And the first cars of the 112 units Lamborghini will be building for this Countach LPI 800-4 to arrive in the United States happen to coïncide with the 2022 Monterey Car Week celebration, at the famed Lamborghini Lounge Monterey at Pebble Beach, California, the United States, the first two clients that ordered this innovative Lamborghini Countach could finally admire their own car, after meticulously configuring their bespoke Bull, probably with the help of the Ad Personam studio, and perhaps even some input from Mitja Borkert, Head of Design, himself, these two initial deliveries to US customers come is a very classic, almost understated but very luxurious looking color combination.

The ceremony during which none other than Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automobili Lamborghini, handed over the keys of these two masterpieces to their respective owners wasn’t open to the general public, this was very much a VIP-only event where these two cars were revealed, inspired by the past and engineered for the future, the Countach LPI 800-4 celebrates the visionary design that revolutionized modern sports cars forever, and while there will be 112 units in total worldwide, these two Countach are the only ones to carry their exterior color in North America, Luci Del Bosco, and Bronzo Zante.

“As we initiate the first deliveries of the Countach in the U.S. to our valued customers, it is an honor to present these masterpieces to their owners at the Lamborghini Lounge Monterey. The Countach has inspired the Lamborghini design DNA for decades and it was only fitting that we delivered the new Countach LPI 800-4 during the world-renowned Monterey Car Week celebrating automotive excellence,” remarked Stephan Winkelmann.  “It is always very special for me to experience the excitement and emotion a customer senses when seeing their Lamborghini for the first time.”

The light shade interior works really well with these classic exterior shades on the new Countach, add the silver wheels and black calipers and you get a very nice looking overall look and feel for a car that can deliver 814 hp in total (780 from the V12 ICE engine and an additional 34 hp from the electric motor developed for the Sián) to all four wheels, and this accounts from some staggering acceleration figures like 2.8 seconds to reach 100 km/h from a standstill, 200 km/h takes just 8.6 seconds … that’s a time most cars take to reach 100 km/h … and let’s not forget the top speed of 355 km/h either.

Let’s just enjoy some more photos of these two initial US-delivered Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4:

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The qualifying sessions are open from August 1 to 7 and August 22 to 28, between 8 am and 11:59 pm, during which you have to compete in single game mode trying to set the best lap time, the top achievers will subsequently compete in the Grand Finals, during which double elimination races are held, the winners will participate in the iOS Final, which will be a live stream on Lamborghini’s own social media channels.

Asphalt 9: Legends has been downloaded over a billion times already during the entire Asphalt franchise, today this is one of the most successful simulation games ever, and this might be due to the fact you are able to drive the world’s most exclusive supercars and hypercars, and the new Countach LPI 800-4 surely isn’t the first Lamborghini in the game, you’ve been able to get behind the wheel of such beauties as the all-electric Terzo Millennio, the Huracán EVO Spyder, and the brutal, track-only Essenza SCV12.

“Asphalt 9: Legends is a one-of-a-kind interactive experience,” commented Christian Mastro, Automobili Lamborghini Marketing Director, “that will give thousands of fans the opportunity to discover our hybrid supercar. The Countach LPI 800-4 is the heir to a legendary car, capable of revolutionizing the world of super sports cars and building a fundamental part of Lamborghini’s genetic heritage.”

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Whichever is the case, it is strange to suddenly see several videos come live on YouTube on the same day, and all of them feature the same Bianco Siderale over Rosso Countach LPI 800-4, the car Lamborghini unveiled nearly a year ago during Monterey Car Week in August 2021, so it’s clear these videos have been recorded over a longer period of time by their authors, subsequently edited them, and published them today … probably with the aproval of Automobili Lamborghini SpA.

So you’ve been able to see the Top Gear video in our previous article, let’s get on with some of the other videos published earlier today …

From AutoTrader:

From Supercar Blondie:

From Automoto.it :

From Quattroruote :

From Motor1 Italia:

Countach ownership made special, a video from StarCarSifu :

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By the time we finally got to see this homage to the Countach prototype of the Seventies, all of the 112 units were already sold, at an MSRP well above $2,000,000, and while you might think that will be an ‘all-in’ price, think again, there are still multiple options available that will increase this bonkers price tag even further, but somehow, I don’t think any of the 112 customers that signed the order form worried about adding a few more personal touches.

Check out the amazing video below:

It seems that buying a multi-million dollar, limited-production car from Lamborghini does come with a few additional perks, while you are waiting for your bespoke Countach to arrive, deliveries started in April 2022, you’ll receive one of 112 numbered replicas of an exclusive painting created, as per tradition, by Mateusz Wowk, exterior designer and artist at Lamborghini’s Centro Stile, led by the Head of Design, Mitja Borkert, and you even receive a personal letter from none other than Stephan Winkelmann congratulation you on acquiring the latest masterpiece made in Sant’Agata.

