Countach, the ultimate supercar

Just found a January '78 british mag featuring an "S prototype" with some interesting observations, pictured below. The driver is Wallace's protege, Stanislao Sterzel.

If you can't make them out I'll try to get a clearer scan, but basically the author claims there is an experimental gear ratio capable of 206mph, as opposed to a standard 4.09 gear good for 184mph. By the way they also claim 380 bhp.

The article itself is pretty flowery, although the rest of the magazine goes on about the death of the automotive industry, the environment and gas mileage. What's changed in the last 30 years?
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this car was a factory mule for the S development
with a "hot" engine that likely had 400 hp or more

the car is nice and is a small part of countach history

i do not know the VIN

p.s. i personally think this LP400-S ibrid looks really good, even with this crude finish

 

Strange "CH" on the back, even though it bears a "Prova" plate...

 

I wouldn't be surprised if that particular car became later 1121030 the famous S-Countach with the LP400 periscopa roof, since it was told that car belonged before to Leimer or Rosetti which explains the CH sign too...

I have another picture of a LP400 with those wheel arches, this time registred in Vaud in Switzerland where the swiss importer Codeco SA was based.
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I wonder if any of the children standing around ever realized
their dream of owning one......

 

i luv the raw "pseudo cafe racer" flares or the early wolf and S proto cars. theres a very pretty LP400 with those flares and gold bravos recently completed a minor restortion in japan that i have to scan and post up someday. it too looks fantastic with wider stance and no front air dam for a piercing needle-nose front end.

here's a few pics i took in the SD museum. a yellow test mule for the P7 testing also ran with this type of flares. we all heard of dallaras contribution to the cars, why isnt there very much information or credit on wallaces replacement franco baraldini? it is my understanding he was the cheif development engineer during the formative years of the low profile tires of the LP400S and P118

HF

DANG! i can post anymore pics due to a full attachment box. anyone know how to purge it for more attachment space?
hf

 

+1.

 

I would love to see thoose pics, how about a F-Chat subscription to post the pics?

 

although i have a F-car, i dont think i'll get an subscription here.

i got a few other paid autp sites that i think can use the help a bit more...

 

I was the little fat kid standing off in the corner, haha...
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Here's another from August '73. Must be one of the first appearances of the red prototype?
Its a fun read also with a little Bob Wallace lore to it as well.

The rest of the mag is as pessimistic as the cover - fuel crisis, economy/environmental cars, etc. The countach is almost the only spot of light in the entire magazine!

The last page is an ad for the Philips cassette/recorder. Earliest mention I've found of this model also, so its very plausible it would have been around as the first run of production cars was working its way down the line.

Does anyone know when construction of the first cars began, or rather how long it took to complete a car from start to delivery?
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As far as I know it was already presented in 72, I have to check my collection of Auto jahr books since they had those early pictures. In 1973 it was already shown in the green it has today in the factory museum.

The car was said to have been delivered in 1975 to switzerland where it stayed until I found it and informed Valentino and Gamberini in 2000, in 2001 it went finally back to it place of birth.

 

I followed that post awhile back and love the story - amazing that it stayed untouched for so long! Was there some confusion early on whether the green car was previously the red car, or were there actually two similar prototypes (excluding the LP500)?

While doing research on our project I've gotten a little obsessed with some of the running changes on the early stuff...

 

The Countach HAS to be the most written about car in history.

 

A small contribution from a humble observer.

IMHO, it is the same car ( perhaps proto 6 )
I sat in it, as the green car, at the London Motor Show in, I believe, October '73 ( Thanks to Roger Phillips ). The following year, I checked it out as the 'red' car, together with Jarama, in the same hue,in Clapham, London, before the Motor Show.

Lamborghini's presence at the show was in doubt due to concessionaire uncertainties right up to the 2nd day of the show.
Cristina more or less confirms that the Museum car is proto 6.

But, I am not as expert as most of you guys. I can scan Clapham '74 photos if there is any interest.

Peter