It's never too late for childhood dreams to come true.
An American writer once hinted that the past isn't finished with us, which is why it shouldn't come as a surprise that Lamborghini is bringing back the 1980s sweetheart Countach, according to a sudden tweet from the automaker. But it was a surprise.
And it's drowning us in suspense.
Lamborghini surprised the world with a Countach comeback
Lamborghini's social media reveal of the Countach comeback involved a video teasing fans of the firm with "a new image ready to be hung on a wall", in addition to "a rebirth of a dream." The automaker also shared a single image of the new vehicle, shrouded in a thick sheet, and surrounded by what might be dry ice. The first Countach's style was wedge-shaped, and the shape of the covered vehicle doesn't preclude this possibility in the new vehicle. It doesn't have a rear wing either (so far), which means the new Countach might be more like the original, less complicated LP400 1970s model than the 1980s models. But this could change.
The photo also came with a press release from Lamborghini's official website that featured a short caption: "Future is our legacy. And the new Lamborghini Countach is coming. Stay tuned..." We're saddened to bear the news that there's not much more to share on this forthcoming relaunch of automotive majesty. Experts seem unsure if this will replace the aging Aventador, or become its own thing.
We make dreams come true. We did it with the classic Countach in the 1970s. And we’re doing it again. The new Lamborghini Countach is coming. #Lamborghini #Countach pic.twitter.com/nXctgIuyqe
— Lamborghini (@Lamborghini) August 9, 2021
Will the Countach be all-electric?
This comes on the heels of Lamborghini's debut of a new super sports car in 2020, the Huracán STO — short for Super Trofeo Omologata — which went on sale in spring of this year, at a starting price of $328,000. Two earlier race cars from Lamborghini served as double-inspiration for the recently released supercar: the Super Trofeo EVO, and the GT3 EVO. The Huracán uses a 5.2 V10, with 640 horsepower. But while this shows that the forthcoming Countach is not the first time earlier models have inspired Lamborghini to build something new (or a new version of something old), there are other concerns to bring to bear.
Namely, foremost on our minds is whether the new Countach will have a sustainability angle, whether via hybrid or full-bore electric power, since the quickening pace of global climate change is starting to shove new fossil fuel vehicles into an uncomfortable frame (as part of the problem, sold to people who are also endorsing the problem) as heavy on emissions, and thus bad for the climate. This is especially true in light of not only Tesla's success with EVs, but the increasing frequency of all-electric vehicles coming from major automakers, from Porsche's Taycan to the world record-breaking Ford's Mustang Mach-E. But like we said, there's no telling yet how Lamborghini will build its relaunched Countach, which is to say: Built sustainably for the sake of slowing the hastening climb in global average temperatures, or not.