My guess is, that by the time you are reading this, all of the 112 units of the Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 have been built, and Linea Aventador inside the famous Sant’Agata factory is being converted to build the first run of ‘pre-production’ units for the successor, the next-generation V12 flagship, that will be a hybrid, and could be named Revuelto … only the future will tell…

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Francesco Scardaoni, Regional Director for Automobili Lamborghini in Asia Pacific said: “We are excited to present the Countach LPI 800-4 along with the 1989 Countach 25^th Anniversary to our media friends in Japan. The Countach has been one of the most popular Lamborghini models ever since it was first introduced to the world five decades ago. As we begin the first deliveries of the Countach LPI 800-4 to our discerning owners in Japan, we can expect that the Countach will continue to turn many heads when it is on the Japanese roads as it has been for the past fifty years.”

If we take a look at the photos added to the official press release for this unveil in Japan, I do notice the red on tan Lamborghini Countach next to the new 814hp, 355 km/h top speed lady, but that doesn’t look like a 25th Anniversary edition, but at most a Quattrovalvole, still seeing this Rosso on Bianco 2022 version next to a Rosso on Tan classic from the Eighties, both rolling on gold finished wheels, it just matches, and yes, the 2022 doesn’t have wide wheel arches nor a tall rear wing, but you can still recognize the family resemblance nonetheless.

From the press release:

The Countach: beloved in Japan and starring in Manga

It is not just a question of sales figures but of emotional and cultural impact. Japan has always been friendly territory for the Countach, with a host of enthusiasts ready to celebrate it and make it the protagonist of some famous Manga series.

Manga comics were first produced as early as the 18^th century, but it was from the beginning of the 20^th century that they began to be widely disseminated, and from the mid-1950s became one of Japan’s most important publishing products. Characterized by being in black and white and having a rather simple finish, they are still read today by people of all age groups.

The presence of the Countach in Manga comics dates back to the ’70s when it captivated the Japanese public with its futuristic shapes, angular forms, scissor doors, power, and performance. This affection led to the publication and success of the Manga named “Countach” published in 28 volumes starting in 2004 by the Shueisha publishing house and drawn by Haruto Umezawa. The story’s main character, Sorayama Shun, dreamt since childhood of becoming a racing driver and owning a Countach LP 400 in the future. Twenty-five years later, thanks to his efforts to see his wish come true, and with a bit of luck, he manages to get his own Countach, which ends up being the protagonist of various adventures and racing challenges. It is a coveted series, now sought after by enthusiasts all over the world, and quite rare to find complete.

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This isn’t his first Lamborghini creation we’ve featured here, he’s also the author of the very controversial Countach Speedster, inspired by Lamborghini’s own one-off, the SC20, he cut away the windshield on a classic Countach, and that stroked many owners and enthusiasts the wrong way, but let’s face it, this is just digital work, it’s not like he took a rare Countach and attacked it with a cutter … somehow I think this green render we’re showing here will go down a lot smoother, this is something viable, a retro style for the new Countach hybrid.

If we compare this bright metallic green Countach render to the original Bianco Siderale car Lamborghini unveiled in August, you can clearly distinguish a lot has been modified by Jon Sibal, but he does state all of these are just add-ons, they can be added to the real car, let’s just wait and see if an owner of one of the 112 units Lamborghini will be building on the Countach LPI 800-4 can be convinced to ‘modify’ his (or her) expensive homage from Sant’Agata.

One of the most obvious changes Sibal did is also the most talked-about one, a rear wing, and wide fenders, and personally, I do understand why Lamborghini didn’t feature these on their 2021 Countach recreation, this ‘homage’ model was meant to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the legendary Lamborghini Countach, hence we are talking about the 1971 prototype, not the later S versions, and that bright yellow Geneva Show car didn’t have any wide fenders nor a massive rear wing.

Still, a large number of comments about this 2022 Countach were about those, many people really had the later S or Quattrovalvole editions of the Countach in mind when they heard about Lamborghini doing an homage to the famous Countach, so Sibal added the wide wheel arches to the clean body lines of the new car, but he did integrate them nicely with the new design, not just copying the original ones from the Eighties, but really taking them into the 21st century for his Retro Conversion Package.

One thing many commented about was that large, black side intake, a necessity for the massive 6.5-Liter V12 engine in the rear that needs a lot of cool air to keep going, and no, it isn’t the NACA duct seen on the classic Countach, but again, the 1971 prototype didn’t have any side intake either, that was only added by 1974 on the production Countach LP400, so it’s nice to see Jon Sibal stood his ground on this and kept the black carbon fiber intake on the doors and rear fender.

I especially like the new front Sibal designed for this retro package, it clearly shows a lot more design influence from the classic Countach, with the small intakes at either side of the ‘bumper’, but also with the headlights mounted lower on the front fenders, the renders show some kind of flap above them, but that could just be cosmetic as real popup headlights are all but illegal these days, they would look cool but might pose an issue to keep the car street legal globally.

Just to be clear, I’m a real fan of the wheels he designed for this render, they are clearly inspired by the famous ‘telephone dial’ wheels found on the later Countach S and QV, and yes, I know the ’71 prototype didn’t have these, but you can’t fit narrow wheels on a supercar in 2022, so this would be a viable alternative for a modern-day Countach recreation, and I absolutely love the design on these.

