All hail the new Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4

Famously, the original Countach derived its name from the expression a security guard made upon seeing it for the first time; Lamborghini itself says the name is an “exclamation of the Italian Piedmontese dialect that indicates astonishment and admiration for something”.

Welcome then, to the car that pays homage to that Seventies icon. Applying the same formula, you could call it the Lamborghini ‘******* hell’, but its official title is thus: the Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4. “The Countach not only embodies the design and engineering tenet of Lamborghini but represents our philosophy of reinventing boundaries,” explains returning boss Stephan Winkelmann.

The new one is designed and built in such a way as to imagine how the Countach of the 70s and 80s might have evolved. And on first impressions, yes, this’ll sit just nicely on that bedroom wall thankyouverymuch.

Clean, uncluttered lines mirror the original LP 500 concept and LP 400 production car that followed; an instantly recognisable face taken from the Quattrovalvole edition featuring a rectangular grille and lights; NACA air intakes cut into the sides and doors rather than festooned on top; the overall wedge silhouette. Sorry, Wedge. Oh, how we’ve missed a good Wedge.

Lambo’s design boss Mitja Borkert is, unsurprisingly, quite proud of the finished product. “The Countach LPI 800-4 is an incomparable design opportunity: to take a car so important and continue its evolution into a new era is a unique privilege.”

The ‘new era’ bit concerns the underpinnings. It’s based on the Sian (itself spun from the Aventador SVJ) and gets that £2.5m unobtanium's hybrid powertrain. So, that incomparable naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 – putting out 780hp alone and mounted longitudinally in the middle – is matched to a 48v electric motor that sits betwixt Massive V12 and the gearbox, adding its own 34hp for an 815hp total. The motor is powered by a supercapacitor rather than li-ion battery (supercaps are lighter), and it’s four-wheel-drive of course.

Let’s talk numbers, because any car that calls itself Countach isn't allowed to be slow, or undramatic, or incapable of extracting expletive-ridden tirades upon fierce acceleration. This LPI 800-4 will do 0-100km/h in 2.8s, 0-200km/h in 8.6s and top out at 355km/h. Very much Not Slow, then.

The monocoque and body panels are all built from carbonfibre, with visible CF on the front splitter, around the front window and wing mirrors, intake covers and rocker panel. Lamborghini, um, dialled into Countach history by deploying ‘telephone’ style wheels, while behind them sit massive carbon ceramics; a microcosm of the whole. “A reminder that this car, despite its historic inspiration, is a future automotive screensaver for the 21st century,” Lamborghini says.

Further nods to the 21st century reside in the 3D-printed air vents inside, the photocromatic roof (changing from solid to transparent at the touch of a button), plus an 8.4in HDMI centre touchscreen. Though, there are Seventies motifs stitched onto the “classic and luxurious” leather.

A range of heritage colours are available, the one on display in California going by the name ‘Bianco Siderale’ (white, basically) with a hint of pearlescent blue, channelling pure GTA Vice City vibes.

“The Countach was provocative and polarising,” Borkert said, “it made people smile and stare but its infamous recognisability demonstrates the purity of its design legacy. The Countach LPI 800-4 elevates that clarity to a new level, celebrated in an exclusive limited edition to take its place in motoring history,” he added.

Exclusive indeed – just 112 of these LPI 800-4s will be built, delivered from the first part of 2022. And each one will cost... just over €2m plus local taxes. Ladies and gentlemen, start your swearing...

STORY Vijay Pattni