LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH LP400

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TECHNICAL CARACTERISTIQUES LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH LP 400/LP 400 S/LP500 S/5000 Quattrovalvole
Engine: 12 cylinders out of V with 60°, 24 valves, central position postpones longitudinal, 4 ACT pulled by chain, 6 carburettors horizontal doubles body Weber 45 DCOE/"/+Allumage electronic/48 valves
Cubic capacity: 3929 Cm3/"/4754 Cm3/5167 Cm3
Compression ratio: 10,5 to 1/"/9,2 to 1/10,5 to 1
Power (CH DIN with rpm): 375 to 8000/350 to 7500/375 to 7000/455 to 7000
Maximum couple (Mkg with rpm): 36,8 to 5500/"/41,8 to 4500/51 to 5200
Transmission: AR, BVM 5
Brakes: 4 ventilated discs Girling
Weight: 1065 kg/1350 kg/"/1480 kg
PERFORMANCES (LP 500 S)
Maximum speed: about 270 km/h
0 to 100 km/h: 5,6 dryness
400 m D.A.: 14 dryness
0 to 200 km/h: 20 dryness
1000m D.A.: 24 dryness

Among the cars of legend of the Seventies, Lamborghini Countach has the appearance of a true Crowned Myth. Succeeding remarkable Miura in 1974, Countach made the effect of a bomb in the world of the car as of its presentation in 1971. Imagine a little, with the day before of the first oil crisis, which passion could cause this UFO equipped with V12 of more than 350 horses and able to reach a speed higher than 250 Km/h...

Text: Sebastien DUPUIS - Photographs: D.R.

When Ferrucio Lamborghini, large Italian manufacturer of agricultural machinery, launched out in the automobile production was to prove in Enzo Ferrari which it was able to still make better that the cars of the small craftsman of Modena from which he was then a large customer... and often irritated by the defects of Ferrari. One day, by bringing back its criticisms to him, large Ferrucio is lived insulted in its honor by Enzo, which treated it "vulgar manufacturer of tractors". As good Italian, his pride led it to take up the challenge to build better cars in all points than those of Ferrari. After several hesitant attempts and having been only one negligible success since 1963, Lamborghini succeeds in making tremble Ferrari in 1966 with its superb Miura, true wild bull with back central engine. But Ferrucio wished to go still further in the race to the power which it was well decided to gain. Thus was launched at the end of the Sixties project 112, second Lamborghini of the History with back central engine. Great surprise of the living room of Geneva in March 1971, the experimental prototype become LP 500 (LP for Longitudinal Posteriore, 500 for the 5 L of cubic capacity of its V12 engine), was exposed beside the news Miura SV, that it had to replace.

