Countach laid bare
It’s highly unusual for the restoration of a genuine supercar like this 1982 Lamborghini Countach LP500S to run out of steam halfway through, but when the company performing the work ceases trading, things can get complicated. That’s as much detail as we have about the fate of this striking object, which was submitted for a full stripdown and repaint in 2008 and which hasn’t turned a wheel under its own power ever since.
Instead, it was placed into storage and has remained there for the last 13 years. It’s now finally emerged to star in a recent sale by Historics Auctioneers at Ascot racecourse late in September. Happily, it seems to have avoided the fate of so many stripped cars that end up trapped in this mid-restoration limbo, because nothing is thought to be missing. Indeed, the car is offered with a new windscreen, all the parts that were removed and a history folder containing the original handbook and owner records from new.
This example was originally black with a black interior and featured on the cover of a book called The Spirit of The Bull, by Paul Cockerham. It was also driven by Vicky Butler-henderson for Fifth Gear. The LP500S used a larger 5167cc V12 than previous 4.0-litre Countaches, but any top speed advantage was often eroded by a drag-inducing wing, which this example once wore also.
Shortly before the stripdown began, the car enjoyed £10,000 worth of attention from Lamborghini London, plus a chassis and suspension overhaul, so was running well when dismantled. No stripdown of driveline or running gear was involved in this stalled phase of works, yet the car was described as ‘requiring full restoration’.
It was estimated at £145k-£185k but thundered past this to sell for £257,600. Michael Hodges, Historics’ Press Officer said there had been bids from many sources. ‘Competitive international bidding drove it to 43% above top estimate.’ So far above that it’s past our Price Guide figure for a mint example.