Countach, the ultimate supercar

Ok. Then, that silver car in Australia is most certainly #1120074, originally "Argento Metallizzato - Rosso Ch." and delivered to the UK during April 1975.
#1120074 is slightly visible in the LP400 factory brochures of 1975 and 1976. Also, it appeared in CAR magazine, January 1976.
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#1121134 for sale in Germany: 1980 Lamborghini Countach - LP400S | Classic Driver Market

New to Emilian Auto in Bologna 18.1.1980, red/black

 

#1121364 for sale in Japan

1981 Lamborghini Countach - LP400S | Classic Driver Market

originally Bianco /Nero to Emilian Auto, Bologna 7th Sept. 1981

 

Finally an update on the Monaco Pace Cars, in 1981 there were even 4!
See the Pictures, there is also a double blue one with swiss plates.
Lamborghini Countach Pace Cars in Monaco GP 1981-1983

 

On the subject of cars in Austrailia.

I have recently obtained a copy of the Australian magazine Motor Manual dated March 1980.
The magazine features a RHD LP400 white with black interior.

The magazine article describes the car as built late 78 just before the temporary factory shutdown, and imported by Brents for the 79 Melbourne show.

Did LP400 production extend into 1978?

I believe the temporary shutdown refers to Lamborghini's insolvency around July 78, before subsequent controlled Italian Court Administration started around August.

Does anyone know which chassis number the featured car could be ?

 

Fantastic pictures! Thanks for sharing...

 

Great updates there, Raymond!
Thanks!

 

Interesting...

I always thought this car to be #1120122
Originally "Nero - Senape" new to Switzerland in September 1975, repainted "Bianco - Nero" and converted to LP400S in Australia.
Now restored back to LP400, "Giallo Fly - Nero".

I read #1120122 came to Australia in 1977. It would be good to double-check the dates!

Also, there was a white RHD LP400S "Bianco - Senape" (#1121048) imported on May 14th, 1979 (by Tony De Fina, Australia).

What was the exact date of the 79' Melbourne Motor Show?
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Ian - the car in that article is 0122 which was built in 1975 in black/champagne - it was sent back to the factory for restoration in about 1977 and came back as white/black - it was not a new car as such...

 

An update why we are sure that #1121214 cannot be the 1981 pace car.

#1121098 arrived in the USA on February 26, 1980 with Export plates EE93809, still on the car when it was auctioned recently.

#1121214 had EE83883 delivered on 22nd Sept. 1980 to Emilian Auto, indicates this car was exported in 1980 as well, since only 74 cars later exported than #1121098.
It would in no way got reimported and registred in Switzerland just for the GP considering the fact Patrick Mimran got his #1121312 just 2 weeks before the GP...

Furthermore, out of the 7 Rame Colorado LP400S #1121312 was the only one with the specific swiss parking light/front side indicator Setup. with that combination we were able to identify it at Ciclet's Garage later in 1981 with French Registration. Looks like Patrick either sold the car to France or since we had also a domicile in Paris took here with him. Investigations into that direction are ongoing.

Parallely we try to identify the remaining cars.
The blue one could be
#286, 27.2.1981, in Bleu Notte/ Bianco. I have now the confirmation that my car is the 112 12 72, originally Dark blue with Blue and white stripes interior.
The car is nowadays located near Lyon and under restoration.

 

The second Option is #1121244 which has a 100% matching interior Combo, but this car is Tahiti blue, called Bleu Notte Espada. But who knows perhaps it got resprayed to Tahiti later in ist life.

Either one of these two was that blue pace car, no other car matches the Color Combo of blue with blue/White hide.

 

Great stuff Raymond! It's always faster when we share!

To me, the blue car is more likely to be #1121244, originally Blu Notte Espada.

 

1120168 was originally red, not yellow. South Africa is true enough and it was later yellow.

1120226 seems a mystery. Lots of claims that it is a RHD LP400, but no one has ever come up with a picture of the car to back this up.

 

#1120168, that was owned by Toby Smith (Jamiroquai), was originally painted Red in South Africa?! You sure?
What a news! Thanks. Do you have any photos of it when red, please?

A kind F-Chat member from Australia confirmed #1120226 is doing well, still yellow... but with a very discrete owner.
Here's a photo of it:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachments/lamborghinichat-com-sponsored-cats-exotics/1440268d1324705765-countach-ultimate-supercar-lp400-17in-rims.jpg

 

Thank you lambocars666 and jamesark.

I have not seen any pictures of the 1979 Melbourne Motor Show, to confirm whether the featured car in Motor Manual, was exhibited.

I believe the Melbourne Motor show was usually staged around February ( am I correct jamesark?).

As featured in 1980 1120122 was RHD - however did the factory produce the car in RHD in 1975, if supplied to Switzerland?

 

Yes, as far as it is documented it was delivered as RHD to Willemin in Geneva on 9 September 1975.

 

To stop a few rumours, Lamborghini SA in Switzerland was not Codeco SA from Lausanne.

Since Lamborghini SA was located in Yverdon where René Leimer comes from where as Codeco SA in Lausanne is near where the Mimrans were based.
Since the Mimrans took over Lamborghini in 1982 it's more likely that former owner Leimer still had his hands in the game until the Mimrans took over the factory.

See that Picture of a swiss LP5000s delivered in 1982 (CLA12542)
http://www.classicdriver.com/sites/default/files/styles/colorbox/public/cars_images/05_102.jpg?itok=FL4MiIIy

Searching old Company data with Codeco SA and Mimran brought
Emile Mimran President until 25.07.1990


Same can be said for Hubert Hahne, until the sad story with him and this Mr. Neumann trying to take over lamborghini, Hahne imported all Countachs to Germany till beginning 1980.
Then of a sudden no Hahne anymore until July 1981 when Motor Leasing from Munich took over as German importer.

This is quite in line with the fact that from 1980 on a huge number of countach were delivered via Lambo Motors in Aesch from Switzerland to Germany, you can recognize them because they drove with swiss Export plates.

 

That's right Raymond - 0122 came to Australia via the Middle East but was a factory RHD.

Ian i' not sure about the timing of the Melbourne Motorshow!

 

Hi,

When you say Middle East, could you be more specific ?

Many Thanx,

Ramin

 

Here's #1121048, the first LP400S exported to Australia (and the only RHD S1).
The car seems to have been placed on some sort of rotating stand. Could it be during Melbourne's Motor Show '79? I mean, does that place look familiar to you, dear Aussie' members?
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Thanks for precizing it!

 

I searched for more info on this car and I came across two stories.
1) Mr. Hossein Hadjiibrahim told me that back in the 1980 they found three cars in Hussain Ala's (son of Shah's ex-Prime Minister) garage, a Ferrari, a Porsche 911 and a Blue Countach. He personally drove the Countach to a government based warehouse. The car was abandoned there for several years.
2) Mr. Mohammadreza Derakhshandenia said in 1987 or 1988 someone brought his brother to a garage in which a blue Lamborghini was stored in a terrible condition. The car was nearly baked.