One of the most common discourses surrounding the automobile is whether or not cars can be considered art. The answer is that obviously they are, you idiots, but that’s besides the point. Perhaps the most compelling argument for car as art is the Lamborghini Miura, widely regarded as one the most beautiful cars ever made. One owner agreed so much that he kept his brown Miura in his living room for four decades, and now it’s going up for auction through Gooding & Company.
This Miura, chassis number 4614, is one of the more desirable P400 S trims, which debuted in 1968 and got a number of cosmetic and mechanical upgrades. Only 338 Miuras left the factory in P400 S guise, and 4614 was finished in July 1970, about a year before the S was replaced by the SV. It’s painted in Luci del Bosco (light of the woods) brown, with brighter bronze wheels and side skirts and Gobi (beige) vinyl upholstery and cloth trimmings, a spectacular combination that’s rare to see on a Miura.
Its first owner, Marina Pedrazzi, took delivery through Torino-based dealer Lamborauto. It was subsequently sold to two more owners in Torino, first in 1972 and then in 1973. The Miura made its way to the U.S. in the early 1980s, where it was bought by Paul D. Nadel, a sports car enthusiast. He took the Miura off the road in the mid-1980s, placing it in the living room of his “modest” house in easy Rockaway, New York, where it remained for 40 years.
That means Miura number 4614 has never been restored, exhibited or offered for public sale — Gooding calls it a “lost Miura,” as its whereabouts were unknown until the discovery in Nadel’s home earlier this year. In order to extract the Miura from the house so it could be sold to its current owned, “several” interior walls had to be demolished. Sadly, there’s no photos of it sitting in or being extracted from the house.
Given its use as a living room centerpiece, the Miura is in remarkably good shape. The odometer shows just over 42,000 kilometers, and it retains its original engine and Bertone bodywork. The front and rear clamshells were repainted and have some dents and other flaws, but the paintwork on the doors and roof is original, as is the glass, lights and other trim pieces. Its brown and beige interior is in even more impressive shape, with a damaged passenger seat bolster being the only real flaw. Gooding says that even if the car would be fully restored, which I hope it won’t be, much of the interior should be preserved as-is because it “would be nearly impossible to duplicate.”
Chassis 4614 includes the original Italian license plate and Automobile Club d’Italia records, an original parts book and reproductions of the owner’s and service manuals. Gooding’s listing makes sure to note that, due to its long-term static storage, the car “may not be currently operational” and “will require mechanical attention prior to road use.” The auction house’s estimate is $2,000,000 to $2,500,000, but when it comes to a “lost” car with a history like this, who knows what it could end up going for. It will be sold as part of Gooding’s Pebble Beach auctions in just a few weeks.
