Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

This is a fascinating topic for me.

What precisely is it that allows the engine to turn @ 7,400 or in fact at 7,800?

I have spoken to Valentino, as has Harry, and we are convinced that Martini's car did go over 190mph, and IMHO, the driver does matter.
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Of course most cars properly tested saw "only" @ 180mph, but I know these cars had the standard 455bhp motors and not the 470bhp ones.

Phil Hill & Paul Frere, 2 Le Mans-winning late greats had complimentary things to say.
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8,000 rpm?
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I would agree with that.

I would not be surprised if Martini's car had double that 15 bhp extra - say an extra 30 bhp over the standard 455 - putting out @ 485 bhp. I say that having spoken to Ing Luigi Marmiroli who made me understand that these engines had a lot of hp left in them.

Also, in the era, the factory gave cars to F1 race-car drivers with tuned motors not because they expected these guys to use their cars for tests, but simply because they were race-car drivers who could actually USE the performance.

Ferrari did the same thing in the era, and Michele Alboreto's 288 GTO had a well-tuned motor, as did Niki Lauda's.

The fact that Martini's Downdraft was used for the test was simply a matter of the fact that it had just been serviced by the factory and was on hand. He simply did them a favor driving for the test.

I'll be the first to agree that a bog-standard car is @ 455 bhp plus and can go no more than @ 180 mph.

 

No matter what they dreamed up with the Countach it was never going to be the most aerodynamic car
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Alex's beautiful Nero Tenebre Downdraft, a car with a great owner.

PS - Alex I will soon be able to utilize the stamp, all good things take time!
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Not sure which one this is, here in the USA, nice Vitalonis!
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Raymond that is crazy!

 

Robert, its a Swiss car, note the headlamp tun-signal lens arrangement.

RL NEO CLASSICS

"The vendor bought this car as his 18th Birthday present in Switzerland, the car has followed him everywhere he goes. It has been loved and received only the very best of care and attention for these last 31 years".

The car was converted from, LHD to RHD in California by Milano imports (rather less than sympathetically).

I'm not digging the Aeroquip lines & fittings, the Mopar air-box, passenger-side hand-brake lever (!), side-markers etc.

I would leave this car a RHD, correct the small details and use it in a RHD country, way too much work to bring it back to LHD.

Is the original air-box available any longer?

 

Jürgen, if you are on here, this is the 88.5 Downdraft we talked about.

As you can see it had French plates on it as of last year, nice original car with just 11,000 miles.
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As a certain John Keats once said: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever"

 

Any guesses who?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBcuuqTNNIc[/ame]