Lamborghini Countach

In 1971, the prototype Lamborghini Countach reset the supercar template. Its unique and revolutionary south-north engine-gearbox layout, its longitudinal rear mid-mounted Bizzarrini V12 engine and its equally singular and stunning design language marked it out as something entirely new. As a production car the Countach reigned supreme for an unprecedented sixteen years, during which time it evolved through six variants. It finally met its end in 1990 at the hands of a most unlikely assassin – its own aerodynamics. However, the Countach’s influence lived on beyond this. It spawned a dynasty that lasted until 2010 and included the iconic Diablo and Murciélago. These successors, like the Countach’s equally iconic predecessor, the Miura, were radical but ultimately derivative machines, rather than truly revolutionary cars. The seminal Countach, on the other hand, was a genuinely pioneering leap whose fingerprints can still be found all over Sant’ Agata’s latest flagships. This book sets out the hard, objective evidence for why the Lamborghini Countach should be regarded not only as the quintessential supercar, but also as the most instructive all Lamborghini’s flagship models to date.