Here is ZAC005AOKLA12887 coming down the line. This car is cherished today, and still in Italy. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Auto Hebdo Sport, October 1988. This mag details Sandro Munari's involvement in the development of the 25th Anniversario. Image Unavailable, Please Login
More within. And Sandro Munari behind the wheel. Because of his penchant for suits and sport coats, most thought he was purely administrative PR. But the fact is that the ex-World Rally Champion set up the 25th with many miles of testing. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Speaking of the World Rally Driving Champion, Stefano Pasini met Sandro Munari last week on the afternoon of Thursday December 27th 2012 to discuss the 25th Anniversario a bit for the benefit of all of us (! Exclusive) - Sandro told Stefano that he did his best to fine-tune the chassis and that the 25th Anniversario used uprated dampers/springs Stefano also notes: "the Anniversary was .... born out of the necessity to present a ‘new’ model for the celebrations of the 25th birthday of Lamborghini Automobili in*1988; it was conceived when the original Gandini design for the real Countach replacement ('Tipo 132') was rejected by Chrysler." "Actually the Anniversary was more pleasant to drive than the QV, but this is probably due to the progress in component quality and to the better overall comfort of the car." "The Anniversary was also the first project where the Italian engineers had to work with their Chrysler counterparts" Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hands of the master. Munari's involvement with the car is overlooked by many and forgotten by the rest. I recall seeing him drive a Diablo at Nardo at 200 mph+ in suit & tie! The man had style, he still does. Image Unavailable, Please Login
The 25th Anniversario put through its paces in testing by Sandro. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Joe thankyou for your time and efforts with your research, prior to, starting this thread. I find it interesting learning about each and every Countach built, stored, restored, abused then brought back to life, bought/sold, ect.... Your input of knowledge and photography is very impressive and enjoyed. Seeing the factory photos, I can't help but wonder if one of those cars could be the one I own now. I can't help but chuckle when I read that the anni. is a piece of **** because it uses so many of the same parts from all of the previous Countaches. Anyway, keep up the good work Joe, hopefully the SNIVELING will keep to minimum so the thread can remain interesting!!
And a Press Release from Chrysler! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
And this caption - apologies my scanner would not allow the image & caption together... Image Unavailable, Please Login
Considering the 25th's short gestation period, it is a really astonishing car: the quality over previous Countachs, far superior interior with electric systems (which actually made for a better/safer driving position), makes all the difference in using the car. The styling whilst subjective is really aggressive. Whilst not the most beautiful, it is certainly the most functional, and I think like many classic cars perhaps its appeal is growing over time. Perhaps just like some thought the last version of the Miura was too fat (SV), in the end it became valued for its reliability and development over the previous variants. I think Sandro Munari is being very modest because the suspension upgrades with completely new split-rim wheels and new P Zero tires involved a lot of testing and make for a night-and-day handling over previous Countachs. By the way, all my opinions & findings are based on hands-on personal use, ownership experience, maintenance and dealings with dozens and dozens of all the different variants of Countachs. Quality-wise, the 25th is another world from earlier Countachs (I have owned everything from LP400 onwards) and whilst the 25th can be slighted as being undesirable, so the earlier cars can sometimes be said to have an amateurish finish that leaves a lot to be desired by comparison. Earlier versions are notoriously fragile and unreliable too, at least compared to the 25th. I have one client who owns LP400, LP500S and 25th, and he says: "Joe, I only take my wife in the 25th for good reason!!". Anyway, reading Pasini's words in Lamborghini Revista No 2 from 25 years ago inspired me to start a thread on these cars and just share some information, if nothing else. I have publicly said many times "All the versions of Countach are great for different reasons", and I still think this will remain so. But I do think the 25th has been a bit unfairly overlooked and needs a little 'help'. The reason it has been overlooked? The usual one: not enough hands-on experience, lack of exposure etc. By the time the 25th was a factor, it was time for journalists to talk about the Diablo. Anyway, at least we can say the true purpose of a Countach is for Driving, and in this area the 25th is peerless. Lets remember this as we look at these Schlegelmilch images of the 25th tested by Le Mans winner Paul Frere below: "Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder"! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'll admit that when the anniversary Countach came out, I didn't like it. I think because the car was such an icon that any change seemed like sacrilege! The straked styling seemed way too similiar to the Testarossa...I hated them on the Countach. I also thought the power windows & seats to be unnecessary. However, now I really love it! The strakes & body changes give it a real flow. Reminds me of a wild cat with its ears layed flat, or a falcon in a dive, all tucked in for more speed. The bumbers are also very integrated looking. (OK, maybe not the front U.S.) While the power windows & seats aren't really needed, they do give it a modern flair, keeping the car up to date with items that were practically expected in a new car. I find it incredible that the Countach was even built for as long as it was, with relatively few changes. The anniversary edition is a very fitting final version of the car. I love it as much as the other versions. I don't think I could really choose a favorite...they are all Countach! I'm really going to enjoy this thread & also look forward to building a couple scale versions as well
Launch party, Chrysler-Lamborghini style. An American-Italian is born. Image Unavailable, Please Login
And Lee gazed lovingly upon the 25th and likely thought: "I'd like one or two of these for myself". He ended up with at least 2. Image Unavailable, Please Login
If I may....this is a favorite of mine taken during a photo opt for a MakeAWish event. She's now sporting a euro front bumper.(much nicer look) Image Unavailable, Please Login
