ROOFLESS LITTLE DEVIL...

In 1967, Nuccio Bertone instructed young Marcello Gandini to commence work on a Miura 'showcar', with the intent of highlighting the unique collaboration between Automobili Lamborghini SpA and Carrozzeria Bertone. The project was conducted in such secrecy that Ferruccio Lamborghini himself did not see the completed car until the very day before the 1968 Brussells Salon. Dubbed the "Lamborghini Bertone Miura Roadster", the car drew gasps at the show, but Bertone had already decreed that it would remain a one-off for contemporary joint publicity purposes between Lamborghini and Bertone.
Late that same year, the car was sent back to Bertone and completely re-manufactured in zinc and zinc-based materials. Everything was re-made in zinc, or plated in it, as a publicity showcar for ILZRO. Yes, this car has the world's only set of 40IDL Webers specially cast in zinc and this is definately one Miura that will not be subject to rust!! Bertone's re-creation was now dubbed the "Miura ZN75", and documents from the period show that no less than $200,000 was spent in its creation in 1966-69!! Thats about $4million plus today....perhaps we can say that this Miura is worth its weight in...zinc. ;-) It proceeded to be exhibited at Motor Shows all over the world from Japan to England to Australia to the USA....clearly the most travelled Miura and most viewed-in-public Miura of all time.
At any rate, despite its one-off status (the only Miura that has any claim to the exclusive "one-off" title, since the original Jota was destroyed in 1972), the cars current owner is in a quandry.... "Shall I leave it in its famed ZN75 specification (the car is for sale thus), or shall I restore it back to its original Brussells show spec (if a new home is not found soon the owner plans to keep it long-term and embark on this course of action)?"
I often wondered myself, in which guise is this car truly most valuable? Or appreciated?They were both completed by Bertone himself, and it has existed as the unique ZN75 for most of its life after being in its Brussells show spec for just a year...should he keep it as the ZN 75, or restore it to Brussels spec?

Joe Sackey
www.lamborghiniregistry.com
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To roll in this one-off Miura Roadster, $900,0000 US would start a conversation. My thoughts are that the owner is just getting a feel for what it is worth by offering it, as he doesnt seem very motivated and has already made arrangements to restore the car back to its original guise using some of the very people who originally built it in 1967....the owner tells me (and I have heard from others) that it sits ensconced in his collection of 60's racing Ferraris worth $30million plus....this he reminds me of when he calls from his yacht.
By the way, the sound this car makes is unbeleivable, especially for the driver, who experiences the full bellow of the exhaust without the roof - as the Italians might say: "Basso Supremo!"
Expensive, yes, but oh-so-exclusive......
Joe Sackey
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

You hit the nail on the head! For heaven's sakes - Ferrari 275 GTB/4's are bringing in excess of $900k! In terms of rarity, it must be 4 times as rare as a 275GTB/4 NART Spyder....and what did the last one of those sell publicly at? I seem to recall circa $4million...please correct me anybody if Im wrong on that price!
If youre reading this Jean, I think YOU SHOULD KEEP IT, much as Id like to sell it for you.
Roll up (or rather, 'roar up') in that thing at one of the rather pretentious and uppity European Ferrari meets and youll have the rank-and-file in a cold sweat!!
By the way, the wife and I are in the South Of France next week, any chance of borrowing the keys?...;-)
I think many dont realise just how significant this car is, in either guise. Design genius Nuccio Bertone always had a special place for this one in his heart. The original Miura was a stroke of genius, but this car is the absolute bar-none Holy Grail. The ultimate statement of one-upmanship too, if you care about that sort of thing. Wind-in-the-hair Miura motoring in its quintessential form. Sorry, Im getting carried away waxing lyrical, but I cant help it...

Ciao,
Joe
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

YES Fred, its well known that Im brokering it....but Im ALSO an enthusiast, and I just wish Jean would stop trying to sell it. He makes an excellent home for it in his "Chateaux"........;-)
Joe

 

Sorry no poster, 1989 studio photoshoot in London when owned by Portman Lamborghini.
Joe

 

Sorry about that (didnt mean to sound flippant). Ive had TONS of interest,hence my comment about it being well-known, but nobody actually willing or able to gather up the best part of a million dollars needed to get it...I still think the owner should keep it but I thonk he is not quire sure what to do with it amongst his old Ferraris. Alos, I usually sign off with the site below so everybody can see what cars i have available.

Joe
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

Im with you man, I say keep it the way its existed for the last 38 years as the famous ZN75, Disco metallic oak green paint and all.... with its unique zinc components, all done by Nuccio Bertone himself.
IMHO I dont think it can be restored to the Brussells Roadster (which it was for a mere 12 months) as there are just too many zinc components and the transformation was TOTAL involving body, chassis, suspension, even the radiator and exhaust are zinc wrought. To return it to the Brussells car, it would effectively have to be re-manufactured.
If it were mine (can we talk, Jean....) Id simply drive it the way it is. BUT, only one of us gets to decide this car's fate, so its over to you, good sir...

Thanks for all the contributions. Here are a few more images.

Joe
www.lamborghiniregistry.com
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I dont really know...
Joe

 

Thats OK Fred, I know you always mean well. As Im sure Ill say ad nauseum: you can sell 'em and love 'em at the same time
I dont think this car is REALLY for sale....hence the price....which I still think is cheap at $1m compared to a NART Spyder of which 4 were made, at $4m. But I was ASKED to sell it, and I said WHY, but he said TRY.....
One must also remember that commentators dont know half the story half the time
Final comment: this car deserves a real enthusiast long-term home...the current owner is well-qualified.
Joe
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

I remember when the Ferarri Daytona was $150k, and the Miura was $125k some 8 yerars ago (approximate average numbers for both). I remember a Ferrari old-parts dealer (guess who?) chastizing me about thinking that both cars should be equal values...he said: "You know the Daytona has RACING heritage and raced at LeMans, Sebring etc...the Miura will NEVER be as important or valuable!" Well, a fat lot of good racing heritage did for Daytona values. Today a comparable restored Daytona is $250k, and the Miura is $650k...................Todays collectors just dont neccesarily care about racing and all that. If it is a benchmarlk car, it has value in their minds. Cash value! $$$.
The Miura Roadster is cheap. Especially if it is a genuine one-off and a one-of-four 275 GTB/4 NART Spyder brought almost $4 mill! Owners of special Lamborghinis are DARING to ask: Why should my rare, fully-restored Miura SV be worth any less than a similar-conditioned not-so-rare Ferrari 275 GTB/4 that goes for $900K? Yes, Im asking......why? Lets not be hypocrites: ANYONE who owns a Lamborghini of any kind on this site would like to see it appreciate (yes, and that includes ye of little faith, naysayers & pessimists too;-). I wont be the only one in years to come saying: "Remember when I could have traded in a 275 GTB/4 for the Roadster...?"

Joe Sackey
www.lamborghiniregistry.com