Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition Is the Rhythm of Rod Stewart's Heart

In 1988, Lamborghini decided to honor the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Countach with a special version named the 25th Anniversary Edition. Around that time, famous British rock star Rod Stewart had just released his fifteenth studio album, "Out of Order," produced by Duran Duran's Andy Taylor and Chic co-founder Bernard Edwards.

Two years later, Stewart's and a 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary's paths crossed when the vehicle was delivered to the United States. A fan of everything on wheels and a Lamborghini enthusiast, the "Downtown Train" musician purchased the vehicle from new. While it was far from his first Countach, the anniversary edition was slightly more special.

Here's why: approximately 658 examples of the 25th Anniversary model were built during its three-year production run, making it very desirable.

Mechanically, it resembled the LP5000 Quattrovalvole (four-valve, also known as 5000 QV), with a 5.2-liter DOHC V12 engine, paired with a five-speed manual transmission. But what was new about it was the styling, thanks to Horacio Pagani, the same engineer who would go on to create his own successful exotic car brand.

Before we go on, let's talk a little about the Countach's beginnings. The model replaced the successful Miura and debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971, with production going on between 1974 and 1990. Lamborghini's chief engineer, Paolo Stanzani, test driver Bob Wallace, assistant engineer Massimo Parenti, and designer Marcello Gandini worked together to create a car that would push the boundaries of the automotive world.

Up until then, the Raging Bull named its cars after famous bulls, but the new supercar came to change that. "Countach" came from the Piedmontese language, spoken in the Piedmont region in Northwest Italy and is used to express an exclamation of astonishment.

The story goes that the name came to be by accident, as one of the workers at Lamborghini, who spoke Piedmontese, used the word to express his admiration or amazement. The supercar was called Countach, first as a joke, and eventually, for real.

Over the years, 1,983 examples of the Countach were produced, and it remains one of the most remarkable cars ever created.

Coming back to the 25th Anniversary Edition, there were 205 built with U.S.-specification, with the rest intended for other markets around the world.

It included modified air intakes with refashioned, longitudinal fins, carbon and Kevlar body panels, an integrated rear bumper, an updated front fascia, and the reconstruction of the engine-bay cover, among other changes.

The 25th Anniversary Edition was considered the most refined and fastest Countach variant. Brand-new, the V12 power mill could pump out 455 horsepower (449 horsepower) and 370 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. Capable of accelerating from zero to 60 mph (0-97 kph) in 4.7 seconds, it reached a top speed of 183 mph (295 kph).

The one that ended up in Rod Stewart's ownership was finished in black with a black leather interior, has the scissor doors, of course, a V-shaped rear wing, and a European-market front bumper. It's fitted with 15-inch multi-piece OZ Racing wheels, wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Assimtetrico tires from 2018 and 2019.

In December 2022, it received a replacement brake master cylinder and new brake calipers from Azaël Motorsport of Doral, Florida.

The supercar with the super famous owner has approximately 7,300 miles (under 12,000 kilometers) on the six-digit odometer, but the Bring a Trailer listing mentions that the total mileage is unknown. It's offered with factory books, tools, a copy proving Rod Stewart's ownership, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Montana title.

Stewart is a big Lamborghini aficionado, and, over the years, he's owned several Lamborghinis. He also had another Countach, a "younger" version, which, coincidentally, is also available for purchase, the LP400 Periscopio that traveled the world with him and was in his possession longer than the 25th Anniversary Edition.

He's also had a 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 S, a 1972 Miura SV Coupe, a 1991 Diablo, which was Countach's replacement, and the 2007 Gallardo Spyder.

Besides Lambos, the British rock star owned several other brands. Among them, he’s had a 1967 Shelby Cobra, a 1977 Porsche 911 Turbo Carrera, a 2003 Ferrari Enzo, a 2014 Ferrari 458 Spider, and a few Rolls-Royces.

Stewart felt the "rhythm" of the Countach's V12 for about five years, before selling it in 1995. The new owner parted with it in May 2022, and the vehicle is now up for auction again. The car is on sale in Miami Beach, Florida, at the time of press, and the listing holds quite a bit of interest, as bids have already surpassed $380,000, but there is still time to spare, as the auction ends on Tuesday, March 14.