Hot car

A classic Lamborghini Miura SV sports car recently caught fire in London, while it was being driven. The owner managed to escape unharmed but by the time emergency services were able to attend the fire, the car had been completely burned out. As this extremely rare car is worth around £1 million, the insurance company is not likely to be happy about having to make a payout. The reason for the fire is unknown but the electrics of this 1971 model were never a strongpoint. Aerodynamically the Miura is also rep
August 15, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
A classic 3066 Lamborghini Miura SV sports car recently caught fire in London, while it was being driven. The owner managed to escape unharmed but by the time emergency services were able to attend the fire, the car had been completely burned out. As this extremely rare car is worth around £1 million, the insurance company is not likely to be happy about having to make a payout. The reason for the fire is unknown but the electrics of this 1971 model were never a strongpoint. Aerodynamically the Miura is also reputed to have its flaws by generating lift rather than downforce at speed. As the front-mounted fuel tank empties the car is said to have a somewhat unnerving tendency to lift its front wheels from the ground. Given that the improved later (and most sought after) SV model had a top speed of 276km/h (171mph), this was something of a deterrent to driving a Miura flat out. The rarity and value of this particular model, with only 150 made and few surviving thanks to the car’s peculiar aerodynamics and stunning power to weight ratio, means that the car is likely to be rebuilt from the ground up.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Hot cars
    January 21, 2014
    The owner of a new Jaguar car had an unwelcome surprise when he returned to where the vehicle had been parked on a hot day in UK capital London. He had left the car in a street close to where a new building is being constructed, which features large areas of glass in its design. Unfortunately the reflected light from the building’s glass areas was concentrated on the car, proving sufficiently hot to melt some of the plastic trim.
    Read More
  • IRF World Congress: moving ahead
    October 18, 2024
    On the last day of the three-day IRF World Congress in Istanbul, attendees heard what can work best, what can be improved and what the future might hold for those pursuing sustainable goals. David Arminas reports.
    Read More
  • Compacting the soil
    February 8, 2012
    High productivity and value for money are two benefits claimed by the new generation of soil compactors - Mike Woof reports. The market for soil compaction machines looks to be growing more competitive as new manufacturers enter the sector. This is particularly noticeable now that Chinese firm LiuGong has moved into the sector. Meanwhile new design concepts are also allowing firms to develop much larger and more powerful machines than ever before. The choice for contractors is a wide one and manufacturers a
    Read More
  • Developments in asphalt paving machines increases competition
    April 10, 2012
    With the asphalt paving segment split broadly into two methods, American or European,. it is no surprise that manufacturers. from these countries have dominated the market for some years. An interesting development in recent times has been seen with various European firms developing asphalt pavers to suit North American needs, including BOMAG, Dynapac and Vögele. Caterpillar and Volvo by comparison both offer both European and US-style pavers, with separate model ranges that have been developed over many ye
    Read More

Highlighted Content