I’d shared my fascination with the orange Pentel Technica II PD1065 before, how its zesty color and contours reminded me of the fabulous Lamborghini Miura P400.
Designed by a young Marcello Gandini and launched in 1969, the Miura had both beauty and brawn, barely fitting its transaxle V12 amidships in that svelt chassis. The car was a head turner and is now considered the first ‘supercar’ by automotive afficionados. It was also featured in the opening of The Italian Job of the same year.
From online research, the filming involved two cars: a non-roadworthy model that was seen tumbling over the cliff; and a roadworthy model that was apparently sold (unscathed) to a string of owners afterwards. It has since been rediscovered, refurbished and resold to a collector.
Now, the PD1065 was launched in 1974, so I suppose it is possible that the Miura might have been an indirect inspiration to a Pentel designer somehow. Even if there was no link, they are already joined together in my mind.
Learning about the Miura’s design led me to look up the works of Marcello Gandini, whose most famous car is probably the legendary Lamborghini Countach. I had no inkling that so many beautiful sports and concept cars that I’d admired as a kid were done by him, and I will strive to find more miniatures to showcase his genius!
