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Dinkel's dreamcars: Lamborghini Countach LP5000S review.
1983 Lamborghini Countach LP5000S
Side impact: the classic Bertone en profil. Rims are only 15" and the 6 double Webers are mounted on both sides of the V12 to keep the silhouette low.
Pirelli notes down all the Countach P-Zero orders and produces all those tires for one year.
A short story: almost a year back I started the Miura thread.
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=114955&...
On page 1 Phil James described his Lambo Espada and a few months later I enjoyed his cars pics - taken by Matthew Howell - from Octane Magazine's (01-05) Glam Shock pages. Around that time PH-member Klassiekerrally mailed me about his friend, who had an S3. He showed me some Espada pics and - one leads to another - he invited me to experience the car in the real world. I just couldn't wait to be his passenger in that luvly piece of Italian V12 fourseater. But that was a bit too optimistic. Due to enginetroubles the Espada's V12 wouldn't run proper. But hey - an '83 Countach LP5000S was available. Wasn't that my poster on the wall in 1983?
Inside a supercar
And here we are. The proud owner sure has a nose for mint classics. Behind his garagedoor a gorgous S1 4.2 E-type is safely cocooned. And the even more desirable Lamborghini Espada S3 is openend up to fix a too high compression rate. Her white leather interior is a huge contrast to the LP5000S functional and black cockpit. Where the spacious Espada offers perfect seats, surround view and a comfy ride, the Countach has a tight fit bare essential sit-and-be-quiet interior. My 1.86 cm not really mini-me only just fit with a flat hand distance head to roof and a flat hand distance right ear to roll-bar. Square lines dominate and just a few round clocks are present to give you the essential info. The seat secures my body and prevent me from moving about. I buckle up and slam down the legendary scisserdoor which cut me off from the outside world.
Sound and vision
The driver turns the ignition key and the magnificent and dark growling powerhouse spits all brutal evil from the four fist thick exhaustpipes. Those six big double 45mm Webers won't offer Ferrari smoothness here. What's to come can be predicted. The engine was still warm from a little brunchspot hoon. Still the 5000 needs a bit of building up oilpressure for a minute or so. After that she's ready to move her white Bertone body. The 15" wheels and the extreme stiff suspension offer a sensational tight ride. That afternoon my head and right ear never touched the leather.
Everything says 'go forward' and that's exactly what happends. The engine doesn't protest switching gears at about 2500 rpm. But she's ready and awake to raise hell. The spade in the bucket pops and bangs spit flames from the tail. It's a shame really all the aural fireworks are there for those who are passed or try to keep up. Because without noticeing this supercar drives at double speed. An eye on the speedo really says 75 and we're just cruising a bit . . . The rural road is lingering in front of us. And the engine feels very OK. It Sounds very OK too: loud with a capital L. All the thundering rasps and overtones make clear this is the business. Time to step on it. There's so much torque for this 1480 kg car you really don't need to switch gear much.
And that's what we'll do: although speeds between 60 and 115 mph make clear this wasn't a one-finger on the steer job the ride is remarkable solid and relaxing. The car seems perfectly controlable and doesn't waste any of the drivers input. Hard braking slows down without any fading and a hard stepping right foot gives pace a chance. And what pace! The growling 6.5k rpm soundtrack is hammering and fuels power to those big 345mm wide P-Zeroes. There is no body-roll, no vibration and absolutely nothing that indicates we're driving an inch from the limits. Only once we stepped a few inches aside. The rough tarmac made the Countach slide because of some heavy braking. But all happends in such a predictable manner. You don't have to guess anything. It's happening and you'll feel and sense it. Even as a pessenger I felt what was going on.
Cozy
After a while I felt completely at home in this small place. With the comforting mechanical whining of the gearbox under my left arm and my rightleg resting at the wheelcase, the extreme beefy 12 doing her job just a few inch behind me and the landscape blurring away it just felt so easy. We discussed some Lambo history, engine characteristics and - off course - the present experience. It sure was a most enjoyable ride.
