NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Lamborghini Miura

The Lamborghini Miura is a sports car built in Italy by Lamborghini between 1966 and 1973. A mid-engined layout had been used successfully in competition, including by the Ford GT40 and Ferrari 250 LM at Le Mans. De Tomaso had produced a road car with this layout, the Vallelunga, but otherwise cars designed for the road were almost uniformly front-engined, rear drive vehicles. The Miura was a trendsetter, the one that made the mid-engined layout de rigueur among two-seater high performance supercars. It is named after the Spanish ranch Miura, whose bulls have a proverbial attack instinct. Photograph of the front of a Lamborghini Miura taken by SamH at the 2003 Goodwood Festival of Speed. ... Photograph of the front of a Lamborghini Miura taken by SamH at the 2003 Goodwood Festival of Speed. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1952, 2371 KB) Summary I took this photo in a public location. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1952, 2371 KB) Summary I took this photo in a public location. ... 1963 Jaguar E-Type, a classic sports car 1963 Chevrolet Corvette was based upon European sports cars A sports car is an automobile designed for performance driving. ... Automobili Lamborghini S.p. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... In Automobile design, an MR or Mid-engine, Rear wheel drive layout drives the rear wheels with an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. ... GT40 Mk II front. ... 1964 Ferrari 250 LM Although Enzo Ferrari resisted the move for road use, Ferrari began producing mid-engined racing cars in 1963. ... The 24 Hours of Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans) is the worlds most famous sports car endurance race, held annually at Circuit de la Sarthe near Le Mans, France, in the French Sarthe dÃ©partement. ... De Tomaso Logo De Tomaso Pantera, once owned by Elvis Presley. ... The Vallelunga was an extremely rare mid-engined sports car produced by De Tomaso from 1965 through 1967. ... In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... For other uses, see Supercar (disambiguation). ... Miura (Japanese: 三浦市; -shi) is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. ... Spanish toreo, corrida de toros or tauromaquia; Portuguese corrida de touros or tauromaquia) is a blood sport that involves, most of the times, professional performers (matadores) who execute various formal moves with the goal of appearing graceful and confident, while masterful over the bull itself; these maneuvers are performed at...

Styling

Inspired by the Ford GT40, the Miura astonished showgoers at the 1965 Turin Motor Show where only the chassis was shown, with multiple orders being placed despite the lack of an actual body. Later, Marcello Gandini from Bertone, who would later go on to design many of Lamborghini's cars, was chosen to design the body. Both body and chassis were launched five months later at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show. It was a sensation, with its flamboyant bodywork and unusual engine and clam-shell opening hoods on both the front and rear of the car. There was a small trunk located in the very rear of the tail behind the engine. GT40 Mk II front. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Marcello Gandini, born 1943, was chief designer at Bertone and since 1980 has been a freelance designer. ... Gruppo Bertone is an Italian car styling and coachbuilding house, which also manufactures cars. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... 74th Geneva Motor Show The Salon International de lAuto (or Geneva Motor Show) is an annual auto show held in March in the Swiss city of Geneva. ...

Miura models

P400

Early Miuras, known as P400s (for Posteriore 4 litre), were powered by a version of the 3.9 L famous Lamborghini V12 engine used in the 400GT at the time, only mounted transversely and producing 350 hp (260 kW). About 274 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). The Lamborghini V-12 is a V12 engine designed by Lamborghini. ... 1967 Lamborghini 400GT The Lamborghini 400GT 2+2 was a 2+2-seated sports car from the Italian manufacturer Lamborghini, successor to the 350GT. First presented at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show. ... A transverse engine is an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the wheels of the vehicle. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ...

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. For the new MINI, see MINI (BMW). ...

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 body sections.

P400S

The P400S Miura, also known as the Miura S, made its introduction at the Turin Motorshow in November 1968, where the original chassis was 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 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. 338 P400S Miuras were produced between Dec 1968 and March.

P400SV

The last and most famous Miura, the P400SV or Miura SV featured different cam timing and altered carbs. These gave the engine an additional 15 bhp, to 385. 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 rear wheels and Pirelli Cinturato tires, and different taillights. 150 SVs were produced. One SV was owned by Frank Sinatra. Pirelli & C. SpA is a diverse multinational company based in Milan, Italy. ... â€œSinatraâ€ redirects here. ...

There was a misprint in the SV owners manual indicating bigger intake valves in English size (but correct size in metric). This mistaken information continues to this day. The intake and exhaust valves in all 4 liter V12 Lamborghini remained the same thru out all models. This intake size misprint carried forward into Espada 400GT and Countach LP400/LP400S owners manuals as well.