PRESENTATION
Although it remains faithful to the central position postpones engine, the architecture of the LP 500 gives up the transverse provision of Miura for a longitudinal orientation of its large V12. However, to obtain a distribution of the masses as favorable as with the transverse formula, the engineers adopted a new establishment of the power unit, from now on laid out in front of the rear axle. Like Miura, Countach is the work of the young designer Marcello Gandini, working for Bertone. The general line is very futuristic, Countach having airs of spaceship, as much outside than inside! Spectacular, aggressive and elegant, Lamborghini Countach is admired from every angle like a true work of art. It even will inspire the Lamborghini style during years until very last Gallardo. With the front one, with its nose is very plunging, like the head of a bull ready to charge, without any grill, Countach seems sharpened like a knife. Drawn of a uniform feature and almost dish of before with the back, it is very low and its cockpit is with the strong current of the ground and advanced to the maximum in order to release from the place for the engine in back central position. The back part is also superb. Fires in trapezoid give him a pace of spaceship, well before Star Wars! The back is very fine, statement in its low part to let be expressed the four exits of exhaust of V12. Sculptural. It is Bertone, the person in charge for the design, which will give him its Christian name by exclaiming "Countach!" as soon as it considering the first prototype to leave the workshops. This exclamation of the Piedmontese patois meaning about (as good French): "Ouah!", what obviously sounds less better like patronym... After having opened the impressive doors in élytre, one can slip into a bucket seat in the banana shape. In a very stripped cockpit, futuristic environment presents an instrumentation at digital posting which gives information on the principal machine parts. Placed at the center of the car, the transmission advances in the cockpit, under the console, and the gear shift lever is in direct catch with the gear box. The news Lamborghini, renamed Countach LP 400 because of the cubic capacity of V12 brought back to 4 L, enters in scene to the living room of Geneva in March 1973 but is yet only one prototype. One year later, leaves finally the car production, whose customers can place order. The drawing of Gandini was slightly altered for industrialization, the air intake of the engine were in particular accentuated by two kinds of chimneys on both sides of the engine. The original drawing is always of an astonishing purity, but the feature characteristic of the bevelled back wings will be unfortunately wasted thereafter. Indeed, in 1978, Lamborghini LP 400S will thread a kit body, imagined by the billionaire Walter Wolf, composed of expanders of wings to accomodate one goes up pneumatic (Pirelli P7) broader. Alas, it was only one bus beginning with the passing of years, the car considerably will make ugly by additions with sauce "tuning" denaturing the original beauty of Countach to make a caricature of it. The spectacular one of the forms replaces the elegance of the lines for better answering at the request of avid customers of ostentatious demonstration. A monstrous aileron whose technical utility was very contestable will make its appearance, initially with the catalogue of the options then in series on the LP 500S in 1982... In 1988, a limited series "25th Anniversary" commemorates the birthday of the mark born earlier 25 years, but moves away still a little more spirit of Countach original.

ENGINE
The engine of Countach results directly from that of Miura. Going back to 1963, this V12 Bizzarini assembled to the hand remains one of the most beautiful mechanical monuments of the world and animates Murcielago still today. Put to the test by Bob Wallace, the pilot tester of Lamborghini, Countach initially gives up V12 of 5 liters which yields the place to traditional the 4 liters developing 375 CH. This 12 cylinders out of V with 60° is entirely made out of aluminium with a long crankshaft with seven stages. Each cylinder head is bored of 2 large openings of valves by cylinder and has double camshafts at the head pulled by chain. The food is done by 3 Weber carburettors doubles side bodies by bench of cylinders, that is to say on the whole, 6 vacuum cleaners with fuel and air to feed the monster! Thereafter they will be installed in reversed position. One of the most delicate problems to solve relates to the cooling of this mechanics. The solution is found by moving the radiators of water, finally installed in transverse position. From where the installation of the side air intakes. With the passing of years the cubic capacity will evolve/move, passing 3929 Cm3 (boring of 82 mm X race of 62 mm) on the LP400 to 4754 Cm3 (85,5 X 69 mm) on the LP500S then, finally to 5167 Cm3 (85,5 X 75 mm) for the 5000 Quattrovalvole equipped with cylinder heads with 4 valves by cylinders. The output of this engine is impressive: 88 ch/litre! The powers corresponding to the version quoted are respectively (in CH DIN with rpm) 375 to 8000 rpm, 375 to 7000 rpm and 455 to 7000 rpm for a maximum couple (in Mkg with rpm) from 36,8 to 5500 rpm, 41,8 to 4500 rpm and 51 to 5200 rpm. With these eloquent figures, it is advisable to specify that Countach is extraordinarily light for a supercar: 1065 kg for the LP 400, are poids/puissance an exceptional report/ratio of 2,84 Kg/ch! With such values, useless to say to you that V12 Lamborghini pushes like a buffalo! The power of the LP 400S however will be brought back to 350 CH for export hord of Europe, under the effect of American antipollution measurements. Decided for this reason, the abandonment of the carburettors will remove a part of its magic to him. They will be replaced by an electronic injection Bosch K-Jetronic, less polluting. Principal originality of Countach compared to Miura being to have laid out the box upstream of the engine (in direction reverses), thus creating a more compact unit and a better distribution of the weight. The axle housing, located at the end of the casing of box also contains the input shaft of the box, which is thus assembled to before engine. By separating lubrication moteur/boîte one removed the cumbersome linkage, handicap of Miura, which made it possible to reduce the footing of the car. The gear box is manual, with 5 reports/ratios. The clutch traditional and is connected to the driveshaft which passes through a tube fixed inside the motor casing.

