1984 Lamborghini Countach

Coupe

The Countach was styled by Marcello Gandini of Bertone design studio, the same designer and studio that designed the Miura. Gandini was then a young, inexperienced designer - not very experienced in the practical, ergonomic aspects of automobile design, but at the same time unhindered by them.

The Countach shape was wide and low (42.1 inches), but not very long (only 163 inches). Its angular and wedge-shaped body was made almost entirely of flat, trapezoidal panels. The 12-cylinder Lamborghini engine provides 5 liters of displacement producing 425 horsepower.

As of 2012, this car has been in the possession of its current owner for 26 years.

Coupe
Chassis number: ZA9000500DLA12616

After World War II, tooling around in a Lamborghini meant driving a tractor. They were no testosterone-fueled supercars or howling V12s. Just farm equipment built by Ferruccio Lamborghini, former air force mechanic turned industrialist. As his fledgling tractor business prospered, Lamborghini's growing wealth permitted him to indulge his passion for fast cars. He owned many, including a few Ferraris. Disillusioned with Ferrari, he decided to beat them at their own game. In 1963, the Lamborghini sports car debuted.

The Countach in all its aggressive, air-ducted, sharp-angled glory stepped onto the world stage at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. This outrageous, exotic supercar was a sensation. For production, the Miura's V12 4V engine was installed longitudinally. A five-speed gearbox was positioned in front of the engine for better balance and the aerodynamically clean, aluminum-skinned Countach could reach 170 mph. And - as one might expect - it came with track-worthy handling to match.

In 1978 larger tires required large fender arches and new suspension and brakes. A rear airfoil became available, making the Countach look even more menacing. Not surprisingly, it was the choice of most customers. But it wasn't until the arrival of the emissions-friendly 5000 S that the Countach came to the States in 1982. Only 321 examples were built. The Countach with its signature flip-up doors, snarling angles, and growling malevolence proudly and unabashedly played the perfect foil as the poster child for 1980s supercars.

Coupe

With a mere 321 examples of the Lamborghini Countach LP5000S produced from 1982-1984 and a total production run of just 2,042 units for the Countachs' entire 16 year run, they are exceptionally rare. With a mid-mounted V12 engine, this 3,263 pound car could easily be propelled to speeds in excess of 160 miles per hour. This example is a European-spec Countach that was imported to the United States in November 1983 by Sports Car Studio of Ormond Beach, Florida.

Most of its pampered early life was spent with a single owner/enthusiast in the Chicago area. Much of that time it was cherished in a long-term climate controlled storage. The result of that long term storage is a highly original, never restored super car that has travelled less than 14,000 kilometers since new.

This Countach LP5000S is a past winner of the Lamborghini class at several prestigious Concours events throughout North America.

Coupe
Chassis number: ZA9C00500ELA12661

The Lamborghini Countach received an enlarged V12 engine in 1982, now displacing 4.8-liters and receiving an improvement in power in the process. The new Countach 5000S also was given cosmetic enhancements, including an optional rear wing and enlarged fender arches that housed wider Ozzeta Electron wheels.

This particular Lamborghini Countach 5000S was given a thorough restoration in 2015. It was acquired new by an owner in Maryland who retained possession through the early 2010s. The Lamborghini was then sold to Canepa Motorsports in Scotts Valley, California, having accrued approximately 48,500 km. In 2013, it was purchased from Canepa by Mr. Jeff Bradford. Mr. Bradford then treated the car to a comprehensive refurbishment which spanned 20 months, including a bare-metal refinish of the body in black, at a cost of nearly $20,000.

The current owner acquired the car in 2016, and he commissioned work costing roughly $20,000, including rebuilding the fuel injectors.

Currently, the car has 49,842 km on its odometer.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe
Chassis number: ZA9C00500ELA12730

This Lamborghini Countach 5000S was special-ordered new by U.S. Lamborghini importer Joe Nastasi of Long Island City, New York. Its 4,754cc dual overhead camshaft V-12 engine with six Weber sidedraft carburetors and backed by a five-speed manual transaxle. There are four-wheel ventilated disc brakes and an independent suspension with coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers. It left the factory finished in an uncommon color combination of Bianco Perlato (Pearl White) over a Rosso (Red) interior with matching Bianco Perlato wheels.

This was Mr. Nastasi's personal car and since it was also to be the New York International Auto Show car, Mr. Nastasi asked Lamborghini to build it with a special feature, the Coda Plexi (Plexiglas Tail). Although there was resistance to adding this feature, Mr. Nastasi was an important client, so they adhered to his request. Coda Plexi referred to the red acrylic panel between the taillights, giving the car a unique look. Another uncommon feature was the straight-through Ansa F1 sport exhaust from new.

