in the 80's. If you watch
Jay Lenos garage scene about the countach he compares it in speed with a new corvette, which is a little crazy when you consider a 20yr age difference. It would be a little sad if a car made 20yrs ago was still the fastest thing on the street. imo


This particular Miura is a stunning color. If nobody minds, I will post another picture.

[EMILIO]

Originally Posted by sachin

Beautiful cars in the collection from page 1! I am amazed at how a DD Countach would pull 11.4 in the 1/4 mile when an LP 640 has a hard time achieving that number. My 87 Fuel Injected QV car (yes I know the DD versions are quicker) is slower than a stock 2008 Corvette... how could an 11.4 be possible unless it had been factory wound up to aroud 575hp which I think is very difficult at best

properly running DDs are seriously fast cars, expecially with a sport exhaust and tuned carbs,
please keep in mind they are still quite light for a 5200 cc V12 exotic

a good QV with sport exhaust is not really slower than a regular diablo

this said, and as with all vintage lamborghinis..., there are some that are quite a bit faster than stock (as the known Martini's red one)...
i am not sure who clocked this 11.4
but is not so hard to believe for me the car could be around this number
this one is likely one of the fast carbed QVs

p.s. one fault i find on QVs: they are less nimble to drive than the 400-400S countach,
stock VS stock, their steering feel like a truck compared to the lighter 4 liter cars

[johnhoughtaling]

The recording was on a drag strip during a filming of a discovery channel story. I was driving and saw the readout. That said, I could be remembering a .9 or .8 as a .4, but it was in the 11s, I remember that clearly. A properly set up DD is a seriously fast car, even compared to my scuderia

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by EMILIO

p.s. one fault i find on QVs: they are less nimble to drive than the 400-400S countach,
stock VS stock, their steering feel like a truck compared to the lighter 4 liter cars

Correct Emilio. Having experienced both, Id say the QV feels heavier than the 4 litre cars, and not just in steering alone.

[M.B.]

Originally Posted by sachin

Beautiful cars in the collection from page 1! I am amazed at how a DD Countach would pull 11.4 in the 1/4 mile when an LP 640 has a hard time achieving that number. My 87 Fuel Injected QV car (yes I know the DD versions are quicker) is slower than a stock 2008 Corvette... how could an 11.4 be possible unless it had been factory wound up to aroud 575hp which I think is very difficult at best

yes a DD is quick but...
?? a McLaren F1 does the 1/4 mile in 11.6 so somebody made a mistake here ?? perhaps its 13.4??