Lamborghini Countach: Then And Now

If you were a car enthusiast growing up, there's a good chance that you had a poster of the Lamborghini Countach up on your wall, taken from the double spread of an auto magazine. If not that, you definitely must have drooled at the sheer beauty of it. After all, with its edgy design, sharp angles and advanced aerodynamics, the Countach was absolutely radical and way ahead of its time. Even the name bucked the usual trend. Symbolising astonishment in the local Piedmontese dialect, it was the only Lamborghini not named after an aspect of the world of bullfighting. The Countach was first showcased to the world in 1971 at the Geneva Motor Show, but it was launched only in 1974. Designed as a successor to the legendary Miura by Marcello Gandini, it was Ferrucio Lamborghini's take on the successful Ferrari Daytona. But, it emerged as something the world had never seen before. And to this day, it is an epitome of radical, even beating the Aventador fair and square.

Photo Credit: lamborghini.com

Now, 50 years later, the astonishment is back. Lamborghini has revived the Countach legacy in the form of the new LPI800-4. Often, sequels are less enticing than the original, but Lamborghini has managed to break the pattern. In fact, it is a masterful melding of the retro angles and lines of the 1970s and aerodynamics and safety concerns of the 21st century. And, it screams radical. So much, that even the repetitive use of ‘radical' doesn't justify it. Like CEO Stephan Winkelmann (also Bugatti's CEO) says, the new Countach is “not retrospective”. Rather, it's a forward-looking, expressive celebration of the brand's DNA.

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But, not everything is the same. The 1974 model had a 3.9L V12 engine that pumped out 370bhp and 361Nm of torque.  It was powerful and meant for another era with a mind-blowing acceleration of 0-100kmph in 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 288kmph. Keeping with the times, Lamborghini has now equipped the Countach with a 48V mild-hybrid electric motor mounted on the gearbox. It however still retains the V12, albeit, now in a massive 6.5L naturally aspirated, longitudinal iteration. As a result, it now gets a combined power output of 803bhp and 720Nm of torque. This leads to an eye-popping 0-100 acceleration time of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 355kmph.

Regarding the interiors, where the 1974 Countach used traditional analogue dials, the 2021 model uses an 8.5-inch touchscreen display equipped with Apple CarPlay. The retro beige upholstery of the older model has been replaced by a red and black leather interior. But what still remains the same is the non-existence of rear-seats.

Photo Credit: lamborghini.com

On the outside, the new Countach borrows design cues from the original, right from the wedge-like silhouette to the NACA air duct on each side and those wheel arches as well. The inverted-wedge shape rear sports tail lamps that are reminiscent of the Lamborghini Sian. Modern day pedestrian safety norms meant that the 2021 iteration could not have those cool pop-up headlamps of the original. Nevertheless, Lamborghini has done a stellar job of recreating the visual drama of the original.

At the time of its launch, Mitja Borkert, Head of Lamborghini Centro Stile, had said, “Whenever I look at it, the Countach gives me goose bumps and serves as the perfect reminder to design every future Lamborghini in a visionary and futuristic way. The first Countach shaped the Lamborghini design DNA like no other car; the new Countach translates that unconventional and edgy character into the future.” We couldn't agree more.

Photo Credit: upload.wikimedia.org

It's a shame that all of this brilliance is only limited to 11 2 units. However, the limited number only makes it more desirable than what it already has been over the last 50 years. Unfortunately, all 112 units of the Countach have been spoken for.