Lamborghini Countach LP500 (1971)
Concept car · 1971 · Combustion
The bright-yellow prototype that launched an icon
Gandini's original Countach LP500 prototype stunned the 1971 Geneva Motor Show in bright yellow, introducing the scissor doors and radical wedge silhouette that would define Lamborghini for two decades. Bertone had less than eight weeks to clothe the chassis and engine. Unlike the production LP400, the one-off prototype used a 5.0-litre V12 and a semi-monocoque of welded panels. The car was destroyed in March 1974 during MIRA crash testing for production homologation; Lamborghini built an exact recreation in 2021.
Key facts
- Engine: 5.0L (4,971 cc) V12, mid-mounted
- Power: ~440 hp at 7,400 rpm (estimated)
- Designer: Marcello Gandini, Bertone
- Signature feature: Scissor doors; pure wedge form
- Status: Destroyed in 1974 crash testing; recreated 2021
Production
- Status: Reached production
- The 1971 LP500 show car led to the production Countach LP400 built from 1974.
- Revealed at 1971 Geneva Motor Show
Source: Classic Driver - Countach LP500 returns