In the pantheon of iconic supercars, few are as instantly recognizable and celebrated as the Lamborghini Countach. With its dramatic wedge shape, scissor doors, and potent V12 engine, the Countach captured the hearts and minds of enthusiasts worldwide. However, one particular variant – the factory fuel-injected 5000S – remains relatively obscure and often misunderstood, even among die-hard Lamborghini aficionados.
Let’s take a deep dive into the fascinating history and technical details of this rare beast and find out why the Factory Fuel Injected Lamborghini Countach 5000S is the most ignored car in the Lamborghini lineup ever.
The Ingenuity of Jas Rarwala and How He Ended Up Collaborating with AMG Westmont
The story of the factory 5000S begins with Jas Rarwala, an enterprising Indian Sikh who, along with his partner Trevor Thomas, specialized in importing and modifying European exotics for the U.S. market in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At the time, the Countach was not officially sold in America due to stringent emissions and safety regulations.
Rarwala and Thomas developed a system to convert the Countach to meet EPA and DOT standards, which involved adding side marker lights, special bumpers, and crucially, replacing the carburetors with a custom fuel injection setup using Bosch components. This allowed them to bring the Countach to the U.S. through the “gray market.”
To help establish Lamborghini as an official presence in America, Rarwala partnered with Richard Buxbaum of AMG Westmont in Chicago. Buxbaum used his connections to arrange meetings with Lamborghini on Rarwala’s behalf, as there were concerns that the Italian automaker might be hesitant to appoint an Indian Sikh as their U.S. distributor.
The Birth of the Factory Fuel Injected Lamborghini Countach 5000S
Impressed by the effectiveness of Rarwala’s fuel injection system, Lamborghini decided to produce their own factory version of the Countach 5000S specifically for the American market. These cars, built in 1984 for the 1985 model year, incorporated Rarwala’s designs including the integrated bumpers, side marker lights, and Bosch fuel injection.
According to factory records, only 19 of these genuine fuel injected 5000S models were ever made, identifiable by their unique “FL” VIN prefix. This makes them one of the rarest and most obscure Countach variants.
Technical Details and Differences Of The Factory Fuel Injected Lamborghini Countach 5000S With The Standard carburetted Countach
The factory fuel injected Lamborghini Countach 5000S featured several unique details that set it apart from other Countach models:
- Early cars had the front bumper lights integrated into cutouts in the bumper, while later examples moved the lights to the bottom of a revised bumper.
- A special U.S.-spec rear bumper cover that bolted over the standard rear bumper
- All the 19 Cars made featured a factory emissions compliance sticker
- The Bosch fuel injection intake manifold, as shown in the official Lamborghini parts manual: The inclusion of the Bosch fuel injection intake manifold in the official Lamborghini parts manual is significant, as it confirms that this was a factory-designed and approved component specific to the 5000S model. The parts manual illustration serves as a key piece of evidence distinguishing the factory fuel injected cars from aftermarket conversions
- And a specific U.S. side marker lights
Mechanically, the fuel-injected Lamborghini Countach 5000S was quite different from the carbureted 5000S. The switch to fuel injection required changes to the intake system, including a new plenum. However, the basic 5.2L V12 engine architecture remained the same.
Driving Impressions and Reliability
Despite the common perception that the factory 5000S is less desirable than other Countach models, those who have experience with these cars argue that they are actually the most reliable and usable of the breed. The featured car in this video, with over 70,000 km on the odometer, is a testament to the durability of the fuel injected setup.
The narrator’s father, who serviced many of these cars in the period, contends that the factory 5000S could be driven all day without issue and were better in traffic than the finicky carbureted models. The tight, responsive nature of the featured car’s engine seems to support this claim.
Our Take
The factory fuel-injected Lamborghini Countach 5000S may be a little-known footnote in the model’s history, but it represents a fascinating chapter in the quest to bring the iconic supercar to the U.S. market. Born from the ingenuity of Jas Rarwala and the collaboration between AMG Westmont and Lamborghini, these rare machines offer a tantalizing blend of performance, rarity, and historical significance.
While often overshadowed by more common Countach variants, the 5000S is a true connoisseur’s choice – a misunderstood masterpiece that deserves greater recognition among knowledgeable enthusiasts. As more collectors come to appreciate the unique qualities of these factory fuel-injected cars, perhaps the 5000S will finally take its place as one of the most compelling and desirable Countachs of all.
