Countach

[livinginasia]

Resurrecting an old thread, great to see PaulQV’s countach on The Grand Tour this week!

[Biker's Nemesis]

livinginasia said:

Resurrecting an old thread, great to see PaulQV’s countach on The Grand Tour this week!

OT

I went to a Scottish meet a few years ago and met PaulQV who went out of his way to talk to me and then showed me around his car.

A thoroughly decent man.

[thegreenhell]

I thought it was Harry Metcalf's, as was the Testarossa.

[AMVSVNick]

thegreenhell said:

I thought it was Harry Metcalf's, as was the Testarossa.

Correct

[Nick67]

AMVSVNick said:

Correct

www.youtube.com/channel/UCIB5XXHNAWWzTOw6guIMYCg

[snapper seven]

Paul's white QV was on The Grand Tour - the episode when they took the 'cheap' investment Lancia, Alfa and Fiat cars to Scotland. Paul's car was briefly shown when Jeremy pulled into the hotel for his birthday party.
Looked terrific!

[paulqv]

Well spotted
Yes it was my car and me chatting to JC when they cut to JM playing the bagpipes.
The car is on a few shots and also in the background wheen they drive out the next morning. It was a house not a hotel we did the filming in.

[Auto810graphy]

Hopefully nobody’s on here

https://www.copart.co.uk/lot/25909999

I guess the only slight positive out of something so bad is it means a few hard to find parts might become available for owners that need them.

[Willwors]

This is probably one of my favourite threads of all time. Love all the photos of Countach in 80s / early 90s situ.

I walked down George St today and note that the old Portman showroom is now an upholstery shop. I am trying to remember when Portman left George St for South Ken and when the name changed from Portman to Lamborghini London.

Any ideas?!

Edited by Willwors on Saturday 27th April 18:50

[footsoldier]

Willwors said:

This is probably one of my favourite threads of all time. Love all the photos of Countach in 80s / early 90s situ.

I walked down George St today and note that the old Portman showroom is now a upholstery shop. I am trying to remember when Portman left George St for South Ken and when the name changed from Portman to Lamborghini London.

Any ideas?!

I remember writing to Portman while still at school, and they sent me a letter and brochures for the Countach and Jalpa as requested. They might even still be in a box somewhere.

Didn’t remember they were on George Street, and it was a long wait..., but this is my car in George Street, Edinburgh last week...
(Photo by @supercar_aw)

[Ferruccio]

Willwors said:

This is probably one of my favourite threads of all time. Love all the photos of Countach in 80s / early 90s situ.

I walked down George St today and note that the old Portman showroom is now an upholstery shop. I am trying to remember when Portman left George St for South Ken and when the name changed from Portman to Lamborghini London.

Any ideas?!

Edited by Willwors on Saturday 27th April 18:50

They closed down and then the concession went to AFN in Reading.
Can’t remember exactly when but early/mid 90s?
Stayed there awhile, then I think with Audi taking over there was seen to be a conflict, so went to HRO.

[Adam B]

My first job after uni was in Egham. Many a lunch break involved driving down the road to Portman and looking at the Countachs, Jalpas and the odd LM002 at the service centre

Would have been 93/94

What was this place if Portman had lost UK concessionaire?

Edited by Adam B on Sunday 28th April 18:44

[Davo456gt]

108-110 George Street,
then opened a service operation near Brentford (guess), where the Countach Anniversary had its UK Launch with the RHD Orange LP400 next to it in 1989.

Then to Reading with Porsche, for the Diablo SE30 Jota Launch (so that would have been 1993).

Then Audi would have been around 1999 I presume, as they took over the company from MegaTech in 1998.

[cgt2]

All correct, 108 George St closed around 1992, they were definitely open in 1991 as I remember seeing Diablos there.

When the concession went to Porsche Reading I remember a lot of focus around 1993-1995 but I'm not sure if they retained the concession from then up to 1999 as the company was floundering and there was Malaysian involvement during that time (same backers of Lotus).

Not 100% sure as memory is hazy but I think there was also a shared concession with Lotus which would have been after the Porsche era and before Audi. Reading was definitely long gone as a Lambo connection by the late 90s so not sure what happened during that 5-6 year period.

[AMVSVNick]

Davo456gt said:

Then to Reading with Porsche, for the Diablo SE30 Jota Launch (so that would have been 1993).

I was at that launch

[Ferruccio]

Adam B said:

My first job after uni was in Egham. Many a lunch break involved driving down the road to Portman and looking at the Countachs, Jalpas and the odd LM002 at the service centre

Would have been 93/94

What was this place if Portman had lost UK concessionaire?

Edited by Adam B on Sunday 28th April 18:44

It kept going for a bit after they had lost the concession.
I remember Del Hopkins mourning the fact that they were no longer the concessionaires.

[Ferruccio]

Davo456gt said:

108-110 George Street,
then opened a service operation near Brentford (guess), where the Countach Anniversary had its UK Launch with the RHD Orange LP400 next to it in 1989.
.

Yup just south of the elevated section of the M4.
I remember dropping the car off and walking up to South Ealing tube to get to work!

[Robert W]

Portman were in the Thorpe Industrial Estate near Maranello Concessionaires for a short while. I recall a J reg Diablo at George Street. Thorpe there was a K reg white Diablo, so 93/94 sounds about right. They also had a showroom in Windsor for a short while... and there was “Portman Bradshaw” down in Bournemouth for a while too!

[Adam B]

Robert W said:

Portman were in the Thorpe Industrial Estate near Maranello Concessionaires for a short while... there was a K reg white Diablo, so 93/94 sounds about right.

Yes that was the place, very modest unit with about 4 parking spaces out front

[Craig]

Hi Robert

Do you know of this QV and any registrations it previously had?

https://www.graemehunt.com/inventory/484/1987-lamb...

Chassis 12186

Never seen it before - looks fantastic!

thanks

Craig

(I'm not looking to buy btw - those days are long gone!)