From the Autocar magazine Lamborghini Muira Coupe P400 S 2dr Test Date 13/08/1970 Price when new £10,860 Lamborghini Miura P400S Introduced at the Geneva show in 1966, the Lamborghini Miura P400S is Ferruccio Lamborghinis impressive challenge to his Italian rivals for unofficial leadership in the ultimate grand-touring two-seater field. And what a challenge it is the fastest road-going car we have ever tested an undeniable high spot in the 75th year of Autocars publication. The test car achieved a mean maximum speed of 172mph 11mph more than our previous record (the 161mph Iso Grifo). The Miura has a steel monocoque centre-section with part-tubular extensions back and front to carry suspension and engine. The transversely mounted engine is a 60-deg four-ohc light alloy V12 of 3.9-litre capacity, with four downdraught triple-choke Weber carburettors, and develops 365bhp at 7700rpm. The 289lb ft of maximum torque is not produced until 5500rpm; the red line is at 7900rpm.The Lamborghini-designed-and-made gearbox has five speeds. Combined coil-spring and Koni damper units and anti-roll bars are used front and rear, with 15 x 7in light alloy wheels located by double wishbones at both ends of the car. Braking is by twin-circuit Girling ventilated discs. The body is designed and made by Bertone. There is room for two persons, a small amount of luggage, and 16.9 gallons of petrol. Starting up is shatteringly noisy. Assuming that the driver has any social conscience, he will wait till open country before investigating the higher regions of the rev range. And a remarkable range it is too, once you get used to the idea that it only starts at 3000rpm, at which point the engine note changes and the power begins to come in. At 3200rpm the exhaust becomes a spitting, rasping bark and the car races forward. It stays like that unrelentingly all the way to 8000rpm.Cruising on autostrada at an absurdly easy 120mph with the electric windows wound up, one hears the exhaust as a steady growl; open the throttles and the growl becomes much louder, demanding shouting if anyone feels they must converse. That exhaust dominates every other noise, but cut the engine at speed and one is astonished to find virtually no wind noise, presumably due to the smooth skin, good sealing and the lack of any gutters. There is also little road noise. The Miura steers very well indeed. There is a good feel of what the front tyres are doing, although with 3.2 turns lock-to-lock, it is not as quick as some rivals, nor particularly light.The handling is beautifully balanced and safe, with just a degree of understeer initially, and nothing vicious in the way of rear-end breakaway. For tall drivers the driving position is not good, being made, like many Italian cars, for a certain sort of biped nearer to monkey than to man. This means that people not built like that must sit with their knees bent, resting them against the sides of the cockpit and transmission tunnel, and therefore not deriving full support from the carefully shaped seat. A small boot is provided behind the engine, the whole tail section lifting up about the rear of the chassis for access to the engine. We were surprised at how much we could stow there; at the front all the available space is taken up with the radiator, electric fans and spare wheel. The engine is a tight fit and we would not like to work on it without first removing the hinged section of the rear body.Considering the performance, fuel economy is good. The car returned 13.4mpg overall during a hard-worked test period. Oil consumption was not excessive at 600 miles per pint. The lingering impressions of the Miura are of the immense satisfaction derived from driving it fast and of the shattering noise when doing so. In both these respects it comes pretty close to being a racing car, but with enough refinement and comfort for everyday driving.For what it is intended to be a millionaires plaything with looks and performance paramount the Miura is effective and exhilarating. But it should not be thought of only as some sort of toy. In Italy we made some long and fast journeys with it and enjoyed the unrestricted use of its performance above 100mph, for it is from there onward that the Miura stands apart from other fast cars. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
