Fifty years after making its debut at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, the original Lamborghini Countach has been recreated.
Displayed as a concept car, the Countach LP 500 wowed showgoers and the international press in Geneva. However, the iconic car would later be destroyed.
After extensive work by Lamborghini’s Polo Storico department, however, the LP 500 made a public return at the 2021 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este event.
Origin of the species
Lamborghini developed the Countach LP 500 as a replacement for the mid-engined Miura. Its distinctive wedge-shaped styling was an instant sensation, and the completed Countach entered production in 1974.
Following several years of pre-production testing, the LP 500 show car was sacrificed for crash testing requirements. It meant the original Countach only existed in books and period photographs.
The LP 500 would remain a forgotten legend until 2017, when an enthusiast asked Lamborghini about the possibility of recreating it.
Building back better
Lamborghini’s Polo Storico department undertook detailed research to uncover as much archive information on the LP 500 as possible. Numerous photographs, drawings and meeting notes were studied to gain exact dimensions and build details.
A bespoke chassis was then created, using a combination of modern technology and classic coachbuilding skills. Period-correct Lamborghini spare parts were used for all mechanical components, including the V12 engine.
To complete the bodywork, Lamborghini’s own Centro Stile design team worked to build a 1:1 scale model. This took some 2,000 hours for the exterior alone, with a 3D model of the interior also made.
Pirelli was able to build a modern replica of the tyres fitted, with paint company PPG identifying the correct shade of yellow for the exterior.
A celebration of design DNA
Recreating the LP 500 Countach took an incredible 25,000 hours. Naturally, Lamborghini was keen to show off its achievement, displaying the LP 500 in the concept car class at the 2021 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
Mitja Borkert, head of design at Lamborghini Centro Stile, explained: “The LP 500 is of paramount importance to Lamborghini because it gave rise to the design DNA of all subsequent models.”
Placing a value on the ‘new’ LP 500 would be almost impossible. It would certainly dwarf the £255,000 recently paid for a 1982 Countach in need of restoration.
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