Lamborghini Miura SV

The modern supercar was born at the Geneva Motorshow in 1966. When the Muira P400 broke cover it was so ahead of its time that neither the public nor the assembled press knew what to make of it. It would take Enzo Ferrari far more experienced designers seven years before they could create a mid-engined car that could produce over 300 bhp with the Boxer and a staggering 30 years before they managed to out a V12 engine in a mid-engined car, the F50. The Miura is the seminal supercar and it's no surprise that this flamboyant car originates from Italy and more specifically Ferrucio Lamborghini's Bologna factory. Before the Miura Lamborghini were still largely unknown on the international stage however the Miura threw Lamborghini into the public eye. Lamborghini's engineers had created the fastest car on the planet on their first real attempt, even today the Miura continues to embody the spirit of the flamboyant Italian supercar.

The design of the car is attributed to 22 Bertone designers who worked through the nights on the project for fear of Lamborghini scrapping the project due to high expense. It is widely acknowledged that one single man had the greatest influence on the finished product; Marcello Gandini. Gandini, the son of an orchestral conductor, was just 22 when he started working on the Miura, he worked at Bertone for a further fourteen years and his designs are undoubtedly amongst some of the most significant of the 20th century. As well as the Miura Gandini was responsible for both the Countach and the Diablo as well as the Lancia Stratos and even the original 5 Series BMW. All of Gandini's designs are modern icons however the Miura stands above the rest. It is no overstatement to cite the design importance of the Miura as perhaps being the most instrumental device in shaping the future of the supercar. The first supercar, the Miura is still often regarded as the finest