Any discussion of the Lamborghini Countach inevitably includes the words "ultimate poster car."

For millions of people who grew up in the '80s, it's true; no automobile occupied more space on bedroom walls than the Countach.

And it was for a good reason too...

The Ultimate Poster Car

The Lamborghini Countach earned every bit of its reputation as the classic poster car.

Not only did it bring the goods — with revolutionary design and top-notch performance — but the Countach quickly proved it was (and is) bigger than the automotive world, making its way into the consciousness of dreamers everywhere via Hollywood cameos, celebrity status, and cultural cache.

From its inception, the Countach was destined to make a mark. Explicitly created to be the most “spectacular supercar ever made," it took the foundation that had been laid by its predecessor, the Miura, and not only redefined the brand, but completely changed the way popular culture viewed performance vehicles.

With Lamborghini’s legendary designer Marcello Gandini at the helm, a prototype was developed for unveiling at the 1971 Geneva motor show. Sleek lines, sharp angles, and serious power sparked near-universal acclaim.

This would only grow as the Countach emerged as a fixture of culture and a verified status symbol. Considering the total production of a mere 1,983 units from 1974-1990, as well as the prohibitive price tag of $72,200 in 1974 (~$460K in 2024), it became as exclusive as it was desired.

Despite the vanishingly small odds of seeing one in the wild, appearances in movies like Cannonball Run ensured its place on the bedroom walls of untold kids growing up throughout the era.

And those kids may be adults now, but they still dream about the Countach.

As Mitja Borkert, current Head of Design at Lamborghini, describes it:

The Countach is one of those “works of art that always remain contemporary” due to (among other things) its “perfect proportions.”

All these years later, he still sees the Countach as the ultimate symbol of the brand’s DNA.

It’s not hard to see why.

The groundbreaking design of the Countach has had its hand in shaping every Lamborghini that followed.

Perhaps due to its futuristic look — the product of a decade filled with technological leaps, experimental fashion, and resulting design — the style has remained sustainable and ahead of the curve.

With hundreds of thousands of car models produced, the transcendent spirit of the Countach is so powerful it outpaced the entire world to become the undisputed symbol of automotive fantasy for over a decade.

Though the Countach has been out of production for nearly 35 years, its DNA lives on in supercars everywhere. 

Until Next Week...