Who made the first supercar?

Miura.

 

Ah, I thought your boss had said it was an early 20s one

 

Might be right!


The first mid-engine/rear Ferrari ROAD car was 1965 250LM serial # 6025LM. Built for the New york and Geneva auto shows. 6025 was built March 9 1965. A few months earlier then the Dino prototype.

One of the 250LM's won Le Mans. The 250LM race version is also identical to 6025 except for red interior, electric windows and a one-off body built by Pininfarina . 6025 might qualify as the first supercar .



Is thier an ealier mid engine race cars specifically designed as a sexy road car before March 9 1965? I am curious.

Was the Lamborghini earlier?

As for front engine supercars - there are many: Prewar Alfa,Bugatti and post war front engine Ferrari 375MM, GTO, etc.

 

Clearly you guys don't know what the heck you're talking about. Everyone knows that the first Supercar was made by Professor Rudolph Popkiss, with assistance from Dr. Horatio Beaker.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercar_(television)
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I'm kind of with the 250LM road car. I know three guys that had LM's that they drove as regular cars years ago so it reinforces that argument.

Then again the Alfa 8C2900B or Bugatti type 57SC or Bentley or Mercer . . . .

Brute vs exotic (just a fun comparison)

1969 Dodge Charger: Specifications

* 1969 Dodge Charger 500 Hemi
* Wheelbase: 117.0 in.
* Weight: 3671 lb.
* Price: $4641
* Engine: ohv V-8
* Displacement: 426 cid
* Fuel system: 2 x 4 bbl.
* Compression ratio: 10.25:1
* Horsepower @ rpm: 425 @ 5000
* Torque @ rpm: 490 @ 4000
* Representative performance
* 0-60 mph: 5.7 sec.
* 1/4 mile: 13.48 sec. @ 109.0 mph

Lamborghini P 400 SV Miura

ENGINE
Type 60° V12
Transversely Mounted
Mid-Engined
DOHC per bank
Valves 2 per cylinder
Bore/Stroke 82mm x 62mm
Capacity 3,929cc
Max power 385bhp @ 7,850rpm
Compression 10.7:1
Carburation 4 Weber 3 Throat, 40 IDL 3 L
4 Webers 40 IDA 30

TRANSMISSION
Gearbox 5-speed + reverse
All-Syncromesh
Clutch Single dry plate
hydraulically operated
Differential ZF-type limited slip in unit with
engine/transmission

STRUCTURE
Chassis Welded Box Section
Body Aluminum
Builder Bertone
Suspension Independent, coil springs
and telescopic shock absorbers
Axle Ratio 11/45
Brakes Girling ventilated discs
Wheels Campagnolo Cast Magnesium
Tires FR 70 VR 15
Pirelli Cinturato

MEASUREMENTS
Overall Length 4390 mm / 171.2 in
Overall Width 1780 mm / 69.4 in
Overall Height 1100 mm / 42.9 in
Wheelbase 2505 mm / 97.7 in
Front Track 1410 mm / 55 in
Rear Track 1540 mm / 60 in
Weight 1245 kg / 2739 lb
Fuel Tank 80 L / 21 gal

PERFORMANCE
Top speed 290 km/h / 179.8 mph

 

The term Supercar didn't come about until the Countach was released.

It had top of the line performance, F-15 Eagle looks and a price that was astronamical at the time.

Everything else was either a luxry car, Sportscar or a Muscle Car.

 

If we're discussing 'oldie moldy' cars, we might want to add the Bugatti Type 35 to the Bentley and Mercedes debate.

 

I would have to say the Miura. It is just truly crazy, and in a league of its own. The other choice for me would be the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing. It too was just another crazy fast car way back then.

 

Duesenberg

 

The Miura was introduced at the Geneva auto show in 1966.


Found this discription:

1966 Miura P400, The First Miura
Chassis #0509
Engine #00874
Prod. #1

The first Miura prototype was finished in an orange-red with brown interior and trim and a plexiglass rear windshield over the engine compartment.
This was the car that appeared at the 1966 Geneva show and two months later and the Monaco Grand Prix .

 

The Countach was the product of a disgruntled tractor manufacture who was angry because Ferrari would not accommodate his desires for a Ferrari (supercar). Clearly Enzo had a passion and it was well evident in his early endeavors.

