The Countach is back as a mighty V12 hybrid

Monday, 16 August 2021

The iconic Lamborghini Countach has returned.

After a surprise teaser last week and a leaked couple of images that spoiled the party somewhat, Lamborghini has officially taken the wraps off the reborn Countach.

The supercar icon is back with the new name of LPI 800-4, which stands for Longitudinale Posteriore Ibrido, or Longitudinal Posterior Hybrid, while 800 indicates the power output in PS (596kW) while 4 denotes all-wheel drive.

It’s the same set-up as in the limited Sian, which means a 6.5-litre V12 has been paired with a 48-volt electric motor mounted in the transmission. The motor is fed by supercapacitors that apparently offer three times the power of a lithium-ion battery with the same weight. And yet, Lamborghini considers them a “bridge technology”…

The new Countach and the original ‘Periscopio’ LP 400 from 1740.

As you might expect, performance is pretty staggering. The Contach will crack 100kmh in 2.8 seconds, and 200kmh in 8.6 seconds.

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Sadly there aren't any pop-up headlights this time around.

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The rear lights are taken from the Sian, as is the epic powertrain.

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Part of that is down to the chassis and bodywork being built from carbon fibre, which helps keep dry weight down to 1595kg.

Styling is adapted from the original 1974 ‘Periscopio’ Contach, which didn’t have all the vents and wings you might know the Countach for.

Massive triangular vents are eating into the scissor doors, slats integrated above the engine bay for cooling, and moveable air vents are achieved via 3D printing technology.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any pop-up headlights. Thanks, safety regulations. Around the back are slim taillights that look vaguely like the LP400’s units but massively slimmed down, with three lights per cluster taken directly from the Sian.

While there isn’t a big rear spoiler this time around, there are modern diffusers and splitters along with other aero trickery to keep the car on the ground.

The 21-inch wheels are styled after the original Countach’s ‘telephone dial’ rims, wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber, and hiding carbon-ceramic brakes.

Inside is an 8.4-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay, red quilted leather, and a start/stop button hidden beneath a red rocker cover, like a missile launcher in a jet. To be honest, the interior is more or less the same as in an Aventador, but that’s okay because it’s a brilliant cabin.

Just 112 will be made, a reference to the LP 112 project name of the original Countach, and while Lamborghini isn’t saying how much each will cost, remember the Sian’s starting price was around NZ$5.1 million.