In 1966, Lamborghini's V12 finally established itself as a legend when it was guer and installed as a mid-engine in the P400 Miura: the vehicle for which the term "supercar" was coined.
This chapter of the story of the V12 engine revolves around the Miura. This engine has powered several important models over the course of almost 60 years and has become the epitome of technological innovation, vision and engineering.
Ferruccio Lamborghini: "I like it; it will help us achieve legendary status."
Less than two years after Lamborghini was founded in 1963, the company from Sant'Agata Bolognese was still small. Nevertheless, it had managed to establish itself at the top of the hotly contested Gran Turismo market, with the 350 GT continuously rolling off the production line. Ferruccio Lamborghini was satisfied, as he had mastered his personal technical challenge despite widespread initial skepticism. However, he dreamed of developing an even more stunning vehicle - one that would leave everyone speechless. And that is exactly what happened with the Miura.
The young engineers Giampaolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani, who were responsible for development and production at Lamborghini at the time, took care of the technical aspects. The Miura's extraordinary engine played - and still plays - a decisive role in its success: a four-liter V12 unit with a 60-degree bank angle and four Weber carburetors of type 40 IDL 3L. Depending on the version - P400, P400 S and P400 SV - it produced a maximum output of 350, 370 or 385 hp. At the time, this was enough to make the Miura the fastest production car in the world.
The outstanding design by Carrozzeria Bertone did the rest and brought Lamborghini great sales success. The original plan was to sell 50 vehicles in three years, but in the end a total of 763 vehicles were produced in seven years, between 1966 and 1973.
Paolo Stanzani, tamer of the V12 engine
Engineer Paolo Stanzani (1936-2017) was one of the first people to be hired by Ferruccio Lamborghini. He came straight from the University of Modena and went on to become one of the most important players in the history of the V12 engine and the Miura. Stanzani had succeeded in making the V12 engine designed by engineer Giotto Bizzarrini ready for series production and road-going. Stanzani was also one of a small group of young talents who developed the Miura and its modern technical solutions.
He held a variety of positions at Lamborghini, from Technical Manager to Production Manager and General Manager. In addition to the Miura, he made decisive contributions to the production of the Countach, the Espada and the Urraco. The latter was his personal favorite model.
The Miura: a star with an iconic look and sound
From the moment it was unveiled, the Miura became the most coveted of all cars by film directors. It appeared in no less than 43 films, often in a leading role. One of the most famous of those films is certainly "The Italian Job" from 1969. The opening sequence, more than three minutes long, is entirely dedicated to a P400 Miura with Rossano Brazzi at the wheel, while Matt Monro sings "On Days Like These". The sound of its V12 at full acceleration can also be heard in the background - a scene that has achieved cult status in the world of car movies.
The Miura posed on dozens of covers of car magazines and other periodicals. The first international article about the super sports car appeared in November 1966 in the weekly magazine "Autocar" and was penned by Belgian racing driver and later journalist Paul Frère. Undoubtedly the most legendary article, however, was written by the English journalist Leonard "LJK" Setright for the monthly English magazine CAR: In a two-part report, he describes the joys of a trip from Sant'Agata Bolognese to London in a P400 Miura.
It is difficult to list all the personalities who have owned a Miura over the years: Little Tony and Rod Stewart, for example, owned more than one, Eddie Van Halen called a Miura his own for over 30 years, and Jay Kay of the band Jamiroquai still owns his example today. Other notable Miura owners include the actor Peter Sellers, the model Twiggy, the singer Elton John, the opera singer Grace Bumbry, the jazz musician Miles Davis and the racing driver Jean-Pierre Beltoise. Singer Johnny Hallyday made headlines when he crashed his P400 into a tree. The Shah of Persia also owned various Miura cars, including one of only four SVJs ever built.
