Driving will always be a huge pleasure, but classic cars have stories. Some wear them on their beautifully patinated bodywork, others hide them within. Sometimes those stories are as consuming as the driving experience. The recent reveal of a Bruno Metallizzato Miura SV in deepest provincial Italy by the Kidston ‘Miura Whisperers’ was just that. A romantic tale of a long-term owner who had passed away with his Miura hidden away from prying eyes. I shall let Simon tell the story.
“This was one of those chases that seemed to last forever: you almost give up in desperation several times, and then suddenly it all comes together in a heartbeat. The late owner of this Miura SV must have been great at poker as for years he played all the dealers, brokers and collectors who knew the car off against each other with “When the time comes, of course you’ll be the one…”
“He passed away in April, the family bricked up the entrance of the crumbling Palazzo in the middle of town where the car was hidden to stop it from being stolen, and potential buyers were screened. We wanted the car to stay in Italy given its history, and to keep those evocative period licence plates, so I sat down with an old school friend who’s always wanted a special Miura, told him the story and asked if he would like to write the next chapter (or a large cheque). He didn’t hesitate.”
“The day after we pulled the car out of its resting place we started getting calls and e-mails from people who had seemingly missed it and wanted to know if it could be bought. Some were actually quite unpleasant when they found out it wasn’t for sale, but we’re pleased that the effort finally paid off, that the car will stay in Italy and be carefully preserved rather than restored. And that it’s going to someone proper, who will drive the Spinto Veloce out of it. I think the late owner would approve.”
The car has only occasionally been seen in public since 1975, most notably a stint at the Ferruccio Lamborghini museum. The first owner, seemingly a lucky 23-year old lady but probably a relative or friend avoiding the limelight, owned the car for two years before it was sold in 1974; the next owner had the car just six months before Giuseppe Caprioli purchased it. He had previously been custodian of an Azzurro Mexico Miura S, chassis number 4608, clearly a man of taste.
Just under a year later it was bought from the Lamborghini dealer in Padova by the late owner, and the original purchase invoice and retailer’s leather pouch are still in the glovebox. It remained in his hands for a remarkable 45 years with the same black and white Italian registration plates it still wears proudly today. Just one of two Bruno Metallizzato coloured SVs built, and the only European specification car, it oozes period character paired with its patinated Havana leather upholstery, the cigarette burn on the driver’s seat and hair gel on the headlining testament to a life well-lived. It positively came alive when it finally rolled into the autumn Italian sunlight.
We cannot wait to see this car being enjoyed by its next custodian for many years to come.
