The very few privileged enough to drive an original Miura will know that it's
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| Under the retro skin is a brilliant and modern chassis that belongs to the Gallardo. (Photo: Lamborghini Canada) |
a rather peculiar car at speed, as it becomes very light and twitchy. The reason for this behaviour was that the car had its fuel tank at its nose; when fuel was used up the weight of its nose lightened, causing its front tires to progressively lessen their hold on the road the longer it was driven.
Such characteristics would be deemed unacceptable in today's heavily regulated world, therefore the new Miura incorporates modern aerodynamics in its bodywork, the likes of which was unknown back in the '60s. Where the original's nose was as sharp as an arrowhead, the Concept has a more complicated air dam, featuring splitters to direct airflow around, rather than under the car in order to keep its front end glued to the ground. Additionally, because a rear spoiler would ruin the classic lines of the Miura Concept, it features a smooth underbody for reduced underside drag and improved downforce.
I
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| Aside from the new mirrors, nothing unusual has sprung up on the Miura's body. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
must commend Mr. de'Silva on his artistic talent; like the original the Miura Concept looks like it's going 300 km/h even when standing still, which may or may not be all it's ever likely to be seen doing. Yes, initially it was announced that the Miura Concept was merely a styling exercise. And for all the dreams that may have come true for de'Silva in redesigning the vehicle, there wasn't anything to report in terms of its powertrain either. No, not a word was said about the gearbox or engine because the Miura Concept, as seen in Detroit, was just a full-size mockup, albeit a very beautiful one. While official photos don't show the interior due to the deep-tint glass, Lamborghini says that the original car heavily inspired the cabin. We can only imagine.
Since the time of its launch at Detroit, however, insiders at Lamborghini have revealed that the
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| Louvers are present. And you thought they died with mullets. (Photo: Lamborghini Canada) |
LP400 Miura Concept is now well on its way to becoming a limited-edition road car. The basic bones for the Miura will come from the 'baby' Lambo, the Gallardo, but with a frame stretched length- and width-wise to accommodate a larger passenger cabin, plus space for a V12. Technically, this sounds like a lot of work, but under the guidance of Volkswagen Auto Group it's a lot less than you might think. It has been long known that Audi would receive dividends for its part in funding the Gallardo project way back when, and those dividends would be paid in the form of its own supercar, the R8. Of course, Audi's version would feature the trademark ASF space frame, and Audi's own engines and gearboxes, but its larger footprint is perfect for the Miura.
And
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| Mirrors weren't present on the original, but they're a necessity for today's vehicle. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
what about engines? For those who are keen on historical accuracies, turn away, as it won't be pretty; the only similarity that the new Miura engine will share with the old is twelve cylinders in a vee configuration. The engine will not be transversely mounted, as it was in the classic version. There's been talk that for the Miura, Lamborghini is currently developing a new, state-of-the-art compact V12 engine, displacing a volume between the 5.0-litre V10 of the Gallardo and the new 580-horsepower 6.5-litre V12 fitted to the recently updated Murciélago LP640. It is estimated that the new engine will be somewhere in the 6.0-litre range, developing around 550-horsepower with the assistance of FSI direct injection. Like all current Lamborghinis, the Miura will be all-wheel drive, in order to effectively harness the power.
