Prices for Lamborghini have been going up steadily over the last few years, first up were the rare Miura from the Sixties, but today just about every classic Raging Bull is demanding some serious money to change hands, another proof of that could be seen during the latest auctions held at the 2015 Montery weekend from August 13 to 15 2015 when once again a sale marked a new record price for a Lamborghini.
During the Mecum Auction in Monterey lot nr S66, a 1969 Lamborghini Miura S, serial number 4289 with engine number 30141 managed to reach a record high US $ 2,300,000 before the hammer came down. With an estimate between $1,500,000 and $1,750,000 I’m sure this was very nice surprise for the owner of this car seeing the price going way over the estimate.
This was a numbers matching Miura S with only 49,000 km on the counter, originally sold in Italy on August 14. 1969 this Miura S still shows the original paint and leather … 46 years later! A nice detail is the fact this specific car was sold in 1973 for only $7,900, owned for the next 41 years by the same person who had a complete engine and transmission revision before she changed hands again in 2014, and sold at auction in August 2015.
While the Miura S at Mecum reached new records for the model, a 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV managed to go just a little bit higher during an RM Sotheby auction in Monterey, reaching US $2,475,000 in the end.
Back in 1971 this was the car to own if you had the money, sold at $21,000 in those days, this 385 hp race car for the open road was unlike anything else on the open road. This specific car was chassis number 4906 and was production number 650 when she was finished on July 23. 1971 with engine number 30651, painted in Rosso Corsa over a Nero interior she was sold by S.E.A. in Rome.
About ten years later this Miura SV would be shipped to the United States while in 1994 she was ‘refreshed’ by renowned Gary Bobileff … with 21,000 km on the odometer. In 1997 she changed hands once again and the new owner had a complete, no-expense-spared concourse restoration done by Jeff Stephan. During this restoration the interior was upholstered in new, biscuit shaded leather while the body was repainted … but in the original Rosso Corsa shade, now with gold wheels and side sills.
At the 2001 Concorso Italiano in Monterey this Miura SV took ‘Best of Show’, leaving 24 other Miura behind her … and this winning streak continued over the years, with a Miura ‘First in class’ at Concorso Italiano 2007, Best of Show at the Thousand Oaks Car Classic and Best in Class at the 2010 Avila Beach Concours d’Elegance … in early 2012 she was sold once again to be offered up for auction in 2015 and selling for $2,475,000.
As much as I love the Miura, for me personally one of the most interesting Bulls offered at the Monterey auction was a 2008 Lamborghini Reventon, number 7 of only 20 made, the Reventon was a special model built on the Murcielago LP640 back in 2008 … at that time listed at €1,000,000 before taxes … in mid-August 2015 chassis number ZHWBU77S08LA03269 sold for $1,375,000.
With a mere 900 Miles on the counter, this specific Reventon was originally sold by Lamborghini Dallas to her first owner Erich Spangenburg, who sold her again rather quickly to the owner that offered her up for auction now … she comes complete with all manuals, addendum and the Kenwood stereo remote to offer a rare chance of owning one of the most iconic Lamborghini in recent times … keep in mind the Reventon was the ultimate car back in the Murcielago era, much like the Veneno is the ultimate Aventador today.
And just like the Lamborghini Veneno, the Reventon came in only one shade … a special matte grey that used tiny metallic sparkles to get a green hue over the car … the Reventon was one of the first production cars that came with a matte finish.
The next million dollar Lamborghini to change hands at the 2015 Monterey auctions was a beautiful, Blu Tahiti 1976 Countach LP400 ‘Periscopio’, with only two owners from new, this original narrow body Countach with chassis number 1120172 and engine number 1120174 was finished on December 22. 1975 … to be delivered in Canada on January 29. 1976.
In the early Nineties this Countach changed hands for the first time, but when the new owner also bought a 1989 Countach he put this classic LP400 into storage … but not before having a complete restoration done, the fluids drained and put into a climate controlled garage … for the next 20 years.
At the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this Countach was brought back to life … to come in second in the Lamborghini class before being taken back to Canada where she would remain until being offered for auction in 2015 … to be sold for US $ 1,320,000.
Our next Lamborghini almost made it into the ‘million dollar’ club, at US $935,000 this pristine looking 1965 Lamborghini 400 GT changed hands at Monterey, but there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this 1965 GT … there was no 400 GT before 1966!
Chassis number 0220 was completed in Sant’Agata on July 7, 1965 in Grigio Saint-Vincent over a Tobacco brown interior and sold to Marquis Alessandro Cisa Asinari di Grésy, of Galliate, Novara … when he heard about the optional 4-Liter engine being offered in 1966, and being an avid car enthusiast, he wrote a letter in May 1966 to have his car converted into a 400GT, so we are looking at a 1965 400GT two-seater now.
In 1974 the car came to the United States after Jim Kaminski bought it, the founder of the Lamborghini Owners Club in the US … Jim would take meticulous care of this classic V12 until 2013 when Mario Velardo bought her, he had a full engine rebuild done by Auto Elite, later the car was completely restored by none other than Gary Bobileff … including a bare metal repaint over a two year project.
Two more Lamborghini changed hands after the 2015 Monterey auction weekend, up first a 1969 Lamborghini Islero S that looked absolutely brand new, the red paint work suited this angular car perfectly and the tan leather upholstery is just amazing.
Chassis number 6531 with engine 50179 is one of only 100 ever built as this is the Islero S version, delivered to Foitek in Switzerland on July 25, 1969 and sold to Garage W.Ruf AG later that year … for the next 20 years this Islero would remain in Switzerland, but in 1989 she was shipped to the United States with 25,000 km on the counter … were once again Gary Bobileff would perform a $100,000 cosmetic restoration on her … by 2010 the car was owned by a Japanese collector who had the engine and transmission rebuilt at Bobileff too … another $45,000 was spent … at the 2015 Monterey auction this classic Lamborghini Islero S sold for US $401,000.
Last, but certainly not least in our overview of the Lamborghini at the 2015 Monterey auctions is this intimidating black 1988 Lamborghini Countach Quattrovalvole that managed to reach US $368,500 before being sold.
Chassis number ZA9CA05A4JLA12214 was sold back in October 1987 for $135,850 and came with the factory optional rear wing … the black paint and black leather interior are still original but the car did get a complete mechanical service and a thorough detailing session … even the Pirelli P7 tires are still original on this 2,800 Mile V12 beauty.
It is safe to say the window of opportunity is quickly closing to get hold of a Lamborghini for a low price as the value of every classic model has been going up over the last few years, today even the Diablo has been getting more and more expensive … at the moment the Murcielago and the Gallardo are the only Lamborghini that are not increasing in price … yet.