And that leaves the rear wing to be discussed, and while I still think a 50th Anniversary Countach doesn’t need it, this one looks stunning, unlike many other digital artists that just fitted the classic, straight and angular Countach wing from the Eighties onto this new 2022 edition, Sibal did things differently. It is still clearly inspired by the classic rear wing Walter Wolf himself introduced onto the Countach, but it is ever so slightly redesigned to flow better with this new Countach, from the rear it is still a straight line, but from the front the wing ‘dips’ in the center to contour the engine cover, also the struts are more contemporary … this rear wing looks great.

Now I highly doubt we’ll be seeing any of the 112 Countach LPI 800-4 being modified in any other way than perhaps a change of wheels, but isn’t it nice to dream and create these ‘what if?’ renders of the cars we love and admire, despite all the controversy online after the unveiling at Monterey Car Week in 2021, all of the 112 units of this $2,000,000+ limited edition homage were sold out before most of us even saw the final car.

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In the end, less than 2,000 units were made between 1974 and 1990, one of the longest production runs for a single model ever, but it was the Countach that left a mark in the life of an entire generation, and the generation after that, the Miura is a legend, but the Countach is a star, especially in the Eighties when wide wheel arches, deeply concaved wheels, and that famous rear wing made their intro … countless bedroom walls were adorned with a Lamborghini Countach, sometimes combined with scarcely dressed women, this truly was the beauty and the beast.

Flashback to 1971 …

The 1971 Lamborghini Countach concept car, or the LP500, was unique, and very different from the LP400 production car that was available from 1974 on, the general design was still there, as where those famous upward-opening doors, but along the way of development almost everything else was changed to make the Countach ready for production.

The prototype came with an experimental 5-Liter V12 engine that proved too difficult to make reliable at the time, so they switched to a modified 4-Liter Espada engine instead, a well-tested and relatively reliable V12 at that time, but it needed more cooling than that sensual aluminum body to deliver, so we got the famous NACA ducts in the doors and those box-style air intakes behind the side windows, talking about side windows, on the Countach these were almost flat, but not quite, and that made using that small section in the lower corner difficult to install, the production model would get a three-part side window treatment that blocked outward visibility if you happened to be the wrong height.

On the inside things changed considerably too during the three-year development run, the prototype had a single-spoke steering wheel in front of a very futuristic looking dashboard, to the left was an attempt at a ‘computer check’ installed that showed a diagram of the Countach seen from the top with lights that would come on in case of a problem, but deep inside the binnacle was still an analog speedometer, with the configuration of the gearbox being in front of the engine, between the two seats, the gearshift lever poked up for the driver to operate, one thing that did remain initially was the ‘periscope’, the Countach LP500 and later the LP400 production models had a rearview mirror fitted at the top of the windshield, but it didn’t show a view through the tiny rear window, instead it ‘peeked’ through a tunnel embossed in the roof … for better visibility.

If you happen to see an original Lamborghini Countach LP400 today, don’t be disappointed by her size, compared to current cars, the Countach was small with an overall length of just 4010 mm (157.59 in) and a wheelbase of 2450 mm (96.29 in) while the roof was only 1070 mm (42.05 in) high, still the 440 hp 5-Liter engine from the Countach prototype would be able to reach a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) … in 1971! When the Countach went into production in 1974, despite the engine going from a bore and stroke of 85×73 mm to 82 x 62 mm and a drop in horsepower to ‘only’ 375 hp, the listed top speed was 316 km/h.

The biggest change from the Lamborghini Countach LP500 from 1971 to the Countach LP400 production version in 1974 was both the chassis and the bodywork, the original prototype was built by Marchesi on a steel floor-plate with a cradle in square-section steel while the entire body was made from steel panels, reports show the prototype put 1130 kg (2492 lbs) on the scales. By 1974, when the Countach LP400 was introduced, Lamborghini switched to a 40 mm round steel tubular spaceframe built by Marchesi hiding underneath an all-aluminum body … saving a lot of weight to end up at 1065 kg (2348 lbs), which partly explains the higher top speed of the production car.

By 1978, when the Countach LP400 S was introduced with her large wheel arch extensions, wild rear wing, and massive rear wheels, Automobili Lamborghini SpA managed to sell 157 units of the ‘narrow body’ Countach LP400, just keep in mind not all of those still remain, and several were converted by their owner into S-specs after they saw the wild LP400 S … ironically some of those have later been converted back into their original narrow configuration as the LP400 has become the most valuable model in the series, which went from LP400 to LP400S in 1978, then to LP500S in 1982, after that, the Quattrovalvole came around by 1985 to be succeeded by the 25th Anniversary edition in 1988.

Back to the Present Day …

Fast forward to 2021, five decades after the Countach LP500 was unleashed into the automotive world, and while Automobili Lamborghini SpA has always been proud of the fact they focus on the future, sometimes you just have to look back into your own history and celebrate a milestone that proved to be extremely important for the company, the Miura might be universally considered as the first supercar in the world, but I don’t think anyone can argue with the fact that the Countach changed the automotive world forever, so it seemed like a great idea at one of their marketing meetings to pay homage to the Countach, 50 years later.

