The Miura Targa began life in 1980 as the MTS, short for Miura Touring Sport, and was renamed Targa in 1982. It was the first Miura with the 1.6-litre MD-270 engine and front-wheel drive, and its convertible derivatives, the Spider and the Kabrio, became the simpler and more affordable end of the range.
Miura Targa at a glance
| Maker | Miura, Porto Alegre, Brazil |
|---|---|
| Also called | MTS, Miura Touring Sport (1980–1982) |
| Launched | 1981, renamed Targa in 1982 |
| Presented | with the Sport II in 1980 |
| Engine | MD-270, 1.6 litre |
| Drive | front-wheel drive |
| Significance | the first front-wheel-drive Miura |
| Derivatives | Spider and Kabrio convertibles |
| Character | simpler and more accessible than the coupés |
The Targa has no article of its own; this page is based on one source, the Portuguese Wikipedia article on the Miura marque.
History of the Miura Targa
From MTS to Targa
In 1980 Miura presented its newest projects, the Sport II and the MTS. The MTS, Miura Touring Sport, was to be launched in 1981 but was renamed Targa in 1982. It was the first vehicle of the marque to adopt an MD-270 1600 engine and front-wheel drive, a revolutionary arrangement for a company that had built its reputation on rear-engined-style fibreglass sports cars with Volkswagen mechanicals.
The convertibles
From the Targa, convertible versions followed in the next years with only a few changes beyond the open body. This is how the Spider and the Kabrio appeared, cars that were much simpler and more affordable than the coupés and that widened the appeal of the marque beyond its expensive flagship models.
Place in the range
The Targa sat between the original Sport and the luxury Saga: less costly than the big coupés, more modern in layout than the first cars, and the starting point for the open models. Miura built about 3,500 cars in 15 years before series production ended in 1992.
Design and features
- Front-wheel drive: the first Miura to drive its front wheels, a major change for the marque.
- MD-270 1.6 engine: the first Miura to use this unit instead of Volkswagen power.
- Open derivatives: the Targa’s layout led directly to the Spider and Kabrio convertibles.
- More accessible: a simpler, cheaper car than the Saga and the later X8.
Miura Targa versions
- MTS (1980–1982): the original name, Miura Touring Sport.
- Targa (from 1982): the same car under its new name.
- Spider: a convertible version with only a few changes.
- Kabrio: the second, simpler open version derived from the Targa.
The Targa came after the Sport and before the Saga, and its open version is described in the Spyder article. More cars are in the Miura collection.
Sources
- Miura (automóveis), Portuguese Wikipedia: MTS and Targa, engine, front-wheel drive, convertibles
