1976 Lamborghini Countach LP400 Coupe

The Lamborghini Countach was unveiled at the 1971 Geneva Auto Show. It was an exotic vehicle that had dramatic styling with its trademark scissor doors and low, angular, wedge-shaped body. The show car was called the LP500, for Longitudinale Posteriore 5 Litri, or longitudinal-rear five liters, with a mid-mounted engine located in front of the rear axle, the gearbox in front and positioned between the two seats. The final drive passed back through the engine sump, under the crankshaft, to the differential. This clever setup meant the engine was raised, necessitating the installation of side-draft Weber carburetors, to maintain a relatively low rear deck. Since there was no rearward visibility, a periscope-type rear-view mirror was added, earning it the name 'Periscopo' to the initial Countach series. Only one LP500 was ever built - and that example was destroyed at England's Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) facility during crash testing.

The production version of the car was called the LP400 in recognition of its four-liter V12 engine. In this configuration, it was first shown at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show. The LP400 closely resembled the LP500 prototype, though with several differences. The bodywork was constructed of lightweight aluminum. Special glass, along with magnesium which substituted for heavier materials, were used to aid in reducing the overall weight. Additional air boxes were installed to feed cooler air to the relocated radiators, while air ducts were added to the sides to keep the car from overheating.

Other changes for the production LP400 included a pair of small side windows, a revised taillight design, a Fitchtel & Sachs aluminum clutch, a pair of six-plug Marelli distributors, and the use of Stewart-Warner instrumentation.

There were just 150 examples of the LP400 built before the introduction of the LP400S in 1978. This particular example has fewer than 7,500 miles and has enjoyed a single ownership history for the past two decades. It was given a two-year, ground-up restoration that was recently completed. During the process, Valentino Balboni inspected the car on two occasions.

In 2009, this Countach LP400 was offered for sale at the Sports & Classics of Monterey auction in Monterey, California presented by RM Auctions. The car was estimated to sell for $350,000-$400,000. The lot failed to sell after achieving a high bid of $315,000.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2009