2009 Lamborghini Gallardo on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lamborghini Miura Retro Review: What it's like to drive the original supercar

“Glon, youÂ’re in the Miura.” Hang on, IÂ’m in what now? About a minute later, I have the keys to a 1973 Lamborghini Miura SV finished in Oro Metallizzato. Five minutes later, IÂ’m annoyed by the frosty winter air whooshing onto my face but too enthralled by the V12Â’s noise to close the window. The person who coined the phrase “never meet your heroes” clearly hasnÂ’t been let loose in the original supercar, a model of paramount importance in the pantheon of automotive history. Unveiled in 1966, and positioned above the 400 GT as LamborghiniÂ’s range-topping model, the Miura may as well have landed from a far, unexplored corner of the galaxy. It stretched about 172 inches long, 69 inches wide, and merely 41.5 inches tall, dimensions that gave it proportions more closely aligned with todayÂ’s definition of a supercar than with the crop of GTs whizzing by in the left lane of the Italian autostrada in the 1960s. I canÂ’t say that the Miura broke with tradition, Lamborghini didnÂ’t have much in the way of tradition three short years after its gutsy inception, but it looked nothing like the 400 GT. Highly respected Italian designer Marcello Gandini penned the Miura while working for Bertone. Its Fiat 850 Spider-sourced headlights were mounted nearly flat, its door handles were integrated into a column of fins, and its roof line peaked above the seats before flowing into a Kammback-like rear end. Mamma mia! It may look humble parked next to an Aventador, but its design was revolutionary in the 1960s. Equally revolutionary was the technical layout. While the 400 GT — and most high-end GTs sold during this era — were fitted with a front-mounted engine, the MiuraÂ’s 3.9-liter V12 was positioned directly behind the passenger compartment. Odder still, it was mounted transversally. Some historians claim that the inspiration for this arrangement was the original Mini, which stretched just 120 inches long thanks in part to a transverse-mounted engine. The MiniÂ’s role in shaping the Miura has never been proven, but whatÂ’s certain is moving the engine back and turning it 90 degrees changed LamborghiniÂ’s history. More than simply a new model for what was then a small, obscure company, the Miura became nearly a deity in the automotive stratosphere. It blazed the course that dozens of supercars have followed since. Rejigging the proportions required rearranging the interior.

Here are the cars Fast 8 characters will drive in Iceland

The eighth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise will feature some characteristic wheel-to-wheel adventuring, this time on Icelandic ice. As revealed by the F&F production team, here are some of the vehicles that will be seen in the film. What else could Dominic Toretto drive than a Dodge? The previous film showed a Charger fitted for off-road driving, and this time the classic shape has been formed into an ice racer. The muscle car is still recognizable, but the altered wheelbase and fender flares make this something quite different. And as the bullet holes testify, the matte black machine is definitely going to see some action. Letty drives a Local Motors Rally Fighter, which might be the best fit for the ice scenes. The off-road coupe has been modified with a brush bar and some serious roof-mounted lights. Roman will be seen behind the wheel of an orange Lamborghini Murcielago, easily standing out in the frozen wastes. To top it off, there are some tank-like machines: There's a tracked Ripsaw for Tej Parker and an "Ice Ram" for Hobbs, who is played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Both of these look like mean machines, and on the screen they'll probably prove to be the admission ticket's worth. Related Video: Featured Gallery Fast 8 Ice Cars Image Credit: Fast & Furious Facebook page Celebrities TV/Movies Dodge Lamborghini Off-Road Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Supercars local motors fast 8 ripsaw

Experience the 2016 Quail Motorsports Gathering in glorious technicolor beauty

If you want to properly experience all of the best that Monterey Car Week has to offer, you're going to want to head to the Quail Lodge and Golf Club on the Friday before The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Showcasing everything from classic roadsters to modern hypercars and everything in between, The Quail has something to offer pretty much everyone. But The Quail is an extremely exclusive event, and it's not always easy to get tickets. Our high-res gallery of 54 images may be the next best thing. This year, the BMWs of all vintages were front and center in celebration of the German brand's 100-year anniversary. But that's not all. You'll see an impressive collection of Lamborghini Miura coupes in our gallery, all brought to The Quail to celebrate that car's 50th anniversary. Pre-war race cars, post-war sportscars, motorcycles old and new... there was a lot to take in at The Quail in 2016. We did our best to capture the event in images, and we hope you enjoy scrolling through. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Quail Motorsports Gathering View 54 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Design/Style Motorsports Misc. Auto Shows BMW Lamborghini Automotive History Convertible Coupe Wagon Concept Cars Luxury Racing Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars Classics Sedan Pebble Beach