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The Lamborghini Miura P400 made its bodied road-car debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966. It was Lamborghini’s first mid-engine production car, placing a naturally aspirated V12 behind the two-seat cabin. The original P400 is the subject here; the later S, SV, special derivatives and Miura Concept have separate identities.
Sources: Lamborghini Miura history.
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Specifications
| Specification | Original-model details |
|---|---|
| Introduction | March 1966; Geneva Motor Show, bodied road-car debut |
| Production/status | Historical, discontinued. Lamborghini dates the P400 to 1966–1968; the exact end-year boundary remains disputed. Miura family continued through 1973. |
| Body and seating | Two-door, two-seat berlinetta; secondary specialist reference |
| Engine | Approximately 4.0-litre naturally aspirated V12; transverse mid-engine |
| Power | 350 CV at 7,000 rpm; manufacturer history |
| Torque, secondary reported specification | 369 Nm at 5,100 rpm; LamboCars, not factory-corroborated |
| Transmission/drivetrain | Five-speed manual; rear-wheel drive, reported by LamboCars |
Sources: Lamborghini — official consumer Miura history; LamboCars — secondary P400 specifications; ClassicCars Journal — secondary discussion of conflicting counts; underlying manufacturer media record not independently read.
Engineering and design
The engine was mounted transversely, across the car rather than along its length. Lamborghini’s history explains that this helped shorten the wheelbase required by the powertrain layout. Packaging a V12 behind the occupants was central to the Miura’s character, but its significance should be described precisely: this was a first for Lamborghini, rather than a claim that it was the first mid-engine road car of any kind.
Sources: Lamborghini Miura history.
The engine and gearbox were joined in a common casting. That relationship made the transmission an integral part of the compact mechanical package. It is an engineering detail worth separating from the car’s styling, because the position and arrangement of large components help determine the proportions available to a body designer.
Sources: Lamborghini Miura history.
Bertone supplied the bodywork. Lamborghini’s historical account identifies the headlamp “eyelashes” and rear-window slats among its recognisable details. These features help distinguish the original design, although the later Miura variants differ in detail.
Sources: Lamborghini Miura history.
Powertrain and specifications
Lamborghini records the original P400 at 350 CV at 7,000 rpm. CV is a metric horsepower unit, and the figure should not be relabelled as 350 bhp. The engine is described here as an approximately four-litre naturally aspirated V12, preserving the supported scope without implying that an exact displacement has been established from a factory technical sheet.
Sources: Lamborghini Miura history.
Specialist reference LamboCars reports a five-speed manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive and 369 Nm of torque at 5,100 rpm. These are identified as secondary-source specifications. They provide useful mechanical context, but the torque value should not be mistaken for a newly verified manufacturer rating or a measurement made by Bin3aiah Cars.
Sources: LamboCars P400 specifications.
History, production and variants
Lamborghini’s consumer history dates the P400 to 1966–1968, while the wider Miura family continued through 1973. The original variant’s exact production boundary is disputed in the available historical material. It is therefore more useful to retain that qualification than to present a single precise end date or production quantity as settled.
Sources: Lamborghini Miura history.
The same manufacturer history dates the P400 S to 1969 and the SV to 1971. It records 370 CV for the S and 385 CV for the SV. Those figures describe later variants and do not replace the original P400’s 350 CV specification. Their introduction also illustrates why the Miura family’s final production year cannot be treated as the P400’s own end date.
Sources: Lamborghini Miura history.
For an original-P400 article, the strongest historical connection is its place at the beginning of Lamborghini’s mid-engine production story. That framing allows the car’s engineering and design to remain central while keeping later variants, special projects and uncertain lineage claims separate.
Sources: Lamborghini Miura history.
Video
Independent review of a 1967 P400, a later example of the original variant. The featured car is a P400, rather than the later S or SV.
Watch 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 – Jay Leno’s Garage on Jay Leno’s Garage.