P400 Jota

This one-off Miura (#5084) was the development of Lamborghini development driver Bob Wallace in 1970. Only one was built, initially as a powerful test mule for future Miuras. Lamborghini sold the car after extensive testing. In April 1971, the car crashed and burned on the Brescia Ring Road.^[1] Lamborghini has since built a replica of this car. A development mule or a test mule in the automotive industry is a vehicle equipped with experimental or prototype components for testing. ...

P400 SV/J

Once customers heard about the Jota, they requested their own "Jota". Lamborghini could not justify the expense of building a series of Jotas, so they offered an upgraded SV model instead. This model, known as the SV/J, featured upgrades to the engine, suspension components, exterior and interior. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

Of the five examples of the Miura SV/J built by the factory while the Miura was still in production, two were built new (chassis #5090 and #5100) and three were converted from existing SVs (chassis #4934, #4860 & #4990). All of these still exist. Chassis #5100 is however the only SVJ to feature the dry sump lubrication system as per the mechanics of the original Jota #5084.

One of these cars, chassis #4934^[2], was built for the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The Shah stored this car under armed guard with another SV in Royal Palace in Tehran. After he fled the country during the Iranian Revolution, his cars were seized by the Iranian government. The SV/J was sold into Dubai in 1995. In 1997 this car was sold via a Brooks auction to Nicolas Cage, at US$490,000, becoming the model's highest ever price sold in an auction.^[3] Cage sold the car in 2002. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran (Persian: ) (October 26, 1919, Tehran â€“ July 27, 1980, Cairo), styled His Imperial Majesty, and holding the imperial titles of Shahanshah (King of Kings), and Aryamehr (Light of the Aryans), was the monarch of Iran from September 16, 1941 until the Iranian Revolution on February... After Islamic Conquest Modern SSR = Soviet Socialist Republic Afghanistan Azerbaijan Bahrain Iran Iraq Tajikistan Uzbekistan This box: The Iranian Revolution (also known as the Islamic Revolution,[1][2][3][4][5][6] Persian: Ø§Ù†Ù‚Ù„Ø§Ø¨ Ø§Ø³Ù„Ø§Ù…ÛŒ, EnghelÄbe EslÄmi) was the revolution that transformed Iran from a monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza... Nicolas Cage (born Nicholas Kim Coppola on January 7, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ...

A sixth SV/J was built at the Lamborghini factory between 1983 and 1987 from an unused Miura S chassis. This was made for the brother of Patrick Mimram, then owner of Lamborghini.^[4]

Further Miuras were subsequently upgraded to SVJ specifications (trying to imitate the real factory SVJs) by various garages of Switzerland, USA or even Japan.

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. 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 and exists today. A few other Miuras have had their tops removed, but this Bertone Miura Roadster was the only factory open-top Miura. Gruppo Bertone is an Italian car styling and coachbuilding house, which also manufactures cars. ...

For more information on this Miura see the International Lamborghini Registry page on Miura 3498. (Note: The ZN75 won't be around much longer. It will be converted back to its original Bertone Roadster form in time for Pebble Beach 2008.) The Pebble Beach Concours dElegance is an automotive charitable event held each year on the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, considered the most prestigious event of its kind. ...

P400 SVJ Spider

This version of the Miura was actually displayed in 1981 at the Geneva Motor Show by Lamborghini, shortly after the new CEO Patrick Mimran took over the factory. The car was actually the yellow Miura S presented at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, reconstructed in 1980 in Spider by the Swiss Lamborghini Importer, Lambomotor AG. The Miura SVJ Spider was displayed on the Lamborghini stand with the other 1981 new models (Jalpa and LM002), equipped with wide wheels and a rear wing, in the context of the marque's revival, it was considered as a prototype for a possible limited series of Miura Spider. This car has therefore undergone numerous modifications / upgrades by various marque specialists. It does however remain a simple Miura S, such as presented at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show.

Details

Early Miuras were notorious for being a fire hazard. The problem was caused by Lamborghini's decision to use Weber 40 IDL 3C1 carburetors which were designed exclusively for racing applications and weren't suitable for road use. The problem occurred when the car sat idling (e.g. at a stoplight), the area above the throttles filled with fuel which often ignited when the car accelerated away from the stop. One of Lamborghini's engineers devised a modification for the carburetors which created a fuel-return. Ferrari, who used these same carburetors in one of their cars, and suffered the same problems, were able to use Lamborghini's modification to solve it. The carburetor (or carburettor, carb for short) is a device which mixes air and fuel for an internal_combustion engine. ... Ferrari Enzo. ...

Some other interesting details: the position of the fuel tank is at the front causing the vehicle to have less weight at the front as the fuel tank gets lighter (closer to empty), thus making the car more difficult to handle at more than 240 km/h. Another detail is that the doors resemble a bull's horns when it is opened wide (Lamborghini's logo itself depicts a raging bull).