ON THE ROAD...
At the beginning, Lamborghini had thought of using a monocoque structure but it was replaced by a frame out of multitubular lattice forming a unit with the body. This one is entirely made out of aluminium with on the last models, of the glass fibre additions. The complexity of the lattice makes it possible each right tube to interact with its neighbors in torsion and compression. In the center, a broad tunnel leaves the place with the transmission. On each side of the car, two large reserves of 40 Liters make it possible to supply the engine, rather voracious while carburizing, while balancing the masses on the frame. Kinds of cages accomodate the suspensions with four independent wheels, made up of triangular arms, helical springs and shock absorbers with oil. Quickly, the tires acknowledge their limits and are shown under-dimensioned for the power of V12. On the LP 400S, the tires Pirelli P7 with low size will largely improve the handling of Countach. Their adoption involved many final improvements of the geometry of the trains, while the discs of brakes were appreciably increased. They also led to addition of the really coarse expanders of wings. In spite of its advanced age, Countach remains one of the most powerful cars of the world. Its weak weight combined with its powerful V12 in central position confers performances of first order and a road behavior to him diablement effective. Nimble, balanced and almost easy to control in all the sequences at mean velocity, Lamborghini Countach is one of rare the supercars which is also usable on the road. Attention however with excesses of optimism... to handle such a monster of 375 horses, without any help with piloting (even the power-assisted steering is not available on the first series) and with a braking quickly exceeded by the events is not the business of amateur, such a fortunate is it to be able to offer this authentic racing racing car. In a mechanical thunder, Lambo has of another goal only to take along you to the seventh sky of the automobile extase. Its V12 flexible and ragor, always available you gave tympanums of a symphony of decibels in 12 cylinders major completely enivrante! Theoretically able to reach 290 Km/h and to pass from 0 to 160 in 11,3 S in its first version, Countach suffers from a lack of aerodynamic support which makes it very unstable at high speed. The monumental aileron in the shape of boomerang proposed thereafter will have only one not very consequent impact on this phenomenon. On the other hand for the slap with the eye, it is signal! The last one poured, barded aerodynamic artifices are propelled by V12 of 455 horses but in same time, Countach took weight, much of weight. It reaches from now on 1480 kg and his poids/puissance report/ratio is in regression. But what imports, rare are the customers able to exploit all the potential of this racing car. The role of Countach is rather limited to the parade in front of the Casinos that on the circuits...


