The 1989 Lamborghini Countach now for sale on eBay rolled off the production line more than three decades ago. But it has traveled only 1,431 miles. This nearly new 1989 25th Anniversary example in Rosso Siviglia Red is offered with a Buy-It-Now price of $369,900. That’s quite a bargain since these cars regularly went for more than $1 million five years ago.
It’s unlikely you’ll find a better Countach. Just 1,983 examples of the Lamborghini supercar were produced between 1974 and 1990. This 1989 car appears to have been carefully preserved and barely driven. It sports all the special features of the Silver Anniversary Edition (offered in 1989 and 1990, with 657 sold worldwide), included snazzy new styling by Horatio Pagani, who later founded his own marque.
The Silver Anniversary edition featured a new engine cover design, new rear bumper, wheel arch extensions, and extended air-intake ducts, as well as more oomph from the rear mid-mounted 5.1-liter V-12—455 horsepower. The five-speed manual was shifted through a gated box, allowing the car to reach 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, and hit 185 mph.
This car has only 1,431 miles on the odometer.
The one-owner car on offer is a U.S.-delivery vehicle, fully equipped with air-conditioning, an Alpine stereo, power windows, and seats. The interior, featuring acres of golden leather, appears pristine. The car comes with the original owner’s manual, tool bag, and both keys. It may require mechanical reconditioning if the new owner wants to drive it.
The interior features acres of golden leather, and is pristine.
The Countach’s design comes from Marcello Gandini, who also did the exquisite Miura. It’s derived from the Lancia Stratos Zero concept car, which was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971. It made a big splash there. Nobody had seen anything like it then, but the dropped-in-from-space look has since spawned many imitators.
The original rear-wheel-drive Countach had a four-liter V-12, with 375 horsepower and a top speed of 180 mph. The model benefited from continuous improvement. In 1978 came the LP400S, which got big Pirelli tires (requiring new fender arches), and new suspension and braking systems. An optional rear spoiler improved performance at the upper end. The five-liter LP500S was introduced in 1982, and the four-valve-per-cylinder, 5.1-liter version with Bosch fuel injection, arrived as the 420-horsepower LP5000S in 1985.
The anniversary car of 1989, available now via eBay, was based on the 5000QV but benefited from 500 changes and upgrades. The air conditioning was better, the seats improved, and sound insulation added. The Countach always had some challenges if you wanted to actually drive it—rear visibility was near nil—but this 1989 is generally considered to be the best Countach in the handling department. It was replaced by the Lamborghini Diablo in 1990.
As exotic as it is, the Lamborghini Countach is well-supported on eBay. This car is one of four Countaches (Countachi?) currently on offer. For owners who want to get under that lovely engine cover, there’s copious parts support. If the cars are too rich for your blood, there are models and, of course, posters.
Lamborghini versus Ferrari
Ferruccio Lamborghini, a successful tractor manufacturer, famously launched Lamborghini after taking his complaints about the Ferrari 250 GTs to Enzo Ferrari himself. The legendarily touchy Signore Ferrari snubbed this young upstart with the technical notes (it was noisy and the clutch was weak), saying, “Lamborghini, you may be able to drive a tractor, but you will never be able to handle a Ferrari properly.”
A rivalry was born. The gorgeous Lamborghini 350 GV was unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in 1963, and by the end of the following year, the fledgling company had sold 13 cars (renamed the 350 GT). Ferruccio was out of Lamborghini by 1974. After going through some owners (and bankruptcy in 1978), it was sold for $25 million to Chrysler in 1987.
So one way of looking at this car is as one of the first Lamborghinis produced under major corporate ownership. However, founder Ferruccio was still on board when the Countach was conceived as a successor to the Muira. The company is now owned by Volkswagen, which paid $110 million in 1998. Lamborghini is flourishing now, with even an SUV in the lineup, but is perhaps unlikely to produce—ever again—a car as extravagant and quirky as the Countach.
See Lamborghini Countach Cars & Trucks for sale on eBay.
