Lamborghini Countach: Every Version, Specs and Production Numbers

The Lamborghini Countach got its name from a joke. According to designer Marcello Gandini, his team was working late when he suggested it, borrowing a Piedmontese exclamation of amazement that a coworker used all the time. Most Lamborghini names come from bulls, so Countach broke with the pattern.

Lamborghini built just under 2,000 of them between 1974 and 1990, and the car changed a lot along the way. The 3.9-liter, 370 hp original grew into a 5.2-liter car with flared arches and bumpers, and by the 5000 QV it weighed about 400 lb more than the LP400. This guide compares all five versions, plus the 2021 Countach LPI 800-4 that revived the name.

Lamborghini Countach at a Glance

Lamborghini Countach Versions Compared

Power figures are factory ratings and can differ a little between sources.

What Changed in Each Version

LP400 (1974 to 1978)

The first production car went on sale at the 1974 Geneva show, where it drew 50 orders. It used a 3.9-liter V12 rated at 375 PS at 8,000 rpm and ran on narrow tires.

The LP400 kept the roof periscope that replaced a normal rear-view mirror, which later cars dropped. It also has no engine badging at the rear, only "Lamborghini" and "Countach". Lamborghini built 157.

LP400 S (1978 to 1982)

The S gave up a little power for a more planted stance. Output fell to 350 PS at 7,500 rpm, but the car gained very wide Pirelli P7 tires and fiberglass arch extensions. That look stayed with the Countach to the end.

An optional V-shaped rear wing was added. It helped high-speed stability but cost at least 10 mph of top speed, and most owners ordered it anyway. Lamborghini built 237 in three series of 50, 105 and 82.

LP500 S (1982 to 1985)

This version brought a larger 4.8-liter V12. The rated power matched the original LP400's 375 PS, so the extra displacement mainly added torque. The bodywork stayed the same, but the interior was updated.

Some markets call it the 5000 S, which is easy to confuse with the later 5000 QV. Lamborghini built 321.

5000 QV (1985 to 1988)

The engine was bored and stroked to 5.2 liters and given four valves per cylinder, which is what quattrovalvole means. The carburetors moved to the top of the engine for better cooling. That created a hump in the engine cover and made rear visibility even worse.

Some body panels were now Kevlar. European cars kept carburetors and made 455 PS. Fuel-injected cars made 426 PS. Of the 610 built, 66 had fuel injection.

25th Anniversary (1988 to 1990)

Built for the company's 25th year, this version is mechanically very similar to the 5000 QV. The main change was a restyle, with work from Horacio Pagani. It brought larger rear airbox ducts, a new engine cover and an extended rear bumper, all aimed at better cooling.

It is generally described as the most refined Countach. Lamborghini built 657, the most of any version.

How Fast Was the Countach?

These are reported figures. Sources differ by a few tenths of a second and by more than a few mph in places, and period claims for the LP400 went as high as 196 mph. Treat them as approximate.

The cars also got heavier. Curb weight rose from about 2,867 lb for the LP400 to about 3,280 lb for the 5000 QV.

Countach LPI 800-4: The 2021 Revival

In 2021, 50 years after the prototype, Lamborghini reused the name for the Countach LPI 800-4. It is a limited-run hybrid based on the Sián FKP 37. Lamborghini built 112, a nod to the LP 112 project code of the original, and all of them sold within a week of the reveal.

It pairs a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 with a 48-volt electric motor, for 814 PS (803 hp) combined. Lamborghini claims 0 to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 221 mph.

Lamborghini has gone further since with the 2025 Lamborghini Temerario, a plug-in hybrid that pairs a twin-turbo V8 with three electric motors for 907 hp.

Telling the Countach Versions Apart

These visual clues help when you are looking at a photo or a listing.

• An LP400 has a roof periscope and no engine badging.

• An LP400 S has flared arches and an "S" badge.

• An LP500 S looks like an LP400 S, but with a 4.8-liter engine. The changes were the engine and the interior, not the body.

• A 5000 QV has a hump on the engine cover, caused by the carburetor layout.

• A 25th Anniversary has larger rear ducts and a rear bumper extension.

To compare these numbers with other models, browse Lamborghini specs on AutoSpecsHub.

FAQs

How many Lamborghini Countachs were built?

Lamborghini built 1,983 over the sixteen-year run, counting the one prototype. More than half came in the last five years of production. Counts vary slightly between sources, so treat the per-version numbers as close, not exact.

How do you pronounce Countach?

It is usually pronounced "KOON-tahsh", with the stress on the first syllable.

Which Countach is the fastest?

The 5000 QV and the 25th Anniversary are the quickest of the production cars. The 25th Anniversary is described as possibly the fastest of all. Exact numbers differ by source, so no single figure is final.

Could you buy a Countach in the US?

Not officially at first. The early cars were not built to US safety and emissions rules, so owners paid to modify them, which created the grey market. From 1985, the 5000 QV was offered in a US specification with larger bumpers and fuel injection. Cars older than 25 years can generally be imported without meeting current US standards, but state rules vary, so check yours.

Was there a turbocharged Countach?

Not as a production car. A Swiss Lamborghini distributor commissioned two turbocharged conversions in the early 1980s, and the LP500 S twin-turbo was shown in 1984 with a claimed output of around 740 hp. Both were one-off prototypes.