1974 Lamborghini Countach

If you grew up in the '80s, you know exactly what a Countach is. Marcello Gandini's design at Bertone was so radical that even Lamborghini's own engineers wondered if it could be built. The scissor doors alone would have made it iconic. But the whole package — the wedge profile, the NACA ducts, the massive wheel arches — created the template for what a supercar was supposed to look like. The name supposedly came from a Piedmontese exclamation of astonishment. The evolution from the clean LP400 to the cartoonish 5000 QV (with its bolt-on fender flares) split enthusiasts. But every version was unmistakably a Countach, and that was the point.

Early LP400 cars are the purist choice — the cleanest lines before the add-ons. Later 5000 QV cars are more dramatic and more recognizable as 'the poster.' Both have appreciation potential, but the early cars command premiums among serious collectors. The body panels are aluminum over a tube frame; rust isn't the concern — it's impact damage and proper panel gaps.

This is not a car you casually own. The driving position is terrible — offset pedals, zero visibility, a clutch that requires leg-pressing a Buick. The transmission fights you. The cooling system was marginal when new. But none of that matters when you fire up the V12 and the world stops to stare. A Countach demands commitment: dedicated shop relationships, significant annual budgets, and the willingness to be an event wherever you park. The owners club is tight-knit and essential.