Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

Looks like the TR beat the Countach at top speed in that article by 10km/hr

 

6 mph is significant, but that's only part of the picture.

Ferrari SpA were conservative with their 180 mph estimate generally given, in a straight line the car achieved 184.5 mph.

That said, the Countach bettered it everywhere that matters, 0-62 was accomplished in 4.8 by the DD, the TR did the same in a rather slow 5.6.

Even more telling was the 0-124 mph dash which took the TR almost 19 secs (18.8 secs), but took the DD just 17 secs flat. At that speed, 1.8 secs difference is half a football field ahead!

Going down the Slalom, the DD was by far the better handling of the two cars as it scorched the long slalom at 75 mph, compared to the 72 mph of the TR, 3 mph faster through the cones. I remember reading in R&T magazine that a 1 mph difference through the slalom is significant in handling terms. In fact, this is what they say: "The slalom, run through eight cones spaced at 100-ft. intervals, samples both controllability and grip during transient handling. Significant difference: 1.0 mph." 3 mph is the differnce between a car you will enjoy through the twisties, and one you will not.

This is reflected in the pic below where you can see that the DD is composed whereas the TR is a little out-of-shape in terms of body-roll.

Clearly, the DD is the more explosive, dynamic, and better-handling car.
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There you have it ,0-60-Auto motor undt sport , high 4s ( 4.8) low 5 s also been recorded, matches the hp difference to 5.1 sec US cars,

 

The DD 0-60 times have been pretty consistently properly timed from 4.7 secs to 4.9 secs in multiple tests with a number of good magazines (excluding the Fast Lane magazine test which claimed 4.2 secs). Of course, the 1990 Motor Trend magazine shows a DD scoring 4.2 secs, but that was an Anniversario.

Road & Track's Phil Hill & Paul Frere got 4.7 secs, 0-100 in 10.8 secs, and the 1/4 mile in 12.9 secs using a standard exhaust in 1987, I posted this a page ago.

Autocar's well-executed test at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome and Proving Ground (below) got 4.9 secs to 60, and the car sailed all the way to 179 mph with standard exhaust and a wing.

The point is, the cars were pretty consistent, 0-60 in the high 4s, just under 180 mph terminal velocity.
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For me, the real comparison with the DD is the 288 GTO (and not the TR), especially as it was also also FIA Group B Homologated, and it is built in the same raw spirit. Car & Driver tested it also, and from 0-60, the DD is faster, at least if this test is to be considered average
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Keep in mind that the gear ratio was changed in the middle of the 25th production, that car had a shorter gearing. Found this out when I had to replace the shaft.
Lamborghini Countach #GLA12997 Gearbox

 

Correct.

Here, AUTOCAR magazine tested Simon Fowler's 88.5 Downdraft in Europe and on the track and they recorded 4.5 secs to 60 (disregard the top speed figures, those were estimated and the article so states)
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RHD 88.5 DD UK-registered E 3 ULL Robert please tell us which one this is?
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That top picture is just amazing. 12309 is E3ULL.

Have you got any photos of Mike Perrry at Portman Lambo with the 88.5 cars? You mentioned it years ago, but I never saw them.

 

Good memory!

No I (sadly) haven't found them.

I remember him delivering Rick Lee's car (below) when it was new.
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I remember GLA 12942 when it was new, that's its all-original interior, special-ordered blue dash-top, steering & carpets, exterior color: Blu Acapulco.
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High-mileage German-registered 88.5 DD often seen out
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French-registered DD with twin rear fogs, small wing, gold wheels
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Ingenere Mauro Forghieri meets Countach DD.

The F1 Maestro who guided Ferrari to four F1 World Driver's Championships left to join Lamborghini in 1987 to form Lamborghini Engineering, shortly before the DD was FIA Homologated.

Lamborghini Engineering was a department created under the auspices of Lee Iacocca, the then CEO of Chrysler, who had bought Lamborghini from Patrick Mimran.

Forghieri designed the naturally aspirated Lamborghini 3512 V12 engine, which made its racing debut at the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix. He left Lamborghini in 1992, to become Technical Director of Bugatti, where he stayed until 1994.
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DD rumbling down a Melbourne Australia street.

Blu Acapulco
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GT magazine from 2011 featuring the 40th Anniversary of the Countach, French-registered 88.5 DD on the cover
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Ex-German DD in Vienna Austria with modified air-vents and a few other components.

Also has pantograph wiper parked to the left
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Raymond it actually looks to be an ex-Swiss car

 

Speaking of which, here is a Swiss DD from a great angle
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It isn't the side indicators are mounted upside down, also you identified the car as the one of Germany - Kalthoff or something.

 

my office ashtray, original from the period, big one with a diameter of 25 cms
p.s. i don't smoke but it does sure looks cool on the table
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Chris of all the many great cars you own, I do hope this becomes something of a favorite.

For the chassis spotters, this is FLA 12831, dead-nuts original, a reference car.
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Correct, Gunther Kalthoff.

I think the side indicators are inverted as you say, although the car has many small changes so perhaps he did this just for fun.

 

Raymond,

Something I have always meant to ask you, why do the Swiss Countach cars have the turnsignals mounted backwards? Is it some sort of law in Switzerland?

Mike

 

Yes, must be the law since this is quite unique, what they did is put the left to the right and vice versa.
Not to be mixed up with the before mentioned German/Austrian car which had them turned upside down like we have seen also quite a handful.