So the concept of a Lamborghini Countach homage came to fruition, a limited edition supercar made specifically to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of one of the most important Lamborghini cars ever made, the car that introduced upward-opening doors into production, often imitated after that on lesser cars, but Lamborghini holds first place forever, even 50 years later this is still a trademark for the V12 flagship models from Sant’Agata, and while inspired by the Carabo, it was the Countach to put them on a car sold to the public, but let’s get back to the Ommagio now.

The Contemporary Countach

Over the last 50 years a lot has changed in the automotive world, the Countach might have suffered from an oil crisis in her days, but by 2021 those pop-up headlights became a big no-no for safety reasons, so the new car just couldn’t implement those anymore, and that was just the first hurdle to take, the 2021 Countach Ommagio had to be street-legal worldwide, and there was only one way to achieve that on a reasonable budget … use the current Aventador as a base, as long as you keep the chassis and basic measurements, you can install different body panels all you like, it will still be legal and won’t have to endure a new crash test … and to be honest, that really restricted things for the designers in Sant’Agata.

So now we are stuck with a chassis that comes with a wheelbase of 2, 700 mm (106.11 in) compared to the 2,450 mm (96.29 in) on the 1971 prototype, but more importantly the 2021 edition comes with a length of 4,870 mm (191.73 in) against the 4010 mm (157.59 in) of the LP500, that’s 860mm longer due to much larger overhangs both to the front and to the rear, so the overall balance of the side profile can’t be compared between the two because of the Aventador base constraints … and things get even worse from a front or rearview, the 2021 car has massive width of 2,265 mm (89.17 in) with the mirrors compared to the slim width of 1,870 mm (73.49 in) of the prototype that came with small ‘ball’ mirrors on top of the front fenders.

So let’s get this ‘elephant in the room’ out of the way right from the start, there is no way the design studio at Lamborghini would be able to use the Aventador chassis and rolling components and create a lookalike of the 1971 Countach LP500, not even a ‘resto-mod’ version, it just wasn’t possible within the limits they had to work with, so the 2021 Countach homage edition would take inspiration from the original, 50-year-old prototype and convert that design into the 21st-century evolution we saw being unveiled at the 2021 Monterey Car Week.

The Official Unveil During Monterey Car Week

I am sure most of you have read the comments on social media that were posted after the unveiling, or even after seeing the teasers Lamborghini published in the week and days before the official press release became available … not all of them were positive, to say the least, some were really hitting hard on Lamborghini for bringing back the legendary Countach name on a car that is so different from that earthshattering 1971 prototype, for many purists, Lamborghini just committed a capital crime by calling this 2021 limited edition the Countach LPI 800-4.

So what is really going on with the new 2021 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4? There will be only 112 units made in total, as an homage to the LP112 internal codename of the Seventies supercar, and while the new car received a lot of mixed comments, that didn’t keep 112 wealthy individuals to put their name on the order list … the new Countach was completely sold out before she was even shown to the public, so she isn’t that bad … or is she.

Countach vs Countach, 50 years apart

Let’s take a look at the basics first, based on the Aventador Ultimae chassis, drivetrain, and engine, the Countach LPI 800-4 comes with 780 hp from the NA V12 engine, but Lamborghini installed the supercapacitor and electric engine from the Sián onto the new Countach too, adding 34 more horsepower into the mix for a total of 814 … but LP814 doesn’t flow off the tongue easily, so they went with LP800, and because it’s a hybrid now they added the ‘I’ for Ibrido to the LP designation for LPI 800 and the -4 comes in as this car is all-wheel drive as all V12 models today.

Wheels are massive 20 and 21-inch units compared to the original that had to make do with only 14 inch, 7 inch wide at the front and a measly 9 inch for the rear with narrow Pirelli tires that weren’t up to the task, on the contrary, the new Countach rolls down the street on 9 inch wide front wheels and monstrous 13 inch wide rear wheels, shod with 255/30 ZR20 and 355/25 ZR21 respectively, still made by Pirelli but now the new P Zero Corsa rubber, as we already mentioned, things have changed considerably over the last 50 years.

So comparing the specifications between 1971 and 2021 is useless, every car makes has evolved, and you can’t really compare both cars in that area anymore, not from Lamborghini, nor from any other supercar builder, but how about design then, if you would design an homage car does it have to be a modern version of the original, retaining the exact same look but brought into the future and within the current laws and regulations … or would you opt to create a new car that shows a resemblance to the original, but is still different, more up to date?

The View From Outside …

This is where opinions vary, some were expecting an exact replica of the original car, others wanted a new car, but one that still looked very close to the original, while the Lamborghini designers took a different route … creating a new car that was inspired by the legendary classic from 1971, but has little to no elements taken directly from the 1971 prototype Countach, while they still revived the name some 31 years after the last Countach was built (in 1990, the silver 25th Anniversary on display at the factory museum).

But let’s take a more in-depth look at the design of this 2021 Countach, starting from the front, the LPI 800-4 had to comply with current regulations, and that just about puts pop-up headlights into an illegal feature, so those typical Countach dual round ‘pods’ that open when in use just couldn’t be resurrected, instead Lamborghini opted for modern LED light units on the fenders in a somewhat similar location … a little bit too high up, but that also might be due to legislation, so I’m not going to complain about their position, on the other hand, the design of the front hood does remind us of the original Countach, as does the script in the air intake, so there are a few links to the design from the Seventies to be found from this angle.