Think light alloy skin over a tubular chassis and all independent suspension. Rear mounted transaxle gearbox/dif, DOHC alloy engine. top speed of 230, and a pedigree that includes exclusive street use and victory in competition. A supercar in every sense of the word! - George


PS I love the Miura and the early Countach's (not the big louvered, finned, or bumpered variety) both supercars of high order.
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When the Miura first appeared it was without a body and people were still lined up! - George

 

You are 100% right.

 

werd

 

Gotta be the Miura!

And Jim G. just said 'werd'. I laughed out loud.

 

The expression "Supercar" was a moniker created by a famed motoring journalist, the late (great) LJK Setright of CAR magazine...

Its worth noting that this particular expression was not used to refer to a sports car's disposition till he created it.

Setright aimed this particular expression squarely at one particular automobile - The Miura.

That aside, amongst ROAD-GOING sports cars, the Miura is widely accepted as the first car built EXCLUSIVELY for the road utilising a specification that would normally be seen for pure-bred competition cars. As such, a car that featured a mid-engine V12, disc brakes, stood just 41 inches high and was capable of 170mph in 1967 was indeed nothing short of a phenomenon. A benchmark car without question, seemingly coming to be appreciated for what it is in recent years.

Its nice to note that 11 individual posters seem to echo the sentiment that the Miura is indeed the Supercar Du Jour.

Joe
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

As I post this, a deal has been concluded today where a Bobileff restored example has gone to a new collector home for the best part of $800k US. I remember when you couldnt part with them for $30k in the early 80s.
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I like it when Jim says "tru dat" better though!

And I agree that it has to be the Miura. Countach is a close second; while not personally my favorite, the Countach couldn't be compared to (appearance wise) anything until the EB110.

 

Muira without a doubt.... The car is 40 years old and yet still, its performance is on par with most sports cars today.

 

Again, the word "Supercar" was invented for the Lamborghini Miura. Having had the opportunity to drive one of the nicest examples in the world, I can honestly say that it lives up to the word. (I also have a soundclip in the online version I did of the road test for my column ... www.apexstrategy.com and look for the Miura article.)

If you want to go back and try to establish which car was the first to really blow away all expectations of what a car could do, there were supercars well before Dusenbergs or Alfa 8Cs...

Probably the first true supercars were Stanleys. Stanley's steam power meant full torque immediately available, and therefore were so far and away faster than anything else during the era. (They started in 1902, and were breaking speed records in 1906 going well over 100mph.) Stutz also comes to mind, mostly because they really can be considered the first American sports car, with the Mercer right behind. (We're talking about cars that were designed from the get-go to be light, fast, nimble -- although most tend to point to the Crosely Hotshot as the first real attempt at an American "sports car" by modern definition.)

By the way, Duesenberg fans will be happy to know that the oldest known Duesy racer is currently being restored. A friend of mine here in Olympia (who is also a Stutz and Stanley owner!) has been restoring it for several years and it should be finished for the summer!

 

Here's my road test of the world's first supercar...(now several years old.)



World’s nicest Lamborghini lives up to its dream car status
by Sam Barer


I was walking hand-in-hand with my daughter at this summer’s Olympia, WA Lakefair Car Show, taking in the beautiful muscle cars (including more Chevelle SS396s than were ever produced by Chevrolet,) when something stopped me dead in my tracks. There in front of me was one of a handful of cars on my dream car list: an ultra-rare 1967 Lamborghini P400 Miura.

The crowd around the car didn’t recognize its rarity or history. One of 765 produced, Elvis was more likely to be at an Olympia car show than a Miura. I stood there answering questions from the puzzled crowd about the exotic car, hoping that the owner would reappear before my two-year-old daughter commenced meltdown.

Three months later, I tracked down the owner, Paul Hoey of Hoey’s Autobody in Olympia. Three years ago Hoey acquired the Miura, named for the famous line of Spanish fighting bulls. He logged over four thousand hours in a complete nut-and-bolt restoration, fabricating much of the needed parts himself. After its appearance at Lakefair, Hoey spent well over 100 additional hours preparing the car for the prestigious Concorso Italiano show in Monterey, CA.

