Countach 25th Anniversario | FerrariChat

Countach 25th Anniversario

Discussion in 'LamborghiniChat.com' started by joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013.

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  1. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #1 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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    The Last-of-a-Series Countach named the 25th Anniversary or 'Anniversario' represents the dividing line between old & new of the cars from Sant Agata sports car maker Lamborghini, because the Countach model was Ferruccio Lamborghini's Swan Song. 25 years marks the first half of the life of Lamborghini as a brand, and this car signals the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one.

    With its Pagani-designed bodywork & strakes, Marmirolli-engineered drivetrain and Munari-developed aggressive stance, some say it is the Countach Anniversario is the Usain Bolt of Countachs: taut, muscular, poised, fast-looking whist standing still, with a disposition that says one thing only - speed. Others say its the ugliest & least desirable Countach of all, regularly shunned, & often maligned.

    The Celebration Countach is the result of 17 years of incremental development of the Countach LP112 concept, a staggering time-frame over which to develop any car, and as a result the ultimate variant of the line of the most famous Sports Car of all time is a worthy one. Changes to the Countach QV to become the 25th Anniversario meant a complete re-styling & re-design of the car's entire bodywork, wheels, interior, & suspension changes. New Pirelli PZeros were fitted to cap off an impressive array of upgrades.

    The Anniversario drives with confidence, and is tight & balanced, solid on the road with rifle-bolt precise gearshift action. Built solid with reliability to match, it is pure pleasure to drive. With great handling, a few days behind the wheel will verify what difference multiple small upgrades over the QV bring to the car's character. Well-built and thoroughly engineered, the Countach Finale is a Sports Car for all seasons, a car that needs nothing (but a driver). If you have driven any of the early variants of the Countach prior to driving a Countach, the one thing you'll immediately realize is that the Anniversario feels like a mature version, one that delivers what it promises every time.

    Ridiculed for its flamboyant styling, the Anniversario has been overlooked & under-appreciated. But perhaps, the Anniversario has begun to come into its own, and those who have sampled what it has to offer think of its as the Countach's best kept secret. As we all know, perceptions can & will change over time, and cars that live in obscurity can come to prominence.

    The Anniversary Countach is almost 25 years old (1988), and so at last it qualifies as a bona-fide classic. Its also been 40 years since the Countach was green-lighted for production, so what better time to take a trip down memory lane, extoll the virtues & wax lyrical about the last version of the iconic Countach. Or just gather round and commiserate about the Countach variant that so many love to hate, for whatever reason.
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  2. joe sackey

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    #2 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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  3. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #3 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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  4. joe sackey

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  5. joe sackey

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  6. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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  7. joe sackey

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    #7 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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  8. joe sackey

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    #8 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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    Most 25th were red, white, black, yellow etc. But as we will see later in this thread there was an impressive array of colors made-to-order, some not seen on previous Countach variants.
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  9. joe sackey

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    #9 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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    A completed USA car, with an Eu/ROW car up ahead.

    Roughly translated the sign says: "The next test driver will be the client, make sure he is satisfied".

    Hopefully, 25th drivers were..
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  10. joe sackey

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    #10 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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    Kind thanks to premier Lamborghini historian Stefano Pasini whose words from 1988 (& recent discussions) were instrumental in inspiring this thread.

    More to come...
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  11. Serie1926

    Serie1926 Formula Junior

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    Joe, I'm a new Lamborghini owner and your post are outstanding! Thanks, and please continue!

    All the best in the New Year!
     
  12. jgoodman

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    Totally agree. Love these pics. Very cool.
     
  13. Chadbourn Bolles

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    Lets see, the 25th Anv Countach is FAT, lousy brakes, same engine as the early QV car, transmission except for the different out put gear were the same.
    The 25th transmission had a lower 1st gear and overall transmission ratio than the early QV cars. Lamborghini did this to over come the now FAT Countach, so it would have a better off the line performance, but at a cost of top speed.
    The brakes for the 25th car were the same as used on the LP400S car, which weighed around 3200 lb and now used on the 25th car which now weighs around 3600 or more pounds.
    The seats were, are junk, they do not hold the driver in place like the early seat did. The 25th car was only missing a boom box stereo and cup holders, it is a wonder it did not have cruise control also. The 25th became the lazy drivers car, with power windows and power seat, like you really need stuff like that.

    OH, a Happy New Year to all
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  14. raymondQV

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    1000% with you Chad.
    Even the suspension is the same, the only thing that changed was the Toe-in at the rear axle...
     
  15. jollygood

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    Really interesting factory pictures.
    This 25th thread is going to be great.
    Please post more pics like that.
    Happy new year to all on this forum!
     
  16. raymondQV

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    You can find them in the Book "Lamborghini Countach" by Brian Laban from 1989.

    Other interesting pictures from the production process in Stefano Pasisni' "Famous Car Factories", also showing a lot of the production lines.
     
  17. jollygood

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    I think in fact I have that book somewhere.
    Haven't looked in it for ages.
    It is good to see the photos here and being discussed.
     
  18. Bxtech

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    Great pictures Joe! Thanks for sharing! I really love seeing ones of the factory back in the day! Very cool! I realize that some out there feel the 25th is the ugliest, but for some reason it's always been one of my favorite models. I think it's a beautiful car!
     
  19. joe sackey

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    #19 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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    Chad, the 25th's brakes are not the same as the LP400S's units. The only similarity they share is the fact that they are from ATE. In fact, if you installed 25th brakes on an LP400S, it would actually stop better and be less susceptible to fade.

    Best,
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  20. joe sackey

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    #20 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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    A note on seats: the 25th's standard units are electrically-adjustable two-piece units. In fact, they hold the driver in place as well, if not better that the earlier seats, courtesy of the earlier unit's "banana" shape. Given the range of adjustment afforded by the 25th's seats, they are very comfortable, and allow the driver to settle properly in place. To me, they make a Countach safer to drive fast because I am truly where I want to be, rather than being forced to be in the only place the seat allows. They are definitely progress.
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  21. joe sackey

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    #21 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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  22. joe sackey

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    #22 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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    I have the library of images, some of which were used in those books, and more besides. They were mostly factory-sponsored press pool images, and I will share more here.
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  23. joe sackey

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    #23 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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  24. joe sackey

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    #24 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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  25. joe sackey

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    #25 joe sackey, Jan 1, 2013
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