Lamborghini Miura SV

Lamborghini Miura SV

The Miura SV (Super Veloce) was the final and most refined version of the car that invented the supercar genre. When the original Miura appeared in 1966, its transverse mid-mounted V12 layout was revolutionary — no production car had ever placed its engine behind the cockpit in such a configuration. The SV, introduced in 1971, represented the culmination of five years of development.

The 3,929cc V12 engine was upgraded with larger intake valves, revised camshaft profiles, and improved lubrication. Output rose to 385 horsepower at 7,850 rpm — a meaningful increase over the earlier P400S's 370 hp. The engine shared its oil supply with the gearbox in the original Miura, a design compromise that the SV partially addressed with a separate oil sump, improving reliability significantly.

Marcello Gandini's design for Bertone remains one of the most celebrated in automotive history. The SV received wider rear fenders without the distinctive 'eyelash' headlight surrounds of earlier cars, giving it a sleeker, more muscular appearance. The proportions — long nose, compact cabin, dramatically swooping rear — created a shape that influenced supercar design for decades.

The interior was luxuriously appointed for a mid-engined car of the era, with leather upholstery, a comprehensive instrument cluster, and power windows. The driving position was offset and the cabin was hot and noisy — the V12's intake trumpets were literally behind the driver's head — but these were considered features rather than faults in a car of such extraordinary visual and mechanical drama.

The chassis used a steel monocoque with the engine, gearbox, and rear suspension mounted on a separate subframe. Front suspension was independent with double wishbones and coil springs, while the rear used double wishbones with coil springs and dual shock absorbers. Disc brakes were fitted all round.

Only 150 Miura SVs were produced between 1971 and 1973, making it the rarest standard Miura variant. Today, the SV is among the most valuable and sought-after Lamborghinis, with concours-quality examples regularly exceeding $3 million at auction. It represents the absolute pinnacle of Lamborghini's founding era — a car that was as revolutionary in 1971 as it remains beautiful today.