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Countach models
Prototype LP500
A single prototype was built, the LP500 (the 500 standing
for the 5 L displacement of the engine which was intended
to be used). Painted bright sunflower yellow, the car was
a stunner at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971. Sporting Gandini's
original design concepts, the car's design needed extensive
modification for production. In particular, the small air
intake ducts on the car's rear shoulders proved insufficient
to cool the engine, and large 'air box' scoops were added
in that position. Large NACA ducts were added on the sides
to give additional air. The experimental car was also constructed
of aluminum honeycomb sheeting among other things, which was
dropped for production.
The car no longer survives; it was sacrificed in a crash test
to gain European type approval, even though its construction
method was utterly unlike production vehicles.
Production LP400
The 4 L production car was first delivered to a customer in
1974. Externally, little had altered from the final form of
the prototype except at the rear, where conventional lights
replaced the futuristic light clusters of the prototype. The
styling had become rather more aggressive than Gandini's original
conception, with the required large air scoops and vents,
but the overall shape was still very sleek. The original LP400
rode on the quite narrow tires of the time, but their narrowness
and the slick styling meant that this version had the lowest
drag coefficient of any Countach model and possibly the highest
top speed.
LP400S
In 1978 a new LP400S model was introduced. This car had wider
tires with glass-fiber wheel arch extensions, which gave the
car the fundamental look it kept until the end. An optional
V-shaped spoiler was available over the rear deck, which improved
high-speed stability at the cost of at least 10 mph of top
speed. Most owners ordered the wing. Dynamically, the LP400S
was a better car, the wider tires making it more stable in
cornering. Aesthetically, some prefer the slick lines of the
original while some prefer the more aggressive lines of the
later vehicles.
LP500S
1982 saw another improvement, this time giving a bigger, more
powerful 5 L engine, which improved performance to be more
in line with Lamborghini's somewhat exaggerated claims. The
bodywork was unaltered.
LP5000QV
In 1985 the engine was improved again, bored and stroked to
5.2 L and given four valves per cylinder (quattrovalvole in
Italian). The carburetors were moved from the sides to the
top of the engine for better breathing - unfortunately this
created a hump on the engine deck, reducing the already poor
rear visibility to almost nothing. Some body panels were also
replaced by Kevlar.
For the first time, a US specification model was produced
by the factory, with styling changes to allow bumpers to Federal
standards.
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