Miura: the shape of a revolution.

The Miura is remarkable because its drama feels so fluid. The body has the presence expected of an exotic car, yet the surfaces read as a continuous gesture. It offers a fascinating contrast to the harder-edged visual language often associated with later supercars.

A different place for the engine

Lamborghini presented the Miura in 1966. Its V12 sat transversely behind the cockpit and ahead of the rear wheels, making it the first mid-engined Lamborghini. The original P400 produced 350 CV; later S and SV versions increased that figure to 370 and 385 CV respectively.

The important idea is the relationship between mechanical arrangement and appearance. Moving the engine changes what the body must contain. In the Miura, that change becomes part of the visual story: a low nose, a compact cabin and a substantial rear section.

Sculpture with a purpose

Bertone created the Miura’s bodywork. Viewed today, its appeal is not simply that it is low or wide. It is the way the surfaces transition into one another. There is tension over the wheels, softness around the cabin and a clear sense of movement from front to rear.

A useful way to study the design is to ignore individual details for a moment. Follow the upper outline of the car and then the lower edge. The space between those two lines tells much of the story before you begin examining lights, grilles or trim.

One name, several versions

It is easy to treat a famous model as one fixed object. The Miura reminds us that a name can cover development over time. P400, S and SV are not interchangeable descriptions, and figures from one should not be attached casually to another.

Our fact panel separates the original P400 from the later SV for precisely that reason. When looking at photographs, the image caption should be the starting point for identifying a version. A beautiful picture is not evidence that the pictured car matches every specification in a general history.

Why it belongs in a modern journal

The Miura demonstrates that technical novelty and visual elegance do not have to compete. A car can announce a radical arrangement without looking like a collection of engineering diagrams. That balance makes it a useful reference even for readers interested mainly in newer cars.

This profile is about the model’s place in design history. We have not driven the photographed example, inspected its condition or valued it. The lasting pleasure here is more accessible: taking time to see how a famous shape is put together.

Sources & further reading

Model facts draw on the references below. Design interpretations are APEX commentary.

• Lamborghini: Miura history ↗
• Lamborghini: the Miura story ↗