How the Countach became Lamborghini's most famous—and iconic—car.
Ever wonder why so many supercars have that distinctive wedge shape? The answer is the Countach. It wasn’t the first vehicle to sport the bold design flair——but it is the car most responsible for popularizing the shape and giving it a legacy that lasts to this day.
Of course, new designs can bring unexpected challenges. The Countach looked like no car before it—in part because a lot of design decisions seem to have been made with style, not function, in mind. Drivers couldn’t see out the rear window of the first Countach, the LP400, so awas set up to help . The cabin, while looking very chic, wasn’t particularly comfortable, either, managing to be both cramped and poorly ventilated.
Like the vehicle’s design, its V-12 power plant evolved over time. The first was a 4.0-liter mill that produced 370 hp and 270 ft lbs of torque, while the final and most refined version was a 5.2-liter engine that churned out 449 horses and 370 ft lbs of twist. Regardless the exact size and output of the engine, the Countach was fast for the time. Depending on engine configuration, the car covers zero to 62 mph in anywhere from 5.9 seconds to 4.5 seconds and tops out between 158 mph and 185 mph.
Two different versions of the Countach were sold during the ’70s. The LP400 Periscopo, which went on sale in 1974, was the most stylistically pure version of the car and was powered by a 4.0-liter V-12. It was followed in 1978 by the. That model actually features a downgraded engine and is the least powerful Countach of the bunch. It did get wider tires and more prominent wheel arches, helping establish the look that most people think of when the Countach name comes up .