Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

Jude, I'm aware of just one car, which I believe is in Spain, an LP500S.

Exciting to hear of your Downdraft @ the DC event, please post pics when you can.

 

Speaking of the cars being enjoyed, we are trying to continue Raymond's tradition and do that with the Mimran Downdraft whenever possible, in this image below we were spotted by a Flickr photographer, my daughter in the passenger seat.

For fun, caption this one: Snug Fit - Some Tall People in a Countach.

For me, using these cars is a personal thing, and I don't typically show my cars at events any longer (instead I find it satisfying to share via articles or other media), rather, I like to do normal things with the family like go for lunch, or run a few local errands with it, maybe go for a blast on some good roads early one morning.

So if you see a Countach in a strange color randomly on the road in Orange County California, that's probably us!

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That makes sense as it was formerly UK-registered B 41 EGP, and has recently been seen Spanish-registered 4410 DKG.

Canna di Fucile with gold wheels.

 

Flashback - September 1986, Fast Lane magazine, another item not posted here before.

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Yes, FLA12833, an early Downdraft delivered new via Portman Lamborghini in the UK on the 9th of May 1985, originally UK-registered B 343 WYE for Paul P.

Note, formerly wingless.

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Thank you Robert!

As a figment of Patrick Mimran's vivid imagination, Nuova Automobili Lamborghini SpA made several of these wide-body vertical-louvers Countachs, some with Downdraft engines (below) and others with Fuelies.

The Countach model with so many variants produced over 16 years is the epitome of differences within a model range, so simple monikers are useful in defining the variants. IMO, monikers simply speak to the enthusiasm for a particular variant. As regards the S1, S2 & S3 for the Countach, @ 20 years ago I thought that the S1, S2, S3 distinction afforded the Espada variants made perfect sense, and so I started referring to the LP400S in the same obvious way in correspondence I had with fellow owners, enthusiasts and historians, such as Lamborghini Club President Jim Kaminski, Trefor Thomas et al - this was long before any forums! Perhaps others used it before me but I had never heard anyone use the S1/S2/S3 distinction at that point, and frankly I though it may not be accepted, however, I was fine with that as it worked for me. Fast forward 20 years and IMO everyone seems to use it. The Periscopa moniker was already in accepted use by others in the same community at least around the same time 20 years ago, I have no idea who coined that one (or variations of it that have emerged) but it's perfect. I first recall the Downdraft expression being used around that time yet again amongst the same group of people, again, I have no idea who first said the word Downdraft to describe these cars but it's also utterly perfect. When I used it to start this thread, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would be an issue for anyone, but, people have a right to question anything. That said, to hear people say that they have never heard of them being used is a bit funny, I mean, really? Still, when it comes to descriptive monikers, I'll always agree, whatever works.

In conclusion, if I had to place the timing of the emergence of these names, I would say they began to emerge @ 20 years ago.

Another mystery car, but we'll find them all, one-by-one.

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Another view of this wide-bodied Downdraft, note rear aero.

I wonder what the chassis number is?

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JLA12307 again, as ever French-registered 702 BKW 91, this guy gets around

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Another of JLA12307 in good company

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I'd agree Blu Acapulco is both rare & beautiful on a Countach and this commands a premium, as the market has in fact shown.

A good excuse to post the stunning GLA12942

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I'm not sure about that.

The difference between draught & draft is in the UK vs USA spelling, I started off using the former but gave up and went with the flow!

I don't take any credit for being the first to define the LP400S cars as S1/S2/S3 as there is no way of knowing I was, regardless, as I mentioned before I can confirm that my coining those variants as such was purely inspired by the Espada S1/S2/S3 definition, it made perfect sense to me and by the mid-90s I thought Countach variants deserved specific reference.

The Countach is half as tall as the black minivan.

I know of him, but not of which specific cars he owned besides this one, do you know which Miura he owned? I ask because there was another Miura in Corsica for a period with Paul Ferrandi (SVJ 5090). A beautiful place to drive a Countach, for sure. I encourage you to continue to try and build the car's history by contacting Pierre Brignole somehow. When I contacted Patrick Mimran I learned so much more about our car, why he chose the color, what trips he did in it and where, how he felt about it, how fast he drove it, and I now have a complete list of all the other cars in his not inconsiderable car collection, many of them Ferraris. Half the fun is in the research, you learn so much and it makes ownership all the more interesting.

 

JLA12378 @ Movendi GMBH

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