One of the most original and exceptionally preserved Lamborghini Countach LP400 S Series I models ever to reach the collector market will cross the block at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction next month. Estimated to sell for $2.2 million to $2.6 million, this 1979 example represents one of just 50 first-series LP400 S cars produced, making it among the rarest variants of Lamborghini’s legendary V12 supercar.
Widely regarded as one of the defining Italian exotics of the modern era, the Countach transformed automotive design with its dramatic wedge-shaped body, mid-mounted 4.0-liter V12 engine, signature scissor doors, and distinctive NACA side air intake. Introduced in production form in 1974, the Countach evolved in 1978 with the debut of the LP400 S, which retained the original mechanical layout while introducing wider wheels, flared fiberglass wheel arches, and a lower, more aggressive stance that became synonymous with the model’s iconic appearance.
Production of the LP400 S totaled only 238 cars across three series, with the inaugural Series I accounting for a mere 50 examples. These early cars are especially prized for their unique specification, including 45 mm Weber carburetors, compact Stewart-Warner instrumentation, and smooth-finished Campagnolo “Bravo” wheels—features exclusive to the earliest production run.
Chassis 1121086 is considered by many enthusiasts to be among the finest surviving Series I examples. Finished at the factory in Rosso over a Nero interior, it was completed in July 1979 before being shipped to Rome and later exported to the United States through Ameritech for federalization. Remarkably, the conversion required only minor reflector modifications, allowing the car to retain its original European-style bumpers and preserving Bertone’s clean exterior design.
The Countach spent nearly two decades with its first owner in Michigan before passing through two additional collectors. Throughout its lifetime, it accumulated extraordinarily low mileage and has remained largely hidden from public view. At cataloging, the odometer displayed just 1,803 kilometers (approximately 1,121 miles).
Perhaps its greatest distinction is its remarkable originality. The car retains its factory-applied paint, original interior, and even its original Pirelli P7 tires—an exceptionally rare combination for a Countach of this vintage. Never widely exhibited or publicly marketed, this time-capsule LP400 S presents collectors with an extraordinarily rare opportunity to acquire what is arguably one of the most authentic and best-preserved first-series Countach examples in existence.
Source: RM Sotheby’s
