The return of the Lamborghini Countach, probably the best-known supercar of all times, the ultimate ‘spaceship’ design from the Seventies, with the bright yellow prototype being unveiled at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, over five decades ago today, and while Lamborghini created a rather timid Miura Homage of the Aventador back in 2016 by just using a special paint scheme and some logos, to celebrate 50 years of the legendary Lamborghini Countach they took a totally different approach …
Automobili Lamborghini SpA has a habit of unveiling new cars during Monterey Car Week, held in August in California, and more precisely at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, this event was canceled in 2020, but in 2019 Lamborghini brought the Aventador SVJ to the USA, in 2017 it was the Centenario Roadster that took center stage … and for the return in 2021 we get the Countach LPI 800-4, a new limited edition homage to the car that introduced scissor doors to the world on a production car.
Check out the actual unveiling of this commemorative model at The Quail:
This event was also the first time the new Lamborghini Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae was shown on US grounds for this 18th year at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club, and Lamborghini also took along the Huracán STO and a stunning, white Essenza SCV12, all posed next to the new Countach LPI 800-4.
Back in 1971, when the Lamborghini Countach was being developed starting with the yellow prototype using the 5-Liter V12 engine, it came with the internal code LP 112, that is why the new Countach LPI 800-4 will only be made 112 times for its fortunate customers, and according to Stephan Winkelmann, all of them are already spoken for, at a cool €2,000,000 before taxes and options (that’s $2,360,000), so it seems a lot of people have been eagerly awaiting this Countach homage.
Lamborghini is using their Aventador carbon fiber tub as a base for the Countach LPI 800-4, just as they did on the Veneno, the Centenario, and their first hybrid model, the Sián … and it’s the latter that has now evolved into this new Countach model, complete with the 34hp Supercapacitor fed electric motor, the ICE V12 engine is taken from the Ultimae version, so 780 hp for a total power output of 814 hp, but LP814 just doesn’t sound right, so it’s LP800 … oh, let’s not forget the ‘Ibrido’ part from the Supercapacitor, so the official name is LPI 800-4, with the -4 for a four-wheel-drive just like any Aventador model since 2011.
The top speed for the Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 is 355 km/h or 221 mph, and while this car does come with the help of electric motors, it is only marginally faster than the Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae when accelerating, but it’s all about the experience and the legacy that comes with this car while being larger than the original Seventies car, this is a top-of-the-line V12 powered Lamborghini after all, and it does show a lot of Countach inspired design elements:
“The Countach LPI 800-4 showcases the next chapter of Lamborghini in an electrified world while celebrating one of our most iconic models,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automobili Lamborghini. “At The Quail, our customers will be the first to see this new masterpiece in person alongside the final Aventador and Essenza SCV12 – each of which will hold its own place in automotive history.”
As mentioned, Lamborghini also showcased some of their more regular models at this event, like the Huracan STO (Super Trofeo Homologata), of which the first units are being delivered to those early adopters, and while some might think the STO is a bit wild-looking, with a complex design and air vents and intakes all over the place … this really is a street-legal race car.
Which can’t be said about the next car on the podium, the track-only Essenza SCV12, another North American debut by the way, and while I do like the original green and orange finish of the presentation car, this white one in the US looks absolutely stunning with her black parts … an aggressive beauty for sure.
This limited-edition track-only hypercar is the most powerful V12 from Lamborghini. Developed by Lamborghini Squadra Corse and designed by Lamborghini Centro Stile, it is a direct descendent of the notable Miura Jota and Diablo GTR. It is also the first GT car developed to respect FIA prototype safety rules and only 40 units will be produced.
For this 50th anniversary celebration of arguably the most important Lamborgini model ever together with the Miura, a rally was organized to bring as much classic Lamborghini Countach to Monterey as possible, and while the 25th Anniversary edition was present more than the other models, it’s also the most recent, and most produced version from the Eighties, still, there were older Countach there too, some S models, but also the early LP400 models, also known as the ‘Periscopio’ models thanks to the rearview mirror showing through a small ‘periscope window’ on the roof.
As a final add-on to the Countach LPI 800-4 information, take a look at an official video from Automobili Lamborghini Spa in which we find out how the original 1971 Countach transforms into the 2021 Countach LPI 800-4:
