1971 Lamborghini Miura SV Jota Goes Under the Hammer

October 27 will be a special day for the true automotive connoisseurs with enough money on their hands to roam auction houses across the globe. On that date, most of them will be probably attending the Automobiles of London auction, organized by RM, so that they may have a chance to snatch a very special item: a 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV Jota.

For those who are not all that connoisseur, we think it would be enough to say the model is only one of the five built by Lamborghini (chassis no. 4892 ) to honor the creation of test driver Bob Wallace, the Miura Privata. A trait which makes it very, very rare and very, very expensive.

RM Auctions says the model has been through a “no-expense-spared restoration,” performed by specialist Gary Bobileff. This trait too adds to the price of the model, which is expected and hoped to close at around 800,000-1,100,000 GBP ($1,25 million - $1,7 million/EUR980,000 – EUR1.3 million).

The fourth edition of the Automobiles of London auction will not be, of course, all about the rare Jota. The event will be packed with rare, unique and special vehicles, including James Bond’s actual Aston Martin DB5.

That is the one driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger and Thunderball, the single model remaining of the only two ever built. This car is much more expensive than the rare Jota, with the auction house hoping to get over 3.5 million GBP ($5 million, EUR3.93 million).

Lamborghini Jota testing on German Autobahn

The Murcielago’s future replacement went testing again. This time, the Lamborghini
Jota was out on the German autobahn, and, as usual, there was a lucky guy hanging out to catch it and bring us beautiful footage of the sports car
. We’ve already seen the first teaser image of the future supercar, but having a video will entertain us for that much longer until the Paris Auto Show where we hope we’ll get the car’s official details.

It’s already been reported that the Jota will be shorter and weigh about 300lbs. less than the Murcielago. It will be built on a new carbon-fiber tub and will use as much aluminum and carbon fiber
as possible to reduce weight. The Jota will hit a top speed of 230mph and will sit on new 21" wheels over upgraded Brembo
carbon-ceramic brakes. It will also come with Audi’s torque vectoring technology which offers even better handling.

Lamborghini Reventon gas powered RC car

Let’s face it; there aren’t many people in the world that can afford the Reventon supercar. Not to mention the fact that it is limited to only 20 units. So, in the case that you don’t have an extra $1,200,000 in your pocket to spend or you can’t get on the super deluxe, ultra special list to purchase the Reventon, Lamborghini is offering you the possibility to get an officially licensed RC version, scale 1:10. And what Lamborghini RC car would be complete without its own limited number? In true special edition style, the mini model will only get 65 units.



The RC car was built by De Agostini and has more features than some production models: a two-stroke 3cc petrol engine, a two-speed transmission, and permanent four-wheel drive. For "optimum road holding", designers installed an independent suspension, hydraulic shocks, and disc brakes.

Of course, it won’t develop a total of 650 HP and won’t hit a top speed of 211 mph, but it will make your dream of getting your hands on a Lamborghini Reventon come to life, in a mini way. If only they would let us know how much it costs.

Lamborghini Presa

The Lamborghini Presa is a concept car featuring a front-engine design by the trio Mohamad Monfared, Alireza Sahragard, and Arian Moqbeli. Meant to go after other 8-cylinder GT cars in it’s class, it’s been told that the Presa could be straight competition to the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

Spyshots: Lamborghini LP570-4 Superleggera Spyder

Recent spyshots of a mysterious Gallardo test mule have been linked with a potential project to produce a spyder version of the LP570-4 Superleggera. Whilst Lamborghini are yet to produce a drop-top version of any of its hardcore variants, rumours suggest that the car could rival the 430 Scuderia 16M if it is produced.



The pictures show a car with the same wheels, diffuser, and rear bumper as the Superleggera model. Aside from the speculation that the photos are raising, there is no real information on the car. The rumours would not feel entirely out-of-place after being told that Lamborghini are seriously considering adding the Estoque to their model range.

If the rumours are true, we could be looking at the release of two special edition Spyders. For more information on the LP550-2 Balboni Spyder, visit our previous article.

Lamborghini considering producing Estoque sedan to attract more customers

Lamborghini’s revenues fell to 152.9 million euros ($199.9 million USD) in the first half of 2010 when it sold 674 vehicles – down 18 percent. The maker of the $450,000 Murcielago SuperVeloce supercars says that it is now considering adding a four-door sedan to its lineup to attract more customers amid declining sales.

“A third model would fit Lamborghini very well,” Chief Executive Officer Stephan Winkelmann, 45, said in an interview with Bloomberg. “A four- door car would be a very feasible approach.”



Click here for more news on the Lamborghini Estoque Concept.

The model would most likely be based on the Lamborghini Estoque Concept, which made its debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. A sedan would give the brand a chance to compete with the Maserati Quattroporte and the Aston Martin Rapide. It would also compete with other Volkswagen Group brand vehicles such as the Audi A7 Sportback and the Porsche Panamera.

Lamborghini had originally planned to put the Estoque into production by 2011. Lamborghini was considering sharing platforms with Porsche’s Panamera and Audi’s A7. Powertrain choices were to include the 5.2L V10 from the Gallardo LP560-4, a V8 diesel or a V8 gasoline mated to a hybrid system.

Lamborghini Weighs Sedan to Challenge Maserati, Aston Martin

Automobili Lamborghini SpA, maker of the $450,000 Murcielago SuperVeloce sports car, would consider adding a four-door sedan to its portfolio of two-seater models to attract customers amid declining sales.

