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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.

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