At any speed all what comes under the wheels gives information in an ultra direct manner. The contact is very intense and physical. Inside the fragrance of oil and gas make clear this car is not for hairdressers. I never had the feeling the Countach was going anywhere the driver didn't want. And wanting where to go is not an easy piece. The clutch is heavy, the gearchange needs a muscle and the small steeringwheel is sensitive. Power delivery is smooth in a linear sense but the carbs have a soul of their own. Thrust is raw and brutal offering acceleration in a layered kind of way. Compared to nowadays cars it's all down to the 70s technique here. A nowadays GTi has similar performance with all the comfort and the gadgets. But just standing in front of this magnificent white beast from outer space - the classic supercar of all supercars - and she'll make you clear there once were other cars.
Dinkel, june 2005
1983 Lamborghini Countach LP5000S
Side impact: the classic Bertone en profil. Rims are only 15" and the 6 double Webers are mounted on both sides of the V12 to keep the silhouette low.
Pirelli notes down all the Countach P-Zero orders and produces all those tires for one year.
A short story: almost a year back I started the Miura thread.
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=114955&...
On page 1 Phil James described his Lambo Espada and a few months later I enjoyed his cars pics - taken by Matthew Howell - from Octane Magazine's (01-05) Glam Shock pages. Around that time PH-member Klassiekerrally mailed me about his friend, who had an S3. He showed me some Espada pics and - one leads to another - he invited me to experience the car in the real world. I just couldn't wait to be his passenger in that luvly piece of Italian V12 fourseater. But that was a bit too optimistic. Due to enginetroubles the Espada's V12 wouldn't run proper. But hey - an '83 Countach LP5000S was available. Wasn't that my poster on the wall in 1983?
Inside a supercar
And here we are. The proud owner sure has a nose for mint classics. Behind his garagedoor a gorgous S1 4.2 E-type is safely cocooned. And the even more desirable Lamborghini Espada S3 is openend up to fix a too high compression rate. Her white leather interior is a huge contrast to the LP5000S functional and black cockpit. Where the spacious Espada offers perfect seats, surround view and a comfy ride, the Countach has a tight fit bare essential sit-and-be-quiet interior. My 1.86 cm not really mini-me only just fit with a flat hand distance head to roof and a flat hand distance right ear to roll-bar. Square lines dominate and just a few round clocks are present to give you the essential info. The seat secures my body and prevent me from moving about. I buckle up and slam down the legendary scisserdoor which cut me off from the outside world.
Sound and vision
The driver turns the ignition key and the magnificent and dark growling powerhouse spits all brutal evil from the four fist thick exhaustpipes. Those six big double 45mm Webers won't offer Ferrari smoothness here. What's to come can be predicted. The engine was still warm from a little brunchspot hoon. Still the 5000 needs a bit of building up oilpressure for a minute or so. After that she's ready to move her white Bertone body. The 15" wheels and the extreme stiff suspension offer a sensational tight ride. That afternoon my head and right ear never touched the leather.
Everything says 'go forward' and that's exactly what happends. The engine doesn't protest switching gears at about 2500 rpm. But she's ready and awake to raise hell. The spade in the bucket pops and bangs spit flames from the tail. It's a shame really all the aural fireworks are there for those who are passed or try to keep up. Because without noticeing this supercar drives at double speed. An eye on the speedo really says 75 and we're just cruising a bit . . . The rural road is lingering in front of us. And the engine feels very OK. It Sounds very OK too: loud with a capital L. All the thundering rasps and overtones make clear this is the business. Time to step on it. There's so much torque for this 1480 kg car you really don't need to switch gear much.
And that's what we'll do: although speeds between 60 and 115 mph make clear this wasn't a one-finger on the steer job the ride is remarkable solid and relaxing. The car seems perfectly controlable and doesn't waste any of the drivers input. Hard braking slows down without any fading and a hard stepping right foot gives pace a chance. And what pace! The growling 6.5k rpm soundtrack is hammering and fuels power to those big 345mm wide P-Zeroes. There is no body-roll, no vibration and absolutely nothing that indicates we're driving an inch from the limits. Only once we stepped a few inches aside. The rough tarmac made the Countach slide because of some heavy braking. But all happends in such a predictable manner. You don't have to guess anything. It's happening and you'll feel and sense it. Even as a pessenger I felt what was going on.
