A very long time ago, Brazil was a very different country. In the early 70’s, in a bid to become more self-sufficient, Brazil banned imports of many products, cars included. As such, there were many Brazil-exclusive sports cars during the 1970s, such as the SP2 and the Puma. However, one of the most intriguing sports cars from this era is the Miura.
The Miura was produced by the Aldo Auto Capas (AAC), a car builder based in Southern Brazil. The Miura was one of their first cars and just like almost all other sports cars in Brazil, the Miura used a Volkswagen platform. It was based on the Volkswagen Brasilia, a mid engined compact car, with a platform perfect for building a sports car. AAC used the platform extremely well with the Miura, which became the first car to be built in Southern Brazil.
From 1977 until around 1985, the Miura was a popular choice for people looking for an outside-the-box sports car. Its boxy styling and sharp curves were based on the designs that were becoming extremely popular all over Europe. However, the use of the reliable and dependable 1.6L engine, which powered some of the best Volkswagens, meant that the car was extremely reliable.
By the early 80’s, the embargo on import and export was lifted. This unfortunately limited the lifetime of the Miura, as people began buying European sports cars rather than Brazilian ones. However, the Miura went out with a bang, with AAC agreeing a distribution deal in Singapore of all places. Despite its decent success, the Miura was replaced by the less successful Targa and Saga models.
The Miura is a car from a long gone time, where wider circumstances meant that Brazilian manufacturers had to get creative. Despite so many sports cars at the time being based off a Volkswagen platform, they were all very different and excellent in their own ways. And out of all of these cars, the Miura may just be the best looking and quirkiest
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