Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

When Barry Robinson did his high-speed run in Belgium, after a few attempts, he took the wiper & the door mirrors off.

It didn't help...
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A Downdraft in Tokyo traffic!
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A beautiful DD at a Club event in Japan
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Rob,

There is a simple fact about the wing on a Countach which supports why most cars seem to have one these days - people love the wing.

I think originally, just 30-40% percent of DDs were delivered with a wing. I'm basing this on my personal observation, being an owner when cars were still being delivered new. This image below of cars ready-at-the-works supports that notion.

But, the balance has changed, and many more cars than ever left Sant Agata with one, now have one mounted. Over the years, with dealer & privateer post-production applications, today 30 years later, I'd suggest 60-70% have the wing.

It is one of those cool appendages that you can add or remove at will, as you feel.

Conversely, here below is a car known to me personally to have been delivered with a wing, that now has the wing removed, the ex-Ali Taffie Blu Acapulco DD below, for example.

So this suggests that tastes go back-and-forth.

Personally, I think the big wing looks really good, if one must have a wing
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Per Raymond, the DD in Vienna, Austria with custom vents
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Correct.

In fact, it wasn't Homologated at all, and besides some seat-of-the-pants on-the-road testing, it wasn't R&D tested in a wind-tunnel or anything like that, either.

There is a reason the wing is not featured in the FIA Homologation papers, the factory DGM blueprints, the factory brochure and the factory owner's manual.

Strictly-speaking, the wing was "unofficial", hence its application in most instances outside the factory - although I can say I absolutely know of instances when it was fitted inside the factory - perhaps when they were sure the local Transportation authority was on holiday!

Whilst I am the first to recognize that people do love the wing (as evidenced by its popularity) and also acknowledge that the big wing does look cool, its worth pointing out that besides a fitment purely for aesthetic purposes or 'looks', the wing doesn't do anything.

Actually, I should correct myself, it does do something: it slows the car down.

The received wisdom amongst insiders even back-in-the-day, was that the car performed better without the wing, and not only from a weight standpoint. The man who has driven more Countachs than anyone (Balboni) will confirm this.

I have kind of a preference for no wing. Ive owned many Countachs across the range with & without. Ive taken quite a few wings off, and been happier. But ultimately I must confess that my no-wing preference is not based on performance, its based on looks. After looking at many Countachs in my lifetime, I realized that for me, a wingless Countach looks meaner, lower. In fact, if you look at its side-profile drawing a line from nose to tail, with no wing it actually IS lower. I do like that hunkered-down look. I think that Countach is wild & crazy enough without the wing, and with no wing you appreciate its muscularity more. Just my irrelevant ramblings on the subject...

 

Japanese art featuring winged DD
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I should have continued but had to rush out - the Vienna DD is JLA12246, previously owned by Gunter Kalthoff in Germany, when he had it German-registered GAP.V12

 

Vale: "I recommend you remove the wing, or the front end will always get light over 170"

Keke: "I'll just keep it under 170"
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DD cruising in London yesterday, Bianco Polo Park/Rosso, unknown to me, LHD UK-registered E 833 NOW, apparently a 1987 example.

Robert?
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I think you are good, after all, the Big wing fitted to many DDs is simply a Moody wing with end-plates affixed.
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Can you share details?

 

Rinse & repeat
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Fantastic.

Initially I thought this car was GLA12909, but it is not.

Here below is ZA9C005A0GLA12909, sold by Artcurial at the beginning of this year.
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