So the front would be somewhat acceptable as a modern interpretation of the 1971 Countach, personally, I think Lamborghini could have done some sliding cover over the exposed headlights, imagine a color-coded shell over these that slides up when the headlights have to be used, that would make the front look even more like the original, while it would be completely legal without pop-up pods with their intricate motors and additional weight, just my 2ct.

For me the bigger compromises had to be made at the rear of the new 2021 Countach because we have a massive 6.5-Liter V12 between the rear wheels, it needs cooling, which means cool air to go into the engine bay, and hot air to exit the ‘oven’ which implied cutting large air vents on the upward flowing body section behind the wide rear tires, they do interrupt the clean lines in that area of the original Countach.

But the compromises didn’t stop there, while the overall design of the taillight pods does look like the very recognizable trapezoidal units found on the Countach prototype, apparently, it was too difficult for Lamborghini to actually mimic the unique design of the prototype’s taillights and instead just used the Sián taillights … shouldn’t a car that commemorates the legendary Countach, that meant so much for Lamborghini during her 15 years of production, be eligible for some bespoke taillights … perhaps it was a problem to make them legal, I don’t know, but it would have been so much better looking, now the Countach LPI 800-4 is almost nothing more than a redressed Sián, and I’m sure that was not the intention.

Now we come to the most complained about controversy found on the new 2021 Countach … the side profile with that massive, clear carbon fiber air intake … which you have to admit is a necessity on this modern interpretation, that massive V12 needs cool air and having a large intake cut into the door and the rear fender is the only way … or is it? Think about this one for a second: didn’t the Sián have those heat-sensitive flaps at the rear that opened up without using any motors? Yes, it did, wouldn’t something like that be possible to use on the side of this new Countach … how about a set of louvers that were flush with the bodywork when standing still, but open up like fins when driving and supplying air into the engine bay, that would make the side profile of this 2021 edition look as smooth as the 1971 prototype, but still be functional as an air intake when required, we’ve seen something like that being used on the Countach Restyling Prototype back in the Eighties.

I know many complaints about the new 2021 Countach were about that typical NACA duct on the side of the older Countach, but this limited edition LPI 800-4 is meant to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Lamborghini Countach, and that’s the 1971 prototype, which didn’t have a NACA duct on the side when presented to the public, so why would an homage need it then … if you look closely at the side you will notice the fins behind the side window, that design element was taken directly from the 1971 prototype, and I for one love it, and while some want to see it in black so it visually extends and lowers the car, they were yellow on the original car, so keep them color-coded to the body on this homage too.

While we’re still looking at the 2021 Countach from the side, let’s discuss those wheels, according to the official press release these are inspired by the famous ‘telephone dial’ units found on the classic Lamborghini Countach, and I love those deeply concaved 15-inch wheels, in fact, I prefer them over the later 25th Anniversary units, but that’s not the point I want to make here … Lamborghini is celebrating the 1971 Countach, the prototype that came with those tiny 14-inch wheels, so why use wheels inspired by a Countach model that didn’t arrive until 1978, that doesn’t make sense to me, they should have made a modern version of those small 14-inch flat units with the rectangular openings, not suddenly jump ahead 7 years into the evolution of the Countach for inspiration on the wheels.

When you take a look from the top you will notice some really interesting design clues from the classic Countach on this 2021 edition, the design of the ‘periscope’ from the original car for instance, and while it isn’t a functional rearview mirror tunnel anymore, the design is there with the glass panel, while the vents on the engine cover are somewhat taken into present-day with those glass louvers, which honestly remind me of those on the Murciélago Super Veloce, what I absolutely love on the new car are those small vents next to the glass louvers on the engine cover, just behind the roof, those were used on the Miura, and on the Countach production version too, so I love that small detail they incorporated into this Countach homage, I doubt they were necessary, but they look the part.

One more controversy was stirred up when people started complaining about the lack of a rear wing, while that large rear aerofoil is so typical on many classic Lamborghini Countach, ever since Walter Wolf insisted the factory installed it on his custom-built Countach Speciale models, but once again I bring up the point this is an homage to the ’71 prototype, which didn’t have a rear wing either, it would be 7 years later before that wing would be available, so why insist on having one on the 2021 homage edition? Do note that the Countach LPI 800-4 does come with an adjustable rear wing, it’s flush on all the press photos, but the specifications do state the car comes with a rear wing that can be raised in three different positions … so for all those asking about a rear wing, there is one, it’s just not as intrusive as the 1978 unit found on the Countach S evolution.

Looking inside …

While we are complaining about the new car … open the driver’s door … yes, it still opens upward, at least that trademark feature is still there, but then disappointment sets in. The interior is just so ‘Aventador’ it hurts, sure there are a few bespoke 3D-printer air vents and a large touchscreen for the infotainment, but that’s about it … on a $2,000,000+ limited edition homage! The seats show bespoke stitching, but they are still the normal Aventador S units, and the comfort seats too, it seems you can’t even opt for the carbon fiber lightweight sport seats we saw inside the Sián, which really is a pity.

