Lamborghini Miura

Lamborghini Miura

Lamborghini
aka
Production	1966–1973 P400 : 275 units P400 S : 338 units P400 SV : 150 units
Class	Sports car (S)
Body Style	2-door, 2-seat, Mid-Engined Coupe
Length	4,360 mm (171.7 in)
Width	1,760 mm (69.3 in)
Height	1,050 mm (41.3 in)
Wheelbase	2,500 mm (98.4 in)
Weight	1,292 kg (2,848 lb)
Transmission	5-speed manual
Engine	4.0 litre Lamborghini V12
Power
Similar	Ferrari 512 BB Ferrari Daytona De Tomaso Mangusta Maserati Ghibli
Designer	Marcello Gandini at Bertone

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 and an icon of the automotive world, the one that made the mid-engined layout de rigueur among two-seater high performance supercars. It was also the first of many V12 models Lamborghini produced over the years.

Name[]

The name Miura taken from the Spanish ranch of legendary bull breeder Don Antonio Miura, whose bulls have a proverbial attack instinct. The car was named in honor of Miura and of bulls (not bullfighting as is commonly misassociated) in general, which Ferruccio Lamborghini, a Taurus, had a (very glorious) fascination for.

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.

Miura Models[]

Lamborghini Miura P400 (1966–1969)[]

The P400, the first supercar, definitely stood out for its appearance, technology and performance. The Miura was the fastest production car in the world with a top speed of 163 mph and 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.

Unlike almost anything on the road, the Miura was endowed with a quad-cam V12, that sat transverse and behind the drivers. Immediately, everything from Ferrari to Aston Martin looked outdated by comparison upon release. The Bizzarrini-designed quad-cam 3929cc V12 was carried over from 400GT. Output increased from 320hp to 350hp thanks to increased compression ratio and the upright positioning of carburetors. This overwhelmed Ferrari 275GTB by as much as 50 horsepower. Fastest car in the world.

With this new design, Lamborghini was years ahead of the competition, which laughed at him, they stated he would never be able to put this into production they couldn’t have been more wrong.

It still took the small firm several months, but with the help of Bertone and the genius of Marcello Gandini, who’s name was linked to the amazing design of this new Lamborghini, Ferruccio was able to show a finished show car by the 1966 Geneva Auto Salon in March.

With a very sensual styling the Miura became an instant hit, but it had some items that required constant attention from the lucky owner riding at only 1055 high with a ground clearance of a mere 130mm the sidewalk suddenly becomes a very expensive problem, also those magnesium wheels look stunning, but don’t dent them another very expensive mistake these days.

A Lamborghini Miura looked fast, and with that much power on hand it was fast but it could suffer from a severe front lift towards the 280 Km/h top speed, so many owners reverted to installing chin spoilers or small fins on the front corners to keep the nose down at high speeds.

Still the Lamborghini Miura P400 was a masterpiece in automotive history, people still regard this car as one of the most innovative models ever to be built in Italy, let alone in Sant’Agata by a company that was founded a few years earlier the Miura P400 model was built in 275 units before an even wilder version, the P400 S was introduced.

Lamborghini Miura P400 Gallery[]

Lamborghini Miura P400 S (1969–1971)[]

The P400S Miura, was the second generation also known as the Miura S, with the ‘S’ for Spinto, made its introduction at the Turin Motor Show in November 1968, where the original chassis was introduced 3 years earlier. It was slightly revised from the P400 with its newly added power windows, bright chrome trim around external windows, new overhead inline console with new rocker switches, minor revision engine internals, notched trunk end panels (allowing for slightly more luggage space).

Engine changes were good for an additional 20bhp. Other revisions were limited to creature comforts, such as glove box door, reversed position of cigarette lighter and windshield wiper switch and single release handles for front and rear body sections.

The new Miura S would have a modified rear suspension receiving the then new, state of the art series 70 Pirelli Cinturato radials. But the most important change over the very first models was the use of heavier-gauge steel on the chassis, starting with Miura chassis nr. 125 on (according to Lamborghini records), the metal thickness was brought up to 1 mm from 0.9 mm to avoid flexing at high cornering speeds.

