From the moment the Lamborghini Miura first burst onto the scene in 1966, it changed forever not only the face of high-performance motoring but also the trajectory of its creator. Lamborghini would build grand tourers again, but the revolutionary Miura, with its transverse mid-mounted engine and otherworldly shape, would set out Sant’Agata’s stall as a producer of world-beating supercars for generations to come. Its replacement—the Countach—fully embraced its predecessor’s radical thinking and spirit of revolution, rejecting the sculpted and curvaceous styling of its forebear in favour of a striking wedge design, again from the pen of Marcello Gandini. Clean, crisp, and angular, the study sent shock waves through the industry when the curtain first fell at the 1971 Geneva International Motor Show, bringing the groundbreaking styling of the Lancia Stratos Zero and Alfa Romeo Carabo concepts to a production car for the first time. It caused a sensation even before its raw 375-horsepower performance had been experienced on the road.

Like the Miura, the Countach would go through a number of revisions throughout its life, with ever more advanced and powerful iterations continually pushing the envelope of performance. But while the game-changing Miura remained on sale for little more than eight years, its successor would become one of Lamborghini’s most long-lived supercars, with the final, most extreme, and most advanced variant—the 25th Anniversary edition—flying the flag for Sant’Agata until 1990. Today, these cars remain amongst the most recognisable and desirable in Lamborghini’s vaunted history.

A 25th birthday present from Lamborghini to the world, the final instalment in the Countach dynasty was launched in 1988 at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. In many ways, it represented the most usable and ergonomic of all Countach variants. Where the original LP400 ‘Periscopio’ existed in spite of its driver, the 25th Anniversary edition took its owner’s comfort into account with electric windows in place of the “keep-fit” originals, electrically adjustable seats, and an air conditioning system capable of matching the heat produced by the mid-mounted 5.2-litre V-12.

The biggest departure from the outgoing 5000 QV model was in terms of styling. Then engineering head of Lamborghini’s composites division, Horacio Pagani was responsible for myriad tweaks that made the Countach not only more aerodynamic, but also more visually aggressive. Bringing with him cutting-edge ideas honed on the 1987 ‘Evoluzione’ development mule, the 25th Anniversary incorporated a raised nose and re-engineered air intakes, increasing air flow to both the brakes and radiators, while re-worked front and rear bumpers gave the car a more purposeful stance. Beneath the bodywork, the 25th Anniversary shared its mechanical components—and outrageous performance—with the hugely accomplished 5000 QV. One of the quickest of all Countach variants, it was capable of sprinting to 60 mph in just 4.7 seconds, and on to a top speed of 183 mph.

Despite being the final iteration of the Lamborghini Countach, the 25th Anniversary accounted for the lion’s share of production, with no fewer than 657 examples leaving Sant’Agata Bolognese between 1988 and 1990. Among them was this car, chassis 12999, an attractively specified Metallic Black over White leather example that was delivered to its first owner in the United Kingdom—residing in Somerset—via Portman Lamborghini on 21 April 1990 and registered G763VYR. According to accompanying invoices, the car received its first service a month later. After two months use, by which time the Lamborghini had covered 3,557 kms, a second service was carried out along with warrant paint rectification to the front spoiler, bonnet, left front wing, engine cover, and rear panel. A third service was carried out on 6 December 1990 at 8,550 kms, and in April 1991, minor fettling took place to rectify an intermittent speedometer fault. It should be noted that, despite the UK-market supply, Lamborghini utilised a dual read speedometer (for speed) showing in miles and kilometres yet the odometer records in kilometres.

By 1992, the Countach had been purchased by its second documented owner, who immediately arranged for the fitting of a sports exhaust system. The car was still with him in July 1993 when, at 14,109 kilometres, the carburettors received remedial attention and several ignition components were replaced. The Lamborghini stayed in the United Kingdom for at least the first two decades of its life, as evidenced by several MoT certificates dating from 1998 to 2011.

This spectacular Lamborghini was acquired by a subsequent owner in 2013 and was subsequently imported to Hong Kong, where it was road registered in September 2013. Ever since, the car has remained in Hong Kong, during which time it has been maintained by Lamborghini Hong Kong. Invoices on file detail regular maintenance, including a service and differential oil refresh on 26 February 2016 and replacement of the rear axle seals and exhaust system in August of that year at a cost of almost HKD 150,000. Acquired by the most recent owner in 2020, the car received a service on 20 March of that year and, more recently, it was inspected by Lamborghini Hong Kong in August 2023. This report remains on file and interested parties are encouraged to enquire within for a copy of this and a more detailed condition report.

While the model has undeniably bathed in the reflected glory of the box office hit The Wolf of Wall Street, the Countach 25th Anniversary’s appeal runs much deeper than the transient vogue of the film star’s white-over-white colour scheme. It represents not only the final expression of one of the greatest model names in Lamborghini’s history, but the final flourish of a decade in which the supercar as we know it truly came of age. To many, the Countach came to define Lamborghini as a marque, and few cars today remain as instantly recognizable as a Countach.

In an era that became known for fiscal and personal excess, the Countach 25th Anniversary was the final act—a ‘mic drop’ moment before automotive styling took a turn for the restrained. This example’s menacing Metallic Black paint scheme is a timely reminder that the 25th Anniversary is much more than its silver screen cameo—it is one of the most extreme supercars of its generation.