The Lamborghini Countach, the poster car of ‘80s luxury, is back — and it’s a hybrid

Lamborghini unveiled its revamped Countach supercar at Pebble Beach this week, and as predicted, it’s rocking a little lightning under the hood.

The limited edition supercar is called the Countach LPI 800-4, with LPI standing for Longitudinale Posteriore Ibrido, or Longitudinal Posterior Hybrid; 800 referring to the rounding down of the engine’s 814cv maximum combined power; and 4 to its permanent four-wheel drive transmission. The automaker is releasing the revamped version in honor of the 50th anniversary of the original release.

The revived Countach will have an aspirated V12 engine with a 48V electric motor — meaning the supercar will retain its familiar engine growl while also receiving some of its power from electrons. According to Lamborghini, the thermal unit will have an output of 780cv (a metric unit of horsepower that translates to 574kW), while the e-motor will generate 34cv. That produces a 0–100km/h time of 2.8 seconds, a 0–200km/h time of 8.6 seconds, and a top speed of 355km/h.

Grid View

To be sure, the Countach’s hybrid system isn’t anything new; it’s based on the supercapacitor technology used in Lamborghini’s Sián. Lamborghini claims this provides three-times the power of a lithium-ion battery with the same weight. Notably, it does not reflect the new hybrid and pure-electric vehicle systems that the Italian automaker is currently working on, which will underpin Lamborghini’s new batch of hybrids and EVs to be released later this decade.

Lamborghini calls the Countach “the patriarch of modern super sports car design,” and indeed its distinctive wedge shape and sleek, villainous lines proved to be a popular cultural touchstone for many growing up in the 1970s and ‘80s. If you didn’t have a poster of the Countach on your wall, you definitely knew someone who did. And if you dreamed about striking it rich and buying a mansion someday, that image most likely included a Countach in your five-car garage.

The new Countach pays homage to its predecessor, “but it is not retrospective,” Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said in a statement. “It upholds the Lamborghini tradition of looking forward, of exploring new design and technology avenues while celebrating the DNA of our brand.”

Photo: Lamborghini

Photo: Lamborghini

Viewed side by side, the revived Countach isn’t as sharply angled as its forebear, with a rounder nose and a less severe-looking rear. There’s no spoiler, and the airscoops are integrated in the shoulders of the car, embellished with Lamborghini’s distinctive slatted “gills.” Still, Lamborghini did a decent job updating the look while retaining the shape and overall feel of the classic supercar.

The chassis and body panels are made out of carbon fiber, giving the Countach LPI 800-4 a dry weight of 1,595kg (3,516lbs) for a dry weight to power ratio of 1.95kg/cv. Carbon fiber is also featured in the front splitter, around the front window and side-view mirrors, engine bonnet cover intakes, and rocker panels, as well as in the interior. Lamborghini used #D-printing to produce movable air vents and a “photochromatic” roof, which can shift from solid to transparent at the touch of a button.

Photo: Lamborghini

Inside, an 8.4-inch touchscreen manages the car’s controls. The operating system is compatible with Apple CarPlay. But let’s face it, if you’re rich enough to own this car, pairing the OS to your smartphone is not your highest priority. Tearing ass through the Italian countryside is what this is really about.

But then again, these images are likely to be as close as we ever get to this car. Lamborghini is only making 112 units, a reference to the “LP 112” internal project name used during the original Lamborghini Countach’s development. Deliveries will begin in the first quarter of 2022, and no, Lamborghini is not revealing the sticker price. Probably for the best; I’m not sure my blood pressure could handle it.