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Super-rare Lamborghini Miura SV Jota promises to break records

The prototypical mid-engined exotic, the Lamborghini Miura is fast becoming a collectors' favorite. While they were trading hands at around a quarter of a million dollars less than a decade ago, prices have been skyrocketing, with the last few examples to go up for auction trading at over a million. But this particular example is expected to fetch well over $2 million when it crosses the block later this month. That's because this is no ordinary Miura – it's an SV Jota, one of only five or so originally made by the factory in Sant'Agata Bolognese. A pet project of the company's Kiwi test driver Bob Wallace, the Jota project was meant to explore what would happen if Lamborghini went racing. Old man Ferruccio wasn't interested though, and the original Jota prototype was destroyed. Word soon got out, however, of the Jota's modifications, and a handful of customers sent their Miuras back to the factory to be upgraded to Jota specification. With so few Miuras built to Jota specification, it's rare to see one trade hands. The last one we saw actually sell at auction went for $1.15 million in October 2010, but this particular example is estimated to rake in between $2 million and $2.6 million at RM's upcoming auction in Arizona on January 15-16. In fact, the last time this particular one crossed the block, it failed to sell despite a high bid of $2 million. Chassis number 4892 was initially ordered new from the factory as a Miura SV in 1971 by a customer in Rome in white with a blue interior. Within the following three years, it returned to the factory for Jota upgrades, and was then sold to a customer in Japan where it resided until moving to the US in 2007, taking top honors at the William K. Vanderbilt Jr. Concours d'Elegance in Rhode Island. Despite its excellent condition, it underwent a comprehensive two-year restoration, and its authenticity has been certified by numerous experts, including by the late Bob Wallace himself. If it sells this time around, data from Sports Car Market tells us it will smash the record for Miuras and challenge even the $2.5 million paid for a Reventon in 2009 and the $2.16 million paid for Bertone's one-of-a-kind Lamborghini Marzal concept in 2011 to take its place among the most expensive Lamborghinis ever sold. Featured Gallery 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV Jota #4892 View 31 Photos News Source: RM Auctions, Sports Car MarketImage Credit: Sean Smith/RM Lamborghini Auctions Supercars Classics rm lamborghini miura

Valentino Balboni thinks the Miura greatest Lambo ever

Valentino Balboni spent 40 years at Lamborghini, a few years as a mechanic's apprentice at the beginning, then as a test driver at the request of old man Ferrucio himself. He is embedded in the brand, said to have driven 80 percent of the company's entire production until he retired in 2009. He has ridden and tamed so many bulls that they named one after him, the 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni, and even made it rear-wheel drive because that's how he likes it. Balboni spoke to Road & Track in advance of an auction in New York on November 19 that will see a 1969 Miura P400S go on the block. A fixture from the days when mad men weren't merely characters on a television show, Balboni discusses taking customers for test drives, being sent on warranty calls, his favorite car, and why there will never be another one like it. Head over to RT to read the full interview from the man who helped make the original Countach, and therefore Lamborghini, what it is today. And in case you want in on the action, the pre-sale estimate for the centerpiece Miura is $800,000 to $1.6 million. Related Video:

2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance: It's all in the details

It's no secret that Pebble Beach is an ode to gorgeous, and mostly, classic cars. The car show may be a place for automakers to showcase extremely expensive cars to wealthy buyers, but it's also one of the go-to places for enthusiasts that love automobiles and culture. While it's easy to be overwhelmed by the overall beauty of a car, the real magic often needs closer inspection to be realized. Every car at Pebble Beach is a work of art, but the true beauty of the vehicles lies in the details. And Autoblog's photographer, Drew Phillips, managed to capture the details on some gorgeous cars. From the Lamborghini Miura's exquisite steering wheel to Rolls-Royce's Spirit of Ecstasy, it's all at Pebble Beach. We think the details on some of the cars are prettier than the cars themselves, but don't take our word for it. Check out the beautiful gallery above and enjoy the tiny bits and pieces behind some of the prettiest cars in the world. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Details View 75 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Misc. Auto Shows Aston Martin BMW Ferrari Lamborghini Rolls-Royce Pebble Beach