TO BUY A LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH
The drama of Countach is undoubtedly to be conceived right before the first oil crisis of 1973 and to be marketed between this one and the second shock of 1975. In this economic context of crisis international, useless to specify that the potential customers able to be offered such a jewel equipped with one V12 to the gargantuesque fuel consumption were reduced like a skin of sorrow. Without speaking about the restrictions speed which made their appearance on the motorways of many countries since 1973... During the first years of marketing, Lamborghini will know dark moments putting in danger the financial health of the company. The orders are weak and it will be necessary to await the beginning of the Eighties so that the sales of Countach start to take off significantly. But, meanwhile, the customers evolved/moved. The purchasers of Countach are more often of the stars of the showbiz or rich person businessmen that true pilots in the search of an authentic sports car. With that the new rich person are added, those with which it oil crisis was very advantageous: oil kings, whose it (bad) taste for the exuberant luxury reaches the caricature then. Result, to answer at the request of customers especially concerned to put of it full the sight, Countach whose dress already attracted by nature the glance, copiously will make ugly additions as unaesthetic as not very effective... Actually, its style becomes heavy and loses the charm and the class of the original model. Decade 80 marks the inexorable decline of this dinausore supercars which will close its career in 1990, replaced by Diablo. Born under the supervision from Chrysler, the latter will bury Countach which will remain the last Lamborghini 100% Italian. Countach left the garages of the Jet set, replaced by cars more powerful than it still. Last law of the modes. From now on, it has to join the soft nests of the collectors. Like Ferrari? Not really... Because, with the difference of the productions of Modena, Lamborghini Countach do not have yet really the dimension near the collectors, nor of truths amateurs of sports cars because of their reputation of brittleness. Proposed during more than 17 years to the Lamborghini catalogue, Countach however was diffused rather little (609 e.g. on the whole). The first generations, until 78, are rarest but also most beautiful and desirable with our taste. They are negotiated expensive, up to 100 000 euros. More diffused, the versions post-80 are negotiated today at "accessible" prices almost. By way of example, one 5000 S in a perfect state of 1984 is in the 60 000 euros. But to date, rare are the supercars accessible at such a price! Opinion with the amateurs... Obviously, Countach requires a maintenance expensive and complex but its large V12 is reliable and seldom posts mileage raised, quite to the contrary. Electronics and the equipment are rather reduced, but in fact however the electric functions pose the most concern. Lastly, the aluminium body and glass fibre resist the time proof well, not being corrodible. Nevertheless, least repair can engage of the considerable sums. As often, the exception and passion are at a price which exceeds the reason.

:: CONCLUSION
Here are 15 years that it left the scene and 30 years after its exit, Countach remains a symbol for a whole generation. Small and large dreamed in front of its sharp-edged and futuristic lines, so much so that it became about it the icon caricatural of a generation, inspiring speed, the power and unfortunately also, the luxury and the one time exubérance full with contrasts. But at all events, impassioned truths will always remember to its good memory like a car of exception and sporting with the performances as extraordinary as was to it its line.
TOTAL PRODUCTION: Years/Versions/a Number of specimens
74-' 78/LP 400/150
78-' 82/LP 400 S/235
82-' 85/LP 500 S/323
85-' 88/LP 500 S QV /610 + 66 P 200' S
88-' 90 25 ANNIVERSARY/650

HISTORY:
1971 : Presentation of the prototype in Geneva in Mars.
1974 : Delivery of the first specimen of LP 400, V12 4L of 375 CH.
1978 : Evolution of Countach with the version LP 400S. Electronic injection Bosch K-Jetronic for the versions out-Europe, power brought back to 350 horses to meet the anti-pollution standards of the USA.
1982 : Exit of the LP 500S, V12 4,8 L of 375 CH.
1985 : Pésentation of the 5000 Quattrovalvole, V12 5,2L of 455 horses
1988: Limited series 25th Birthday with a specific kit body.
1991 : Delivery of the Countach last, beginning of the marketing of Diablo studied in partnership with Chrysler.

EC WHAT THEY HAVE THINKS:
"Countach, it is brags it absolute, smashes it integral. It can be neither a placement like Ferrari, nor a purchase reasoned like Porsche, but only one blow of madness."
AUTOMOBILE ACTION - 400 TESTS SEPTEMBER 1989 - COUNTACH 5000 QV

another video from 2004/concorso_italiano
http://www.michaelp.org/photos/cars//1974_lamborghini_countach_lp400_pulling_away_from_ramp.avi

Paper Model :
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/paper-m/yasu/2art_w_etc/j_01_lambo.htm

Full Top gear review video download: http://www.turboupload.com/d/12796/Top_Gear_-_Lamborghini_Countach.avi.html

The Lamborghini Countach was a supercar produced by Lamborghini in Italy. The first prototype emerged in 1971, and production lasted until 1990. It did not pioneer but did popularise the wedge-shaped, sharply angled look popular in many high performance cars since.

The word Countach is an expletive of astonishment in the local Italian dialect, and somehow the name stuck. The word is somewhat akin to the American expression, "Holy cow!" All previous Lamborghini names were associated with bullfighting (Ferruccio Lamborghini being an aficionado of the sport).

