The Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis was the kind of person you wanted as a friend. Onassis, one of the wealthiest men in the world in the 1960s, wasn't afraid to lavish money on the people he cared about.
Onassis was both a friend and an admirer of singer Stamatis Kokotas, so he fell into that category. A 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S would have been considered a fitting, if expensive, gift for Kokotas, who was also an excellent rally driver and car collector.
The Miura was equipped with an elaborate steering wheel medallion, electric windows, uncommon factory air conditioning, engraved air vents, a passenger grab grip, and a distinctive gear shift lever, according to Classic Driver.
Four yellow fog lamps on the front of the car show that Kokotas probably drove it hard.
The Miura, which spent more than 40 years in storage at the Athens Hilton parking garage, hasn't fared so well with the passage of time. The car's inside is astonishingly well-preserved, but the outside is dented, the grill is angled towards the ground, the foglights are broken, and there is a heavy layer of dust covering the entire vehicle.
The Miura was anticipated to be one of the top sellers at the last Coys Auction in London, England, despite its condition. According to Classic Cars For Sale, the highest bid reached 300,000 pounds ($483,210), which was insufficient to meet the car's reserve price.
A 1967 Lamborghini Miura that had been upgraded to SV specifications by the factory sold for 414,000 pounds ($666,830), demonstrating the continued popularity of these highly sought-after vehicles.
We anticipate Kokotas' Lamborghini to appear at another upscale auction soon. In Scottsdale or Amelia Island, where there's never a shortage of buyers hunting for automobiles with unusual provenance, perhaps the car will see its reserve price reached.
