Lamborghini Built A New 1971 Countach LP500 Prototype From Scratch For A Collector

This year, Lamborghini marks the 50th anniversary of the Countach, and besides presenting the Countach LPI 800-4 limited production supercar, they wanted to do something special for the iconic model.

Following several weeks of teasing, the brand has revealed an exact replica of the original Countach LP500 prototype from 1971 that was painstakingly created from scratch after 25,000 hours by the brand’s Polo Storico department in collaboration with the Lamborghini Centro Stile, on behalf of a collector.

The unnamed customer who is a “classic car aficionado” and an important Lamborghini collector, approached Polo Storico at the end of 2017 asking them to recreate the LP 500 prototype. As a reminder, the original prototype was destroyed in 1974 during crash testing, after three years of development that led to the production-spec Countach LP400.

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The absence of a real-life model meant that Lamborghini needed to source, acquire and analyze all the available documents, photographs, meeting reports, and original drawings of the prototype, alongside the memories of some people involved with its creation. This process took months and was very crucial as noted by Giuliano Cassataro, Head of Service and Polo Storico.

Lamborghini Centro Stile contributed to the project with a team led by Mitja Borkert, Head of Design, spending more than 2,000 hours of work to recreate the lines of the prototype using images, homologation sheets, and a 3D scan of the first LP400 as a reference.

Physical work started with the construction of the platform chassis – which is completely different from the tubular frame of the production Countach – and continued with the bodywork. Both were analyzed by “modern technological instruments” but the traditional Italian process was used for the sheet metal beating phase. Restored Lamborghini spare parts from the ’70s or completely rebuilt components were used for the underpinnings, including the mid-mounted V12 engine.

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Even the Cinturato CN12 tires were recreated with the help of Fondazione Pirelli, measuring 245/60R14 at the front and 265/60R14 at the rear. While featuring the same tread pattern and aesthetics as the original set from the ’70s, the new tires use modern compound and structure. Finally, the car was painted in the Giallo Fly Speciale color, closely matching the looks of the original.

The Countach LP 500 will enter the concept car class at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. Given the historic significance of this model and the amazing work of the team in Sant’Agata, we are sure it will be an absolute winner.

Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini said: “Bringing the reconstruction of the first Countach to the concept class of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, in the year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of this model, is something extraordinary because it allows us to admire the legendary 1971 LP 500 in person for the first time in so many years.”

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For the record, between 1974 and 1990, Lamborghini launched several versions of the Countach that kept evolving more powerful engines, improved chassis setup, and more pronounced aero components. Out of the total of 1,983 units of all Countach variants that came out of the factory at Sant’Agata, the LP500 prototype is definitely the most desirable.