1986 Lamborghini Countach Coupe

The Lamborghini Countach was introduced at the Geneva Auto Show in 1971. It wore a design by Marcello Gandini and featured angular styling and stood just over 40 inches tall. The shocking and exotic design continued to its upwards-hinging 'scissor doors' which proved a magnetic attraction. The design seemingly evolved constantly over the car's 16-year lifespan, adding vents to aid engine cooling, fender flares for wire tires, and safety bumpers for the American market.

The third iteration of the Countach was introduced in March of 1985 at the Geneva Auto Show. The major change being the addition of the four valve heads to the V-12 engine. It was dubbed the Quattrovalvole, or QV for short. The displacement measured 5167cubic centimeters and had a compression ratio of 9.5:1. Horsepower was rated at 455 HP at 7000 RPM in European-carburetor specification, who now featured downdraft rather than side-draft carburetors. The only change to the vehicle cosmetics was to the rocker panels, where vents were added to help increase air flow for the rear brakes.

There were 610 Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole models imported into the United States from 1985 to 1988 and most were fitted with a Bosch Electronic fuel-injection system. Just 13 models were given downdraft carburetors before the EPA and DOT banned Lamborghini from importing them.

This 1986 Lamborghini Countach is one of the rare carbureted example. It was sold new in New Jersey and has had only two owners since then. The car has less than 9,000 kilometers on the odometer. It is fresh from a recent full restoration where it was brought back to as-new condition both mechanically and cosmetically. It is finished in red with a beige leather interior, which was its original color combination.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2014