This higher resistance chassis would be required because the Miura S could deliver no less than 370 Bhp at 7700 rpm on the rear wheels. The combustion chambers were reshaped, higher-lift cams and larger carburetors on fatter manifolds boosted power to a claimed 370 bhp. You might expect the new Miura S to be faster than it’s P400 sibling, but unfortunately the new tires, which did help road holding and overall handling, absorbed most of this power increase.

Individual testing unveiled a top speed of the Miura S between 270 and 280 Km/h (169 to 173 Mph), later it would become obvious the Miura S was one of the fastest Lamborghini ever, it was even faster than the wild Countach S series, which did boast massive tires at the rear and big wings and spoilers, but these also increased drag, so the Miura S was quicker. This was even obvious when measuring the standing Km, which the Miura S could reach in only 24.1 to 26 seconds. The quarter Mile was reached in a mere 13.9 seconds at a speed of 107.5 Mph a time that would be very hard to beat back in the late Sixties or even the early Seventies.

During the S model production, ventilated disc brakes were introduced, still utilizing the well-known Girling calipers, but now using new brake pads.

Power windows soon became standard too, while the two handles to release the engine-cover were converted to only one unit, the two handles on the early cars were a real annoyance, they had to be pulled simultaneously to release the hood so you always needed two people to open the rear section to reach the V12 power plant.

On the inside, a lockable glove-compartment would be installed, the wood-rimmed steering wheel was replaced by a leather wrapped one, although this was also seen on some late, pre-S models. The roof mounted central console was redesigned to improve cockpit ventilation and you could even order an optional radio if the sound of the engine would ever bore you.

Other options were a non-standard color (100.000 Liras), metallic color (200.000 Liras), VIP Interior in leather (200.000 Liras), a set of suitcases (180.000 Liras), VIP Pearlized colors (450.000 Liras), a tree-point seat belt (40.000 Liras), air-conditioning (500.000 Liras) and for a right-hand drive car you had to add another 500.000 Liras, so very few RHD Miura were ever built.

We must admit that the air conditioning in the Miura never really was adequate for this car, the engine was very close to the driver and passenger and the steep windshield would also heat up the interior when driving in the sun to such a degree that the air conditioning couldn’t keep feeding cold air fast enough.

Do note that the leather upholstery was still an option on the Miura S, although many cars were ordered with it, the earlier P400 could be fitted with vinyl seats, something better avoided with such a hot engine only inches behind your ears.

To be able to sell the Miura in the United States, the toggle-switches were replaced by rocker-types, and a passenger grab handle was installed, the speedometer now only went up to 190 mph for non-metricated countries, on the earlier cars this one was calibrated for 200 mph.

The exterior was wisely left alone, only small details were altered, the head lamps now would be raised without their black fins, on the early cars these too lifted up into the air, resulting in a rather awkward look.

Another change was the use of a chrome finish for the headlight and windscreen frames which were black on the early Miura. Do note however that the very first Miura S still had the black surrounds mounted, making it very difficult to recognize the S model next to the original P400.

During the production of the Miura S some modifications were executed, obviously the Miura remained a work in progress, constantly being improved as more cars were built.

One of these ‘production’ modifications was the use of a 770 Watt alternator replacing the early 450 Watt unit, also the ignition and carburetors were slightly modified between 1968 and 1971. On the transmission the Fabri (or Hardy Spicer) splined drive shaft system was replaced by Unicardin (or Lobro) constant velocity joints. These constant velocity joints did require a different setting for the Koni shocks.

To reduce squat under hard acceleration the mounting points for the rear A-arm were moved, but one problem remained on the Miura S, when cornering very fast you ran the risk of pulling engine oil to one side, which could damage the engine beyond repair.

The Miura actually used the same oil for both the engine and the gearbox, later the SV would receive an optional split sump which would remedy this problem, but only a handful would be built with this option.

However all these extra add-ons increased the total weight of the Miura, the first S models put only 1125 Kg on the scales, while the latest S model ‘grew’ to 1250 Kg in total, and this was dry-weight. But the Miura S would be succeeded by an even better Bull, the impressive SV edition, which came to be considered as the ultimate Miura, it took over from the S model after 338 units were built, a little more than the 275 units of the original P400 Miura.

