Lamborghini Countach

1974–1990 · 5.2L NA V12, 5000 QV · gated 5-speed manual · RWD

4.3 / 10

Involvement 5.0 / 10

Why 4.3: 5.2-litre V12 screams to 7,000 rpm, but the unassisted gated shifter, zero power steering and legendarily bad visibility turn every drive into a workout. Values have run well past half a million for a clean QV, so most owners now protect the investment rather than test it.

Lamborghini V12CountachDiablo Murciélago Aventador

0 · boulevard trophy Index 4.3 Involvement 5.010 · driver’s tool

Miles actually driven1.5

Bought to drive, not to flip5.0

Track-day sightingscontext · not scored1.5

Handling · 5000 QV, no power steering, infamous rear/three-quarter visibility4.6

Power-to-weight · commitment zone301 hp/t

449 hp · 1,490 kg

Layout

Natural habitat

Ride comfort

DougScore 53 / 100Weekend 37/50 · Daily 16/501989 Countach 25th Anniversary · dougdemuro.com

Market value

Median asking price, good condition · €83k (1990) → €515k (2026), trending up · illustrative data

The long version

This is a childhood poster made real, and the reality is more demanding than the fantasy: the gated shifter needs real force, there is no power assistance anywhere in the car, and the three-quarter visibility is bad enough that owners have developed a whole folklore around reversing it out of a garage. Values have climbed roughly sixfold since the early 2000s, steep enough that the fragility and the ergonomics both argue for leaving it parked. It wears the poster-car reputation honestly: the fantasy was buying it, and driving it stays a special-occasion event rather than a Tuesday.