Although was expected to be one of the high sellers at the recent Coys Auction in London, England, rare 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S, related with two famous Greek names, Aristotle Onassis and Stamatis Kokotas, didn’t find a buyer. The bidding got up to £300,000 ($483,210), which wasn’t enough to cover the reserve on the car.
The Lamborghini Muira S gifted to Stamatis Kokotas by Aristotle Onasis
You probably know that Ari Onassis was a prominent Greek shipping magnate, and one of the richest men in the world during the 1960s, but might less know his good friend, popular Greek singer, Stamatis Kokotas, a.k.a Greek Elvis. Ari was such a big fan of Kokotas that he bought him a 1969 Lamborghini Miura S just to show his appreciation. Kokotas, who was also an accomplished rally driver, negligently left the gift in a hotel garage to rot for nearly four decades.
Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966, one of Bertone’s finest-ever designs (it was from the pen of Marcello Gandini) Lamborghini Miura P400S, could stop traffic in the best streets of New York, London or Paris. But, here’s what happened when such this stunning car came in hands of Kokotas, complete with an custom ornate steering wheel medallion, electric windows, rare factory air conditioning, engraved air vents, a passenger grab handle, a unique gear shift lever and four yellow foglamps in the front.
Kokotas, who loved to push car to its limits, drove the Lamborghini for two years until it suffered an engine problem, so he misbehaving V12 was taken out and sent back to Sant’Agata for repairs, and the car, that covering a quite respectable 52,118 miles was parked at the underground garage of Hilton Athens. The popstar lost interest pretty soon after that, and since no one payed the certainly high amount the Lamborghini techs were charging, the engine remained at the factory. When the reconstruction of the hotel started in 2003, the Miura was taken to another storage facility.
With the perfectly restored engine already back from the factory, finished in a period shade of metallic brown color, this slightly rough and unloved Miura S, has a remarkably preserved interior, but the hood is dented, the grill points downward to the pavement, the foglights are smashed and a thick patina of dust envelops the car.
We hope that this 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S, will soon find new owner, who will appreciate its value, maybe at another high-end auction, in Scottsdale or at Amelia Island!
Aristotle Onassis, Greek shipping magnate, and popular Greek singer, Stamatis Kokotas, a.k.a Greek Elvis
