THIS SUPERCAR HAD THE ONLY TRANVERSE V12 IN HISTORY

When Ferruccio Lamborghini started his company in 1963, his idea was to build fast grand tourers as opposed to neighboring Ferrari's race-bred missiles. However, as soon as the company's first coupe, the Lamborghini 350GT, rolled off the production line, his team of three young engineers started on their own project for a car that could race on Sunday, and drive on the streets on Monday.

During their off time, Giampaolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani and Bob Wallace started work on their new, secret project called P400. Their ace? The car would be using the 400GT's magnificent 4.0-liter-V12, but transversely mounted behind the seats.

Lamborghini was shown the rolling chassis only late in the project's life, but although bemused by the idea of a racing car in his stable, he gave the team his approval, thinking that even though it would probably sell in low numbers, it would help the company with good marketing. Three years later, at launch in 1966, the public was stunned by the birth of the new Miura - the world's first supercar.

From Track To Road - How A Dream Came To Light

Quick Facts About the Miura

• Production started in 1963
• World's first and only production car with a transversely mounted V12
• Designed by Bertone's Marcello Gandini
• Assembled in Sant' Agatha, Italy
• Engine: 4.0-liter-V12, five-speed manual
• Top speed: 173 mph

Some would say the Lamborghini Miura was the first supercar. With its 4.0-liter-V12 sitting transversely behind the driver's seat, Marcello Gandini's fluent design lets the metal wrap tightly over the mechanical nuts and bolts of the low and sleek coupe. Whereas Ferruccio Lamborghini himself had grand tourers in mind as his main focus, his young engineers envisioned something with a racing pedigree.

At the heart of their plan was Giotto Bizzarrini's V12, a 4.0-liter with a 60 angle between the banks and equipped with four Weber carburetors. To fit the engine in the tight engine bay, it was turned sideways (along with the gearbox) instead of the usual longitudinal layout engineers prefer for their vehicles. Another interesting factor was that the engine block and gearbox were formed from one casting.

Modest sales projection, excellent sales

Three iterations of the engine were produced over the Miura's short lifespan, between 1966 and 1973. The initial model, simply called the P400, produced 345 hp, followed by the P400S in 1968 (365 hp) and the P400SV in 1971 with 380 hp.

The engineers were delighted, as was Ferruccio. The initial sales projection of only 50 models over three years, jumped to 763 Miuras that were sold over its seven-year lifespan. Not only was it a showstopper when it was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show in 1966, it was the fastest sports car of its day, and the first (and so far only, ever) to have a transversely mounted V12 behind the passenger cabin.

The Mid-Mounted V12 - An Engineering Marvel

Key facts of the Miura

• Three updates were built throughout its lifespan. The P400, P400S and P400SV
• Total sales: 873
• Named after a famous Spanish fighting bull of the time
• Appeared in 43 movies, including the three-minute opening sequence of The Italian Job
• Famous owners include Frank Sinatra and the Shah of Iran

The story goes that Lamborghini's three young engineers, Dallara, Stanzani and Wallace, worked on the new Miura in their overtime in the evenings. The idea was to produce a car that could perform on the racetrack, but also be driven by enthusiasts in the week on public roads. With Gandini's tight design behind the cockpit, with the nose stretching out before the driver as was the fashion in those days, the big V12 would fit better if it was mated tightly with the gearbox, and turned sideways in the bay. It's not the perfect or ideal solution, as this has never been done before or after the Miura. But it still helped the low slung sports car to a top speed of over 170 mph and was called the fastest production car of the time.

New mechanical designs resulted in excellent road manners

The chassis was also advanced. The steel monocoque construction comprised three boxes with longitudinal steel arms for strength, but which had strategically placed holes bored into them to make the chassis lighter. The use of an independent double wishbone suspension at all four corners, coupled with coil springs and anti-roll bars, resulted in excellent road manners for its time. The engine's design was distinctive as well: The air inlet ports were situated between the camshafts instead of inside or outside the V.

With power figures in the mid-300s, and a light body, the Miura became a legend in its own time. No wonder it became the darling of cinema, with Miuras playing a prominent role in 42 movies, including the classic, three-minute-long opening scene of the Hollywood classic, The Italian Job, where a Miura was driven through a stunning Italian pass in the Alps.

A Filmstar Crash: Symbolic Of Things To Come?

That movie scene from The Italian Job ended with the Miura crashing into a bulldozer, driven by the Mafia. But it could very well become a sign of things to come for the sports car company. With the advent of the oil crisis in 1973, Lamborghini was in dire straits financially as buyers didn't want gas-guzzling sports cars anymore. And even before that, Lamborghini was struggling to sell its beautiful and capable cars as their prices were extraordinarily high. As an example, the Miura went on sale for $20,000, which would be $188,000 accounting for inflation.

Good sales for the Miura, better for the Countach

Although Lamborghini itself envisioned sales of only 50 units over three years, the car proved to be more popular, and a fair bit resilient to a declining super car market. With total sales of its three iterations over its seven-year lifespan totaling 763 units, Lamborghini could be quite happy with how things turned out. But just as the car crash in The Italian Job's opening sequence, even that number was not enough to keep the company afloat. Lamborghini struggled. Luckily, a new kid came on the block as successor to the Miura, in the guise of the legendary Countach. And things will look positive again, for the foreseeable future.

Conclusion: The legend lives on

Nearly 60 years on, the Miura is still alive - albeit only in spirit today, with its unique technologies still living on in modern Lamborghinis. Like the company's new Revuelto, its hybrid hypercar, which boasts a plethora of firsts: the first 1,000-horsepower Lambo to be made, the first Lambo V12 with a DCT gearbox, and the first model with a 100% carbon fiber front structure. But the Revuelto's gearbox steals the show. It is positioned transversely and on the rear of the engine instead of in front of it.

Cizeta Continued The Transverse Tradition

Another virtual spin-off of the Miura, is the only transverse V16 ever made - the Cizeta-Moroder V16T. Designed by ex-Lamborghini engineer Claudio Zampolli, fewer than 10 were made, but it was one hell of a beast. Using Marcello Gandini's sketches for the new Diablo, before it was thrown out by Lambo's new owners, Chrysler, the Cizeta had a 6.0-liter-V16 mounted transversely behind the cockpit. Just like the Miura. It sent 540 hp through a five-speed-gearbox to the back wheels, with 400 lb-ft of torque available at 6,000 rpm. Claimed performance figures were 4.0 secs for the 0–62 mph dash, and a top speed of 204 mph.

The Cizeta didn't see production, but you can still buy a Miura today - if you can afford its astounding price as they are sought after collector's items. A true testimony to one of the most beautifully designed and engineered super cars of all time.

Sources:Lamborghini, Wikipedia

2025-02-02T04:37:42Z