In 2004, Sports Car International named this car number three on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s, and it was listed as number ten on their list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s.


Styling
The styling was by Marcello Gandini of the Bertone design studio. Gandini was then a young, inexperienced designer—not very experienced in the practical, ergonomic aspects of automobile design, but at the same time unhindered by them. He produced a quite striking design. The Countach shape was wide and low (42.1 inches), but not very long. Its angular and wedge-shaped body was made almost entirely of flat, trapezoidal panels. There were curves, notably the smoothly coke-bottle wing line, but the overall appearance was sharp.

The doors, a Countach trademark, were of a 'scissors' fashion—hinged at the front with horizontal hinges, so that the doors lifted up and tilted forwards. This was partly for style, but just as much because the width of the car made conventional doors impossible to use in an even slightly confined space. Care needed to be taken, though, in opening the doors with a roof overhead.

Drag, however, was quite poor for such a sleek-looking car—but looking fast was more important to Lamborghini.


Engine
Power was by a Lamborghini designed and built 60° DOHC V12 engine mounted longitudinally in a mid-engined configuration. For better weight distribution, the engine is actually 'backwards'; the output shaft is at the front, and the gearbox is in front of the engine, the driveshaft running back through the engine's sump to a differential at the rear. Although originally planned as a 5 L powerplant, the fist production cars used the Lamborghini Miura's 4 L engine. Later advances increased the displacement to 5 L and then (in the Quattrovalvole model) 5.2 L and four valves per cylinder.


Construction
The Countach utilised a skin of aircraft-grade aluminum over a tubular space-frame, as in a racing car. This is expensive to build but is immensely strong and very light. The underbody tray was fiberglass.


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-fibre 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.


Countach Anniversary
Named to honor the company's 25 year anniversary in 1988, this was mechanically very similar to the LP5000QV but sported much changed styling. The rear 'air boxes' were restyled and enlarged, and a new air dam and side skirting, both with air intakes, were fitted. The styling changes were unpopular with many, but did improve the cooling. The Anniversary was produced through 1990 when it gave way to the Lamborghini Diablo.


Production Figures
A total of 2,042 cars were built during the Countach's lifetime of sixteen years:

1 prototype
157 LP400
237 LP400S
321 LP500S
676 LQ500QV
650 25th Anniversary
Substantially more than half were built in the final five years of production, as Lamborghini's new corporate owners increased production.

Type : V-12 60 degree, light-alloy block with pressed-in liners mid mounted (longitudal), rear wheel drive
Distribution : Dual overhead camshafts, chain drive, two valves/cylinder
Main bearings : 7
Cyl. Capacity : 3929 cc
Bore & stroke : 82 x 62 mm
Compr. ratio : 10.5:1
Max. power : 375 bhp at 8000 rpm
Max. torque : 365 Nm (268 lbs.ft.) at 5000 rpm
Cooling system: Pressurized, twin radiators, vertically mounted either side of engine, with cross-over connection
Ignition : Two coils and two Marelli distributors
Plugs : Bosch 235 P21
Electr. system : 12 V
Alternator : 70 Amp
Fuel system : Dual electric Bendix fuel pumps, 6 twin-choke Weber 45 DCOE 96/97 side draught carburetors
Fuel type : 100 Octane Premium
Fuel cons. : 23.0 Lt./100Km
Lubrication : Wet sump

Top speed : 316 Km/h (196 Mph)


0 - 100 Km/h : 5.6 sec
0 - 100 Mph : 13.3 sec
Standing Km. : 25.2 sec
Standing 1/4 mi : 14.4 sec reaching a speed of 105.5 Mph



Capacities :


Fuel : 120 Lt in two tanks
Engine oil : 17.5 Lt.
Cooling system : 17 Lt.
Luggage : 240 Lt



Price : $ 72,200 (MSRP in 1976) or Lire 19.500.000
Current value : $ 40,800 - $ 78,300 (based on sales in 2003)