Lamborghini Countach side and front view

Why is the Countach so significant to the Lamborghini brand?

What is the importance of the Lamborghini Countach?

Few cars from decades ago still resonate with people today quite like the Lamborghini Countach. It has an iconic design whose philosophies and qualities are still seen in the world of high-performance automobiles today. What is the importance of the Lamborghini Countach? If you don’t know, we are going to have to tell you.

Lamborghini Countach three-angled viewWhat was unique about the Countach

Everything about the Countach was unique. It was a radically different vehicle from even the supercars of its day. Arguably one of its most distinguishing features was the upward opening scissor doors. At the time, these doors were a necessity. The Countach was ridiculously wide at 74.28 inches. This made outward doors hazardous and, in some places, impossible.

The doors themselves were also very thick to fit with the wide door sills. Why were the door sills so wide? That’s because of the tubular spaceframe that the Countach had. To top it all off, those doors came in handy as the Countach had practically no rear visibility. It became a common practice to open the door, sit on the door sill, and look backward out the open door to back the Countach up.

The doors were largely a product of the other innovative characteristics that the Countach took on, but it isn’t the only claim to fame for the Countach. This car practically pioneered the Italian Wedge design language that dominated Italian supercars for decades and can still be seen in modern Lamborghini models today.


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Lamborghini Countach front interiorWhen was the Countach made?

The Countach was first unveiled in 1971 but it wasn’t until 1974 that enthusiasts first began receiving this model. The Countach was available from 1974 until 1990 making it the longest-lived model for Lamborghini.

The Diablo and the Espada are behind it in longevity with 11 years and 10 years of production respectively. In other words, at 16 years in production, the Countach has 5 years on any other Lamborghini model.


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Versions of the Countach

The Countach had several versions throughout its lifecycle. It began with the LP400 and the LP400 S. These were followed up by the LP500 S and the LP500 S QV. These models were followed up by the 25th Anniversary Countach in 1988. This model celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Lamborghini brand. The LP400 S, LP500 models, and the 25th Anniversary model all have the iconic look that the Countach is largely known for.