Lamborghini Countach
The Lamborghini Countach was produced between 1974 and 1990 and it is among the many iconic sports cars that drivers around the world love. The design of the Countach came from Bertone, the legendary Italian design house. This design language actually appeared before the Countach in the form of the 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero concept car. The design team worked with the project name of LP112 and it was led by Paolo Stanzani as the chief engineer. Stanzani and Ferruccio Lamborghini wanted to create a design with the best possible performance plus aesthetic appeal. Much of the inspiration for the Countach came from the successful Miura, including the rear-wheel drive and rear mid-engine arrangement.
The Lamborghini Countach first made its debut as a prototype during the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, with the production version going on sale in late 1973. Between the debut of the prototype and the production version, the Countach gained vents and ducts to help with the engine cooling and lost some of its engine capacity. The first Countach had scissor doors to complement its dramatic wedge styling. The 375-bhp V12 engine could get the Countach up to speeds of 200 miles per hour. Despite being inspired by the Miura in some ways, it was more complete in a dynamic sense than the other Lamborghini.
The Countach LP400S arrived in 1978, marking the first major revision to this Lamborghini. This included low-profile Pirelli P7 tires plus a body kit that was necessary for those wide wheels to fit into place. There were even dramatic changes to suspension geometry due to the wider wheels. In 1982, Lamborghini gave the Countach a bigger engine to regain some high-speed performance. There was also brief consideration on offering a turbocharged 4.0-liter V12. Instead of going that route, however, Lamborghini opted to expand the engine. The LP500S had an extra 800 cc and 10 bhp. In 1985, the new QV specification wowed drivers, with its shattering acceleration and 455 bhp.
In 1988, Lamborghini also created a 25th Anniversary Countach to celebrate the company’s anniversary. This was mechanically similar to the QV but with its own styling from Horacio Pagani. There were also some unique versions of the Countach throughout its history, such as the Walter Wolf Countach, the Turbo S, and the QVX. Throughout the production history spanning 16 years, Lamborghini produced 1,983 Countachs. This included 1 LP500 prototype, 157 LP400, 237 LP400 S, 321 LP500S, 610 5000QV, and 657 25 Anniversary models.