Lamborghini Miura P400 S Gallery[]

Lamborghini Miura P400 SV (1971-1973)[]

The final evolution of the Miura was presented in 1971 as the SV, which stood for Spinto Veloce, it didn’t look like it at first glance, but the SV was a major improved over the S-model, and not only because of those muscular looking, wide wheel arches at the back.

The ventilated discs that appeared on the later S-models were again standard, and the chassis was further improved to offer more rigidity to cope with the extra power from the V12 engine that now pumped out 385 bhp at 7850 rpm.

On the Miura SV the engine oil and the gearbox oil were finally separated, this made the use of specific oils possible for optimal lubrication in these areas, some SV’s were even ordered with dry-sump lubrication and a self-blocking differential, which were the only available options at that time.

This separate lubrication wasn’t introduced until late 1971, so the first Miura SV’s weren’t equipped with it, the ZF-self-blocking differential was strictly optional at 275,000 Liras and was only installed on a few SV’s with features specified by the customer and only on the SV’s with dry-sump lubrication.

On the outside the most striking difference was the bulging of the rear wheel arches, they had to be widened by 13 cm compared to the S-model as the Miura SV was fitted with the new Pirelli’s. Subsequently the suspension geometry was changed from lower triangles to lower quadrilaterals, because of these new tires the track had to be widened which needed the wheel arches to be redesigned, subsequently making the Miura SV look even more intimidating.

The grill around the front headlamps was removed and the front air intakes were different, the interior became upholstered in real leather, it used to be leather-looking vinyl on the earlier Miura, and the air-conditioning became standard too, finally.

The Miura SV was the fastest production car in existence at that time, and it would remain the fastest until the introduction of the Countach. But the SV wasn’t faster than the S because the wider tires didn’t allow a higher top speed despite an increase in horsepower.

The Miura SV was in fact not a true production Lamborghini, it was built on special order only, and therefore available in very limited numbers, after being in production for 18 month Ferruccio Lamborghini ceased production after a total of 150 SV were built.

Originally the production of the Miura SV was halted in October 1973 as Ferruccio had the idea people were no longer interested in the Miura after seeing the Countach prototype at the same auto show that introduced the Miura SV, the 1971 Geneva Auto Show but it would take Lamborghini several more months to have the Countach LP400 available for delivery.

Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Gallery[]

Specifications[]

Lamborghini Miura	P400	P400S	P400SV
Produced:	1966–69 275 built	1968–71 338 built	1971–73 150 built
Engine:	60° V-12 Four-stroke engine; transverse-mounted Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout
Bore x Stroke:	82 mm × 62 mm (3.23 in × 2.44 in)
Displacement:	3,929 cc (3.9 L; 239.8 cu in)
Max. Power @ rpm:	350 PS (257 kW; 345 hp) @ 7000	370 PS (272 kW; 365 hp) @ 7700	385 PS (283 kW; 380 hp) @ 7850
Max. Torque @ rpm:	355 N·m ( lb·ft) @ 5000	388 N·m ( lb·ft) @ 5500	400 N·m (295 lb·ft) @ 5750
Compression ratio	9.5 : 1	10.7 : 1	10.7 : 1
Fuel feed:	Naturally aspirated, Four IDL40 3C 3-barrel downdraft Weber carburetors
Valvetrain	DOHC per cylinder bank, chain driven, bucket tappets, 2 valves per cylinder
Cooling:	Liquid
Gearbox:	5-speed-manual transmission, ratio 4.083:1
Electrical system:	12 volt
Front suspension:	Upper and lower wishbones, coil springs, stabilizing bar
Rear suspension::	Upper and lower wishbones, coil springs, stabilizing bar
Brakes:	Girling disc brakes all around, hydraulically operated
Steering:	Rack and pinion
Body structure:	Monocoque construction
Dry weight:	1,125 kg (2,480 lb)	1,298 kg (2,862 lb)	1,298 kg (2,862 lb)
Track front/ rear:	1,400 mm (55 in) 1,400 mm (55 in)	1,400 mm (55 in) 1,400 mm (55 in)}	1,400 mm (55 in) 1,540 mm (61 in)
Wheelbase:	2,500 mm (98 in)
Length:	4,360 mm (172 in)
Width:	1,760 mm (69 in)	1,760 mm (69 in)	1,780 mm (70 in)
Height:	1,060 mm (42 in)
Tyre sizes:	Pirelli Cinturato 72 205 VR-15	GR70 VR 15	FR70 HR 15 front, GR70 VR 15 rear
Top speed (measured):		276 km/h ( mph)
0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) (measured):	7.0	6.7 sec
Fuel Consumption (measured):		21 L/100 km (13 mpg‑imp; 11 mpg‑US)

