Legendary Lambo set to be reborn

A 1980s icon that hung on thousands of bedroom walls around the globe is set to return as a hybrid-powered machine to rival the world’s fastest cars.

Lamborghini is set to relaunch its classic Countach.

The supercar brand has teased fans with the announcement that a next-generation Countach is just around the corner.

The new machine is rumoured to be based on the outgoing Aventador, combining its carbon fibre chassis with a hybrid V12 pinched from the limited-edition Lamborghini Sian.

Lamborghini’s Sian hybrid could donate its driveline to the new Countach.

Badges leaked on social media suggest the car will have 800 horsepower, or 596kW, thanks to the combination of a 6.5-litre V12 with an electric supercapacitor.

The limited-edition machine is tipped to be unveiled in full at America’s Pebble Beach concours event for high-end car collectors.

It represents a departure for Lamborghini.

ARC Designs has hinted at how the new Lamborghini Countach could look.

Unlike rivals, who often look to the past, Lamborghini’s cars have futuristic looks often taking inspiration from jet fighters.

But the new Countach follows the trend for retro machines such as Porsche’s 935 Club Sport, the McLaren Elva and Ferrari Monza, taking cues from a car first shown to the public in 1971.

Lamborghini’s social media accounts suggest the new Countach will have a wedge-shaped silhouette.

A follow-up to Lamborghini’s Miura – one of the first machines associated with the term ‘supercar’ – the original Countach put Lamborghini on track to become the outlandish brand we know today.

The radically styled machine is a cinema darling, starring in dozens of films ranging from The Cannonball Run to The Wolf of Wall Street.

Most Lamborghinis draw their names from Spanish bull fighting.

The classic Countach is one of the world’s most recognisable cars.

But the Countach’s moniker stems from Italian slang loosely translated as “phwoar!”, following visceral reactions to the original model’s slinky silhouette.

Likely to be built in small numbers for cashed-up collectors, the new Countach will go on sale shortly before Lamborghini unveils a successor to its flagship Aventador coupe and roadster.