LAMBORGHINI MIURA BREAKS COVER

[autom?vel]

PISTONHEADS

LAMBORGHINI MIURA BREAKS COVER
Concept car debuts today in LA

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=12804

The original Lamborghini MiuraThe Miura is back! Rumours of its revival have been sloshing around for a while as reported right here on PistonHeads (see link to our earlier story below), but it now seems that the iconic Italian supercar -- the machine that arguably kick-started the whole supercar genre -- is highly likely to return.

Lamborghini's P400 Miura concept makes its debut today at the Los Angeles auto show. According to Car magazine, it's being dubbed a styling exercise by Lamborghini boss Stephen Winkelmann. The magazine reported him saying enigmatically: "we are not yet talking about production. But every project has its meaning". The publication reckoned that insiders are confident that will be a runner -- although the concept in LA doesn't yet have a motor in it.

It looks like the original: the drooped nose, the lipped boot lid, and the cabin-backwards stance all hark back to the earlier design. Presumably its tendency to take off at high speeds have been constrained by modern wind tunnel and computer-aided design techniques.

It'll be derived from the Gallardo's four-wheel drive underpinnings but stretched to accommodate the mid-mounted longitudinally-oriented V12. The dash may well echo the original's with two huge dials in front of the driver plus a battery of smaller dials on the wide transmission tunnel. The engine however, could also be a new powerplant currently under development. Sporting six litres of displacement, it could get direct injection and a pair of turbochargers to generate a beefy 1,000bhp and 737lb-ft of torque.

Production is likely to be limited, and the price somewhere north of ?200,000. We'll keep you posted...

[JYODER240]

1000hp! I'm afraid it might turn out to be a pig like the Veyron.

[Rupert]

I hate it when they come back with old names from awesome cars on less cool cars. Or on any car, for that matter.

[Colonel Cadillac]

1000HP makes it a cool car, so they can bring back the name.  

[SJ_GTI]

Haha, I think VW is doing a re-badge of the Bugatti Veyron.

Fiat rebadged the Ferrari Enzo into a Maserati though so it wouldn't be the first supercar to get rebadged.

[Fire It Up]

Wait, is it gonna look the same as the old one? Because that picture confused me.

[Raza]

Haha, I think VW is doing a re-badge of the Bugatti Veyron.

Fiat rebadged the Ferrari Enzo into a Maserati though so it wouldn't be the first supercar to get rebadged.

Homologation rocks, eh?

[Rupert]

I just think that once a cool car, always a cool car, and when the cool car dies, the name should too. I'm down with a 1000hp Lambo, but I think they could find a better name than one they've already used, no matter the prestige associated with the new car or the original.

[Raza]

I just think that once a cool car, always a cool car, and when the cool car dies, the name should too. I'm down with a 1000hp Lambo, but I think they could find a better name than one they've already used, no matter the prestige associated with the new car or the original.

So you're also against the Charger, Mustang, soon-to-be Camaro and Firebird, Challenger, and would-be Imperial?

[Raza]

Wait, is it gonna look the same as the old one? Because that picture confused me.

No, that's just a picture of the old one.

[JYODER240]

I just think that once a cool car, always a cool car, and when the cool car dies, the name should too. I'm down with a 1000hp Lambo, but I think they could find a better name than one they've already used, no matter the prestige associated with the new car or the original.

So you're also against the Charger, Mustang, soon-to-be Camaro and Firebird, Challenger, and would-be Imperial?

The Mustang never went away  

[Raza]

I just think that once a cool car, always a cool car, and when the cool car dies, the name should too. I'm down with a 1000hp Lambo, but I think they could find a better name than one they've already used, no matter the prestige associated with the new car or the original.

So you're also against the Charger, Mustang, soon-to-be Camaro and Firebird, Challenger, and would-be Imperial?

The Mustang never went away

Yeah, they did sell cars called Mustangs...but what's better?  A name that goes away and comes back strong, or a name that sticks around subpar iteration after subpar iteration until finally, 40 years later, a good one comes out?  Hell, the Probe was almost a Mustang.  

[autom?vel]

Just because your old friend autom?vel doesn't want to let you down, here's what I found on it.

AUTO EXPRESS:


Automobile:



If those are what it really looks like, they need to jazz it up a bit, eh?

[autom?vel]

I think this is it.  Whatcha think?
Compliments of Deadpool; however, after running around like a chicken with my head cut off for those, I checked ITALIASPEED just now and they've had them the whole time.    

[Rupert]

I just think that once a cool car, always a cool car, and when the cool car dies, the name should too. I'm down with a 1000hp Lambo, but I think they could find a better name than one they've already used, no matter the prestige associated with the new car or the original.

So you're also against the Charger, Mustang, soon-to-be Camaro and Firebird, Challenger, and would-be Imperial?

I'm not "against" anything... I think those are all poorly named cars, except for the Mustang, because it never went totally away, just fell victim to the 70s and 80s, like the Corvette. I also think it's silly to bring back muscle cars (no matter their name), but that's another rant.

[Fire It Up]

:o Thats amazing.  

[BMWDave]

That is gorgeous.

[Tom]

Oh my

[TBR]

For a minute there I was afraid it was getting the W12, but now I see that isn't the case. Too bad it will have AWD though.

[CaseyNPham]

I'm a little "eh" about the nose but at least the rear looks similar to the current offerings.

[GMPenguin]

I'm a little "eh" about the nose but at least the rear looks similar to the current offerings.

Ditto.  The front's a little too boobly, but still great overall; a break away from the current trend.

Edit:  The break away from their current trend not necessarily being a good thing.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Did anyone notice that the next gen. Murcielago will also get the 1000HP, 738 Lb. Ft. Torque V12 also? In addition, they might make a 2+2 coupe similar in concept to the CLS!

[Catman]

I don't like it at all.  

[J86]

It's not ridiculous enough for a Lamborghini.  I like these things more than Ferraris because they're louder, more obnoxious, and have more brutal styling.  I'd like to see that hear, and I don't.

[giant_mtb]

What do I think about the looks?  It looks like a Lamborghini-ized Elise squared off with unflowing edges and curves.  Either make your cars rounded or make them damn blocky.  MAKE UP YOUR MIND, do not mix them together.  It's disgusting.  The only reason it will sell is because of the 1000 HP claim-to-fame and the Lambo hardcores.  I hope.

[TBR]

I am beginning to get sick of this retro crap. Chevrolet has been the only one to pull it off successfully this autoshow season imho.

[giant_mtb]

I am beginning to get sick of this retro crap. Chevrolet has been the only one to pull it off successfully this autoshow season imho.

I agree.  Was the Mustang the one that started the new retro craze?

[autom?vel]

I'd say Chrysler was the first into what has become the retro craze with cars such as the PT Cruiser,  Prowler, and some cars that remained concepts.  


Someone may come along and correct me though.   :P

[TBR]

I think VW was the one that really started it all, though Ford close behind with the Thunderbird and Chrysler was even closer behind with the Prowler.

[autom?vel]

I think VW was the one that really started it all, though Ford close behind with the Thunderbird and Chrysler was even closer behind with the Prowler.

Yeah, you're right.  I forgot about the New Beetle. :mellow: