► Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 debuts
► Revealed at The Quail during Monterey Car Week
► Uses Sian powertrain, only 112 will be made
Lamborghini has pulled the covers off the Countach LPI 800-4 – a reimagined version of one of the brand’s most iconic cars.
‘The original Countach is probably the ultimate classic Lamborghini,’ says the brand’s chief designer Mitja Borkert, who joined the brand from Porsche. ‘True, there were similar icons such as Miura and Espada, but in terms of instant wow effect, no other previous product takes your breath away like the Countach.’
‘To me, the new Countach captures the essence of the marque with perfection,’ adds the impeccably groomed chairman, Stephan Winkelmann; ‘like every marque should, Lamborghini is constantly monitoring change with regard to style, culture, technology and coolness. The LPI 800-4 expresses this evolutionary attitude by being highly inspirational, visionary as well as extraordinary in every respect. Unlike the harder-core Aventador and Huracan, the Countach emphasizes the brand´s underlying traditional sporty elegance. It may be a little more subdued than expected, but it is firmly capable.’
When you first see the LPI 800-4 next to the original, Gandini´s original effort looks almost like a scale model compared to Borkert´s full-size piece of enlightening street furniture. The wheels of the Mk1 version are positively tiny, the NACA ducts which feed air to the V12 look like downsized signature elements lost in space, the greenhouse is practically reduced to the huge windscreen, the tight packaging comes close to negligent physical injury.
A full 730mm shorter and a limbo-esque 69mm lower, the LP400 was also a massive 530 kilos lighter than its carbon-fibre recreation. The LPI 800-4 pays tribute to its ancestor by adopting certain trademark styling details like the telephone dial wheels, hexagonal wing graphics, louvred C-posts, periscopio roof and the two pairs of intake scoops.
Unlike the go-faster SV and SVJ editions, the Countach cabin was not inspired by the track-focused Supertrofeo division but by the ‘Ad Personam’ department, which crafts cars to order. The interior of the very first vehicle impresses with supple leather trim, restrained contrast stitching, top-notch secondary materials, and sublime craftsmanship.
What powers the reimagined Countach?
The LPI 800-4 is a dramatically rebodied Sian, which explains why the specifications are virtually identical. Both models boast a mild hybrid system powered by a supercapacitor claimed to be three times as efficient as a lithium-ion battery of similar weight. The electric motor directly drives the rear wheels, adding 34bhp and 26lb ft to the feisty 769bhp generated by the legendary 6.5-litre V12. Combined output is 803bhp.
The Countach is equipped with same antiquated seven-speed sequential ISR transmission (Independent Shifting Rod) which has been on board ever since the Aventador was launched in 2011. Despite the e-boost feature, the 0-62 and 0-125mph acceleration times remain unchanged at 2.8 and 8.6sec respectively. The maximum speed is an utterly impressive 222mph.
Can I buy one?!
Only 112 are being made (the number pays hommage to the LB112 development code of the very first Countach 400) and, when the show car left Italy for Pebble Beach, only five slots were still available. As for the price? We briefly spoke to a collector from Bavaria who just spent €2m (£1.7m) on his bespoke Countach, which will be parked in a long line of modern and classic Lamborghinis.
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