Lamborghini Countach reborn as LPI 800-4
Lamborghini celebrates the Countach with the limited-production LPI 800-4 that uses hybrid tech from the Sian.
The Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 — as it is officially named — is a nod to the model that became a poster car for a generation. This limited-run homage to Lamborghini’s mid-engined supercar uses a 6.5-litre V12 that produces 780hp and combines it with a 34hp electric motor and 48-volt system to provide a total power output of 814hp. In the interests of simplicity, Lamborghini rounds that number down to an even 800 to use in the name. We guess it has more of a ring to it.
Many of the famous styling details carry across or are reinterpreted in the new car. A huge NACA duct along the side of the scissor door feeds air into the engine and is detailed with exposed carbon fibre. Slatted ‘gills’ sit above this and shortens the glass area. Its three hexagonal rear lights are similar to the Sian, while the quad-exhaust setup has a sort of old school feel to its layout.
Countach LPI 800-4 performance specs
When you’re finished posing, the Countach LPI 800-4 is no slouch, with a 0-100km/h sprint taking a mere 2.8 seconds. Only 8.6 seconds is needed to accelerate from 0-2—km/h, and the top speed is quoted at 335km/h. The car’s mild-hybrid system uses a supercapacitor to provide power to the electric motor. Lamborghini claims that the setup provides three times more power than a lithium-ion battery of the same weight.
“The engineering team that developed the original Countach advanced Lamborghini’s pioneering technical approach, delivering unexpected innovations and the best performance available in a production car,” says Lamborghini Chief Technology Officer Maurizio Reggiani. “That spirit inherently drives Lamborghini R&D, resulting in the pioneering hybrid technology in the LPI 800- 4, and the emotive driving experience and top-line performance expected from a flagship V12 Lamborghini.”
Both the monocoque chassis and bodywork is made from carbon fibre to provide sufficient levels of stiffness and weight management. It has a dry weight of 1,595kg. Much of that carbon fibre remains exposed, including sections around the front window and the engine cover. On the inside there are 3D-printed air vents in the dashboard. The roof is photochromatic, going from transparent to solid at the touch of a button.
Lamborghini President and CEO, Stephan Winkelman, said: “The Countach LPI 800-4 is a visionary car of the moment, just as its forerunner was. One of the most important automotive icons, the Countach not only embodies the design and engineering tenet of Lamborghini but represents our philosophy of reinventing boundaries, achieving the unexpected and extraordinary and, most importantly, being the ‘stuff of dreams’.
“The Countach LPI 800-4 pays homage to this Lamborghini legacy but it is not retrospective: it imagines how the iconic Countach of the 70s and 80s might have evolved into an elite super sports model of this decade.
“It upholds the Lamborghini tradition of looking forward, of exploring new design and technology avenues while celebrating the DNA of our brand. It is a Lamborghini that innately expresses the marque’s enduring and emotive power: always inspirational and thrilling to see, hear and most of all drive.”
Heritage colour options
Those who have a production slot for the car will be able to choose from a selection of exterior paints that were available at the time of the original Countach going on sale. Bronzo Zante, Baloon White and Verde Scandal are just some of the 17 heritage colour choices available. Furthermore, there will be 16 contemporary colours, including three reds, carious blues and purple and some more demure shades.
The total production run for the Countach LPI 800-4 will be limited to 112 units, which denotes the original ‘LP112’ project name from the original Countach. First deliveries of this ‘reimagined’ supercar will begin in the first quarter of 2022.
