Unless you know your Lamborghinis really well, you might think the red Countach featured here is a 25th Anniversary model. The body kit on the rocker panels with those Ferrari-esque side strakes gives it away, right? But this isn’t a 25th Anniversary Countach, nor is one modified with 25th Anniversary parts.
It’s a 1988.5 QV, the last gasp for the Countach before all the anniversary-specific add-ons came to be. This recent YouTube video from Mark’s House of Cars outlines those changes, teaching a few things in the process. Even if you’re a walking Lamborghini encyclopedia, there are worse ways to spend time than taking in a gorgeous red Countach for 13 minutes.
As the video explains, those ribbed rocker panels were installed mid-year on the 1988 QV. The owner says it’s the reason why his car is often confused with the 25th Anniversary model But draw your attention to the big air intakes behind the side windows. They’re the standard QV-style versus the long, ribbed body-color intakes bolted to the Anniversary Countach. The wheels are different, too.
Notice all the black trim on this Countach? That’s a good way to identify a 1988.5 QV from the 25th Anniversary. Lamborghini—and more specifically, Pagani founder Horacio Pagani—decided on a monotone look for the Countach back when he was in charge of the supercar’s design. The aforementioned vents, the iconic door NACA ducts, and mirrors all became body colored. New US-spec bumpers were Anniversary-specific, with the rear bumper foreshadowing the design used on the Diablo.
Then there’s the interior. The Anniversary Countach gained power windows, seats, and a slightly different design for the dash and center console. While similar in appearance, the video claims earlier QV models are a bit more comfortable. Apparently, the power seats are a bit higher off the floor, which isn’t a good thing in something as cramped as a Countach.
Buyers back in the day didn’t seem bothered by any of this. 657 25th Anniversary models were built to cap the supercar’s 16-year production run. It was the most successful era in the Countach’s history.
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