Old clothes for new Miura (UPDATED)

Newswheel staff :: 05 January 2006 :: Filed under Mid / rear engine sportscar, Lamborghini, Lamborghini Miura, Europe & UK, Trade shows, US,

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Lamborghini goes retro with Miura concept

We’d heard a new Miura was on the cards. And the rumour was that it would be faithful to the 1966 original. But we weren’t expecting a Ford GT-style resurrection. However, that’s exactly what Lambo have produced with this new show car, known as the P400 Miura Concept 2006.

All too familiar?

According to Car Magazine, who seem to have been given early access to these pictures, the concept was due to be shown off at the LA auto show, er, yesterday. As yet there’s no news of the concept’s official unveiling. Nevertheless, Car quotes Lambo head honcho Stephan Winkelmann issuing a non-denial denial regarding the likelihood of the concept making it into production. “We are not yet talking about production. But every project has its meaning,” Winkelmann not-so-cryptically said.

Car also reckons the new-age Miura will be based on stretched Gallardo chassis and will be powered by a V12 powerplant – either a development of the Murcielago’s lump or an all-new engine. Bizarrely, however, Car claims that the Miura’s Gallardo-derived underpinnings dictate four- rather than rear-wheel drive. To quote, “unless the purists can scrape together extra investment, the Miura will have to forsake rear-wheel drive for the Gallardo’s rear-wheel drive system.” Or perhaps the “purists” could just not bother fitting the forward prop and drive shafts and front diff. A bit like the rear-wheel drive Gallardo which Lambo recently officially confirmed. With that in mind, we’ll take Car’s assertion that the Miura could pack as much as 1,000 bhp from a twin-turbo V12 with the proverbial grain.

Update:
The cat is officially out of the bag on the new Miura, with new images of the concept appearing today. But while most commentators agree the showcar is powered by a longitudinally-mounted V12 (in contrast to the crazy transverse installation of the original Miura’s V12), there’s some confusion regarding the car’s underpinnings. Both the Gallardo and the Murcielago have been fingered as the starting point for the new age Miura. Whatever, the following official measurements have been released: length 4.59 metres, width 1.99 metres and height 1.2 metres. For the record, the original measures 4.35 x 1.8 x 1.07 metres (L x W x H).

Update the second:
Good old Reuters has further news from the mouth of Mr Winkelmann. "Never say never, but we will not go into production.” Thusly spake the Lambo top dog. “We have a little company. We have a model line which is going to a fourth model, and we have to put our priorities in a row,” he also added. Not looking good for production, or Lamborghini doth protest too much?

Reuters caught up with the Miura concept in the lobby of the Museum of Television & Radio in Los Angeles

Linkage:
Car
Reuters