Sadly that has been a trend on every few-off lately, the Veneno was introduced with very special seats, almost identical to the ones seen in the Aventador J, but the three customer cars came with normal Aventador comfort seats as it seemed those special seats weren’t street-legal … still, one owner convinced Lamborghini to sell him a pair of the special seats as seen in Geneva. But in the Centenario we got more of the same, the entire dashboard was more or less identical to a basic Aventador, the same with the Sián … carbon fiber seats and a bespoke central console, but the dashboard was taken straight from the Aventador with some different touches.

Just imagine Lamborghini would have made a bespoke dashboard for the 2021 Countach LPI 800-4, still with displays, but showing analog dials as seen in the 1971 car, the steering wheel would most likely be kept for security and certification, but wouldn’t it be possible for Lamborghini to recreate a modern version of those traditional Countach seats, some call a ‘Banana’, but I think that would have made such a difference in the overall perception of this 2021 homage.

For me personally the biggest mistake Lamborghini made with the 2021 Countach was the shade, sure that Bianco Siderale looks amazing with the red leather interior, but the 1971 Countach prototype was finished in yellow with an all-black interior. The press release states they went for white to commemorate the white Countach S Ferruccio Lamborghini owned at one time, but that’s an S, and it had a dark, probably black, interior too, so why go for red? I would have finished the 2021 show car in a bespoke shade called Giallo Countach and fit a black leather interior to really celebrate the 50-year-old prototype, now that would be an homage in my eyes. And to make things worse, Mitja did his initial design drawings in yellow as seen above, so I think the idea was to release the 2021 Countach in yellow … so who made the decision white would be a better choice?

Conclusion

Bottom line is that the Countach changed the automotive world … this car became more than an icon or a work of art, a Lamborghini Countach is special, but on a whole different level, it might not be perfect, or necessarily beautiful … but it’s a Countach, and that says it all … Countach! And that is probably one of the main reasons for all the bad comments, the Countach has been made larger than life over the years, the car sits on a pedestal, and both owners and enthusiasts of the Countach are mainly old-school customers, they know the history of Lamborghini, they know what the Countach stood for in the Seventies and Eighties, and they are proud of their car.

My fear is that only a handful of the 112 units of this new 2021 Countach LPI 800-4 will end up with passionate Lamborghini connaisseurs, but instead be bought as an investment to be shown in their garage, I don’t know if Lamborghini made this car available to first-time owners, but if they did, that would have been a mistake.

The post Comparing the Classic Countach Against its Contemporary appeared first on LamboCars.

Lamborghini didn’t deliver on that idea … but we can with our Virtual Car Configurator, how about a version to commemorate the original Walter Wolf bespoke Countach:

Or a more flashy version with a modern version of the rear wing on 25th Anniversary style, center-lock wheels, complete with side sills inspired by the same celebration model from 1988:

And while we were creating the graphics, we even added those famous 25th Anniversary wheels with a gold center-part, just because we can:

Let’s not forget you can configure the interior in almost countless different ways, this is just one sample:

So head over to our Virtual Car Configurator and design your very own dream car now …

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But that shouldn’t keep you from dreaming about how you would put together this 50th-anniversary homage to the legendary Countach, and because we are talking about a celebration model for one of the most legendary Lamborghini ever, I also included some rather special options.

How about a set of center-lock wheels inspired by the Countach from the Eighties? Or that massive rear wing that became so popular on the Countach S, the car didn’t need it for downforce, and it would even slow down the car’s top speed because of the added drag … but it looked cool nonetheless.

We ended up with a choice of no less than 121 different exterior paints, that can be combined with 28 different interior colors, and that doesn’t even cover the number of custom options like color-coded brake calipers, custom wheels, color-coded door intake, and even the fin on the side can be finished in the same color as the body.

Do you prefer a two-tone exterior? No problem, you can choose from different colors for the bottom side of the car, or go for a contrasting shade on the roof, even a clear carbon fiber option is available, as are numerous decals and stripes for the exterior, either the classic Countach script, or the famous 63 digits.

And then you get to personalize the interior, choosing from 28 different shades for the leather might be difficult, but we made it even more interesting with the option to change just about any panel on the inside individually, including the stitching on those patterns, you can go really wild, or keep it classic, whichever you prefer.

I’m sure you’ll be able to spend countless hours getting every little detail right on your virtual Countach LPI 800-4, so enjoy and get over to our Virtual Car Configurator and select the car of your dreams to put together …

Some more samples:

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I have gathered some interesting videos for you on this new limited edition model, first of all, the actual ‘unveiling’ video from Lamborghini:

If you are interested in how they went from the 1971 Countach prototype to this 2021 evolution, check out this video:

Or as Automobili Lamborghini SpA puts it: “Reinvented for a new era: discover the super sporty icon and let yourself be captivated by visionary design and futuristic technology.”

There are a lot of other, independent videos online already, but I wanted to showcase these three official ones first … together with some photos of the unveiling at The Quail:

The post Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 – Videos appeared first on LamboCars.

