Gala of Vanities

In the world of automobiles, there are those models which have come to define a brand for good. In the case of Lamborghini, a company originally producing tractors, the car in question possesses the legendary name of Miura.

It was at the Geneva Car Show of 1966 that a new vehicle was presented which completely redefined the concept of ‘supercar’. Its sinuous and willowy outline made all the other cars look old-fashioned at a stroke and gave Lamborghini, until then almost unknown, instant and world-wide fame.

The Miura was the brainchild of a young designer called Marcello Gandini, who had just been taken on by Bertone of Turin.

The car was named after a famous breeding centre of bulls for the arena in Spain. It was in fact the first in a line of vehicles produced by Lamborghini which were given names linked to bullfighting, an activity much loved by the founder whose zodiac sign was Taurus.

The first version had a 3.9-litre V12 engine capable of producing 350 hp. Subsequently, two other models were developed: the Miura S and the Miura SV, possessing 370 and 385 hp respectively as well as a number of modifications which improved road performance.

Nowadays the Miura is not only an automobile highly sought-after by collectors but is also regarded as one of the most beautiful cars ever designed.

The photograph shows the splendid Miura SV which was first presented at the Geneva Car Show in 1971 and was recently restored at Lamborghini’s Polo Storico centre.

Sant'Agata Bolognese, October 2016