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Posted on 05/12/2019 10:07:54 AM PDT by ETL
A long-lost Lamborghini Miura P400 featured in the classic 1969 heist flick, “The Italian Job,” has been rediscovered and restored just in time for the classic film’s 50th anniversary this June.
The bright orange coupe can be seen being driven by Rossano Brazzi through the Great St Bernard pass connecting Switzerland and Italy as the opening credits roll, up until he drives into a dark tunnel and crashes into a bulldozer, which pushes the car off of a cliff.
But it wasn’t the same car. According to Lamborghini, the filmmakers purchased an already wrecked Miura to destroy and borrowed a new one for Brazzi to drive. The only caveat being they had to swap the white seats for black ones so they wouldn't get stained.
After production was complete, that car was returned to the automaker and sold with the original seats and its connection to the film forgotten for some time.
The car changed several times since then as some classic car historians were trying to match a Miura to the one in the movie to avail.
Then last year, it was purchased by a car collector in Liechtenstein named, Fritz Kaiser, who had a hunch it might be the one and decided to go to the source for help to find out.
He sent it to the team at Lamborghini’s historic center, who researched the chassis number, #3586, and interviewed employees who were around at the time the film was being made, including the man who performed the stunt driving duties Enzo Moruzzi.
As far as it is concerned, everything checked out. So it restored it, certified it and officially closed the book on the search.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Sweet ride. Kinda reminds of the Pantera.
Wait - it didn’t blow up. Cars are supposed to blow up when they roll down hills.
Lol! It blew up in the tunnel when it crashed into the tractor.
Music by Quincy Jones.
Also saw Benny Hill in the credits...THE Benny Hill?
Last question...was that a fiat Dino coupe? (The black car parked while the bulldozer pushed the Lambo off the cliff.)
Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee S02 E06 Chris Rock Kids Need Bullying - Dailymotion Video
Yeah, saw that too in the credits.
Can’t recall ever seeing the film, but it probably was him.
Reminds me of a housemate’s Lotus.
Man, do I miss the days of the truly great Black comedians. Tim Moore/"Kingfish" from the 2nd generation Amos N' Andy, and Redd Foxx (Fred Sanford) from Sanford and Son.
Thank God for YouTube, where a lot of this good stuff is still out there and easily available.
60s Italian cars had the best lines!
If not THE most beautiful production car ever made, it’s certainly on a very short list (pictures fail to do the Miura Justice).
It’s much more like the de Tomaso Mangusta than the Pantera, and there’s yet to be a Lotus made with the sensuous curves of a Miura. Chapman always was too obsessed with weight reduction to waste grams on looks.
https://carbuzz.com/news/jay-leno-s-1967-lamborghini-miura
Although I'm half Italian, I have to say the '69 Corvette is much prettier.
I prefer Jaguars and Bugatti. My husband has a Porsche 911.
My brother in law collects vintage mint condition Vettes. He built a huge AC/heated garage to house them. It is is hobby and passion. He has money to do that, glad he spends it on himself. He worked so hard for so many years. This is his first hobby.
It was a revolutionary design, mid-engine, transverse, 60° V-12. Engine and transaxle were cast together for compactness. Holes in the chassis for lightening also made them very rust-prone.
Uh.....no.
Not the beat performance;
But I love the looks and lines of the 944 !
Uh....no, what?
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