But that’s just some coloring in PhotoShop, so here goes …

Giallo Countach on a Nero Ade interior:

Or how about the Verde Medio over a Terra Emilia interior, like the production prototype in the museum?

I bet many Lamborghini Countach from the Eighties you’ve seen were finished in red over tan:

A black on white leather Lamborghini always looks good anyway:

Some classic Countach were finished in Blu Tahiti, so a nice shade of blue on a red interior still works today:

I rather like a classic, simple shade like Grigio Telesto too, especially with some orange details:

Just imagine having your Countach LPI 800-4 finished in a clear carbon fiber body:

On the Sian you could even order a gradient paint finish, like this exposed carbon fiber to Giallo Orion:

I’m sure the sky is the limit, and clients will get the help of the Ad Personam studio when configuring their brand new Countach LPI 800-4 … one of 112 units.

The post The new Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 – shades appeared first on LamboCars.

The post Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 – Pictures & Gallery appeared first on LamboCars.

• TYPE: V12, 60°, MPI (Multi Point Injection)
  
• DISPLACEMENT: 6,498 cc (396.5 cu. in)
• BORE X STROKE: 95 mm x 76.4 mm (3.74 in. x 3 in.)
• VALVE PER CYLINDER: 4
• VALVE GEAR: Variable valve timing electronically controlled
• COMPRESSION RATIO: 11.8 +/- 0.2
  
• MAX. POWER: 780 CV (574 kW) @ 8.500 rpm
• SPECIFIC POWER OUTPUT: 120 CV/l (88.3 kW/l)
• MAX. TORQUE: 720 Nm (531 lb.-ft.) @ 6.750 rpm
• MAXIMUM ENGINE SPEED: 8,700 rpm
• LUBRIFICATION: Dry sump
• EMISSION CLASS: EURO 6 – LEV 3
• EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM: Catalytic converters with lambda sensors
• COOLING SYSTEM: Water and oil cross-flow cooling system with variable air inlets
• ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Lamborghini Iniezione Elettronica (LIE) with Ion current analysis

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Our legacy to the future

• A celebration of the Countach’s 50th anniversary, the Countach LPI 800-4 is unveiled at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, USA
• A visionary, futuristic ‘few off’ produced in 112 units
• Exemplifying the Countach’s legendary design and engineering preeminence in a pure and novel interpretation
• Visionary design meets future technology: V12 hybrid engine with 48 v e-motor and supercapacitor technology delivering 780 cv from thermal unit and 34 cv from electric one

Sant’Agata Bolognese/Pebble Beach USA, 13 August 2021 – Automobili Lamborghini unveils the Countach LPI 800-4: a futuristic limited edition paying homage to the Countach’s iconic status as a revolutionary design and technology rule-breaker and recreated for the 21st century.

Its puristic lines are immediately recognizable from the Countach legacy: the patriarch of modern super sports cars and Lamborghini design. With its aspirated V12 engine combined with Lamborghini’s hybrid supercapacitor technology, the Countach LPI 800-4 retains the inimitable V12 experience and sound from its Longitudinale Posteriore (LP) mounted powerplant combined with the hybrid (I) technology developed for the Sián. Delivering 814 cv as maximum combined power (rounded at 800 in the name) from its aspirated powerplant (780 cv) and electric motor (34 cv) to its permanent four-wheel drive transmission, the LPI 800-4 produces peak Lamborghini performance of 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 2.8 seconds, a 0-200 km/h in 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 355 km/h.

The Countach LPI 800-4 is a visionary car of the moment, just as its forerunner was,” says Automobili Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann. “One of the most important automotive icons, the Countach not only embodies the design and engineering tenet of Lamborghini but represents our philosophy of reinventing boundaries, achieving the unexpected and extraordinary and, most importantly, being the ‘stuff of dreams’. The Countach LPI 800-4 pays homage to this Lamborghini legacy but it is not retrospective: it imagines how the iconic Countach of the 70s and 80s might have evolved into an elite super sports model of this decade. It upholds the Lamborghini tradition of looking forward, of exploring new design and technology avenues while celebrating the DNA of our brand. It is a Lamborghini that innately expresses the marque’s enduring and emotive power: always inspirational and thrilling to see, hear and most of all drive.”

Countach – the patriarch of modern super sports car design

The Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 is instantly recognizable as the elevated descendant of Countach generations: testament to the lasting impact of the original Countach design that became the poster car of the 1980s and a symbol of automotive and lifestyle ultra-cool. The Countach moniker – a fitting expression of surprise and wonder in Piedmontese dialect and pronounced ‘Coon-tach’ – is one of very few Lamborghini model names not connected to bulls.

“The first Countach has been present in our Centro Stile as a model for some years now”, explains Mitja Borkert, Head of Centro Stile. „Whenever I look at it, it gives me goose bumps and it serves as the perfect reminder for me and the entire design team to design every future Lamborghini in a visionary and futuristic way. This is an unnegotiable part of our DNA, the essence if you so will. The first Countach shaped the Lamborghini design DNA like no other car; the new Countach translates that unconventional and edgy character into the future.”

