Development
During 1965, Lamborghini's three top engineers, Gian Paolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani, and Bob Wallace put their own time into the development of a prototype car known as the P400. The engineers envisioned a road car with racing pedigree - a car which could win on the track and be driven on the road by enthusiasts. The three men worked on the car's design at night, hoping to sway Lamborghini from the opinion that such a vehicle would be too expensive and would distract from the company's focus. When finally brought aboard, Lamborghini allowed his engineers to go ahead, deciding that the P400 was a potential marketing tool, if nothing more.
The car featured a transversely-mounted mid-engine layout, a departure from previous Lamborghini cars. The V12 was also unusual in that it was effectively merged with the transmission and differential, reflecting a lack of space in the tightly-wrapped design. The rolling chassis was displayed at the Turin Salon in 1965. Impressed showgoers placed orders for the car despite the lack of a body to go over the chassis.
Bertone was placed in charge of styling the prototype, which was finished just days before its debut at the 1966 Geneva motor show. Curiously, none of the engineers had found time to check if the engine fit inside its compartment. Committed to showing the car, they decided to fill the engine bay with ballast, and keep the hood locked throughout the show, as they had three years earlier for the début of the 350GTV. Sales boss Sgarzi was forced to turn away members of the motoring press who wanted to see the P400's power plant. Despite this setback, the car was the star of the show, making stylist Marcello Gandini a star in his own right.
The favourable reaction at Geneva meant the P400 was to go into production by the following year, under a different name, Miura. The name along with the company's newly created trade-mark badge were taken from a type of fighting bull. The Miura gained a worldwide audience of automotive enthusiasts when it was chosen for the opening sequence of The Italian Job (original 1969 version). In press interviews of the time company boss Ferruccio Lamborghini was reticent about his precise birth date, but stressed that he was born under the star sign Taurus.
Read more about this topic: Lamborghini Miura
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