Lamborghini Countach Photos, videos, including Top Gear & 60 Minutes

The Lamborghini Countach is one of those rare vehicles that transcended its existence as a mere sportscar and evolved into a cultural icon. If you doubt us, ask any guy who grew up in the '70s or ‘80s if he had a poster of a Lambo on his bedroom wall.

The ultimate supercar of its time, the Countach came with an assortment of sinfully powerful engines between 1974 and 1988. And each of them was an iteration of its famous DOHC V-12. The least powerful Countach, if you dare think that, promised 375 horsepower in 1974, a 420-horsepower version was offered by the last year of production.

Along with its distinctive body ducts and scoops, which gave it a futuristic appearance, the later models came with a huge wing, almost the size of a coffee table. Adding to the mystique of the Countach was its drivability – a surprisingly reliable car in the city and on the open road. AKA: The Ultimate Italian Grocery Getter.

PHOTOS and VIDEO at right, including stories on the Countach from Top Gear and 60 Minutes. Select the ARTICLE tab above for more details.

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The Lamborghini Countach is one of those rare vehicles that transcended its existence as a mere sportscar and evolved to become something of a cultural icon. If you doubt that, ask any guy who grew up in the 1970s or 80s if he had a poster of the Lambo on his bedroom wall.

A healthy percentage will admit they did.

The Countach, which was first imagined in 1971 at Lamborghini’s Bertone studio by legendary designer Marcello Gandini, has over the decades come to represent the finest of Italian supercar design in the minds of many collectors.

Powered by a mid-configuration 239.8ci DOHC V12, the ultra-light supercar—the body of which was constructed of flat, trapezoidal panels of aircraft-grade aluminum—flew from 0-60 in 5.9 seconds, and to a top overall speed of 177 mph.

For 1978, the LP400S model was given wider tires and more aggressive fiberglass wheel arch extensions that produced the trademark look it would maintain throughout its production life.

Its unique profile, while beautiful, wasn’t necessarily the most practical as a daily driver and led Gandini to develop one of the vehicle’s most enduring and recognizable features: the vertical door.

Today, the angled lines, distinctive doors and unmistakable stance of the Countach have assured it a place in the hearts and minds of car collectors around the world, which in turn has placed it at the top of a very exclusive list of highly-collectible Italian supercars.

While some sports car purists may scoff at the Countach as a prime example of the excess found in many late 1970s and 1980s sports car designs, there’s no denying that the Countach – especially the 1978 LP400S and later models – attracts attention like nothing else.

The rolling works of art can today fetch anywhere from $65,000 to well into six digit territory at auction.

–Jake Rishavy. Photos courtesy of Lamborghini S.p.A.

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