Lamborghini beat out Ferrari in 1966 by producing the first mid-engine super car that was also a stunning design by Marcello Gandini of Bertone.
In 1965 Lamborghini engineers Gian Paolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani, and Bob Wallace worked overtime on their own to develop the first version of the P400, which later was named the Miura.
The Miura P400 was introduced at the 1966 Geneva motor show and was received extremely well even though it was not a running car at the time of the show.
The P400 is a 4-liter V12 producing 350 hp. The P400S introduced in 1968 produced 370 hp and the P400SV introduced in 1971 made 380 hp. The SV version also separated the motor oil and the transmission oil, which improved reliability.
There were 465 P400 made between 1966 and 1969, 138 of the P400S variations were produced between 1969 and 1971 and finally 148 of the P400SV were made between 1971 and 1972.
A one-off racecar version called the Jota, which was destroyed in a crash, led to the creation of an SV upgrade model called the SV/J. Five SV/J versions were made by Lamborghini.
Bertone also created a one-off roadster (targa) as a show car that was first shown at the 1968 Brussels Auto Show.
Miuras have appreciated in value over the recent years and are very desirable collector cars and are one of the more beautiful cars ever produced.
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I always liked the Miura and think it is one of the most captivating super-car designs. I only ever drove one example--on several occasions--and my only complaint was that the clutch was so stiff every time I used it, I thought I was pushing the footrest.
ReplyDeleteHow about the steering wheel in your lap? At least that was my experience with the Miura.
ReplyDeleteThe GTO accustomed me to the splayed leg position which made the Miura's wheel less intrusive... :)
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