Special Versions[]

Lamborghini Miura SVR (1968)[]

By 1968 the improved Lamborghini Miura S was available, chassis #3781 was, in fact, the show car at the 50th Turin Motor Show in 1968, originally she left the factory in Verde Miura over a black interior to be shown at the show, after that she was delivered to Lamborauto in Turin on November 30, 1968.

When Heinz Straber, from Germany, acquired this Miura in 1974 he had her sent back to the factory to have a very special conversion done to really understand why we have to go back to 1970, when famous Lamborghini test driver Bob Wallace took chassis #5084 from the assembly line and created the Miura Jota in his spare time, a pure-bred racing machine based on the Miura, using engine 30744 inside a body made from Avional composite on a lightened chassis fixed headlights, a deep chin spoiler, wide wheel arches and additional air vents and intakes made the Miura Jota look amazing.

On February 8. 1972 the Jota was sold to InterAuto in Brescia sadly a mechanic would become a little over enthusiast showing this car to his girlfriend he crashed the Bull, ripping the side mounted fuel tanks causing the Jota to catch fire and burn down completely the fire was so intense most of the bodywork was destroyed, but more importantly, the chassis was warped beyond repair.

The Lamborghini Miura Jota was lost forever, but several inquiries by Miura owners caused a few regular Miura to be rebuilt to a certain level of Jota specifications some sources call these the Miura SVJ model. Most of these factory replicas only had some bodywork modifications that included the extra intakes and outlets, most of them also got the fuel filler seen on the Jota, only three did get a dry sump lubrication none of them came even remotely close to the original Jota and were called Miura SVJ, in the end, the factory never accepted to build a second Jota.

So one enthusiast decided to recreate the Jota on his own, UK based Piet Pulford started with a beaten, old Miura (#3033) found in the United States and requested extensive bodywork and chassis modifications from Chris Lawrence (Wymondham Engineering) in Norfolk note the entire front and rear section were only held onto the Jota by locating pins and Dzus fasteners to allow easy and quick removal. The engine for this Jota recreation was in fact built with help from Bob Wallace himself.

So back to the 1968 Miura S chassis #3781 (engine #2511, body #383), Heinz E. Staber convinced Hubert Hahne to have the factory rebuild this Miura into a Jota inspired model, but unlike the SVJ we already know, this would become a Miura SVR, a more track-oriented version of the SVJ it would take until April 1976 to finish this Miura SVR with a widened bodywork to fit the massive BBS wheels on Pirelli P7R tires (345/35VR15 at the rear, the same as on the Countach S model).

A new suspension was installed using Koni dampers to keep the tires as flat as possible, a set of Girling disk brakes from the Porsche 917 found their way behind the gold BBS wheels, on the engine a dry sump conversion was done, modified cams and open funnel Weber carburetors coupled to an ‘open’ exhaust resulted in an increase in power for this 1,330 kg Miura SVR.

A deep chin spoiler up front and a Countach inspired roof wing would keep the Miura SVR stable at high speeds, while a set of black Recaro seats would keep the driver and passenger firmly in place in 1976 this unique Lamborghini Miura SVR was sold to In 1976 the car was sold to Hiromitsu Ito and made its way to Japan (for a rumoured amount of $550,000), he kept the car for many years, during which a complete, 3 year restoration was performed, during which the interior was replaced with a gold looking leather upholstery.

