Lamborghini Countach
1974–1990 · Lamborghini Countach — Supercar, V12, designed by Marcello Gandini.
The Story
If the Miura invented the supercar, the Countach decided it should also terrify small children and tax accountants. Gandini took the clean wedge he’d been sketching and weaponized it: scissor doors (a production-car first), slats and scoops everywhere, and rearward visibility so catastrophic that owners learned to open the door, perch on the sill and reverse by looking back over the engine. It was less a car than a manifesto.
The name says it all — ‘countach’ is a Piedmontese exclamation, roughly ‘far out!’, allegedly blurted by a Bertone man the first time he saw it. It hung on every bedroom wall between 1974 and 1990 and has aged into one of the most coveted shapes in the collector world. The early LP400 ‘Periscopio’ — named for the periscope channel in its roof — is the connoisseur’s pick; the winged 25th Anniversary is the one your subconscious actually drew.
By modern standards it is ferociously hard to drive — heavy clutch, awful pedals, a cabin for the confident. Nobody cares. You don’t buy a Countach to commute; you buy it because it is the loudest visual statement four wheels has ever made.
The Numbers
Benchmarked against its class
Each dial ranks this car within its Supercar class — fuller means higher, and the tick marks the class midpoint.
Signature Colors
The Designer
Marcello Gandini
One of history’s most influential car designers; defined the wedge era at Bertone (Miura, Countach, Stratos). Penned the EB110’s body for the reborn Bugatti. Born Turin 1938, died 2024. Sources: Wikipedia; Car Design News. PARTIAL: his Lamborghini cars (in the Lamborghini file) will join at the cross-make consolidation.
Studio Motors POV
The Countach is the most recognizable car shape on earth — and the market knows it. We steer purists to an early Periscopio and dreamers to a 25th Anniversary, but either way we’re buying provenance and originality, not just a wedge. Get the right one and it only goes one direction.
Lineage
Where it sits in the bloodline
Market & Value
Values on cars like this move monthly. Our brokers price from real transactions.
What Reviewers Said About Countach
Worth Knowing About the Countach
3 Things You Didn’t Know
- First production car with scissor doors — now Lamborghini's signature.
- Rear visibility was so bad it got a roof periscope (hence the LP400 'Periscopio').
- Its name is Piedmontese slang for astonishment — roughly 'far out!'
5 Fast Facts
- Built 1974–1990, ~1,983 across all variants.
- Rod Stewart kept his 1977 LP400 Periscopio for 25+ years.
- Mario Andretti owned one, pinstriped with his name on the mirror caps.
- Starred in Cannonball Run (1981).
- The 5000 QV's carbureted Euro spec made 455 hp — wild for the era.
Provenance
Owners & what to look for
Famous Owners
Rod Stewart — 1977 LP400 ‘Periscopio’, kept 25+ years
Mario Andretti — personalized LP
(Documented — RM Sotheby’s / Wikipedia.)
Studio Buyer’s Brief
The LP400 ‘Periscopio’ is the purist’s grail; the 25th Anniversary is the poster icon. Watch for steel-chassis rust, botched restorations and incorrect engines. Gated manuals, original interiors and documented history are everything.
Full Specifications
- Make / Model
- Lamborghini Countach
- Class
- Supercar
- Production years
- 1974–1990
- Units built
- ~1,983 total (LP400 151; QV 610)
- Variants
- LP400 ‘Periscopio’, LP400 S, LP500 S, 5000 QV, 25th Anniversary
- Engine layout
- Mid
- Engine
- V12
- Engine family
- Bizzarrini V12
- Displacement
- 5.2L (QV; LP400 3.9L)
- Power
- 449 hp
- Torque
- 369 lb-ft
- 0–60 mph
- 4.9 s
- Top speed
- 183 mph
- Power-to-weight
- 301 hp/tonne · 7.3 lb/hp
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- Drivetrain
- RWD · Petrol
- Curb weight
- 3285 lb
Questions
Countach FAQ
What makes the Lamborghini Countach historically important?
The Countach was the first production car fitted with scissor doors, a feature that became Lamborghini’s signature. Designed by Marcello Gandini and built from 1974 to 1990, its extreme wedge silhouette defined the supercar aesthetic for a generation and became the most iconic poster car of the era.
What does the name Lamborghini Countach mean?
Countach is a Piedmontese Italian exclamation of astonishment or amazement, roughly equivalent to far out or wow. Lamborghini adopted the name to capture the visceral reaction provoked by Gandini’s extreme wedge prototype, first shown at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show.
What is the Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopio?
The LP400 Periscopio was the original and purest Countach, built from 1974 to 1977 with a narrow body and lightweight alloy panels. The ‘Periscopio’ name refers to the roof channel and small rearview opening — vestiges of an early planned periscope-style mirror system that was not actually fitted to production cars. Only 151 LP400s were built.
How much does a Lamborghini Countach cost?
Countach values span a wide range — most submarkets sit in the mid-to-high six figures, with LP400 Periscopio public highs closer to $1.0M-$1.4M. The LP400 commands the highest premiums as the lightest, purest, and rarest expression of Gandini’s original design.
Can you buy a Lamborghini Countach?
Yes. The Countach surfaces regularly through specialist dealers, established auction houses and private collections.
The Lamborghini Lineup
Explore every Lamborghini
350 GT ’64400 GT ’66Miura ’66Espada ’68Islero ’68
Jarama ’70Urraco ’72Countach ’74Silhouette ’76
Murcielago ’01Gallardo ’03Reventon ’08
Aventador ’11Veneno ’13Huracan ’14Centenario ’16Huracan Performante ’17Urus ’18Aventador SVJ ’18Sian ’19
Huracan STO ’21Countach LPI 800-4 ’21Revuelto ’23Temerario ’25
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