1990 | Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary

• The very last Countach delivered to a private person

• Much desired downdraft carbureted-version

• Only 26.000 km since new

When you ask people about their favorite car, the one they had as a poster on their bedroom wall, chances are very big you’ll get the Lamborghini Countach. This futuristic supercar from the eighties was a poster car for an entire generation and many more to come. Initially, Lamborghini released the Countach LP400 in 1974, sometimes also referred to as 'the narrow-body Countach' due to no extended wheelarches nor spoilers. Where Maserati, Alfa, and Ferrari cemented their names in automotive history because of their victories in competition, Ferruccio Lamborghini took another path to glory: he revolutionized the world of sports cars from the sixties onwards, both in terms of engineering and design, by creating some of the most extravagant automobiles the world had ever seen. And yes, none were as futuristic, extravagant and avantgarde as the illustrious Countach, with its distinctive wedge-shape, low roof line and wide posture. The Countach evolved from the LP400 over the LP400S, the LP500 and eventually the famous LP5000 Quattrovalvole.

Along came 1988, a celebration year as Automobili Lamborghini was founded back in 1963, so they had to prepare something special for the 25th anniversary. Management quickly discovered having a brand new car ready by 1988 wasn’t going to happen, so they had Horacio Pagani restyle the current V12 flagship into a special 25th Anniversary model. The Anniversario was, and in the opinion of many still is, the most desirable version of the Countach. The car was launched in 1988 at the Formula One Grand Prix at Monza and featured a lot of subtle changes and improvements over the QV, making it by far the best driving and most useable version. Things got more 'plush' on the inside, with a padded steering wheel for better driving grip, new seats with electric adjustments, a digital airconditioning controller and electric powered windows as standard on this top-of-the-line model. On the outside Pagani made more than 500 relatively small changes, drastically improving its handling, aerodynamics and evolving the car's iconic wedge-shape into a next generation. Less visibly under the skin the chassis received much updating for improved handling. The chassis was developed on the road extensively by none other than 3 time World Rally Driving Champion Sandro Munari. The engine of the 25th anniversary was that of the 5000QV, the most powerful version with no less than 455hp, a lot more than the Testarossa’s 390hp at the time. Due to these changes the 25th Anniversario became even faster, resulting in a higher top speed of a whopping 298 km/h.

This Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversario was delivered to Sterca, the Belgian importer, on 20/07/1990, and on October the 17th 1990, the Countach got registered by it's first Belgian owner. This car, KLA12081 is the last known car to be delivered to a private customer, making it a very important piece of Lamborghini-history indeed! The car was tastefully composed in Siviglia Red (#215157) over Champagne leather interior with red piping and was cared for by its first owner for no less than 12 years before being sold in 2002 to its next Belgian caretaker with 25.418km’s on the odometer.

The second owner has changed the color from Siviglia red to deep purple but has left the original and in perfect condition interior untouched. This second owner has only very rarely driven the car before passing it on to a well known Belgian collector of fine automobiles around 2010. This Belgian passionate caretaker has brought the car technically back to par and also kept the car for 12 years in his collection, before selling it in 2022 to its fourth and last owner. The official carpass, introduced in 2000, shows that this car has only driven 4.655km’s in the last 24 years, explaining the very low current mileage of only 26.302km!

Only 657 25th Anniversary’s were ever made, and only a mere 385 cars were Euro LHD-examples with the much loved and desired downdraft Weber carburetors (making no less than 30hp more than its fuel-injected US sister models) . Furthermore, only 25 (!) cars are believed to be produced in 1990, the last year of Countach production. A very rare gem indeed!

As the Lamborghini records show, this very Countach (KLA12081) is one of the very last ever produced and the last one built, KLA12085, is being kept in the factory museum. It is also believed that this very example is the very last Countach in excistence ever delivered to a private customer. To this day, KLA12081 is also the only known Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversario which remained in Belgium its whole life, with many of them getting exported to Japan during the early nineties.

The driving position is low, and the car is wide, just as you would expect of such an extreme car. It may take some getting used to at first, but shortly after your first meters steering starts to feel almost telephatic, and the drive gets completely natural and easy. This car goes exactly where the one behind the wheel wants it to go! When that V12 fires up, it brings all the drama of a 1990's powerhouse. Even though it is a 34-year-old sports car, it still feels futuristic, raw yet comfortable, refined yet brutal, all in one. Like all iterations of Bizzarrini’s legendary engine, the Countach's is a quick revving motor with an eager throttle response. No less than six Weber carburettors work in unison to feed the internal-combustion beast, delivering a staggering 455 horsepower to the rear wheels. This Lamborghini flies, reaching 100 km/h in less than five seconds!

This Countach is not only defined by its looks. Sitting on a 5.2 L V12 engine, this spaceship on wheels is not afraid to display its raw power on the road. The power and feel ensure the Countach outperforms any competition of its era. Saying that the car has a timeless appeal would be an understatement. This Lamborghini is ideal for collectors looking to step back and experience the best of the eighties, or for dedicated drivers as the 25th Anniversario is widely regarded as the best roadgoing Countach in terms of handling and reliability.

This car is truly one of a kind, boasting its Belgian heritage and cementing its place in history for many years to come.

Now available at Rock 'N Roll Classics!
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