And all the car did was win an unprecedented trifecta of awards: “Best Lamborghini,” The Lamborghini Factory’s “Best Lamborghini Trophy,” and the coveted “Best in Show.” In other words, this is probably the nicest Lamborghini on Earth at this moment.

Meeting Hoey at his shop for a dream ride in the perfect Muira, I realize the car is even more gorgeous than when I first laid eyes upon it. Its Pistachio Verde (bright green) paint gleams in the clear sun of the brisk October day. The rear-hinged tail section is up, revealing the glorious four-liter V12 engine, idling beautifully.

The P400 Miura nearly caused riots among the crowds at its 1966 Geneva Auto Show launch. Its Bertone-penned body was low, long and looked like nothing else on the road. It was the first production mid-engine supercar, and at nearly $20,000, it exceeded the price of rival Ferraris by $5,000.

We slide into the cockpit. Lamborghinis are often attacked for horrible ergonomics, but for anyone under six feet the Miura is extremely comfortable, offering headrests affixed to the rear panel and a foot rest for the passenger. However, at 6’4”, I try to keep my head from ruining the beautiful headliner. The whole interior is covered in precisely stitched leather. Large Jaeger speedo (in KPH) and tach face the driver, while a center bin contains six gauges with information such as olio and benzina.

Hoey puts his foot into the accelerator, and we’re off. The engine sound emanating from directly behind our heads is indescribable. No onomatopoeia such as whirl, growl or roar effectively communicates the sheer marvelous sound of four triple-choke downdraught Weber carbs sucking air and fuel into the four-cam engine only inches behind your head. It is the best sound to car-crazy ears, period. (go to http://www.apexstrategy.com/sc/miura.wav for a .wav audio file of the Miura's engine!)

We take the car down the twisty roads leading to Steamboat Island, each passing pedestrian gawking. There’s virtually no body roll, yet the suspension is totally compliant with no jarring to the occupants. If it weren’t for the excessive engine note and limited luggage space, it would be considered a luxury GT rival to Ferrari and Aston Martin.

Initially Hoey apologetically requested that he perform all the driving, but on the way back he tells me I must drive the raging bull to fully appreciate it. Before my brain can make me say “no thank you, this is your 100 point concours baby,” I’m in the driver’s seat of my dream car.

Those waiting to hear how hard it is to drive a Miura will be disappointed. This car is quite user friendly. Clutch is light and pick-up is ultra-smooth, although launch is a little difficult due to the pedal pressure required to depress the accelerator. Gear changes require patience and are anything but precise with long throws and an unforgiving metal gate, but hitting the changes perfectly is very rewarding.

Power is blistering, but ultra-smooth. 350 horsepower motivates the 2850-pound Miura to sub-six second launches to sixty miles per hour and a top speed in the area of 172MPH, making it the fastest production car of the 1960s. Steering is perfectly weighted and precise. Lateral grip is immense, although legends of sudden lift-throttle oversteer prevent exploring its limits.

After close to fifty miles inside the Miura, Hoey and I are all smiles as we talk about its continued well-deserved space on my dream car list!
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I think the Countach was the first worldwide recognized supercar. I and almost everyother car crazy person had a poster of the car hanging on the wall. The Miura, although ground breaking, did not recieve the same attention as the Countach. The Countach was the car that made Lambo famous, and filled order books.

Still to this day, there has not been a car that has rocked the automotive world like the Countach did way back in the 70's. That is what a supercar is supposed to do. Even the Veyron, as splendid as it is, has not the impact the Countach did when it hit the production line.

 

I didn't know that

but I'm sure it was the Countach
the car which first coined the phrase "EXOTIC CAR"

these days almost every car is called Exotic
but that title is deserved by the one and only Countach

so...the same company delivered the first SUPERCAR
and then they replaced it with the first EXOTIC CAR

 

Miura.
Ciao
Eugenio

 

[email protected]'s a rumpled up one, under a windblown tarp worth, then?????????????????

 

I guess it all depends on your age
and how old were you when those cars were introduced

the guys of my generation will always consider COUNTACH as the greatest
but the guys of tomorrow will consider VEYRON as a landmark
and so on ...