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1969 Lamborghini Miura P400

Ferruccio Lamborghini was a tractor manufacturer and a Ferrari owner who was dissatisfied with the product and complained to Enzo 'Il Commendatore' Ferrari. His suggestions for improvement were ignominiously rebuffed, igniting a passion to trump the legendary car builder. Mr. Lamborghini began his quest by contracting Giotto Bizzarrini of Ferrari 250 GTO fame to design the engine for his cars. Legend has it that Bizzarrini was paid a bonus for every horsepower over what Ferrari's V-12 engine could produce.

Two years after Lamborghini introduced its first automobile, the 350GT, Ferruccio approved the production of the Miura.

While Lamborghini and Ferrari were separated by less than 20 miles (as the crow flies), their approach to building a sophisticated GT sports car was completely different. Ferrari continued to the path of conservative design and engineering with their 365 GTB/4 Daytona, using a front-engine and rear-wheel-drive layout. Mr. Ferrari firmly believed in placing 'the horse in front of the cart.' The 365 GTB/4 had a tall shift level in the trademark metal gate, finely tuned mechanical noises, and the drive, feel, and performance of a traditional Ferrari.

The Miura caught the motoring world off guard. It was sophisticated and revolutionary, creating a new class of automobiles - the super. The un-named, bare chassis was first shown at the November 1965 Turin Show, displaying a transverse-mid-mounted, quad-cam V-12 configuration. The design had been tested and proven in the racing community and proven advantageous in handling and performance.

The completed car was shown at Geneva the following March, wearing aggressive styling by Marcello Gandini, from the styling studio of Bertone, of Turin. Gandini later became the chief designer at Bertone after the departure of Giorgetto Giugiaro, who left to launch Ital Design. This was the first time the new car was identified by the Miura name, inspired by Ferruccio Lamborghini's birth sign, Taurus, and the name of the fighting bull bred by Don Miura.

The Miura, under the guidance of New Zealander Bob Wallace, used a steel box-section monocoque tub with longitudinal members providing strength. The rear chassis members were connected by two formed radius rods to the firewall of the passenger area. The suspension was a conventional setup with unequal-length A-arms, coil springs, and anti-roll bars in the front and rear. Girling four-wheel disc brakes provided the stopping power, and steering was performed by a rack-and-pinion system. The completed car stood a mere 3 feet 6 inches tall.

The mid-mounted engine was fitted transversely to allow for a more compact overall layout. The V-12 engine breathed deeply through four triple-choke Weber carburetors, could initially offer 350 brake horsepower, and was capable of exceeding 175 mph.

In May of 1966, Lamborghini Development Engineer Bob Wallace and a mechanic drove the prototype car to the Casino Monte Carlo on the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix. Parked alongside other exotic vehicles, the Miura completely overshadowed the other cars. The bar had truly been raised, prompting Ferrari to follow suit. The 365 GTB/4 would be the last of the conventional front-engine Berlinetta built during the 'Enzo era.'

The racing-inspired theme of the mid-engine placement continued into the overall design of the Miura. The front and rear clips were hinged to tilt up, offering easy access to the drivetrain components. The two-seat grand tourer had a low nose and many aerodynamic features. The design was brutal yet sensual, aggressive yet elegant.

Original design sketches had a glass engine cover and a three-seat layout, with the driver in the middle and one passenger on either side. These features did not make it into production, but the seating configuration would be used in future supercars, most notably the McLaren F1 of the 1990s. Instead of the glass engine cover, the Miura used rear window louvers - an industry first.

The Miura, first named the P400, enjoyed a steady process of evolution and improvement during its production cycle, and in 1968, the 'S,' or spinto (tuned) version was introduced, developing 370 brake horsepower, updated brakes, and numerous other enhancements. It had more performance, more luxury, and more stability with better braking. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 5.5 seconds and 140 mph in fewer than 30 seconds, with a top speed of 177 mph.

Between 1966 and 1973, a total of 764 examples were built. A total of 275 examples of the P400 were built from 1966 through 1969, and 338 of the P400S, built from 1968 through 1971. The P400S was followed by the P400SV (with 380 hp) in 1971 and remained in production through 1973, with 150 examples built.

Enzo Ferrari had lit the fire that spawned the Miura, barley three years after the creation of the Lamborghini automobile company. In this short time period, the newly formed company not only bested - but arguably bettered the Ferrari with the introduction of the world's first supercar. It pushed the envelope of performance, design, and automobile aesthetics.


by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2020

Related Reading : Lamborghini Miura History

The Miura was first shown to the public at the November 1965 Turin Auto Show. At the time, it did not have a body. It was just a rolling-chassis. The design was mid-engined, very revolutionary at the time. Bertone was chosen to body the vehicle. Nuccio Bertone gave the project to Marcello Gandini. In early 1966 the Bertone body and the chassis designed by Giampaolo Dallara were assembled into one....
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1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 Vehicle Profiles

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$1,300-$19,250
1969 Miura P400
$19,250-$25,580
1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 Base Price : $19,250

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Miura P400

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
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98.40 in.
12 cyl., 239.76 CID., 350.00hp
$20,000 - $20,000
98.58 in.
12 cyl., 239.76 CID., 350.00hp
98.40 in.
12 cyl., 239.76 CID., 350.00hp
$19,250 - $19,250

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