The Miura is also technically the first Supercar ever in the world. Since the word "Supercar", which is coined by L.J.K. Setright, a distinguished automobile journalist, was used for the first time for the Miura on Setright's own review of the car. However, according to the British magazine Autocar in an article written by Paul Frere, the Miura could not match the performance of its main rival, the Ferrari Daytona. See also Ferrari 365 for the round-bodied 365 California, GT 2+2, GTC and GTS // Vehicle specifications The Ferrari Daytona (correctly named the 365 GTB/4) is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. ...

In 2004, Sports Car International named this car number four on both the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s and Top Sports Cars of the 1970s. The car was ranked number four on the list of the Top Sports Car of All Time. Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sports Car International is an automobile magazine in the United States focused on sports cars. ... Sports Car International magazine compiled a list of the Top Sports Cars of the last few decades. ... Sports Car International magazine compiled a list of the Top Sports Cars of the last few decades. ... Sports Car International magazine compiled a list of the Top Sports Cars of the last few decades. ...

2006 Miura concept

A Lamborghini Miura concept car was presented at the 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 officially debuted at the North American International Auto Show two weeks later. It was the first design by new Lamborghini chief, Walter de'Silva, and commemorates the 1966 introduction of the original Miura in Geneva. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x569, 34 KB) Licensing This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising material or a promotional photo in a press kit. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1024x569, 34 KB) Licensing This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising material or a promotional photo in a press kit. ... 1938 Buick Y-Job, the first Concept car A concept car or show car is a car prototype made to showcase a concept, new styling, technology and more. ... Museum of Television and Radio, New York City The Museum of Television & Radio (MTR) (formerly The Museum of Broadcasting) is a set of archives in the U.S. dedicated to the collection of programs and advertising broadcast via radio and television. ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ... NAIAS 2005, near the Audi exhibit. ... Walter Maria deâ€™Silva (born February 27, 1951 in Lecco, Italy) is an car designer from Italy, currently in charge of SEAT, Audi and Lamborghini design. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ...

Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann has denied the concept will return the Miura 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.”^[5] Stephan Winkelmann (b. ...

