A 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago Breaks a Bring a Trailer Record

Bring a Trailer record-breaking 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago article highlights:

• The Lamborghini Murcielago was the brand’s last V12-powered supercar that offered a manual
• One stick-shift 2003 40^th Anniversary Edition car just sold for $525,000 and broke Bring a Trailer’s Murcielago record
• Murcielagos starting to appreciate, but this early car is still a bit of an anomaly

If any automaker can say it’s having a good time, it’s Lamborghini. The Italian brand just had a record-breaking sales quarter right after a record-breaking sales year, after all. But it’s not just new Lambos that are helping set records. A secondhand gasoline-powered bull, a 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago, just broke one over at Bring a Trailer. Which record, you ask? Well, I’ll give you 525,000 guesses.

One of the last analog supercars, the original Lamborghini Murcielago still feels like a raging bull

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  2003 Lamborghini Murcielago | National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images

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  2002-2006 Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster manual interior | Lamborghini

Now, the Murcielago wasn’t the first Lamborghini with all-wheel drive; that would be the Diablo. But as the first Lambo designed under Audi ownership and the first to get a fancy ‘E Gear’ automated manual, Murcielago was a notable departure from the brand’s past offerings. Plus, unlike previous V12 Lamborghinis, it had a showroom companion, the more affordable and reasonable V10 Gallardo.

Yet in other ways, the Lamborghini Murcielago fits right in within the brand’s bullpen. For starters, it has a mid-mounted V12 that got even bigger when the LP640 rolled around. The interior controls are logically arrayed and the steering wheel is adjustable, but the wheels intrude on the pedal box, Car and Driver says. And while truly functional A/C, stability control, traction control, and optional navigation make driving easier, there’s no disguising how wide and low the ‘Murci’ is. Also, scissor doors.

In other words, the Lamborghini Murcielago feels like an old-school Italian supercar even before you turn it on. That feeling gets even stronger when you remember that this was the last V12 Lamborghini offered with a manual. But not just any manual—a gated one. And it’s that stick that solidifies what makes the Murcielago feel special, even today.

That V12 shouts, bellows, and wails its way to 7600 rpm as you push the weighty clutch and snick the shifter into the next gear. The steering, though lighter than in past Lambos, is accurate and full of feedback. And thanks to standard carbon-ceramic brakes, the big bull slows down in a hurry.

Sure, newer Lamborghini supercars can beat the Murcielago in a straight line and around the track. But none of them quite match its old-school thrilling nature.

A $525,000 manual 2003 ‘Murci’ is now the most expensive Lamborghini Murcielago sold on Bring a Trailer

Sold: 7k-Mile 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago 40th Anniversary Edition 6-Speed for $525,000. https://t.co/70Bh8rseA0 pic.twitter.com/8UEZ1iK4Yd

— Bring a Trailer (@Bringatrailer) April 26, 2022

Something else the latest Lambos lack is the Murcielago’s gated stick, which is something the 2003 car that recently sold on Bring a Trailer has. And it undoubtedly is one reason why this car is now the most expensive Lamborghini Murcielago ever sold on BaT. When the auction closed on April 26^th, 2022, the final bid was $525,000.

It’s worth noting that in 2003, a stick-shift Murcielago cost $281K, Hagerty reports. That’s just under $439,100 in today’s money. But that still means this 2003 Murcielago beat inflation and appreciated, which is a rare accomplishment for a supercar. It also beat its own previous BaT result: it sold in 2020 for $277,000. So, why did this Murci sell for so much?

Besides the gated manual thing, this 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago is a rare 40^th Anniversary Edition car; #4 of 50, specifically. So, it has an upgraded Alpine audio system with a six-disc CD changer, silver brake calipers, carbon-fiber window surrounds, and carbon-fiber fitted luggage. Also, only 40^th Anniversary Edition cars got the special Verde Artemis paint. Furthermore, this car has a stainless-steel Turbi exhaust, a binder of recent and past service records, and less than 7200 miles on the clock.

Admittedly, this car doesn’t have the luggage set or original exhaust. Also, it has a few cosmetic imperfections. But it’s still a well-kept example of a rare and desirable early Lamborghini Murcielago. Plus, it doesn’t have the awkward and problematic E Gear transmission. In short, it checks all the right Lamborghini supercar boxes.

Will the Murcielago be worth even more in the future?

Now, $525,000 is quite a chunk of change for a Lamborghini not named Countach or Miura. So, does this mean the Lamborghini Murcielago is going to be a hot future investment item?

Well, it’s tough to say. But it’s worth noting that pre-LP640 Murcielagos are generally noticeably cheaper than the BaT car. A good-to-excellent condition one with a stick is usually a $245,000-$300,000 used supercar, Hagerty reports. So, not cheap, but cheaper than this 40^th Anniversary Edition record-holder.

However, Hagerty also says that Murcielago values have started rising recently. In addition, the later LP640 and SV models are worth more than the 6.2-liter early ones. Manual LP640s are solidly in $350,000 territory, while a manual SV—they do exist—is worth more than the new BaT record-holder.

Regardless, let’s hope the #4 2003 Lamborghini Murcielago 40^th Anniversary Edition’s new owner lets their new steer stretch its legs.

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