This Was The World’s Most Powerful Supercar In The ’70s

The 1970s threw everything it had at the performance car: an oil crisis, tightening emissions regulations, and a global economy that seemed to be unraveling by the quarter. For American muscle, the decade was essentially a death sentence. But nobody passed that memo to the boutique Italian sports and supercar makers. Their clientele had rather different concerns — whether their Persol sunglasses complemented their Aspinol driving gloves, say, or whether they could park directly outside the casino rather than suffer the indignity of a ten-yard walk to the entrance.

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Supercar manufacturers didn’t always find it easy to attract customers — with some iffy partnerships and creations along the way — but the lengthy queues outside gas stations weren’t exactly dialing back the horsepower in this particular sector. In fact, plenty of wild creations hit showroom floors in the ’70s. There were supercars with healthy horsepower numbers to choose from, but one stands above the rest — and that includes its younger, more hardcore-looking siblings from a few years later.

The Lamborghini Miura SV Was The Most Powerful Supercar In The ’70s

1971 Lamborghini Miura SV Specs

Engine	Read Also 1 month ago The Last Great JDM Sleeper Nobody Imported—Until Now 49 autotech 4.0-liter V12
Power	385 hp
Torque	295 lb-ft
0-60 mph	5.8 seconds

Source: Lamborghini

There is plenty to say about the Lamborghini Miura, from official stats and facts to wild stories that have probably been retold a hundred times through the fug of Toscano cigars. But before we go any further, just look at the Miura SV. The car, which made its public debut in 1966, is unquestionably one of the most beautiful things ever to roll on four wheels. The fact that it carries a Lamborghini V12 mounted amidships only confirms that automotive dreams can become reality.

The design is the work of Carrozzeria Bertone, typified by the long, low front end, a body that measures just 110 cm in height, and details such as the rounded headlights framed by the trademark Lamborghini eyelashes of the era.

Anyone Who Was Anyone In The ’70s Owned A Miura

Rumor has it that Ferruccio Lamborghini didn’t really want a car like the Miura — mid-engined, race-style supercars were too Ferrari — and his personal preference was for serene, fast grand tourers. Two young engineers, Giampaolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani, helped bring the legendary Miura to life, with the 4-liter V12 engine transversely mid-mounted.

Ever since its starring role in the 1969 film “The Italian Job”, the Miura became synonymous with the continental dolce vita, and interest in both the car and the brand began to soar. If you were a big-name star in the early ’70s, the Miura was the car to have. Miles Davis famously owned, and crashed, a Miura, and Rod Stewart and Frank Sinatra were also said to have got the keys to one of Lamborghini’s prized supercars.

Power Steadily Crept Up In The Lamborghini Miura

The V12 engine began with 350 horsepower at 7,000 rpm in the original P400, but it wasn’t long before that figure started climbing. Output rose to 370 horsepower at 7,700 rpm in the P400 S, before Lamborghini unveiled the ultimate Miura. The SV of 1971 saw power increase again, to 385 hp at 7,850 rpm, making it not only the most powerful supercar of that year, but a title it would hold on to for the rest of the decade.

A Closer Look At The Lamborghini Miura SV

Highlights Of The Lamborghini Miura Jota

• More hardcore appearance with wider arches and eyelashes removed
• Power increased to 385 horsepower
• Lower nose to reduce front-end lift

The SV version of the Miura was a very special and wild evolution of the Italian supercar. It featured a stronger chassis, larger rear tires, bigger wheel arches to accommodate wider 15-inch wheels, revised suspension, and an independent gearbox lubrication system. The eyelashes were removed to sharpen its appearance, and that sculpted nose was lowered slightly to reduce front-end lift. Some later SVs also received a split sump, providing separate oil supplies for the transaxle and engine. The headline change, however, was the power increase.

Lamborghini Made The Miura The Most Powerful Supercar Of The Decade

Lamborghini’s engineers coaxed 385 horsepower from the V12, delivering eye-watering performance for the era. The sprint to 60 mph from standstill took just 5.8 seconds, and the SV’s top speed was quoted at a terrifying 180 mph. It’s worth noting that when mass production of the Countach began at the Lamborghini factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, the earliest Countach LP 400s produced 375 horsepower from their mid-rear-mounted 3.9-liter V12s. The later LP 400 S was rated at a lower 355 horsepower.

There Was An Even More Powerful Lamborghini Miura

In the ’70s, Lamborghini development driver Bob Wallace apparently had some spare time on his hands. Wallace dreamed of a faster, more extreme Miura and, promising to work weekends, was given all the parts and tools necessary to make it a reality. The result was a car with a few hundred pounds shaved off and, thanks to more aggressive camshafts and a boosted compression ratio, power climbed to 440 horsepower. A more aggressive chin spoiler was fitted to keep the front end planted and prevent the car from behaving like a four-wheeled aircraft wing.

It is said that although Lamborghini wanted the car scrapped when the SV was introduced, the Jota was sold in 1972 to a private buyer. The one-off Miura didn’t last long, however. Accounts of what happened next vary, but many sources say the Jota barrel-rolled into a field and burst into flames. Nothing was salvageable, aside from the engine.

Customers Got Wind Of The Jota And Wanted A Slice Of The Action

Strangely, this wasn’t the end of the car or the story. When customers heard about this ultra-Miura, orders started coming in for similarly specced cars. The result was just four factory SV/Js built to a comparable specification to the Jota, with one owner, according to Lamborghini, being the Shah of Persia. Another is the car in the video above, nicknamed ‘The Corsican’, and despite being priceless, it is still driven in breathtaking fashion today.

Buying A Lamborghini Miura SV in 2025

RM Sotheby’s

Between 1966 and 1968, 265 P400 Miuras were built. Lamborghini began selling more of its mid-engined supercar in 1969 with the launch of the P400 Miura S — 338 were sold between 1969 and 1971. The Miura SV was on sale between 1971 and 1973, during which time 150 cars were delivered. According to Hagerty Valuation Tools, condition matters more than model year when it comes to pricing; a good-condition Miura SV commands values in the region of $3,500,000.

Sources: Lamborghini, RM Sothebys, Hagerty.