Specifications

Engine

Performance

References

External links

Categories: Cleanup from November 2006 | All pages needing cleanup | Lamborghini vehicles | Mid-engined vehicles | MR layout vehicles | Rear wheel drive vehicles | Sports cars Automobili Lamborghini S.p. ... Ferruccio Lamborghini (April 28, 1916- February 20, 1993) was an Italian car maker and the founder of the Lamborghini brand. ... For other uses, including the Chrysler Brand, see Chrysler (disambiguation). ... In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Gran Turismo. ... The Lamborghini 350GT was the first Lamborghini, revealed on the Turin motor show in 1963. ... 1967 Lamborghini 400GT The Lamborghini 400GT 2+2 was a 2+2-seated sports car from the Italian manufacturer Lamborghini, successor to the 350GT. First presented at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show. ... Lamborghini Islero was produced by Lamborghini between 1968-1970 and featuring the Lamborghini V12 engine. ... Lamborghini Jarama was a sports coupÃ© built by Lamborghini between 1970 and 1976. ... The Peugeot 406 CoupÃ©, designed by Pininfarina 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC coupÃ©, noted for its large, angular design 1997 Rover Vitesse Coupe, club coupÃ© Rover P5 Coupe, a traditional four-door coupÃ© Mercedes CLS, a modern four-door coupÃ© Gala-CoupÃ© of Leopold II, Brussels 1970s Sunbeam Alpine fastback coup... 1971 Lamborghini Espada S2 The Lamborghini Espada was a Gran Turismo built by Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini between 1968 and 1978. ... Sketch of RMR layout In automobile design, an RMR or Rear Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... // V10 A V10 is an engine in V configuration, having 10 cylinders in two banks of five. ... The Lamborghini Silhouette was a sports car made in small numbers by Lamborghini between 1976 and 1979. ... Lamborghini Jalpa The Lamborghini Jalpa was a car produced by the Italian automaker Lamborghini from 1981 to 1988. ... Lamborghini Urraco was a sports car manifactured by Italian automaker Lamborghini in the 1970s. ... A V12 is an internal combustion engine with 12 cylinders in V configuration. ... The Lamborghini Countach was a supercar produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini from 1974 to 1990. ... A fourth-generation (2006-) Ford Explorer, the best-selling mid-size SUV in the United States. ... The Lamborghini LM002 is an SUV that was built by the Lamborghini automobile company between 1986 and 1993. ... Volkswagen Group (ISIN: DE0007664005, TYO: 7659 ) is a German automobile manufacturer and one of the largest automotive companies worldwide. ... Volkswagen AG (ISIN: DE0007664005), or VW, is an automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg, Germany. ... Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, and has been an almost wholly owned (99. ... SEAT (IPA: ) is a Spanish automobile manufacturer founded in 1950 and now subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. ... Å koda Auto ( (helpÂ· info)) is a Czech automobile manufacturer and one of the four oldest car producers in the world. ... Bentleys winged B badge and hood ornament 1929 Blower Bentley from the Ralph Lauren collection. ... See also Bugatti for an overview of the marque Bugatti Automobiles SAS is a French automobile manufacturer in Molsheim, Alsace, France. ... Automobili Lamborghini S.p. ... Lamborghini MurciÃ©lago coupÃ© Lamborghini MurciÃ©lago LP640 on display Lamborghini V12 engine, with the MurciÃ©lago roadster in the background The Lamborghini MurciÃ©lago is a supercar produced by a Italian automaker Automobili Lamborghini S.p. ... Lamborghini Gallardo coupe The Lamborghini Gallardo (IPA: /É¡É‘ËËˆjÉ‘ËÉ¹.dÉ™ÊŠ/)[1] is the Italian supercar maker Lamborghinis entry-level supercar, sitting beneath the MurciÃ©lago. ... Lamborghini Gallardo coupe The Lamborghini Gallardo (IPA: /É¡É‘ËËˆjÉ‘ËÉ¹.dÉ™ÊŠ/)[1] is the Italian supercar maker Lamborghinis entry-level supercar, sitting beneath the MurciÃ©lago. ... The Lamborghini Countach was a supercar produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini from 1974 to 1990. ... The Lamborghini Diablo was a high-performance supercar built by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 1990 and 2001. ... 1971 Lamborghini Espada S2 The Lamborghini Espada was a Gran Turismo built by Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini between 1968 and 1978. ... The Lamborghini Silhouette was a sports car made in small numbers by Lamborghini between 1976 and 1979. ... Lamborghini Jalpa The Lamborghini Jalpa was a car produced by the Italian automaker Lamborghini from 1981 to 1988. ... The Lamborghini 350GT was the first Lamborghini, revealed on the Turin motor show in 1963. ... 1967 Lamborghini 400GT The Lamborghini 400GT 2+2 was a 2+2-seated sports car from the Italian manufacturer Lamborghini, successor to the 350GT. First presented at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show. ... Lamborghini Islero was produced by Lamborghini between 1968-1970 and featuring the Lamborghini V12 engine. ... Lamborghini Jarama was a sports coupÃ© built by Lamborghini between 1970 and 1976. ... The Lamborghini LM002 is an SUV that was built by the Lamborghini automobile company between 1986 and 1993. ... Lamborghini Urraco was a sports car manifactured by Italian automaker Lamborghini in the 1970s. ... The Lamborghini Athon is a concept car designed by Bertone for Lamborghini. ... The Lamborghini Bravo was a concept car designed by Bertone for Lamborghini. ... Italdesign Cala or probably as it is more commonly referred to, the Lamborghini Cala, is a concept car designed for Lamborghini by Italdesign Giugiaro. ... The Lamborghini Cheetah was Lamborghinis first attempt at an offroad vehicle that wasnt a tractor. ... Lamborghini Concept S The Lamborghini Concept S is a concept car designed by Luc Donckerwolke, the head of Lamborghini design, using the Lamborghini Gallardo as a basis. ... The Flying Star II was a prototype built by Carrozzeria Touring in 1966 on a Lamborghini front engine chassis. ... The Bertone Genesis or sometimes referred to as the Lamborghini Genesis was a Bertone designed concept car using Lamborghini parts. ... The Lamborghini LM001 was a prototype offroad vehicle designed and built by Lamborghini. ... The Lamborghini LM003 was a very short-lived offroad prototype project designed and built by Lamborghini in an attempt to meet military needs. ... The Lamborghini LM004 was a prototype off-road vehicle designed and built by Lamborghini. ... The Lamborghini LMA002 was a prototype offroad vehicle designed and built by Lamborghini. ... The Lamborghini Marco Polo or ItalDesign Marco Polo was a concept car designed by Italdesign Giugiaro for Lamborghini in 1982. ... The Lamborghini Marzal was a prototype presented by the company on occasion of the 1967 Turin Salon. ... A Lamborghini Miura S. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lamborghini Miura Miuras in Los Angeles. ... The Lamborghini Portofino was a concept car developed for Lamborghini by Kevin Verduyn, one of Chryslers chief designers. ... The Zagato Raptor or sometimes referred to as the Lamborghini Raptor is a concept car design, created in 1996 by Zagato in partnership with Alain Wicki for Lamborghini. ...

Contents

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