Lamborghini confirms a new version of its iconic Countach supercar is coming

Lamborghini’s iconic Countach â€" recently voted Britain’s most popular poster car of all time â€" is making a comeback, the Italian marque has confirmed. And it looks set to be unveiled in a matter of days.

In a shock announcement, the iconic Italian sports car maker revealed via its social media channels that the Countach â€" first revealed in prototype form 50 years ago â€" will return in 2021.

Accompanying a teaser video to announce the news, the brand said: ‘We make dreams come true. We did it with the classic Countach in the 1970s. And we’re doing it again. The new Lamborghini Countach is coming.’

While details about the car and its unveiling are incredibly limited for now, the reborn Countach is expected to be debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, which kicks off on Sunday 15 August.

Countach is back! Lamborghini has revealed this teaser image of the reborn supercar, which looks set to be unveiled in full in the US next week

The original Countach debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971 as the LP500 concept, though it took another three years of development before the production version went on sale in 1974.

Still recognised as one of the greatest supercars of all time, the Countach’s wedge-shaped design â€" penned by Marcello Gandini â€" and scissor doors were a huge departure from Lamborghini’s original high-performance model, the Miura.

Earlier this year, returning chief executive Stefan Winkelmann promised two new models to feature the manufacturer’s V12 engine before it embarked on electrifying its entire line-up, with the Countach set to be one of those cars to be among the last to get the wailing powerplant. 

It’s widely expected that it will share a powerplant with the hybrid Sián hypercar, using the 6.5-litre 12-cylinder motor and supercapacitor technology.

In a shock announcement on Monday night, Lamborghini confirmed the Countach nameplate will return in 2021 to mark the 50th anniversary of the original (pictured)

The return of the icon comes 50 years after the LP500 concept (pictured) was revealed at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show

The Countach went into production three years after the concept was showcased by Lamborghini. It was built from 1974 to 1990

Fewer than 2,000 examples of the original Countach were made despite it being in production for 16 years

It is unique from a traditional hybrid vehicle with a supplementary battery, being an electrical component that stores energy that can be used to boost both performance and efficiency.

With this being the case, be ready for the 2021 Countach to have somewhere in the region of 800PS (789 horsepower), accelerate from zero to 62mph in less than three seconds and have a top speed that nudges 220mph.

Further details about the car have been revealed on Instagram, having been leaked from the Lamborghini Unica app, which is exclusively reserved for customers who have at least one Lambo in their collection. 

It’s widely expected that the new Countach will share a powerplant with the hybrid Sián hypercar revealed in 2019. That means a 6.5-litre V12 with supercapacitor technology

The Contach is still recognised today as one of the greatest supercars of all time. Its looks were revolutionary when it went on sale in 1974

A wedge-shaped design â€" penned by Marcello Gandini â€" and scissor doors were a huge departure from Lamborghini’s original high-performance model, the Miura

Earlier this year, returning Lamborghini CEO Stefan Winkelmann promised two new models that will feature the manufacturer’s wailing V12 engine, with the Countach set to be one of those cars. Pictured, an original version of the supercar

Reports suggest its full name will be Countach LPI 800-4.

‘LPI’ is short for ‘Longitudinale Posteriore Ibrido’, which loosely translates to it having a longitudinally mounted engine positioned in the middle â€" though towards the rear â€" of the car with a hybrid system. The ‘800’ figure denotes the power output and ‘4’ refers to it will be all-wheel drive. 

In terms of the looks, one snap showing the car under cover suggests it will be a true homage to the straight-lined and supremely low design of the original. 

