When a historic Lamborghini ends up at auction, the attention of enthusiasts is always very high. Here’s what model it is.
All modern Lamborghinis have the style of the forefather Countach to thank. Designer Marcello Gandini deserves credit for having had a vision when he created the Toro super sports car. When it was unveiled at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show it seemed to have landed from another planet.
The taut and futuristic lines of the Lamborghini Countach have become the distinctive feature of the Taurus brand. It was fast even when stationary, thanks to a wide and low chassis. The first Countach series was called LP400. The dream car from the Sant’Agata Bolognese company became a symbol of innovation and even left Enzo Ferrari taken aback. Lamborghini had already been successful with the Miura, but with the Countach a stylistic path was blazed that had no equal on planet earth.
The racing car was offered with the powerful 3,929 cm³ Miura engine. LP indicated its position, longitudinally at the rear, while 400 stood for the engine displacement. The Countach enjoyed 375 – 385 hp DIN (280-287kW) at 8,000 rpm. The declared maximum speed was 315 km/h. At the time there were no driving aids and it could only be driven by real handles.
A Countach LP 400 S up for auction
The chassis number 1121296 indicates that it is part of the second LP 400 S production series. The suspension setting is lower than the third series cars which have slightly raised suspensions. Just 237 units of the LP 400 S were launchedof which 105 are part of the second production series.
The car remained unrestored and in original condition. It has covered approximately 5 thousand kilometers by the owner in 10 years and during this period it has been regularly serviced by an official Lamborghini distributor. In 2015, Jean Guikas became the fourth documented owner of the Countach. A family tradition given that the enthusiast had already owned and restored numerous Lamborghinis in the past.
Guikas decided to make some corrections to the car. Approximately 71,000 euros were invested, with the work entrusted to the same Italian craftsmen who work for Lamborghini Polo Storico, Top Motors Salvioli and Carrozzeria Meschiari. The car was repainted in Tahiti blue, a rare and fascinating color that brings to mind the Le Mans blue of the Diablo. The beige interior is original. After the work carried out, it is on sale for 600 thousand euros on the Sotheby’s website.