Specifications

Years built	1968 (It was completed in April 1976)
Production	1 unit
Chassisnr.	3781 with engine #2511 and body #383
Weigh	1,330 kg
Engine	3.9 L Nat Aspirated V12
Type of tire	Pirelli P7
Rear tire size	345/35 VR 15

Pictures

Lamborghini Miura P400 Jota (1970)[]

Only one original Miura Jota was ever made, and it was Bob Wallace’s personal test car built around chassis #5084. He used it to test various ideas that would prepare the Miura for the track and improve overall performance. Having plenty of time on his hands, the Jota became evermore radical to the point were it eclipsed standard Miura performance by several degrees. The main focus of Bob’s modifications was to decrease and balance weight. This meant the car had a completely stripped interior, single window wiper, Plexiglas windows and fixed headlights. Most of weight savings came from the use of a light-gauge aluminum alloy called Avional which was used for the new body, floor pan and front spoiler.

General specifications :

Years built	March 1970
Production	1 unit
Chassisnr.	5084 with engine number 30744
Presentation	Never presented to the public
Built by	Bertone, complete modifications done by Bob Wallace

Dimensions :

Wheelbase	2,505 mm / 98.45 in
Overall length	N.A.
Overall width	N.A.
Overall height	1,000 mm / 39.3 in
Front track	1460 mm / 57.38 in
Rear track	1540 mm / 60.52 in
Weight	900 kg / 1985 lbs

Chassis :

Structure	Mainly Avional, an alloy of aluminum and magnesium
Body	Mainly Avional
Suspension	All-independent, parallelogram arms with coil springs, telescopic, adjustable Koni shock absorbers
Brakes	All-wheel ventilated disc brakes
Front	380×35 mm / 14.93 in
Type of tire	Dunlop racing tyres, later Pirelli
Front wheel	9×15 inch
Rear wheel	12×15 inch
Type of wheel	Campagnolo cast magnesium with knock-off’s

Engine :

Type	V-12 60 degree, light-alloy block with gearbox and differential built in the same block and pressed-in liners mid mounted, rear wheel drive
Distribution	Dual overhead camshafts, chain drive, two valves/cyl.
Main Bearings	7
Cyl. Capacity	3939 cc / 240 ci
Bore & stroke	82 x 62 mm
Compr. Ratio	11.5
Max. power	440 Bhp at 8500 rpm
Max. torque	403 Nm at 6500 rpm
Ignition	Two coils and two Marelli distributors
Fuel system	Dual electric Bendix fuel pumps, 4 tripple-choke Weber 46 IDL carburetors
Lubrication	Dry sump, with two pumps and radiator
Electr. system	12 V

Drivetrain :

Type	Lamborghini five-speed + reverse manual, and ZF self-blokking differential
Clutch	Borg & Beck triple-disc, hydraulically operated

Performance :

Top speed	320 Km/h / 199 Mph
0 – 100 Km/h	3.60 sec.
Standing Km	19.60 sec.

Capacities :

Fuel	120 Liter / 32 Gallon

Pictures

Lamborghini Miura SVJ (1971-1973)[]

Lamborghini let test driver Bob Wallace make an experimental version that was even better. Prepared as a quasi-racecar, it had no compromises to comfort. Known internally as "Miura Privata" by the factory, the project was later named Jota to potential customers. Unfortunately the original Jota was lost in the crash, but the factory fitted some Jota modifications to several road cars and these became known as the SVJ. The main focus of Bob’s modifications was to decrease and balance weight. This meant the car had a completely stripped interior, single window wiper, Plexiglas windows and fixed headlights. Most of weight savings came from the use of a light-gauge aluminum alloy called Avional.

Only a few of these official Miura’s had a dry-sump lubrication, however most of these just had some look alike bodywork done, some were ordered with additional air intakes and fixed headlights, others retained the standard bodywork but had a modified engine, note that none of these specials actually used Avional for the bodywork, they all remained in aluminium. Underneath that beautiful, low slung styling, most of these custom SV’s remained more or less a ‘normal’ Miura SV.