Shortly after the Countach was completed, it was flown to John F. Kennedy International Airport and arrived in July of 1984. Mr. Nastasi kept it on display at his dealership and the car was shown at the 1985 New York International Auto Show. The car remained with Mr. Nastasi for 28 years, until 2012 and during that time he drove it sparingly. Currently, it has under 5,900 km on the odometer.

The car's second owner had it sent to Autosport Designs Inc. of Huntington Station, New York, for refreshening, road testing, and cosmetic attention. The work it received totaled over $56,000, including a repaint in its original color, a carburetor rebuild, and the refinishing of the air box assemblies, among other items. IN 2014, it received new tires and wheel reconditioning. The current caretaker acquired the car in 2015.

by Dan Vaughan

The Lamborghini Countach was the predecessor to the very successful Miura, and it wore a body designed by Marcello Gandini at Bertone, with exotic mid-engine layout in a two-door coupe configuration. It featured an attractive, wedge-shaped, and angular body with elegant lines and fitted with modern mechanical components and technology. The engine was mounted longitudinally and replaced the transverse layout of its predecessor. The transmission was now fitted in front of the engine offering excellent weight distribution. Power was sent to the rear wheels through a driveshaft, which ran in its own tunnel in the engine's sump. Top speed was achieved at nearly 200 mph with zero-to-sixty taking under six seconds.

The Countach was first shown to the public at the 1971 Geneva Motorshow. It was dubbed the Countach LP500, for its five-liter powerplant. It was finished in an eye-catching bright sunflower yellow and had small air intake ducts. The production version, though similar in design, was a vast departure from the prototype version. The car customers received did not have the five-liter engine or the monocoque chassis. Instead, a four-liter derivative engine was mounted inside a tubular frame. Though the engine was smaller in displacement size, it was much more reliable and durable. The 5-liter unit had failed initial testing and was destroyed during a high-speed test session. Part of the issue was the car's poor ability to keep the engine cool, which eventually resulted in larger air ducts.

The prototype car was destroyed in a European crash test demonstration. A sad end to a unique vehicle that could only be described as 'priceless' in the modern era.

The Countach had elegant lines that ran from the front to the rear in classic Bertone style. The only things disrupting those lines were the vehicle's cooling vents, which were necessary to provide air to the engine. The doors opened in a scissor-like fashion and added to the ambiance and exotic nature of the vehicle.

Two years after the Geneva Motorshow debut, the production version was ready for the customers. The cars were called the 'Countach LP400', again, in reference to the vehicle's engine displacement size. The car remained in production for two decades; during that time five different versions and iterations of the Countach were offered. By 1982, a suitable five-liter engine had been created and could be found in the vehicle's engine bay; three years later the engine evolved again, being given four-valve heads and increasing horsepower to 455 for the European versions.

The first individual to receive a Countach was an Australian who took possession in 1974. D. Milne was a member of the Australian Defense Force Transport Corps.

This car, along with most of the other cars built by Lamborghini had one purpose: To beat Ferrari. Mr. Ferruccio Lamborghini, a tractor manufacturer, had an argument with Enzo Ferrari. He had bought a Ferrari and had a complaint about the car. When he approached Enzo Ferrari with his comments, Enzo replied that the problem was with the driver and not with the car. He also remarked that Ferruccio was just a tractor maker and did not understand real engineering. The result was a supercar dynasty.

The first series of Countach's were known as the LP400 followed by the LP400S in 1978. The engine was further increased in 1982 to 4.8 liters and the model designation changed to LP500s. The LP500S was Lamborghini's response to Ferrari's 'Boxer' car, the 365 GT4. It was called 'Boxer' because it used a horizontally opposed engine that resembled a boxer boxing. Ferrari's response to the LP500S was the Testarossa. Once again, Lamborghini answered by creating the Quattrovalvole that produced 455 horsepower.

Electric fans and large ducts located behind the door helped with keeping the mid-engine V-12 cool. By placing the engine in the middle, better handling was achieved through better weight distribution. The body was made entirely of alloy except for the fiberglass doors.

Trunk space was limited. Both the front and the rear had minimal compartments for storage.

A rear spoiler was optional and provided extra downforce and stability. It also looked good as well.

In 1991, after twenty years of production, the Countach was laid to rest to make room for the new Diablo. There were 157 examples of the LP400 produced; 237 of the LP400S. 321 of the LP500S were created and 676 examples of the LP500S QV. The 25th Anniversary edition had some of the highest production figures of all the Countach's, second to the LP500S QV, with 650 examples being produced.

by Dan Vaughan