Boring cars never seem to change over time. They are designed to fly under the radar and get the owner from point A to B. Ferruccio Elio Arturo Lamborghini had other ideas on what a car should be and how it should look. He needed something evocative as a successor to the beautiful Miura. The word “Countach” doesn’t have a literal translation. It is an Italian statement of amazement or disbelief. It is uttered when something so wild or gorgeous comes along that it leaves you at a loss for words.
As such, the Countach launched in 1974 with a body unlike anything before or since. In one of the longest model runs in the world of exotic cars, the final examples rolled off the assembly line in 1990. It evolved from a carbureted V12 with two valves per cylinder into a fuel-injected beast with four valves over each piston. Along the way, the body grew ever more aggressive and adopted the use of composites under the guidance of Horacio Pagani. He literally started at the bottom by sweeping the floors back in 1982. He quickly rose from janitor to chief engineer thanks to his brilliant ideas on aerodynamics and composites.
It was Lee Iaccoca’s idea for Chrysler to buy Lamborghini in 1987, and work began on the Diablo. Upper-level management didn’t agree that carbon fiber was the future, so Mr. Pagani came up with an idea to build his own car. But his work on perfecting the Countach never stopped, and it culminated in the 1989 Countach 25th Anniversary Edition. The styling was a radical departure from anything before it. The engine’s air intakes are what inspired the intakes on the new Aventador S, and the massive rear spoiler kept the car safe at high speeds. Before production really began on the Diablo, the Anniversary Edition was the one to have. That’s why we found these examples in our big Double Holiday Edition from December of ’91.
Just like Wayne Gretzky or Jeff Gordon, the Countach went out on top, it has burned itself into our collective car consciousness. If you want one today, our dealers are awaiting your call.
Gullwing Motor Cars
Private Seller
Of course they’re among the most expensive Lamborghinis in recent history, so if your budget is not as excessive, click the link below for other examples for sale.
