Description
This is lot number 107 in the Bonhams Zoute sale on October 6th, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Desirable last-of-the-line model
Delivered new in Germany
Matching numbers
Highly original
All books and tools
German registration document
The legendary Miura was always going to be a hard act to follow, so the extent to which its successor eclipsed the greatest of 1960s supercars came as something of a shock to all. The sensation of the 1971 Geneva Salon, the Countach was styled, like its predecessor, by Bertone's Marcello Gandini. Lamborghini's four-cam V12 was retained, though this time installed longitudinally. To achieve optimum weight distribution, designer Paolo Stanzani placed the five-speed gearbox ahead of the engine between the seats, and the differential - driven by a shaft passing through the sump - at the rear. The result was a delightful gear change and a better-balanced car than the Miura. When production began in 1974, the Countach sported an improved chassis and the standard 4-litre - instead of the prototype's 5. 0-litre - engine. Even with the smaller engine producing 'only' 375bhp, the aerodynamically efficient Countach could attain 170mph and, as one would expect, came with racetrack roadholding to match. The car's potentially largest market - the USA - remained closed to it until the arrival of the 'emissions friendly' LP500S in 1982. Although no more powerful than before, the newcomer's 4, 754cc engine brought with it a useful increase in torque. The final development saw the engine enlarged to 5, 167cc and new four-valves-per-cylinder 'heads adopted for the Countach Quattrovalvole in 1985, the latter's 300km/ h (186mph) top speed making it -at the time - the world's fastest car.
The Countach's ultimate development, considered by many to be the most desirable, arrived in September 1988. Launched at the Italian Grand Prix, Monza, this was the Anniversario, introduced to celebrate Lamborghini's 25th anniversary as a motor manufacturer. It had been intended to sell the Anniversario in limited numbers, but it would turn out to be the best selling Lamborghini until the arrival of the Diablo.
Restyled and updated, the Anniversario incorporated hundreds of subtle changes and improvements over the Quattrovalvole. The body was reworked by designer Horacio Pagani, creator of the Pagani Zonda, gaining a new nose and front bumper/ spoiler incorporating front brake air ducts. US-destined cars retained the ugly '5mph' impact-resistant bumper, while the new rear bumper was common to both US and European models. The most striking difference in the Anniversario's appearance was in the treatment of the radiator air intakes directly behind the doors, which featured thicker vertical strakes, colour-matched to the body. Beneath the skin the chassis had been extensively updated for improved handling, its development assisted by none other than three-time World Rally Champion, Sandro Munari. Split-rim forged alloy OZ wheels were adopted for the Anniversario, shod with Pirelli's new 'P Zero' dual-compound asymmetrical-tread tyres. Available with carburettors in Europe or fuel injection in the USA, the V12 engine was virtually unchanged from the Quattrovalvole. Powered by the 5, 167cc Qv V12 producing 455bhp, the Anniversario delivers an impressive 0-60mph acceleration time of 5. 2 seconds and has a top speed of 185mph (298km/ h). In total, 657 Countach Anniversario models were made between September 1988 and April 1990, one of the many high-profile owners being ex-Formula 1 World Champion Mario Andretti.
This beautiful Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversario Edition was delivered new by Auto Kremer to our client in Dortmund, Germany on 21st November 1989. Matching numbers and highly original, the car comes with a substantial history file containing the original purchase order dated 2nd November 1988 together with the original purchase invoice showing that the car cost 307, 000 DM at the time. Also in the file is a note written by the owner detailing all the information about pricing when he was negotiating the car's purchase.
Finished in Rosso Corsa with black leather interior, the Countach comes with its complete and original tool kit, spare wheel, all instruction books and the service book showing two services made by Auto Kremer (in 1990 and 1992) and its original German registration document. Little used and having had only one owner, this exceptional Anniversario is an opportunity not to be missed.
Please kindly note that a vehicle with less than 6, 000 kilometers recorded on the odometer, might be considered by the VAT authorities as New Means of Transport and could incur VAT liability upon road registration if sold to an EU country apart from Germany.
