The Miura Spyder was the open version of the Targa, one of the convertible derivatives that Miura added to its range after the front-wheel-drive Targa. It shared the Targa’s mechanical layout but was a simpler and cheaper car, and it was sold alongside the similar Kabrio.
Miura Spyder at a glance
| Maker | Miura, Porto Alegre, Brazil |
|---|---|
| Type | open two-seater |
| Based on | Miura Targa |
| Layout | front-wheel drive, as the Targa |
| Period | 1980s |
| Sibling | Miura Kabrio |
| Character | simpler and more affordable than the coupés |
| Marque output | about 3,500 cars, 1976–1992 |
The Spyder has no article of its own and is mentioned only briefly in the Portuguese Wikipedia article on the marque; this page is based on one source.
History of the Miura Spyder
An open Targa
After the Targa of 1982, Miura added convertible versions in the following years with only a few changes beyond the open body. The Spider was one of them: it kept the front-wheel-drive layout and the 1.6-litre MD-270 engine of the closed car but offered open-air motoring in the Brazilian tradition of fibreglass sports cars.
Spider and Kabrio
The Spider was joined by the Kabrio, a second open model built to the same idea. Both were much simpler and more affordable than the Saga and the X8 coupés, and together they gave the marque a cheaper entry point for buyers who wanted a Miura without the cost and complexity of the luxury models.
Place in the range
The open cars came from a small company that built its cars by hand in Porto Alegre, with fibreglass bodies on tubular chassis and Volkswagen-derived mechanicals. Miura made about 3,500 cars in 15 years and ended series production in 1992, after which it built bodies to order until 1997.
Design and features
- Open body: a convertible version of the Targa with only a few changes beyond the roof.
- Targa layout: front-wheel drive and the 1.6-litre MD-270 engine of the closed car.
- Simpler specification: less equipment and a lower price than the Saga and X8.
- Hand-built: a fibreglass body on a tubular chassis, as with every Miura of the period.
Miura Spyder versions
- Spyder: the open version of the Targa described here.
- Kabrio: a second, similar convertible sold alongside it.
The Spyder was derived from the Targa and sold next to the Sport. More cars from the marque are in the Miura collection.
Sources
- Miura (automóveis), Portuguese Wikipedia: convertible versions, Targa layout, marque history
