Lot 212: Lamborghini Countach Quattrovalvole Coupe

The legendary Miura was always going to be a hard act to follow, so the extent to which its successor eclipsed the greatest of 1960s supercars came as something of a shock to all. As Motor magazine observed, ‘few people gazing at the original Bertone Countach at Geneva in 1971 could have regarded it as anything but a “show” car. There were those fold-up doors for a start and the space-age cockpit with its abysmal rear visibility not to mention the strange engine/transmission configuration.’ Happily, Lamborghini disregarded criticism of the car’s supposed lack of practicality and the Countach entered production changed in detail only, including the prototype’s ‘periscope’ rear view mirror system. Like its Miura predecessor, the Countach was styled by Bertone’s Marcello Gandini. Lamborghini’s four-cam V12 was retained, though this time installed longitudinally. To achieve optimum weight distribution, designer Paolo Stanzani placed the five-speed gearbox ahead of the engine between the seats, and the differential - driven by a shaft passing through the sump - at the rear. The result was a delightful gearchange and a better-balanced car than the Miura. When production began in 1974, the Countach sported an improved chassis and the standard 4.0-litre - instead of the prototype’s 5.0-litre - engine. Even with the smaller engine producing ‘only’ 375bhp, the aerodynamically efficient Countach could attain 170mph and, as one would expect, came with racetrack roadholding to match. The car’s potentially largest market - the USA - remained closed to it until the arrival of the ‘emissions friendly’ LP500S in 1982. Although no more powerful than before, the newcomer’s 4,754cc engine brought with it a useful increase in torque. The final development saw the engine enlarged to 5,167cc and new four-valves-per-cylinder ’heads adopted for the Countach Quattrovalvole in 1985, the latter’s 300km/h (186mph) top speed making it - at the time - the world’s fastest car. A US model in very nice original condition, this Countach Quattrovalvole had had only one private owner prior to its purchase last year in California by the current French vendor. The odometer currently displays a total of only 18,510 kilometres, which is believed to be the distance travelled from new, and according to Carfax documentation on file this car has never been damaged in an accident. Also on file are numerous old invoices relating to the previous ownership in California dating from 1992 to 2007, together with others relating to work carried out since then. The latter includes the installation of European-specification bumpers front and rear, checking/adjusting the fuel injection system and a complete overhaul of the electrics. Carried out by the well-known Garage Claude Plantefol in La Ferté Loupiére, the latter included fitting a new alternator and Bosch engine ECU, involved more than 60 hours of work and cost more than €5,500. The current owner is most meticulous and the car is presented in very good condition, benefiting from a service undertaken recently when recharging the air conditioning system was one of the tasks carried out. Finished in white with red leather interior, the latter in mint original condition, the car is offered with the aforementioned service history, driver’s handbook, old State of California title, Lamborghini Certificate of Conformity, and the French certificate of European tax paid custom. Version américaine en très bel état d'origine, cette Countach Quattrovalvole n'a eu qu'un seul propriétaire privé avant son achat l'an dernier en Californie par son propriétaire français actuel. Le compteur indique 18 510 km, ce qui doit correspondre au kilométrage couvert depuis livraison de la voiture, neuve. D'après la documentation Carfax présente dans le dossier, cette Countach n'a jamais été impliquée dans un accident. Le dossier comporte également de nombreuses factures datant de sa période en Californie, de 1992 à 2007, ainsi que d'autres relatives à des travaux entrepris depuis. Ceux-ci incluent la pose de pare-chocs avant et arrière aux spécifications européennes, la vérification et le réglage du système d'injection, et une réfection complète du système électrique. Réalisée par le garage bien connu Claude Plantefol à La Ferté-Loupière, cette dernière a compris la pose d'un alternateur et d'un boîtier de contrôle électronique Bosch, impliquant plus de soixante heures de main d'œuvre et un coût de plus de 5 500 €. Le propriétaire actuel est des plus méticuleux et la voiture se présente en excellent état. Elle bénéficie d'une révision réalisée récemment, au cours de laquelle le système d'air conditionné a été rechargé. De couleur blanche avec sellerie cuir rouge, celle-ci en parfait état d'origine, la voiture est accompagnée de l'historique d'entretien mentionné plus haut, du manuel d'utilisateur, d'un ancien document d'immatriculation californien, d'un Certificat de Conformité de Lamborghini et un certificat de dédouanement français.