The Story Behind Cars of GT5:
"The Lamborghini Miura Bertone Prototype"

The Shocking Debut of the Miura

In the 1965 Turin Auto Show, there was a chassis on display at one corner of the Lamborghini booth, that was not even covered by a body yet. A bare bone structure, with only the steering, seats, and engine. But it had the bone structure of a thoroughbred - the cutting edge of modern sportscars at the time. While midship engines were the patented trademark of racing cars at the time, mounted on this chassis was a 12 cylinder engine behind the seats, and not only that, but mounted sideways!

The shockwaves only amplified at the Geneva Auto Show in the following year. On display at the show was a prototype called the "Miura", which was a car that had flowing body lines, more characteristic of rear wheel drive sportscars.

The body was designed by the then chief designer of Bertone, Marcello Gandhini. The "Miura" is a name taken from the owner of a famous ranch in Spain, the birthplace of many fearsome fighting bulls.

The unique headlights lift up when lit.

The knock-on wheels are beautifully complex in design.

On the Road to Commercial Release

At the time the Miura was only a study model of Lamborghini. However as soon as it was shown in the Geneva Motor Show, there was a flood of inquiries and Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to make the model commercially available. Thus was born the Miura, the great ancestor of midship supercars alongside the De Tomaso Vallelunga.

Because of its unprecedented design as a road car, development of the Miura faced a mountain of difficulties. The offset weight balance with very little weight on the front wheels and a heavy load at the rear wheels, made it extremely difficult to drive. And the engine immediately behind the seats produced an enormous amount of heat and noise. There was no end to the number of issues that needed to be solved.

Gian Paolo Dallara who would later go on to become a world famous F1 constructor, was the chief engineer responsible for the development of the Miura at the time. He solved these issues one by one parallel to the development of the commercial car. The earliest models of the Miura P400 produced 350ps from a 4 liter 12 cylinder engine. The figures improved as the machine evolved, and the refined P400S produced 370ps, and in the final P400SV the output was increased up to 385ps, and it now had good stability at the rear wheels.

A Rare Prototype

In March of 1967, as Miura’s began shipment to customers, a yellow Miura went to an American owner. It may first appear to be a regular P400, but if you look carefully, the ride height is a full inch lower, making the already low and wide body look even more predatory.

This in fact was one of only two prototypes that were made of the Miura. The person who acquired it was Mr. J.W. Marriot, the founder of the world famous hotel group, Marriot International.

One identifier of the prototype is the one inch lower ride height.

The horizontally mounted 12 cylinder engine is the reason for the wide width.

You, Behind the Wheel of History.

The other prototype, was unfortunately destroyed during testing and no longer exists. The Miura of Mr. Marriot, is the only existing prototype of the Miura left.

Gran Turismo 5 has recreated this ultra rare car in pristine condition. Feel the ideals that went into the Lamborghini Miura through the prototype; which would naturally contain the all the hopes and ambitions of Lamborghini in its purest form.