Can a supercar really be considered a supercar with its engine in the front? Maybe these days, sure, with cars like the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and Aston Martin One-77 (or even American muscle like the SRT Viper or Corvette ZR1) eclipsing the performance figures of many mid-engined supercars. But back in the day the realm hardly even existed until Lamborghini rolled out the Miura. Ferruccio Lamborghini's second project debuted only two years after his first, the 350 GT built to stick it to Enzo Ferrari.
The Miura quickly took its place at the top of the exotic sportscar market with a mid-engined configuration that would go on to dominate the segment and the marque for decades to come - and put arch-rival Ferrari on its back foot. Now one particularly stunning example of the Miura is going up for auction. Part of RM's consignment for the upcoming auction festival in Arizona, chassis 3952 - decked out in a florescent shade of lime green that would become emblematic of the brand - was built as a Miura S, but was later meticulously upgraded to SV specifications. That means a 4.0-liter DOHC V12 driving 385 horsepower through a five-speed manual to the rear wheels.
One of just 764 Miuras built, this example has been meticulously restored by noted craftsman Gary Boblieff of San Diego is expected to fetch upwards of $700,000 at auction, which may be more than most S-spec Miuras might go for, but is far less than you'd pay for one of the 150 SV models produced. (Photos by Erik Fuller courtesy of RM Auctions.)