Lamborghini Miura
Planning a 60th anniversary event in 2026
The Miura will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026, and Lamborghini is planning a year-long series of anniversary events.
What caught everyone’s attention at the Turin Motor Show in November 1965 wasn’t the beautiful new model, but the bare chassis. Formed from lightweight steel plate and perforated with numerous holes, the chassis housed a 4.0-liter V12 naturally aspirated engine mounted transversely in the rear mid-section. At first glance, it looked like a racing prototype chassis, but it was in fact a precursor to the Miura that would later appear.
This chassis, exhibited at the Lamborghini booth at the Turin Motor Show, gave the public a glimpse into the contents of the next-generation production model. This bold “first unveiling” sparked enthusiasm and became the beginning of a legend that continues to this day. In 2026, Lamborghini will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Miura’s debut, and will hold a year-long series of Miura anniversary events to celebrate.
A young engineer’s passion for racing cars
Giampaolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani aspired to take Lamborghini into the world of racing, and this vision ultimately gave birth to the Miura.
The idea for a completely new chassis was born in the summer of 1964, driven by the intuition and courage of young Lamborghini engineers Giampaolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani, and test driver Bob Wallace.
At the time, they were in their early twenties and had a dream of taking Lamborghini into the world of racing. However, when they were unable to get Ferruccio Lamborghini’s permission, they decided, “If we can’t go to the circuit, let’s bring the technology, performance and passion of the circuit to our road cars.”
From this idea was born the “L105” project, an idea to mount an extremely innovative Gran Turismo body on a lightweight and compact chassis. Although initially skeptical, Ferruccio gradually began to listen to what they had to say, and the go-ahead was given for the development of the “P400” chassis and engine.
Marchesi-built chassis
The chassis, which housed a transversely mounted 4.0-liter V12 engine, was manufactured by Marchesi and was lavishly equipped with racing car-derived equipment.
At the Turin Motor Show, which opened on November 3, 1965, the “P400” chassis was exhibited alongside the 350 GT and 350 GTS. This rolling chassis was painted satin black and equipped with four exhaust pipes. Reports at the time described it as “ready to race” and praised its technical ingenuity.
The chassis, manufactured by Marchesi in Modena, was made from 0.8mm steel sheet that was bent and drilled to achieve both lightness and rigidity. A center tub served as a strength member and suspension mounting point, while front and rear subframes supported the mechanical components and accessories. The total weight was less than 120kg, an astonishing lightness for the time.
Furthermore, the car was lavishly equipped with motorsport-derived technology, such as double-wishbone independent suspension, Girling disc brakes, and Borrani wire wheels, in a way that was unprecedented for a production car.
Its greatest feature is the compact power unit structure, which is mounted transversely behind the cabin and integrates the 4.0-liter V12 naturally aspirated engine with the gearbox. This structure significantly reduced the Miura’s size and led to the creation of an entirely new powertrain.
The best shoes for great feet
Touring and Pininfarina were initially considered for the bodywork, but Bertone was ultimately chosen.
This chassis captivated not only the press visiting Turin, but also many general fans. The prototype chassis, without an engine or body, became the star of the show.
During the event, many leading Italian coachbuilders visited the Lamborghini booth. Initially, Touring was to handle the bodywork for the car, codenamed “Tigre,” but financial issues prevented the collaboration. Pininfarina was also unable to get involved due to contracts with other manufacturers, so Nuccio Bertone stepped up to the plate.
According to legend, when Bertone appeared at the Lamborghini booth towards the end of the show, Ferruccio joked, “Finally, the real deal from Carrozzeria has arrived.” After seeing the chassis, Bertone is said to have replied, “I’ll make the perfect shoes for those magnificent feet.” The authenticity of this conversation is uncertain, but it is an anecdote that symbolizes the instant mutual understanding between the two men.
From this meeting, it was decided that Bertone would be responsible for the bodywork of future Lamborghinis. With the factory closed for Christmas holidays, the first sketches by Marcello Gandini, who was then working at Bertone, were presented to Ferruccio, Dallara and Stanzani, who praised their innovativeness and immediately approved them as the final design.
The moment the “supercar” was born
When the Miura was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1966, it caused a sensation and led a British journalist to coin the term “supercar.”
Then, at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966, the P400 chassis exhibited in Turin took on its final form and emerged as the legendary Miura. The Miura will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026, but its legend began six months earlier when the satin black chassis was first unveiled, rather than the bodywork.
This unprecedented vehicle even inspired the creation of a new word: the Miura was so revolutionary that a British journalist coined the term “supercar.”
