1987 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV
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The most sought after ‘Downdraught’ QV
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Ordered for delivery in right hand drive via Portman
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Fewer than 4,300 miles from new (6,900km)
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Originally supplied with a spare, wingless boot lid
Location: 
Registration:
available to view at Salon Prive in london on 16th & 17th April
The Countach qv
Nothing can match the visual impact that the Countach had at its launch. Perhaps the E-Type had a similar effect a decade or so earlier but the Lamborghini was so extreme that it simply could not be ignored. Gandini’s design was the ultimate expression of concept – turned – production. The Miura was tame by comparison. The wheel arch extensions brought in on the 400S model in 1978 just added to the visual impact and the Countach became the poster-child for a generation of supercars.
By 1986 the Countach had seen off both the Daytona and the Boxer but the launch of the Testarossa and the performance improvements it brought to the table prompted Lamborghini to look at upping its game. The factory brought back Ing. Alfieri to work his magic on the 5.2 litre V12 which included the development of 4 valve-per-cylinder heads and the reversion to Miura-style downdraught carburettors and the resulting Quattrovalvole model became easily the most powerful Countach variant ever – 455bhp @ 7000rpm. Indeed, such was the performance boost that Lamborghini homologated the QV with a view to developing models to run under the then new ‘Group B’ regulations.
Production of what has become commonly known as the ‘Countach Downdraught’ was limited to fewer than 300 (American market QV’s were fitted with an emasculating fuel injection system) and marked the end of an era, before emissions regulations put paid to the glory of ‘Weber’. The model has gone on to be prized by collectors and is easily recognisable by its’ taller engine cover, necessary to clear the sextet of 44DCNF carburettors.
This car
The first owner of this outstanding RHD Countach QV placed his order in 1985 for delivery via Portman in London. As well as specifying Rosso Siviglia coachwork, his bespoke requests included an extra boot lid with wing attached and that the interior be trimmed in leather specially selected by him ( Pelle del cliente noted on the register ). He subsequently visited the factory to inspect his car whilst it was on the production line.
The car received its pre-delivery inspection at Portman Lamborghini London on 4th August 1987 and returned one year later to undergo its first service at 1496km. Subsequent MoT’s record the QV’s mileage during its first ownership as follows:
| 5 May 1992 | 3942km | 18 Jul 2005 | 6307km |
| 7 Jun 1993 | 4102km | 30 Jun 2006 | 6360km |
| 11 Jun 1994 | 4691km | 30 Jul 2008 | 6375km |
| 23 Jul 1996 | 4879km | 11 Aug 2010 | 6458km |
| 10 Feb 1998 | 5491km | 4 April 2014 | 6488km |
| 13 Aug 2002 | 6021km |
In December 2014, following over 25 years of fastidious care, the QV was purchased by only its second custodian who acquired the car via Ian Tyrell, well-known for his experience with V12 Lamborghini’s. Works carried out at the time included engine-out servicing and engine bay refurbishment, carburettor, starter motor & alternator overhauls, a front suspension rebuild plus fitment of a new clutch and new tyres. Additional servicing was carried out by Lamborghini Manchester in 2017 at the cost of £10,647. This included a general health check and servicing in addition to attention to the brakes and water pump.
During the second custodian’s ownership, the MoT history records the mileage as:
| 17 Jun 2015 | 6557km | 14 Dec 2017 | 6760km |
| 24 Nov 2016 | 6682km | 13 Dec 2018 | 6805km |
| 24 May 2017 | 6701km | 20 Jun 2019 | 6815km |
In May of 2019 the Countach was purchased by its third and current owner, a highly discerning Lamborghini collector. Today the car’s mileage remains below 6,900km.
Naturally, having lived such a cossetted life, the car is in stunning original condition throughout and is replete with all of its original equipment including the leather owner’s wallet containing driver’s handbook, service and warranty book plus instruction manual for the original Alpine7270L hi-fi.
Obviously the immaculate full toolkit and jack equipment are in place alongside the unused space-saver spare wheel. Currently sporting its original, optional rear wing-equipped boot lid, the unadorned lid as supplied by the factory in 1987 remains with the car should its new owner wish to adopt the less ostentatious approach! Either way, in what must surely be one of the lowest mileage Quattrovalvole’s in the world, one can experience the closest feeling to driving a new QV in 1987.