Some sourced state these specials were built on the following chassis : 4860, 4990 and 5090, while the real Jota was built on chassis number 5084, with engine number 30744, only one of these had a dry sump lubrication and an auto blocking differential mounted, the other cars used a more or less ‘standard’ Miura SV engine.

Lamborghini Miura SVJ #4934

Actually the first official Miura SVJ, number 4934 with engine number 30685, built by the factory, was delivered to the Shah of Iran in 1979, apparently by none other that the late Ferruccio Lamborghini himself. The Shah ordered a second Miura SV with only one request (he already owned Miura SV #4870), it had to be special, so Automobili Lamborghini SpA went to work, they took a dark blue SV body from the production line and cut custom brake vents behind the front and rear wheels much like those seen on the Jota, they also installed numerous rivets all over. Fixed headlight units were mounted covered by plexi and a race type fuel filler cap was installed in the front hood, naturally a front spoiler was mounted and a custom race suspension lowered the car. A single windscreen whiper was mounted and to top off these modifications a magnificent sounding open race exhaust was coupled to the altered dry sump V-12 engine, sending chills down your spine whenever you touched the gas pedal.

The car was finished in a dark Burgundy metallic shade, contrasting heavily with the white leather interior, after completion of the car it was tested by Bob Wallace before being delivered to St Moritz in December 1971 for a price of Lire 13,000,000 while a standard Miura SV was available for only Lire 8,000,000 at that time.

After they completed this car, Automobili Lamborghini SpA actually made another, original SVJ along the same method, chassis number 5090 was not a modified SV, but was built as an SVJ from the start.

The very first SVJ (4934) was abandoned in the Imperial garage by the Shah in 1972, he quickly lost interest in all his new cars, so no further maintenance was done and during the 1979 revolution in Iran this car was confiscated together with all of the Shah’s other cars. Miura number 4934 was later found in very poor condition, a complete refurbishment was needed, also note that the chassis had to be refreshed to get the car into the shape it was when it was offered for auction in 1997, some sources state that it was actually sold by the Iran authorities to an enthusiast in Dubai during 1995. In March 1997, during the Geneva Auto Show, this car was put up for auction by Brooks, the famous actor Nicolas Cage was able to buy the car for nearly $500,000, and kept it in his collection of supercars until early 2004, when it was acquired by a collector in the United Kingdom.

Lately this unique SVJ was ‘restored’ at the factory and today it boasts a fit and finish exactly like when it left the factory doors in 1971, the bodywork is just perfect now and the engine is now tuned like it was intended. This SVJ now drives like a ‘lightweight’ SV, the V12 revs freely and the current owner states that this one of a kind Miura is perfectly stable cruising at 250 Km/h on the UK highways.

Lamborghini Miura SVJ #5090

A 1972 Miura SVJ, this car was delivered towards the end of the Miura production at the factory, and together with the mystery SVJ described on this page, they are considered to be the only two official factory SVJ’s built after the initial #4934. This car was finished in metallic red over red leather Miura SV, number 5090 with engine 30751 was built by the factory to full SVJ specifications.

Known as The Corsican, this particular model was first sold to real estate developer Paul Ferrandi of Corsica, France. It changed hands a few times and was given a silver paint job before it was acquired by Kidston in 2010. The Corsican was then treated to a painstaking three-year restoration carried out by ex-Lamborghini engineer Luca Salvioli of Top Motors and Pietro Cremonini of Carrozzeria Cremonini. It was returned to its original Rosso Granada hue and received a spate of mechanical upgrades.

Today, the Corsican is presented in pristine condition with its original engine and a few new modifications, including racing seats, harnesses and dual Heuer chronographs.

Lamborghini Miura SVJ #????

Rumor has it one of the closest Miura Jota builds ever would be a 1972 MIURA SVJ ‘dry sump’ model delivered by the factory on August 31. 1972, but no official documents can show the chassis number nor the engine number.

Note that this would have been only ‘period’ dry sump SVJ (based on real Jota mechanicals), and one of only two original SVJ ( together with #5090) delivered by the factory, still the second car, #5090, was a wet sump version.