The one picture of the new car under cover suggests the it will stay true to the first examples, meaning no enormous rear wing like the version to the far right

Scissor doors, which open upwards and forwards, are almost certainly set to return also, given that the Countach was the first model to debut the then bonkers feature in the seventies

More details of the new version of this Lamborghini classic have been leaked online, with the car’s full name set to be Countach LPI 800-4

LPI’ is short for ‘Longitudinale Posteriore Ibrido’, which loosely translates to it having a longitudinally mounted engine positioned in the middle â€" though towards the rear â€" of the car with a hybrid system. Pictured, two original Countach examples

While the lone images gives little away, it does show a long body with short overhangs and a distinctive silouhette that has graced the walls of petrolheads through generations.

It also suggests the new model will stay true to the first examples, meaning no enormous rear wing. 

Scissor doors, which open upwards and forwards, are almost certainly set to return also, given that the Countach was the first model to debut the then bonkers feature. 

And while the Countach was in production for 16 years with just shy of 2,000 examples built, the new version to mark its 50th anniversary is going to be sold in far limited numbers and is certainly not going to be a complete one-off vehicle.

The ‘800’ figure in the new version’s name is said to denote the power output (800PS) and ‘4’ refers to it will be all-wheel drive. Pictured, four original Countach examples

The 2021 tribute to this iconic classic is set to be showcased at the ultra-exclusive Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, which is part of the Monterey Car Week event in the US

Pebble Beach has been the destination for Lamborghini to unveil limited-edition hypercars in the past, so is the most likely destination for the covers to come off the new take on this 50-year-old icon

 While fewer than 2,000 versions of the original Countach (pictured) were make, production of the 2021 car will be in much smaller volumes

More will be revealed soon, likely next week at the Monterey Car Week event in the US.

The Munich motor show is due to take place next month but Lamborghini has used the exclusive Pebble Beach event to showcase its limited-run hypercars in the past.

As well as promising two new new V12 models, the Italian marque also confirmed earlier this year that it will have an entirely electrified car range by 2024.

The new Countach won’t be a one-off special, though its limited production run will most certainly be offered to its most committed customers who already have one or two Lamborghinis in their collection

In its traser announcement, the brand said: ‘We make dreams come true. We did it with the classic Countach in the 1970s. And we’re doing it again. The new Lamborghini Countach is coming’

The Countach name was the first not to be associated with famous bulls and bullfighting. The name originated from the word ‘contacc’, an exclamation of astonishment in the Piedmontese language

Want to find out more about the car? We will bring full details of the new Countach when Lamborghini takes the covers off

Countach named Britain’s most popular poster car 

The Countach was voted the most popular pin-up poster car in a recent poll by The British Motor Show, which takes place later this month 

A recent poll conducted by The British Motor Show in recent weeks named the Countach the nation’s favourite pin-up poster car of all time.

The wedge-shaped Lambo was the most popular poster car of the show’s Facebook followers, with over 700 petrolheads posting their votes for the drool-worth motors that have at one time or another adorned their walls.

It was closely pursued by the Ferrari Testarossa and Porsche 959, both of which rivalled the Countach in the eighties.

Also making the top 10 was the Porsche 911, Ferrari F40 and Lamborghini Diablo.

Favourites from the US followed, with the Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Viper, just ahead of the Ferrari 308 and the Ford Sierra Cosworth. 

There were some oddball respondents, too. One of the show’s fans claimed to have had an MG Maestro on his bedroom wall, another had a Fiat Uno 55S and for one respondent it was the Leyland Roadrunner truck that took pride of place.

Commenting on the poll results, The British Motor Show chief executive, Andy Entwistle, said: ‘Of course, this was just a bit of fun, but it seems that around one in five car fans have had a Countach Blu-Tacked above their bed, and it’s that love of cars that really drives the passion behind The British Motor Show.

‘It’s also evocative of the cars at the show as well, as alongside halls of shiny new metal we’ve got classics and supercars. I’m not sure we can rustle up a Leyland Truck, though.’

The British Motor Show takes place from 19-22 August with tickets on sale now, costing £18.50 each or £37 for a family of four.

To find out more about the show, book tickets or keep up with the latest news, visit www.thebritishmotorshow.live. 

CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST

Source: dailymail

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