Lamborghini Countach LP500 S by Bertone 1981, Itália

Lamborghini Countach LP500 S by Bertone 1981, Itália
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It was the Miura that truly cemented Lamborghini as a builder of high-performance automobiles and a proper rival to Ferrari. With its evocative Marcello Gandini–penned shape and ferocious V-12 engine stuffed behind the passenger compartment, the Miura was as breathtaking to behold as it was to drive. Replacing the Miura would call for more than simply reworking the existing car with modern styling and calling the job done. Lamborghini—both man and machine—would not be content with anything but the most powerful, high-performance car imaginable.

Lamborghini once again turned to Gandini at Bertone, who created a radical, angular design, far different but just as striking as the Miura. Power came from a V-12 engine, which was mounted longitudinally amidships to centralise the car’s weight distribution. The initial 3.9-litre engine would be replaced by a more powerful 4.8-litre unit in late 1981. Stylistically, fibreglass wheel flares accommodated massive 345/35-series tyres wrapped around 15-inch wheels, a revolutionary move that improved roadholding exponentially. Marking the LP500 S a few years later, Lamborghini modernised the car’s interior but left the aggressive nature of its design intact.

The LP500 S example offered was produced in 1984 and is offered with original documentation including a Certificato di Garanzia, an order form, and a delivery form. Delivered as you see it here today, in red paint over a beige interior, it boasts a remarkable story. Purchased new by Mr Josef Plein of Velbert, Germany, the Countach was collected from Auto Kremer Bonn on 10 March 1984. In doing so, Auto Kremer Bonn took Mr Plein’s Porsche 911 Turbo in trade. Amazingly, the car remained with Mr Plein from new for an incredible 30 years. During that time, he covered less than 14,500 km. The car was never restored and still retains its original paint and interior. At that point it was acquired by a collector of low-mileage supercars, and it has remained in his collection ever since and was never re-registered in its second owner’s name.