The other existing SVJ’s (#4934 – #4990 – #4860 and now #4892) were originally delivered as standard SVs that were upgraded by the factory on special request from their owners, these cars were modified into the famous “SVJ look” at a later date.

This mystery car would have been the last SVJ actually built and delivered during the actual Miura production, on August 31. 1972 to be exact, while #5090 was delivered only 6 days earlier, on August 25. 1972.

Because of a detailed list of special, original specifications many called this specific Miura the most exact ‘cosmetic’ replica of the real Jota : Correct rivet placement, all-aluminum doors, hexagonal central lock wheels (all the other SVJs are fitted with the classic 3 eared knock off wheel nuts), single Jota wiper (only #4934 also mounted this from the factory), Mercedes stalk, different suspension geometry giving lower ride height and roll centre.

Mechanical basis: Oil radiator on the chassis’s front part, limited slip differential (not the case on all the SVJs), and most importantly the dry sump system.

Lamborghini Miura SVJ #4860

The nr. 4860 was built for Hubert Hahne in Dusseldorf, he was the German based importer for Automobili Lamborghini SpA at the time. This Miura was originally finished in black over white leather with black cloth, but in 1977 it was repainted in the current silver metallic at the factory, and received a full-leather interior in black, also note that all the visible chrome on the car was now finished in matte black. This car was actually a Miura SV that was converted into SVJ specs by the factory in late 1972, it was re-delivered to Mr Hahne in April 1973 and was officially denoted as the fifth, and last ‘original’ Miura SVJ built.

Chassis no. 4860 remained in the same color combination ever since and stayed in Germany until the early 2000s, when it became part of a Japanese collection. The silver Lamborghini Miura SVJ has not been seen in public since then which means its presence at the Rétromobile show is a very special occasion. Given the historical significance of chassis no. 4860, the car was restored to its original glory by Lamborghini Polo Storico for conservation purposes.

Note that this Miura SVJ was the only one using a 110 Liter fuel tank, also normal SV dual windshield wipers were mounted, note that this was probably the only SVJ that had the quad exhausts ‘cut’ into the rear section instead of completely removing it like on the four other SVJ’s.

Lamborghini Miura SVJ #4990

Yet another Miura SVJ nr. 4990 was sold in April 1972 to Alberto Silvera in Port au Prince, Haiti. It was delivered with a single windscreen wiper and painted in a very nice red metallic over black interior, later on the car was repainted into Rosso Corsa and received a larger windshield wiper from the Countach. After an extensive restoration at the factory in 1997 it was sold to a collector in Japan.

Note that today this original factory SVJ features a red with cream interior and a black ‘reversed leather’ dashboard, and another ‘non-original’ feature are the rivets on this car they are finished in chrome

Specifications for the Miura SVJ models :

Years built	1971-1973
Production	5 units
Engine	3.9 L V12
Power	385 hp @ 7,850 rpm
Torque	294 lb-ft @ 5,750 rpm
Top Speed	186 mph (299 km/h)
0-60 mph	5.8 seconds
Transmission 5-speed manual	5-speed manual
Brakes	Four-wheel disc brakes
Curb Weight	2,866 lbs (1,300 kg)
Length	170.5 inches (4,330 mm)
Width	70.9 inches (1,800 mm)
Height	42.1 inches (1,070 mm)
Wheelbase	98.4 inches (2,500 mm)
Fuel Capacity	100 L (26.4 gal)
Front tire size	205/70VR14
Rear tire size	215/70VR14
Suspension	Independent suspension, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers
Steering	Rack-and-pinion

These five Miura SVJ’s are considered to be the only ‘official’ factory cars, while the following cars on this page were actually originally built as normal Miura models that were later on modified/customized into more or less SVJ style Miura’s, but these later cars are not to be considered to be Miura SVJ models, just custom made cars most importantly the previous five cars will be a lot more expensive when found on the market, since actor Nicolas Cage acquired his SVJ for nearly $ 500,000 the price still went up.