Cozy
After a while I felt completely at home in this small place. With the comforting mechanical whining of the gearbox under my left arm and my rightleg resting at the wheelcase, the extreme beefy 12 doing her job just a few inch behind me and the landscape blurring away it just felt so easy. We discussed some Lambo history, engine characteristics and - off course - the present experience. It sure was a most enjoyable ride.
At any speed all what comes under the wheels gives information in an ultra direct manner. The contact is very intense and physical. Inside the fragrance of oil and gas make clear this car is not for hairdressers. I never had the feeling the Countach was going anywhere the driver didn't want. And wanting where to go is not an easy piece. The clutch is heavy, the gearchange needs a muscle and the small steeringwheel is sensitive. Power delivery is smooth in a linear sense but the carbs have a soul of their own. Thrust is raw and brutal offering acceleration in a layered kind of way. Compared to nowadays cars it's all down to the 70s technique here. A nowadays GTi has similar performance with all the comfort and the gadgets. But just standing in front of this magnificent white beast from outer space - the classic supercar of all supercars - and she'll make you clear there once were other cars.
Dinkel, june 2005
Edited by dinkel on Wednesday 22 June 12:06
The Espada first?
Interiour is basic and practical. Look at those speakerholes: beautifull designed but completely useless.
This V12 is one of the best sounding engines and a classic. Notice the ram-air intakes.
I think the Countach is the first true modern supercar.
Interiour is basic and practical. Look at those speakerholes: beautifull designed but completely useless.
This V12 is one of the best sounding engines and a classic. Notice the ram-air intakes.
I think the Countach is the first true modern supercar.
Edited by dinkel on Monday 7th May 19:27
Octane read:
Lamborghini Countach vs Ferrari Testarossa
The world has changed a lot since the mid-1980s, more than those of us of a certain age would like to think. Roads are more clogged, speed limits are lower and more numerous, much of the population adopts a higher moral tone when fast and thirsty cars are involved. All of which alters the way we see cars such as the Lamborghini Countach and the Ferrari Testarossa, the twin peaks (limited-run hypercars excepted) of 1980s supercardom.
Read on here.
- registration needed -
Lamborghini Countach vs Ferrari Testarossa
The world has changed a lot since the mid-1980s, more than those of us of a certain age would like to think. Roads are more clogged, speed limits are lower and more numerous, much of the population adopts a higher moral tone when fast and thirsty cars are involved. All of which alters the way we see cars such as the Lamborghini Countach and the Ferrari Testarossa, the twin peaks (limited-run hypercars excepted) of 1980s supercardom.
Read on here.
- registration needed -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2vcT1bq2XA&lis...
1986 Lamborghini Countach - Jay Leno's Garage: An Italian exclamation of astonishment! The hottest supercar of the 1980s.
1986 Lamborghini Countach - Jay Leno's Garage: An Italian exclamation of astonishment! The hottest supercar of the 1980s.
NO!
http://www.autodrome.fr/lamborghini_countach_LP400...
"This former Rod Stewart's "periscopica" LP400 in Spider version, adds the pleasure of a roadster to a legendary classic."
http://www.autodrome.fr/lamborghini_countach_LP400...
"This former Rod Stewart's "periscopica" LP400 in Spider version, adds the pleasure of a roadster to a legendary classic."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9M1CHYoJj0
1972 Lamborghini Miura SVJ Bertone V12 driven by the famous test driver Valentino Balboni at Villa d'Este.
Listen how the V12 sound compares to period V12 Ferraris.
1972 Lamborghini Miura SVJ Bertone V12 driven by the famous test driver Valentino Balboni at Villa d'Este.
Listen how the V12 sound compares to period V12 Ferraris.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyUOvxFpNdM
He seemed happy with it. "Great, great fun."
"But I'll take the standard Gallardo."
He seemed happy with it. "Great, great fun."
"But I'll take the standard Gallardo."
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