“A third model would fit Lamborghini very well,” Chief Executive Officer Stephan Winkelmann, 45, said in an interview at the carmaker’s Sant’Agata Bolognese headquarters. “A four- door car would be a very feasible approach.”

Building a four-door sports car would allow Lamborghini to compete against Maserati SpA’s Quattroporte and Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.’s Rapide. The Volkswagen AG division has been unable to capitalize this year on a recovering market for super- luxury autos, or vehicles costing more than $200,000, with first-half sales of 674 cars, down 18 percent from a year ago.

Any addition to the Gallardo and Murcielago model lines must yield “a real leap” in deliveries, Winkelmann said, adding there isn’t a plan or decision on a third model.

Sales in the U.S., the largest market for the most expensive cars, may jump 70 percent for the $200,000 to $400,000 category this year after falling 37 percent in 2009, according to researcher IHS Automotive. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the biggest luxury-car maker, this week posted record first-half sales of 970 autos at the Rolls-Royce unit because of demand for the four-door Ghost.

‘Completely New’

Luxury-car manufacturers may sell 19 percent more vehicles priced above $400,000 in the U.S. in 2010, IHS Automotive estimates showed.

“I’d definitely be excited to see a Lamborghini sedan, that would be something completely new,” said Dieter Niederfriniger, co-owner of Austrian metal-forming company Alpewa GmbH, who bought his first Gallardo in 2004 and last year spent 380,000 euros ($500,000) on a Murcielago SuperVeloce. “Every time I look at that beauty I fall in love with it. It’s truly irresistible.”

Lamborghini, while never producing a sedan, built a four- seat coupe 40 years ago called the Espada that it discontinued in 1978. Winkelmann showed a sedan called the Estoque in 2008, which he never built. Any Lamborghini four-door model could rival the Panamera built by Porsche AG, which is currently merging with Volkswagen.

“Lamborghini has the ability to be extended to a third model,” said Jim Hall, an analyst with consulting firm 2953 Analytics Inc. in Birmingham, Michigan. “The question is can they do it in such a way that it’s free and clear of anything else from the top part of VW group. I think it’s possible.”

Bentley, Bugatti

Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who was then VW CEO, purchased Lamborghini in 1998 along with Bugatti and Bentley to create a stable of ultra-luxury carmakers. Adding another model line would keep with Lamborghini’s strategy of expanding the sports-car manufacturer with a new auto every year. Annual sales have increased tenfold since VW’s purchase.

VW added the Gallardo model line in 2003 to the Murcielago. The Italian division also complements its lineup by building limited-edition variants such as the 2006 Miura concept car and the 1.1 million-euro Reventon Roadster offered last year, its costliest model to date.

“Lamborghini’s role within the VW structure is much more symbolic than anything else,” said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany. “The message from Dr. Piech is VW is solidly presented in the super-car segment and its technology expertise isn’t strictly confined to volume brands.”

Winkelmann, who has run Volkswagen’s top-end unit since 2005, reported the carmaker’s biggest pretax profit in 2008 of 60 million euros. A year later, Lamborghini posted a pretax loss of 35 million euros as sales plunged 38 percent after the financial crisis.

Raging Bull

Winkelmann, born to German parents in Berlin and raised in Rome, spent more than ten years working at Fiat SpA, which owns Maserati and Ferrari, before he was hired to run Lamborghini by Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, then head of the Audi unit.

Based in a small town of about 7,000 near Italy’s northern city of Bologna, Lamborghini’s only factory is hidden behind a dark all-glass building, reflecting the black color of the carmaker’s raging bull logo. Employing about 800 workers, the facilities include a showroom, executive offices and a two-story museum that was opened in 2001. Lamborghini factory workers assemble vehicles by hand from bodies crafted at Audi.

“Lamborghini is the undisputed icon brand within VW group,” said Sascha Heiden, a Frankfurt-based analyst at IHS Automotive. “It’s kind of indispensable to have for a global player like VW to round off its multi-brand range.”

Carbon Fiber

Lamborghini aims to double deliveries in China, the carmaker’s second-largest market after the U.S., to more than 150 vehicles this year, Winkelmann said. The number of Chinese dealers will increase to 12 from eight, he said.

Lamborghini, founded in 1963, is also expanding research to produce lower weight cars as emission standards are tightened in Europe and the U.S. The VW unit last month set up a center at its headquarters to develop the light composites that complement metals in car frames and in 2009 began a partnership with aircraft maker Boeing Co. to crash-test carbon fiber.

“The consistent development of carbon-fiber technology is a key element of our strategy,” Winkelmann said in the July 28 interview in his office, wearing one of his trademark tailor-made Italian suits. “The weight-to-power ratio is the most important parameter for super-sports cars.”

Lamborghini, whose Gallardo Spyder emits about 400 grams (14.1 ounces) of CO2 per kilometer (0.62 mile), aims to cut emissions on average 35 percent by 2015. Audi’s A3 compact, its lowest polluting model, spurts out 99 grams per kilometer. Lamborghini has already lowered the Gallardo LP 570-4’s weight 70 kilograms using carbon fibers.

“What matters is to reduce CO2 without diluting the DNA of the Lamborghini brand,” said Maurizio Reggiani, the carmaker’s research and development chief. “It’s difficult to sell a Lamborghini if it doesn’t generate emotion.”