There’s no doubt no higher solution to experience a V12 supercar than with a guide gearbox. Heck, the former proprietor of this Ferrari 599 went to nice lengths (and expense) to ditch the flappy paddle F1 ‘field to a selfmade shifter, and there’s little question it used to be well worth the effort. Positive, paddles can nonetheless ship a lovely click on and a pointy swirl of revs on downshifts, however not anything’s slightly as enjoyable as rev-matching a twelve-cylinder powerhouse with a blip of throttle and swapping cogs your self.

No longer that you just’ve were given numerous choices to make a choice from. Ferrari hasn’t made a V12 with a self-service cog-swapper for the reason that aforementioned 599, and despite the fact that there are many used guide V12 Aston Martins to make a choice from on PH, they don’t precisely shout about what’s hiding beneath the bonnet. Gordon Murray will whip one thing up if you happen to ask properly, however you’ll want a briefcase with many hundreds of thousands stuff within to get his consideration. So if you happen to’re in need of a modern-ish V12 guide supercar that gained’t value you the Earth or your firstborn kid, you’ll almost certainly need to imagine a Lamborghini Murcielago. Infrequently backside of the barrel, is it?

Be mindful after we had been all frightened concerning the supercar maker going all cushy beneath Audi possession? The Murcielago smartly and really put paid to these fears when it arrived in 2001, combining a placing Luc Donckerwolke design (which has elderly magnificently) with a 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V12. Crucially, on the other hand, the Murcielago used to be presented completely with a guide gearbox from the off, with computerized ‘containers no longer arriving till 2004. In step with the web, in all its knowledge, over 50 in line with cent of the 1,921 6.2-litre automobiles pack the six-speed gated guide. 

Naturally, that makes them significantly extra potential than just about each and every guide twelve-cylinder Ferrari launched post-millennium – but that doesn’t cause them to any much less particular. In particular one as surprising and as uncommon as this fortieth Anniversary automobile. Launched in 2004 to mark the most obvious, the fortieth Anniversary Version is without doubt one of the maximum unique Murcielagos in life and slightly perhaps the Holy Grail of the early 6.2 automobiles.

Produced in an ultra-limited batch of simply 50 automobiles (no doubt 40 would have made extra sense), the particular version V12 used to be to be had completely in Verde Artemis with Gray Anthracite multi-piece wheels and uncovered carbon fibre across the gas filler cap and higher segment of the door surrounds. Inside upgrades had been saved to a minimal, with cream leather-based seats with contrasting black bolsters the one notable distinction to the bottom automobiles, despite the fact that the V12 on Anniversary automobiles must sound even sweeter because of an upgraded exhaust machine. Oh, and naturally, they had been most effective ever presented with a wonderful gated guide. Chic.

Certainly, it’s a shockingly particular variant of an overly particular automobile. It’s no longer recognized how most of the unique 50 had been earmarked for the United Kingdom marketplace (an thread suggests it may well be as low as 3 or 4), one among which might were the auto we’ve right here, being a right-hooker. It’s no wonder then that the vendor’s asking £224,900 for it, which is a good top class over this ‘commonplace’ guide Murci at £145,000. However you then wouldn’t get the particular paint scheme, the carbon bits and the little plaque with the quantity 40 on it. For that, and for the fitting particular person, it’ll be a worth smartly value paying.