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

  • Advances in road recycling and milling technology
    May 25, 2016
    Road milling and recycling play important roles in road building, with new models now coming to market - Mike Woof writes. The market for road milling machinery has become very competitive in recent times. In past years this sector of the construction machinery business was dominated by German firm Wirtgen, however there are now more companies active in the field and the leading companies offer a wider array of models than before. Wirtgen retains its market leadership and still offers the most comprehensive
    Read More
  • 2-4 year-old construction equipment tops buyer ‘wish list’
    May 11, 2012
    A leading used construction equipment auctioneer firm boss believes equipment aged between 2 and 4 years is now topping buyers’ ‘wish lists’, as 1 to 2-year-old used stocks deplete. Jonnie Keys, General Manager of Euro Auctions, said that with the cost of new equipment currently up by around 20% on prices in June 2009, the used market is still strong. “Euro Auctions has repeatedly seen over 30% of all plant sold leaving the UK and Europe for projects in Australia, South Africa, South America, Central Ameri
    Read More
  • Faster
    July 1, 2015
    A handful of British-registered performance cars proved something of a handful for the French police recently. The five cars, including two Porsches and a Lamborghini, rocketed past an off-duty officer travelling in his own vehicle along a stretch of autoroute close to the Spanish border. Because of the high speeds involved, the French police opted to use a helicopter operating out of its base in Bayonne to track the cars. The drivers did spot the helicopter tailing them and then slowed down but were still
    Read More
  • Faster
    July 1, 2015
    A handful of British-registered performance cars proved something of a handful for the French police recently. The five cars, including two Porsches and a Lamborghini, rocketed past an off-duty officer travelling in his own vehicle along a stretch of autoroute close to the Spanish border. Because of the high speeds involved, the French police opted to use a helicopter operating out of its base in Bayonne to track the cars. The drivers did spot the helicopter tailing them and then slowed down but were still
    Read More

Highlighted Content