The Italian manufacturer that produced the wedge-shaped Countach sports car was Lamborghini. The Countach was built at Lamborghini’s factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, from 1974 to 1990.
The car was created as a successor to the Lamborghini Miura. Its dramatic angular body was designed by Marcello Gandini while he was working for the Italian design house Bertone. The first Countach prototype, called the LP500, appeared at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, and the first production version, the LP400, went on sale in 1974.
Unlike many Lamborghini models, the name Countach was not taken from a famous fighting bull. It came from a Piedmontese exclamation of astonishment, reportedly heard during the car’s development. The model used a mid-mounted V12 engine and rear-wheel drive, layouts that contributed to its performance and distinctive proportions.
The Countach became one of the defining supercars of the 1970s and 1980s. Its scissor doors, sharply creased surfaces, and low nose helped establish the visual language commonly associated with an exotic Italian supercar.