Building upon the popularity of the earlier Miura, Lamborghini’s Countach enjoyed a 16-year production run of 2,049 cars that assured the company a prominent position among the ranks of supercars. Lamborghini based the 25th Anniversary Edition on its 5000 QV, featuring scissor doors, a hunkered-down profile, and steeply raked windshield. Horatio Pagani redesigned the Bertone bodywork done by Marcello Gandini, specially for the company’s quarter-century celebrations in 1988 and made over 500 subtle refinements, rendering the 25th Anniversary Edition the most drivable and civilized of the Countach line. Capable of a top speed of 183 mph and achieving 0–60 mph in just 4.7 seconds, the Anniversary Edition was the most forgiving of its stablemates – and considered the fastest.
The 25th Anniversary Edition
In celebration of Lamborghini's twenty-fifth anniversary, the latest Countach was unveiled by the company at the 1988 Grand Prix at Monza. What better way to mark the occasion than to release a special edition of their monstrous V12 road car. The 25th Anniversary Countach, although mechanically very similar to the 5000QV, had multiple styling changes which were carried out by Horacio Pagani who updated the original Gandini design. Before he was designing Huayras and Zondas. Horacio Pagani was a hired gun for some of the world’s top auto companies including Daimler, Aprilia and Ferrari.
These changes included enlargement and extension of the rear 'air-box' intake-ducts was among other refinements undertaken (extending them to a more gradual incline further in-keeping with aerodynamic-streamlining), while the secondary pair of debossed ducts, originally situated further behind them, were brought forward and relocated directly on top, encompassing refashioned fins now running longitudinally rather than transversely, this allowed the airboxes, located behind the radiators to be rotated from a transverse to a longitudinal position, allowing better airflow from the radiators out through the secondary fins.
Additionally, further reconstruction of an already modified engine-bay cover, from a concept consisting of dual-raised sections and tri-ducting, to one that embodies a centre-raised section incorporating dual-ducting become another feature. Various redevelopments to the rear were made; most notably the introduction of a rear bumper extending outwardly from the lower-portion. The interior had several noteable changes including all new electric seats, power windows, a newly designed steering wheel as well as a more powerful air conditioning system.
Model Description and History
In 1966, Lamborghini defined the 'supercar' with the Miura. An instant icon, the mid-engine high-velocity coupe put the nascent carmaker on the map for their groundbreaking design and performance. The legendary Miura was always going to be a hard act to follow, so the extent to which its successor eclipsed the greatest of 1960s supercars came as something of a shock to all. The sensation of the 1971 Geneva Salon was the Countach, which like its predecessor, was styled by Bertone's Marcello Gandini. Drawing from his revolutionary Lancia Stratos Zero concept from the year before, Gandini designed the Countach as an angular wedge with crisp lines and dramatic angles. The production version would not be seen for another two years, with deliveries commencing in 1974.
Lamborghini employed the Miura's fantastic four-cam V12 engine for the Countach, mounted longitudinally behind the cabin. To achieve optimum weight distribution, designer Paolo Stanzani placed the five-speed gearbox ahead of the engine between the seats, and the differential – driven by a shaft passing through the sump – at the rear. The first upgrades appeared in 1978 as the 'LP400S', with the addition of flared wheel arches to accommodate massive 345mm rear tires for increased grip and stability. A large rear aerofoil became available that further accentuated the outrageous styling of the Countach and was, unsurprisingly, the choice of most customers.
Just over 2,000 examples of this rocket ship were produced before production ended in 1990 with the Countach 25th Anniversary Edition. Succeeding the evolutionary Countach 5000QV, the 25th Anniversary Edition received more than 500 updates and enhancements, making it the most refined of the Countach line. Some design revisions were obvious, most notably the slightly raised front end, integral cooling ducts for the front brakes, a restyled rear bumper, lower-body cladding with accentuating strakes and restructured air intakes. Inside, a new steering wheel, electrically operated seats and power windows heightened the comfort level, but possibly the most welcome of all was the improved air-conditioning system. Chassis and suspension enhancements, along with new wheels by O.Z. Racing and tires by Pirelli, improved handling, and all were equipped with a fuel-injected 5.2L/455 HP V-12 engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. In total, 657 Countach Anniversario models were made between September 1988 and April 1990, one of the many high-profile owners being ex-Formula 1 World Champion Mario Andretti.
Countach was the second in what would be a long succession of supercars produced by Lamborghini and is widely regarded as the most radical of them all, launching an entire movement of outrageously styled, ultra-expensive, super exclusive, hand-built sportscars. The Countach built on the way paved by Lamborghini’s groundbreaking Miura, bringing a new level of engineering prowess, design and overall performance with it. Few cars stir the soul like the Lamborghini Countach.
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