Lamborghini Miura Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lamborghini Miura

Overview
Manufacturer	Lamborghini
Production	1966-1972
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car
Body style	2-door coupé

The Lamborghini Miura is a super cool sports car that was made by the Italian company Lamborghini. It was built between 1966 and 1972. The Miura was one of the first cars to have its engine placed in the middle, behind the driver. This design made it very fast and exciting to drive.

The car got its name from a famous type of Spanish fighting bull, called "Miura" bulls. This fits with Lamborghini's tradition of naming their cars after bulls. A talented designer named Marcello Gandini helped create its amazing look. Only 764 of these special cars were ever made, making them quite rare today.

The Story of the Miura
- How the Miura Was Born
- Designing a Legend
Miura's Amazing Features
- The Powerful Engine
- Speed and Performance
Different Versions of the Miura
The Miura's Legacy
- A True Icon
- Influence on Future Cars
Images for kids
See also

The Story of the Miura

The Lamborghini Miura was a groundbreaking car when it first appeared. It started as a secret project by some of Lamborghini's top engineers. They wanted to build a fast, road-going car that could also be a race car.

How the Miura Was Born

The idea for the Miura came from three engineers: Gian Paolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani, and Bob Wallace. They worked on the car in their spare time. They believed a car with a powerful engine in the middle would be amazing. This was a new idea for a road car back then.

Their boss, Ferruccio Lamborghini, first thought the car was too wild. He wanted to focus on making more practical cars. But the engineers showed him the chassis, which is the car's frame, at a big car show in Italy. People loved it! Because of this excitement, Ferruccio Lamborghini gave them the green light to build the full car.

Designing a Legend

The job of designing the Miura's body went to a company called Bertone. A young designer named Marcello Gandini was the one who drew its famous shape. He made the Miura look sleek, low, and very futuristic for its time.

One of its most famous features is the "eyelashes" around the headlights. These were small grilles that made the car look even more unique. The Miura's design was so special that it quickly became a symbol of the 1960s. It was known for its beauty and incredible speed.

Miura's Amazing Features

The Miura wasn't just pretty; it was also packed with advanced technology for its time. It had a powerful engine and a special way of being built.

The Powerful Engine

The Miura had a V12 engine. This means it had 12 cylinders, which are like small engines working together. This engine was placed sideways, right behind the driver's seats. This is called a "mid-engine" layout.

Having the engine in the middle helped the car handle better. It balanced the car's weight, making it more stable when going fast or turning corners. The engine was very powerful, allowing the Miura to reach incredible speeds.

Speed and Performance

When it first came out, the Miura was one of the fastest production cars in the world. It could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour (about 97 km/h) in just over 6 seconds. Its top speed was around 170 miles per hour (about 274 km/h).

These numbers were amazing for the 1960s. The Miura showed everyone what a sports car could really do. It set new standards for speed and performance.

Different Versions of the Miura

Over its production years, Lamborghini made a few different versions of the Miura. Each one brought small improvements or special features.

Miura P400

This was the first version, made from 1966 to 1969. The "P" stood for Posteriore, meaning "rear" in Italian, referring to the engine's position. The "400" came from the engine's size, which was nearly 4.0 liters.

Miura P400S

Introduced in 1968, the P400S had some small updates. It had more power from its engine and a few changes to the interior. Things like electric windows were added, making it a bit more comfortable.

Miura P400SV

The P400SV, or "Spinto Veloce" (meaning "pushed fast"), was the final and most powerful version. It came out in 1971. The SV had an even stronger engine and wider rear tires for better grip. It also lost the famous "eyelashes" around the headlights, which made it look a bit different.

Special Miura Cars

There were also a few very rare and unique Miura models.

Miura Jota: This was a one-off car built for racing. It was much lighter and more powerful than the standard Miura.
Miura Roadster: A special open-top version was made, but it never went into full production. It's a very rare sight today.

The Miura's Legacy

The Lamborghini Miura is considered one of the most beautiful and important cars ever made. It changed how people thought about sports cars.

A True Icon

The Miura became a symbol of style, speed, and luxury. It appeared in movies and was owned by famous people. It showed that Lamborghini could build not just powerful cars, but also works of art.

Influence on Future Cars

The Miura's mid-engine design became very popular for high-performance sports cars. Many supercars today still use a similar layout. The Miura paved the way for future Lamborghini models, like the Countach, which also became legendary.

Today, Miuras are highly sought after by car collectors. They are very valuable because of their history, beauty, and rarity. The Miura remains a true masterpiece of automotive design and engineering.

Images for kids

1967 Miura P400
A 1968 Miura P400S
A Miura P400SV. Notice the lack of "eyelashes" around the headlamps.
A recreation of the Miura P400 Jota.
Miura Roadster at Amelia Island in 2013.
Miura 4808 with the targa top in place.
The 2006 concept car, inspired by the original Miura.
The prototype Miura chassis as it appeared at the Turin show.
Miura engine and 5 speed transaxle.
Miura engine bay, showing the transverse mounting of the engine ahead of the rear axle.