Lamborghini Miura P400 SV
The Lamborghini Miura is universally recognized as the world's first supercar. When it appeared at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, it was a sensation that rewrote every rule about what a road car could be. Nothing before it had combined a mid-mounted engine, race-car performance, and such breathtaking beauty.
The Miura was the creation of three young Lamborghini engineers — Gian Paolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani, and Bob Wallace — who worked on the car in their spare time without Ferruccio Lamborghini's initial approval. Their concept was radical: mount the 3.9-liter V12 transversely behind the driver, sharing its oil sump with the gearbox in a compact transaxle layout. This was engineering audacity of the highest order.
The body was designed by the 28-year-old Marcello Gandini at Bertone. It was his first major commission, and he produced what many consider the most beautiful car ever designed. The Miura's low, wide proportions, sculptural curves, and those iconic 'eyelash' headlight surrounds created a visual impact that was unlike anything before — sensual, aggressive, and impossibly exotic.
The Bizzarrini-designed V12 (originally 350 hp, rising to 385 hp in the final SV) was mounted transversely — a layout that minimized the car's length and centralized its mass. The result was a car that was just 4,370mm long (shorter than a modern Golf) yet packed 385 hp and could exceed 180 mph.
The Miura evolved through three variants: P400 (1966-69, 350 hp), P400 S (1969-71, 370 hp, improved chassis), and P400 SV (1971-73, 385 hp, split sump, wider rear tires). The SV was the definitive version, addressing the original's handling quirks and adding the power to match its looks.
The Miura's cultural impact is incalculable. It established Lamborghini as a rival to Ferrari, invented the mid-engined supercar layout that every subsequent supercar has followed, and proved that automotive design could be art. The opening sequence of 'The Italian Job' (1969) featured a Miura threading through Alpine tunnels — an image that defined an era.
Miuras are multi-million-dollar purchases requiring world-class specialist expertise. Key concerns: the shared engine/gearbox oil sump (original P400 and S models) can cause gearbox issues; the SV separated the sumps. Check for chassis corrosion (tubular steel frame), body panel fitment (hand-formed aluminum), and engine compression. The V12 is complex (4 Weber carburetors to synchronize, 4 camshafts to time) but robust when maintained. SV models are most desirable and valuable ($3-4 million). Original colors and matching numbers are critical. Lamborghini Polo Storico provides authentication and restoration services.
P400: 275 cars (1966-69). P400 S: 140 cars (1969-71). P400 SV: 150 cars (1971-73). Total: approximately 764 Miuras. A planned SVJ (Jota) variant was never officially produced — Bob Wallace built one prototype that was destroyed in a crash. Several 'SVJ tribute' cars were later created by the factory from SV chassis.