The
Lamborghini Miura is a
sports car produced by Italian automaker
Lamborghini between 1966 and 1972. The car is widely considered to have begun the trend of high performance, two-seater,
mid-engined sports cars.
[3] While the mid-engined layout had been used successfully in competition in cars such as the
Ford GT40 and
Ferrari 250 LM at
Le Mans, the Miura was the first viable road car sporting the layout. At launch, it was the fastest production road car available.
The Miura was originally conceived by Lamborghini's engineering team, who designed the car in their spare time against the wishes of company founder
Ferruccio Lamborghini, who showed a preference towards producing powerful yet sedate
grand touring cars, rather than the racecar-derived machines produced by local rival
Ferrari. When its rolling chassis was presented at the 1965 Turin auto show, and the prototype P400 debuted at the 1966 Geneva show, the car received a stellar reception from showgoers and motoring press alike, who were impressed by Marcelo Gandini's sleek styling as well as the car's revolutionary design.
As Lamborghini's
halo car, the Miura received periodic updates and remained in production until 1972, and was not replaced in the automaker's lineup until the
Countach entered production in 1974, amidst tumultuous financial times for the company.
During 1965, Lamborghini's three top engineers,
Gian Paolo Dallara,
Paolo Stanzani, and
Bob Wallace put their own time into the development of a prototype car known as the P400. The engineers envisioned a road car with racing pedigree; a car which could win on the track and be driven on the road by enthusiasts. The three men worked on the car's design at night, hoping to sway Lamborghini from the opinion that such a vehicle would be too expensive and would distract from the company's focus. When finally brought aboard, Lamborghini allowed his engineers to go ahead, deciding that the P400 was a potential marketing tool, if nothing more.
The car featured a transversely-mounted mid-engine layout, a departure from previous Lamborghini cars; the V12 was also unusual in that it was effectively merged with the transmission and differential, reflecting a lack of space in the tightly-wrapped design. The rolling chassis was displayed at the Turin Salon in 1965; impressed showgoers placed orders for the car despite the lack of a body to go over the chassis.
Bertone was placed in charge of styling the prototype, which was finished just days before its début at the 1966 Geneva motor show. Curiously, none of the engineers had found time to check if the engine fit inside its compartment; committed to showing the car, they decided to fill the engine bay with ballast, and keep the hood locked throughout the show, as they had three years earlier for the début of the 350GTV. Sales boss Sgarzi was forced to turn away members of the motoring press who wanted to see the P400's power plant. Despite this setback, the car was the star of the show, making stylist
Marcello Gandini a star in his own right.
The favourable reaction at Geneva meant the P400 was to go into production by the following year, under a different name, Miura. The name along with the company's newly created trade-mark badge were taken from a
type of fighting bull.
[4] The Miura gained a worldwide audience of automotive enthusiasts when it was chosen for the opening sequence of
The Italian Job (original 1969 version). In press interviews of the time company boss
Ferruccio Lamborghini was reticent about his precise birth date, but stressed that he was born under the star sign
Taurus.
[4]Early Miuras, known as P400s (for
Posteriore 4 litri), were powered by a version of the 3.9 L
Lamborghini V12 engine used in the
400GT at the time, only mounted
transversely and producing 350 PS (260 kW; 350 hp). About 474 P400s were produced between 1966 and 1969 - a success for Lamborghini despite its then-steep $20,000 USD price (approx. $114,000 in today's terms).
Taking a cue from the
Mini, Lamborghini formed the engine and gearbox in one casting and they shared common lubrication until the last 96 SVs, which used a limited slip differential requiring appropriate oil.
It has been reported, but not confirmed, the first 125 Miuras were built of 0.9mm steel and are therefore a bit lighter than later cars. All cars had steel frames and doors with aluminum front and rear skinned body sections.The P400S Miura, also known as the Miura S, made its introduction at the Turin Motorshow in November 1968, where the original chassis had been introduced 3 years earlier. It was slightly revised from the P400, including newly added power windows, bright chrome trim around external windows and headlights, new overhead inline console with new rocker switches, engine intake manifolds made 2mm larger, different camshaft profiles, and notched trunk end panels (allowing for slightly more luggage space). Engine changes were reportedly good for an additional 20 PS (15 kW; 20 hp). Other revisions were limited to creature comforts, such as a locking glovebox lid, reversed position of cigarette lighter and windshield wiper switch, and single release handles for front and rear body sections. Other interior improvements included the addition of power windows and optional air conditioning, available for $800. About 140 P400S Miura were produced between December 1968 and March 1971. One S #4407 was owned by
Frank Sinatra.
The last and most famous Miura, the P400SV or Miura SV featured different cam timing and altered carburetors. These gave the engine an additional 15 PS (11 kW; 15 hp), to 385 PS (283 kW; 380 hp). The last 96 SV engines included a limited slip differential which required a split sump. The gearbox now had its lubrication system separate from the engine, which allowed the use of the appropriate types of oil for the gearbox and the engine. This also alleviated concerns that metal shavings from the gearbox could travel into the engine with disastrous and expensive results.
The SV can be distinguished from its predecessors from its lack of "eyelashes" around the headlights, wider rear fenders to accommodate the new 9-inch-wide (230 mm) rear wheels and
Pirelli Cinturato tires, and different taillights. 150 SVs were produced.
There was a misprint in the SV owners manual indicating bigger intake valves in English size (but correct size in metric). The intake and exhaust valves in all 4 liter V12 Lamborghini remained the same throughout all models. This intake size misprint carried forward into Espada 400GT and Countach LP400/LP400S owners manuals as well.
Roadster
Another one-off, the Miura Roadster (actually more of a targa-model, but without any removable roof) was built by
Bertone as a show car. Based on a P400, it was first shown at the 1968 Brussels Auto Show. After having been exhibited at several auto salons the car was sold to the International Lead Zinc Research Organization (ILZRO) who turned it into a display-vehicle showcasing the possibilities of using zinc alloys in cars. The car was named the ZN75. A few other Miuras have had their tops removed, but this Bertone Miura Roadster was the only factory open-top Miura.
In 2006 the ZN75 was purchased by New York City real estate developer Adam Gordon. Gordon had Bobilff Motorcars in San Diego, California return the car to its original Bertone Roadster form. The restored car was first shown in August 2008 at the
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
2006 Miura concept
A
retro-styled Lamborghini Miura concept car was presented at the American
Museum of Television & Radio on January 5, 2006 alongside the
Los Angeles Auto Show, though it was not present at the show itself. Instead, the Miura
concept car officially debuted at the
North American International Auto Show two weeks later. It was the first design to be penned by Lamborghini design chief,
Walter de'Silva, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1966 Geneva introduction of the original Miura.
Lamborghini president and CEO Stefan Winkelmann denied that the concept would mark the Miura's return to production, saying “The Miura was a celebration of our history, but Lamborghini is about the future. Retro design is not what we are here for. So we won’t do the Miura.”
