Missing Ultra-Rare Lamborghini Countach Turbo Pops up on Instagram
For people that grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, the Lamborghini Countach was the ultimate poster car. As a result, Countach prices have increased drastically in recent years, thanks to their wild styling and historical significance. John Temerian, the owner of Curated, a vintage exotics dealership in Miami, FL, seems to always be on the hunt for the rarest examples out there. As he tells it on the Curated TV YouTube channel, one of his best finds ever actually came from Instagram.
How do you find a missing Lamborghini Countach Turbo?
According to John, this Lamborghini Countach story began as he was scrolling Instagram and came across a photo of a storage facility. In it, he spotted two Lamborghini Countach models toward the rear of the facility. John reportedly decided to contact the facility to enquire about the cars, only to be quickly shut down by the management. However, a few hours later, he received a call from someone else, eager to discuss the two cars.
As the man on the phone described each of the Lamborghini Countach models over the phone, John reportedly realized one of them was particularly special. This is because one of them was a long-lost Lamborghini Countach Turbo. Unfortunately, neither car was available for sale at the time. Regardless, John says he booked a plane ticket and went to see the cars in person.
Upon arriving, John saw a red 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary parked directly next to the Countach Turbo. According to John, he fell in love with the car and decided to open negotiations with the current owner. This particular supercar’s main problem revolved around its market value and how much it would take to get it running properly. Regardless, two years of negotiation went by, and John eventually bought both of the Countach versions in the storage facility.
Why is the Countach Turbo so significant?
What makes this Lamborghini Countach Turbo so significant is that there are just two in the world. Both examples were reportedly built by a man named Max Bobnar with the help of engineer Franz Albert. According to Curated, Bobnar had a close relationship with Lamborghini and other popular tuning companies throughout the 1980s. As a result, the two prototypes produced became seriously valuable.
The first of the two Lamborghini Countach examples is a black 5000S Turbo, which currently resides in a massive collection in Germany. The second of the two had gone missing from the public eye for decades. The second car, finished in Red Metallic, is an LP 400 S Turbo. The red example is the one John reportedly found in Nevada and eventually managed to own. As a result, fixing up and valuing such a rare car that hadn’t moved in decades certainly wouldn’t be easy.
Where is the Countach Turbo now?
According to John, the Lamborghini Countach quickly arrived in Miami, FL, and headed to a local auto show called the Miami Concours. At this event, John hosted Valentino Balboni, the former chief test driver for Lamborghini. What made this moment significant is that Valentino actually drove the Countach Turbo back in the 1980s. John tells a story of Valentino hopping into the driver seat of this rare Countach and setting off through the streets of Miami.
As you might expect from a vintage exotics dealership, the Countach Turbo was eventually serviced and sold. However, John ends his YouTube video by explaining how he has thought about repurchasing it. Regardless, his chase and eventual discovery make one hell of a story.
