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Lamborghini Revives the Countach Name in an Electrified, Confusing Hypercar

Joel Patel
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2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Lamborghini’s V12-powered vehicles tend to be trendsetters that raise the bar. The Miura, Countach, Diablo, Murcielago, and Aventador all played their own roles in helping the world of supercars reach new heights. Out of all of Lamborghini’s V12-powered supercars, the Countach plays the largest role. It’s the one that solidified the Italian automaker as being the craziest of the crazy with its out-of-this-world design. At a time when nostalgia is in with the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wagoneer, GMC Hummer EV, and Toyota GR Supra, Lamborghini sees an opening to bring back the Countach. This time around, the 2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 is a limited-edition hypercar with an 803-horsepower electrified powertrain.

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With the death of the Aventador, it may seem like Lamborghini introduced the new Countach as a successor to the outgoing model, but that’s not the case. Instead, Lamborghini’s motives for coming out with the car are confusing. The Countach LPI 800-4 doesn’t move the supercar line forward like the original model because of its spaceship design, cutting-edge powertrain, or blistering performance. Instead, it kind of feels like Lamborghini’s way of cashing in on the extremely wealthy that are always looking for the latest and greatest. Is that bad? Yes. And no. But automakers aren’t our friends and it means that there’s another supercar on the road.

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Lamborghini plans to build 112 units of the Countach LPI 800-4 with prices starting at roughly $2.5 million. Each model is based on the Sián, which itself is a limited-production hypercar based on the Aventador. So, the lineage isn’t nearly as straightforward as the original Countach’s and the styling isn’t as unique, either. The taillights, rear end, and placement of the exhaust outlets all look similar to the Sián’s.

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The 2022 Countach does have elements of the old model in its design, but they’re far and few between and don’t exactly look like dead ringers. The headlights, NACA ducts, and engine covering all look similar to the original model’s, but without the Countach name, it would’ve been difficult for people to see that this is a model that’s named after something from the past.

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2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 from above.
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2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 with doors open.
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2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4.
Image used with permission by copyright holder
2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 in profile.
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A view from the rear of the 2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4.
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2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 from the rear.
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A close-up of the grill of the 2022 Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Matching its modern design, the Countach LPI 800-4 has a modern powertrain. Like the Sián that it’s based on, the Countach features a 6.5-liter V12 engine and a small electric motor for a combined output of 803 horsepower. The V12 handles most of the work, while the electric motor fills in the gaps. That means the Countach can get to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds — far quicker than the original model — and on to a top speed of 221 mph.

The Countach LPI 800-4 has slightly updated the interior, but it still looks nearly identical to the Aventador’s. There’s a reworked center console and a new 8.4-inch touchscreen. Beyond being the central control center for passengers, the screen shares the design philosophy of the Countach when the “Stile” button is pressed.

As someone that had a Murcielago poster on my wall growing up, the 2022 Countach LPI 800-4 brings up conflicting feelings. I’m happy that Lamborghini has another V12-powered supercar that’s ridiculously powerful and looks pretty cool, but I’m torn that it used the Countach name and tried to incorporate old-school touches in a way that doesn’t really work. My feelings and nearly everyone else’s don’t really matter, though, as this car isn’t built for the people, but for the select few. And by looking to the past, this could be Lamborghini’s way of not only honoring the Countach but the V12 engine.

But, if you’re one of the select few with tons of money to spend on a Lamborghini, why not get an original Countach? Or one of the other V12-powered cars that actually helped Lamborghini become a trailblazer? It might be a good idea to look into those because all 112 units of the new Countach are probably accounted for.

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Joel Patel
Joel Patel
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joel Patel is a former contributor for The Manual. His work has also been featured on Autoweek, Digital Trends, Autoblog…
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