PastMaster/Lamborghini Countach 1974-1990:It is said that the name Countach came from Nuccio Bertone's reaction when he saw the prototype which had been commissioned by Ferruccio Lamborghini as the successor to his highly successful Miura. His shocked reaction prompted an Italian slang word that soon evolved into the name Countach.
The prototype was shown first at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, and the extreme shape produced by Marcello Gandini for Bertone immediately achieved a similar reaction among the journalists at the show. The prototype, designated LP 500, was powered by a 5.0-litre V12 engine, longitudinally mounted at the rear of a space-frame chassis covered by aluminium bodywork. A key part of the design which was to become a Lambo trademark was the 'scissors' system which opened the doors up and forward.
The first roadgoing version was produced in 1974 as the LP 400, with a 375hp version of the 4.0-litre V12 engine which had powered the Miura. With a 5.6-second 0-60mph sprint performance, it had full sports car cred, but its top speed was limited by the poor aerodynamics of the angular shape.
In 1978 the next iteration was produced, this time shod by the innovative Pirelli P7 tyres around which the original prototype had been designed, but which were not available for the first generation car. In 1982, an enlarged version of the engine, to 4.8 litres, was installed. But it did little for acceleration despite a significant increase in torque.
This remained until the end of 1984, with about 320 produced. From its inception, the engine had suffered from overheating problems under some driving conditions.
It was uprated again in 1985, enlarged to 5.2 litres and with 455hp available it could reach 60mph in 4.9 seconds. The car became the 5000 QV, the latter letters indicating that it now had four valves per cylinder. This version was to sell 610 copies between its arrival and 1988, when a special version was built to mark the 25th anniversary of Lamborghini as a sports car maker.
This variant of the 5000 QV was also the first Countach to be sold officially in the US. In Canada, racing team owner Walter Wolf commissioned three special versions which used the original 5.0-litre engines from the prototype with 447hp and a specially modified chassis. This one retained the drivetrain, but was substantially restyled with scoops and side skirts that really made the already wild-looking car into something expecially off the wall. That seemed to hit a buyer's button, and sold some 650 copies, the best market performance of any version through the model's life. The Countach was replaced by the Diablo in 1990.