Not good for Lambo but I applaud M. Gandini for sticking to his guns. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
https://www.cardesignnews.com/designers/design-legend-marcello-gandini-distances-himself-from-so-called-new-countach/42409.article https://www.uktimenews.com/designer-marcello-gandini-distances-himself-from-new-lamborghini-countach-project/ https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/classic-cars/a38038993/marcello-gandini-did-not-design-new-lamborghini-countach/
On the day of the mutant release at Bebble Beach, Claudia (his wife) already confirmed me Marcello disagreed. In later exchanges, she told me something will upcome soon... here we are !
I think what happened is the factory tried to gain approval by association by visiting the old man and talking about the Countach. They then used the footage in their PR efforts for the new Countach. A bit underhanded IMO. Upon reflection, this didn't sit well with Maestro and his family encouraged him to say something.
Lamborghini is ruining the DNA and history of the company for a quick buck. Shameful. Gandini should be applauded for this press release-takes quite a bit of courage.
I think the Countach project was in the works before Winkelman's return to Lamborghini. Isn't Lamborghini's Head of Design, Mitja Borkert (who visited Gandini), the individual responsible for both the new Countach and the Countach LP500 replica?
Most likely he did not give the greenlight to go ahead with production, but his design style is firmly stuck in retro-modding of the past. He already used all Countach-inspired elements for a modern interpretation of it for the Sian & clearly ran out of ideas when it was time for the Countador. The rear light cluster probably has the same part number...
Winkelman immediately pushed for the horror show LPI 800-4 in December 2020, it is just a bodykit replacing original Aventador body parts on the same fixing locations, not difficult to developp and to produce the 1st scale 1:1 prototipo for the Pebble Beach audience in that time frame... The Countach LP 500 duplicate was decided already back in 2018 under Stefano Domenicalli authority, but it was at the initiative request of fellow Albert Spiess, as you can listen his Public confidence : IMO there are 2x duplicate, because the car displayed everywhere has this number # C*120002PS thus I presume there is a # C*120001PS standing somewhere else... Image Unavailable, Please Login
I was there at the Quail when they unveiled that hideous car. I was standing deep in the crowd that had gathered and I didn't hear one positive remark uttered. I don't like the design in the least, but that isn't the issue. The problem is putting the Countach name on it. Maybe I'm missing something but I don't see anything about it that resembles the Countach, regardless of the variant. The one good thing is, they'll produce these cars and they'll likely vanish into oblivion, hopefully.