Miura Concepts & Prototypes[]

Lamborghini Miura P400 Prototype (1966-1967)[]

Before the first production Miura was completed on April 20th of 1967, Lamborghini produced five developmental prototypes which were used for testing and as show cars. A total of five prototypes were built in 1966 and 1967 which progressed towards the production spec. These cars were chassis 0502, 0862, 0706, 0961 and 0979. The first one appeared at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show as the Miura P400 GT, also known as the Sperimentale. The first three of the prototypes featured counter-clockwise crankshaft rotation which later turned clockwise with car number four with the addition of an idler gear. The first four cars benefit from a slightly lower roofline.

Specifications :

Years built	1966 - 1967
Production	5 units
Engine	3.9 L Naturally Aspirated V12
Power	350 bhp @ 7,000 rpm
Torque	300 ft lbs @ 5,500 rpm

Gallery :

Lamborghini Miura P400 Roadster (1968)[]

For detailed information go to Lamborghini Miura P400 Roadster aka Miura Roadster or (Zn75)

Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Prototype (1971)[]

A huge update called the SV was planned in 1971 starting with development chassis 4758. The main focus of the SV was a new rear suspension that made the car much wider. Longer wishbones were fitted that added 1.5 inches of length. Furthermore, larger Campagnolo cast magnesium wheels were added with wider Pirelli Cintaurato tires. Many of these changes were undertaken by chief test driver Bob Wallace in conjunction with Claudio Zampolli and greatly improved handling of the Miura. The prototype is the first car to feature many of the SV upgrades that later typified the model and was first shown in Geneva in 1971.

Specifications :

Years built	1971
Production	1 unit
Engine	3.9 L Naturally Aspirated V12
Power	385 bhp @ 7,850 rpm
Torque	295 ft lbs @ 5,750 rpm
Chassis #	4758
Type of tire	Pirelli Cintaurato
Type of wheel	Campagnolo cast magnesium

Oddities[]

Lamborghini Miura Targa Special (1971) aka P400 SVJ Spider[]

This one-off example of the Miura was displayed at the 1981 Geneva Motor Show alongside other new Lamborghini models (Jalpa and LM002) shortly after new company CEO, Patrick Mimran, took over the factory although it was never factory authorized as a model.

Finished in pearl white, the SVJ Spider or SVJ Roadster was the formerly yellow Lamborghini Miura S presented at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, and uses chassis #4808 Equipped with wide wheels and a rear wing reflecting the marque's revival, it was wrongly considered by some as a prototype for a possible limited series of Miura Spider whereas in fact it was simply a one-off show car constructed on behalf of the Swiss Lamborghini importer Lambo-Motor AG (and as such is not an official factory modification or indeed has any link to the factory bar its original 1970 build).

Subsequently, when bought by Swiss Lamborghini collector Jean Wicki, the car had its rear wing and chin spoiler removed and was painted silver, bringing the car's style closer to the Berlinetta SVJ. Lamborghini specialist Autodrome (France) purchased the car from Wicki and restored its bodywork and upholstery in partnership with Carrosserie Lecoq (Paris). Painted traditional Miura lime green, the car was eventually sold to a Parisian collector. The car has stiffness issues and does not drive that well (as described by Miura expert Joe Sackey).

Other than private modifications, there are only two "open" Miuras, officially presented in International Motor shows: the Bertone Miura Roadster, exhibited on Bertone's own stand at Brussels in 1968, and this non-factory example, shown on the Lamborghini stand at the Geneva Motor Show in 1981.

Specfications :

Years built	1971
Production	1 unit
Engine	3.9 L Naturally Aspirated V12
Chassis number	4808
Production number	598
Engine number	30583
Presentation	Geneva Motor Show in 1981

Gallery :

Trivia[]

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.

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 150+ MPH. 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 L.J.K's own review of the car.

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.


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Lamborghini road car timeline ([edit])
Type		1960s										1970s										1980s										1990s										2000s
		0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
					Ferruccio Lamborghini										Rossetti/Leimer					receivership						Mimram				Chrysler							M'tec/V'Power				Audi
FR	GT					350GT
	2+2							400GT		Islero		Jarama
	Coupe									Espada
RMR	V8/V10																	Silhouette						Jalpa																					Gallardo
	2+2											Urraco
	V12		4000 GT						Miura								Countach																Diablo												Murcielago
SUV																												LM002