Countach zawdzięcza swoją spektakularną stylistykę włoskiemu projektantowi Marcello Gandiniemu. Oprócz niesamowitego wyglądu z nożycowymi drzwiami, to w Countachu po raz pierwszy zastosowano wyjątkowy silnik: 3,9-litrowe V12 o mocy 375 KM. Jednostka montowana była centralnie za skrzynią biegów. Dzięki temu sprytnemu rozwiązaniu, z wałem napędowym obracającym się przez miskę olejową silnika, udało się stworzyć tak zwartą sylwetkę. Prezentowany na aukcji egzemplarz został dostarczony do importera 1 października 1974 roku. Samochód o numerze seryjnym 9 należy do cenionej przez kolekcjonerów partii „Periscopio”. Lamborghini w kolorach Marrone (brązowy) to auto z salonu samochodowego w Paryżu. Zanim został sprzedane i zarejestrowane w listopadzie 1975 roku, używane było do testów prasowych. We wczesnych latach 80. przemalowano je na bardzo atrakcyjny jasnoszary kolor, z delikatną czerwoną linią biegnącą wzdłuż auta. W 1983 roku Countach został zakupiony przez obecnego właściciela, który jako student jeździł Alfą Romeo 2600 i był zachwycony oszałamiającym designem Lamborghini. Właściciel regularnie jeździł nim do swojego biura, co nie uszło uwadze mieszkańców małego miasteczka, w którym praktykował. Zdecydował się więc rzadziej korzystać z samochodu i ukryć go w garażu aż do początku lat 2000. Nigdy nie remontowany samochód posiada zdrową karoserię, a lakier wykazuje tylko kilka oznak utleniania i bardzo lekką korozję. Wnętrze ze spatynowaną skórzaną tapicerką wydaje się być całkowicie oryginalne. Oryginalne są również dywaniki, a samochód wyposażony jest w radio Autovox i głośniki Pioneer. Countach posiada oryginalny silnik i ma pewne cechy charakterystyczne dla pierwszych egzemplarzy, dzięki czemu jest bliższy prototypowi niż modelowi produkcyjnemu. Countach od zawsze wygląda jak pojazd z kosmosu na drodze. Żeby go zdobyć, należało pogodzić się z korozją na karoserii i wyłożyć ponad 953 tys. euro.

Link: https://www.artcurial.com/en/lot-1975-lamborghini-countach-lp400-4315-85

Sale Rétromobile 2023 – 03 february 2023 /Lot 85 1975 Lamborghini Countach LP400

Lot 85
1975 Lamborghini Countach LP400
Estimation 800,000 – 1,200,000 €
Sold 953,600 €

French title
Chassis no. 1120018
Engine no. 1120018
Production no. 9

– Exhibited at the Paris Motor show 1975
– One of the very first 'Periscopio’ models built
– One owner since 1983
– Exceptional 'garage find’
– Magnificent original interior

A Lamborghini Countach is an extraordinary car in its own right. But a model in such exceptional original condition as the one presented here is a real gem. In addition, it is one of the very first cars built, with the production number 9. It is therefore what is known as a 'Periscopio’ version on account of the recess in the roof designed for a central rear-view mirror on the prototype.
On 1 October 1974, the car was delivered to Etablissements Thépenier, importer and dealer of several brands of top-of-the-range sports cars, and was „Marrone” with „Senape” (mustard) interior. The Countach is then exhibited on the importer’s stand at the Paris Motor Show, Porte de Versailles from 3 to 13 October. In the following months it was used for press and customer testing before being sold and registered in November 1975 to Mr Pizzano who had his Jarama taken over. The car had 10,500 km and had just been serviced. The second owner of the car was none other than Jacques Quoirez, Françoise Sagan’s brother, who bought the car from Thépenier on 4 May 1977, taking over his Espada.
In the early 1980s, it was resprayed a very attractive light grey, with a fine red coachline running along the waistline. On 30 April 1982, it was registered as 8187 QS 47 in the name of an owner from the Lot-et-Garonne. The following year, it was purchased by its current owner, who registered it on 2 May 1983 in the Charentes Maritimes department (17). Recently graduated, he had used an Alfa Romeo 2600 as a student and was captivated by the stunning design of the Countach. He also loved its handling and used it regularly to drive to his office, hardly going unnoticed in the small town where he practised. It was for the sake of discretion moreover that he subsequently decided to use the car less frequently, until the start of the 2000s, when he laid up the car in the garage of his property on an island off the Atlantic coast, in the dry close to the boiler room. The last tax sticker on the car dates from 1996. The Countach never ceased to impress its owner, who told us: „When you have owned a car like this, it is hard to find another model that is even more remarkable.”
Since then, the Lamborghini has remained in its original condition, the only change being to its registration on 26 November 2013, after the owner moved house and it received its current registration number. It is therefore a genuine 'garage find’ car which has been extremely well preserved. Unrestored, the car is sound, and the paint shows only a few signs of oxidation and very slight corrosion. The interior, with its patinated leather upholstery, appears to be completely original; the driver’s seat is slightly worn but very well preserved, with only a small cigarette burn. The carpets are also original and the car is fitted with an Autovox radio and Pioneer speakers. The windows are etched with the chassis number and the rear boot has what appears to be an original carpet. It contains the window mechanism for the passenger door, which has been dismantled. The spare wheel and tools required are in the front.
In terms of its mechanical specification, the Countach is fitted with its original engine and has certain features specific to some of the very first cars built, such as the magnesium hubs and adjustable shock absorbers, making it closer to a prototype than a production model. We can see from an oil change label from January 1983 that it had then covered 83,500 km. Today, the odometer is reading 87,558 km, and the car was last driven in 2013. The Countach, which has spent most of its life on an island off La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast, will be sold with a copy of the workshop manual.

It should be remembered that the Countach owes its spectacular styling to Marcello Gandini, whose talent has again been rightly honoured in Gautam Sen’s superb book, Marcello Gandini, Maestro of design. It is also worth pointing out that the Volkswagen group has had an exact replica of the Countach prototype made, just as it was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971. That is how important this car is in the history of supercars in general, and of Lamborghini in particular. As well as its amazing styling with its scissor-type doors, a first, the Countach had an exceptional engine, a 3.9-litre V12 producing 375 bhp: this was centrally mounted, located behind the gearbox thanks to a clever system with a driveshaft running through the engine oil sump. This made it possible to retain more compact styling.

As well as its exceptional condition, the car we are presenting has the advantage of being the first version built, the 'Periscopio’, the purest and closest to a genuine prototype. When it was launched, the Countach seemed like a vehicle from outer space on the road. Today, it has lost none of its ability to amaze everyone who comes across it. And, even more so, all those who take its wheel, like its next owner.