In March 1971, Automobili Lamborghini presented its "Idea Car" at the Geneva Motor Show: the LP 500 Countach. The car became the star of the show and its photos were published in magazines all over the world. This new model was to replace the legendary Miura and write a new chapter in the history of the automobile - both through its technology and its design language. After three years of development, the LP 500 fell victim to crash tests in March 1974 and subsequently disappeared.
At the end of 2017, an important Lamborghini customer and classic car fan asked the Polo Storico whether it would be possible to make a reconstruction of the very first Countach, that very LP 500.
The first few months were spent compiling and thoroughly analyzing the available material. "Collecting the documents was crucial," emphasizes Giuliano Cassataro, Head of Service and Polo Storico. "Great attention was paid to all the details of the vehicle, the overall consistency and the technical specifications."
Photographs, documents, meeting reports, original drawings, the memories of some contemporary witnesses: all this helped to determine the form and function of every detail, no matter how small. In addition, the support of the Fondazione Pirelli in providing the historical documentation stored in its archives was essential to reconstruct the tires of the original LP-500 model.
Work began with the platform frame, which was completely different from the tubular frame of the later Countach models. In addition to the physical redesign, the Polo Storico also had to decide on a construction method to accommodate the manufacturing methods of the time. The same applied to the bodywork, which was analyzed and defined using various modern technologies.
Once the sheet metal working phase was reached, technology gave way to the traditional Italian method, that is to say the "battilastra", the sheet metal worker with his skill and tools.
A similar approach was taken for the interior, which includes the illuminated diagnostic instruments as shown in the 1971 prototype.
Original Lamborghini spare parts or restored components from the period were used for all mechanical components, as was the case back then. If these were not available, they were reproduced.
For the historical reconstruction of the original design, the Polo Storico turned to the Centro Stile Lamborghini, where the team led by Mitja Borkert, Head of Design, set to work on this challenging project. "The LP 500 is of outstanding importance for Lamborghini, as it has established the design DNA of all subsequent models," explains Mitja Borkert.
"To develop the car, which made its debut in Geneva in 1971, a 1:1 scale model was made, which, like the car itself, has been lost over time; but there are still several photographic records. This is exactly the approach we took to the project. Based on the publications of the time, the images on homologation sheets and other material collected by the Polo Storico, we were able to reconstruct the mathematical principles required to produce the first 1:1 scale model."
He says: "The biggest difficulty was to achieve the exact volume of the vehicle. That's why we resorted to the possibility of a 3D scan of our LP 400 (chassis number 001), which was an enormous source of information. It took 2000 hours of work to arrive at the final model with the correct shapes that we were happy with. The same procedure was followed for the interior."
The cooperation with Pirelli, which began in 1963, proved to be extremely valuable for the reconstruction of the tires of the LP 500 prototype. Thanks to the images and documents preserved in the Fondazione Pirelli archives, it was possible to use the original designs of the Cinturato CN12 tire that was fitted at the presentation of the LP 500 in Geneva.
Based on these documents, the Milan-based manufacturer's experts created the Cinturato CN12 from the Pirelli Collezione tire line, which is dedicated to the iconic models built between 1930 and 2000 and preserves the original characteristics of the tires, combining a classic look with modern technologies. The Pirelli Cinturato CN12 for the Lamborghini Countach LP 500 are available in 245/60R14 for the front tires and 265/60R14 for the rear tires. They feature the same tread pattern and aesthetics as in the 1970s, but with a modern rubber compound and tire construction.
The PPG archives were consulted for the color selection and, after careful analysis, the exact composition for the production of the yellow paint used, called "Giallo Fly Speciale", was determined.
A total of over 25,000 working hours were invested in the project.
After its debut at the Concorso d'Eleganza in Villa d'Este, the Lamborghini Countach LP 500 reconstructed by Polo Storico was the main attraction at the "Countach LP 500: The Shakedown" event at the Vizzola Ticino racetrack on October 9. Both the collector who commissioned the reconstruction and the suppliers involved in its realization were present.
As part of the collaboration with Automobili Lamborghini, Pirelli made the Vizzola Ticino circuit available for the Polo Storico to test the LP 500 before the official presentation in Villa d'Este. The shakedown was similar to the tests that are usually carried out on the road to check restoration work on cars before they are returned to their owners. The same route was chosen for the presentation as for the test drives to allow the collector to enjoy the emotion of a few laps on the track.
Giuliano Cassataro, Head of Customer Service and Polo Storico, commented: "The tests and shakedown on the race track have confirmed that the Countach LP 500 is not only beautiful, but also functional. The wider tires compared to the standard LP 400 - 40 millimeters more at the front and 50 at the rear - give the car an attractive and well-proportioned aesthetic that makes it look modern even half a century after its initial launch. It was important for us to celebrate this moment together with the customer and to share the thrill of seeing it in motion with the suppliers who invested so many hours of work in its realization."
The LP 500 can be admired in person at the MUDETEC Museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese until November 15. The bare tubular frame of an LP 400, the second production LP 400 and a 5000 Quattrovalvole, together with the first prototype of the Countach, form a tour that takes visitors on a journey of discovery through the 50-year history of this legendary model from Sant'Agata.