The Countach’s distinctive silhouette with the essential line running from front to rear, sharp angles and lines and idiosyncratic wedge shape, innovated modern super sports design as well as future Lamborghini models. The Countach LPI 800-4 develops the characteristic lines of the Countach’s five models over nearly 20 years, concentrated into the purest realization of iconic automotive design.

The final outline is pure and uncluttered, with references to the first LP 500 and LP 400 production version. Giving the LPI 800-4 a distinctive Countach face, inspiration was taken from the Quattrovalvole edition in the assertive lines of the front bonnet with long, low rectangular grille and headlights, as well as in the wheel arches with their hexagonal theme. The sharp inclination of the greenhouse adopts the straight lines redolent of the original Countach, adjoining the powerful, clean front-to-rear line. There is no fixed rear wing outside the pure lines, and the airscoops are integrated fluidly in the strong shoulders of the car, embellished with the distinctive Countach slatted ‘gills’. The iconic and aerodynamically powerful NACA air intakes cut into the side and doors of the Countach LPI 800-4 while the distinctive Periscopio lines running through the roof to the rear of the car, particularly distinctive if viewed from above, appear to float towards the rear of the car.

The rear of the Countach LPI 800-4 is immediately recognizable from its distinctive inverted wedge shape, with the rear bumper featuring a lower, sleeker line, and the ‘hexagonita’ design shaping the three-unit rear light clusters. The LPI 800-4 sports the four-strong exhaust tail pipes of the Countach family, connected within the carbon fiber rear diffuser. Access for driver and passenger is of course via the infamous scissor doors, first introduced on the Countach and that have become a Lamborghini V12 signature.

Performance engineering for a new era

The V12 engine of the Countach is as legendary as the design. Mounted longways at the rear together with its forward-cabin layout, the original Countach featured side-mounted radiators from Formula One; forward-facing gearbox and tubular spaceframe technology. It was as revolutionary in its approach to sports car engineering as in its astonishing looks, with its engine position chosen for weight distribution and balance and of course, the aspirated twelve cylinders delivering the most emotive top performance. The Countach developed the best available technologies to produce an extraordinary car: this visionary philosophy is reflected in the Countach LPI 800-4, taking the pinnacle of current Lamborghini technologies and engineering to produce the performance expected from a Countach in 2021.

“The engineering team that developed the original Countach advanced Lamborghini’s pioneering technical approach, delivering unexpected innovations and the best performance available in a production car,” says Lamborghini Chief Technology Officer Maurizio Reggiani. “That spirit inherently drives Lamborghini R&D, resulting in the pioneering hybrid technology in the LPI 800-4, and the emotive driving experience and top-line performance expected from a flagship V12 Lamborghini.”

The Lamborghini V12 6.5 liter engine, outputting 780 cv, is combined with a 48 volt e-motor mounted directly on the gearbox providing a further 34 cv for immediate response and increased performance: it is the innovative and unique architecture Lamborghini developed for Sián, that is the only mild-hybrid technology to create a direct connection between electric motor and wheels, preserving the pure V12 behavior. The e-motor is powered by a supercapacitor providing three times more power compared to a lithium-ion battery of the same weight.

The monocoque chassis and all the body panels are in carbon fiber, provide the optimum lightweight solution as well as exceptional torsional stiffness: the Countach LPI 800-4 has a dry weight of 1595 kg for a dry weight to power ratio of 1,95 kg/cv. Visible exterior carbon fiber features are available in the front splitter, around the front window and wing mirrors, engine bonnet cover air intakes and rocker panel and it is always present in specific interior details. Moveable air vents produced by the state-of-the-art 3D printing technology, and a photocromatic roof – changing from solid to transparent at the push of a button – act as a reminder that this car, despite its historic inspiration, is a future automotive screensaver for the 21st century.

World debut at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, USA

The Countach LPI 800-4 is unveiled today at The Quail, USA in a dedicated color Bianco Siderale, containing a hint of pearlescent blue and reminiscent of Ferruccio Lamborghini’s own Countach LP 400 S, complete with red and black leather heritage interior. The interior also takes design cues from the original Countach within the context of a modern car. The classic and luxurious leather features geometric stitching on the specially designed comfort seats and dashboard, sporting a square motif referencing the bold style and optimism of 1970s design and technology.
The Countach LPI 800-4 20” (front) and 21” (rear) wheels are created in the ‘telephone’ style of the 1980s, fitted with carbon ceramic brake discs, and Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres.

Owners of the exclusive limited edition Countach LPI 800-4 can choose from a range of heritage exterior paint options, mostly in solid colours, such as the iconic Impact White, Giallo Countach and Verde Medio. Otherwise, the contemporary palette offers modern paintings, mostly metallic colors, such as Viola Pasifae or Blu Uranus.

An 8,4” HDMI center touchscreen unique to the LPI 800-4 manages car controls including Connectivity and Apple CarPlay. It also includes a unique button entitled ‘Stile’ (Design): pressed, it explains the Countach design philosophy to its privileged audience.
Produced in a run of 112 units, the number denotes the ‘LP 112’ internal project name used during the original Lamborghini Countach’s development. The Countach LPI 800-4 will be delivered from first quarter 2022 to owners worldwide, privileged to drive a piece of automotive history reimagined for the future.

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