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Lamborghini’s legendary Countach name has been revived after 31 years for the Countach LPI 800-4, which pays homage to the original early-1970s design.Most of the new car’s mechanicals are shared with the Sián, although its 6.5-liter V-12 and electric motor offer a total of 802 horsepower, slightly less than that other Lamborghini.Only 112 Countach cars will be built, at a price yet to be named.Earlier this week, Lamborghini confirmed it was planning to bring back the famous Countach name. Now, after only the smallest of gaps between tease and please, we are seeing the reality. The Countach LPI 800-4 has just been revealed at The Quail Motorsport Gathering in California—a new version of a car the company last built 31 years ago.

The new Countach isn’t a restomod or a “continuation” version of the original, and underneath sits a substantial amount of the existing Aventador. Yet, as these first images make clear, it pays very obvious homage to the design of the original Countach, which made its debut in prototype form at the 1971 Geneva auto show. The ambition, as Lamborghini puts it, is “to imagine how the iconic Countach of the ’70s and ’80s might have evolved into an elite super sports model of this decade.”The original Countach was a pioneer. The use of a north-south V-12 engine behind its passenger compartment created the archetype for the modern supercar; the earlier Miura’s mid-mounted engine was fitted transversely. But while shocking when launched, with its name a mild expletive in the Piedmontese dialect, the first Countach lived until 1990, and the purity of Marcello Gandini’s design became diluted with the arrival of bigger wings, spoilers, and plastic bodywork extensions over time.

Lamborghini

For the new car, Lamborghini design director Mitja Bokert has chosen to channel the spirit of the earlier versions of the original Countach, but has also integrated some references to later models. The LPI800-4’s basic form incorporates the wedge-shaped frontal profile of the first LP400 production Countach, as well as the similarly clean taper from the passenger compartment to the rear end. It also lacks any fixed wing or visible aerodynamics (an active element sits hidden above the rear lights).There are some obvious and necessary differences, too. The new Countach’s need for cooling air has seen it given sizable intakes integrated into the doors; the original had small NACA-style ducts. Yet the upper air intakes at the rear are actually smaller than the LP400’s high-mounted scoops. All body panels are made from carbon fiber.Other elements of the 21st-century Countach have taken inspiration from the later Quattrovalvole version of the original, including the angular frontal design and trapezoidal hood and hexagonal wheel arches. Modern impact standards deprive the new car of pop-up headlights, sadly—but compact LED lighting units are similar in size to the first Countach’s glass-covered daytime lights and turn signals. Scissor-opening doors are, of course, present; every Lamborghini supercar since the first Countach has featured them.

Lamborghini

The new Countach’s interior is less retro, being obviously based closely on that of the Aventador. Both cars use the same carbon-fiber tub. Digital instruments and an 8.0-inch portrait central touchscreen are standard, although the latter incorporates a new function: selecting the Stile (or design) function will run an animation that explains the history of the Countach’s styling. The rear of the new Countach shares the original’s inverted wedge shape and four exhaust tailpipes, together with hexagonal triple-element light clusters at each side, plus a louvered engine cover. The alloy wheels, 20-inch at the front and 21-inch at the rear, have been designed to offer a modern take on the “telephone dial” alloys popular in the ’80s. The view through these to vast carbon-ceramic brake discs front and rear is necessarily different from the original car’s much smaller rotors. The new Countach concept at Pebble has been finished in pearlescent Bianco Siderale white. The color is similar to the one Ferruccio Lamborghini specified for his own Countach LP400 S, paired with a similarly period-appropriate red and black interior. New Countach buyers will be able to choose from a range of similarly retro exterior hues, including ’70s-style solid green and yellow shades. (A full range of modern colors will also be offered for less daring buyers.)Most of the new Countach’s mechanical package is shared with the even-more limited Sián, which we experienced earlier this year. This combines a 769-hp version of Lamborghini’s long-serving 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 with additional assistance from a 33-hp electrical motor, this drawing power from a supercapacitor which supports high energy flow rates but which is only able to store charge for brief periods. The motor and capacitor add just 75 pounds to the powertrain’s mass, but the system doesn’t have enough juice for pure electric operation. Lamborghini claims a total system output of 802 horsepower, fractionally less than the 808-hp figure claimed for the Sián. But on Lamborghini’s numbers the Countach’s 3516-pound dry weight is 110 pounds less than the Sián, and the new car’s combination of a claimed 2.8-second zero-to-62-mph time, 8.6-second zero-to-124-mph time and 221-mph top speed are well outside the frame of reference for any original Countach.As with the Aventador, the Countach uses both an automated single-clutch gearbox and all-wheel drive, with torque sent to the front axle through an electronically controlled central coupling. It also gets pushrod suspension all around and rear-wheel steering. A front lift system will also be standard. Although the relationship between both is clear, this Countach is also a much larger car than the original. The new car is 29 inches longer, 14.9 inches wider, and 2.8 inches higher—and it sits on a 106.3-inch wheelbase, identical to that of the Aventador, which is 10 inches bigger.Just 112 of the new Countach will be built, a number chosen to correspond to the LP112 project name of the original car. Lamborghini hasn’t released any pricing, but as it says the entire allocation has been sold before the car’s official launch, it has clearly judged demand for this new version of its most iconic model perfectly.

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The Mini Strip, based on a Cooper SE, is the result of a partnership with fashion designer Paul Smith. It was unveiled yesterday in London.Smith left the steel bodywork exposed and redesigned the front and rear bumpers with more plain graphics constructed from 3D-printed recycled plastics.Leather and chrome are absent inside, with the dashboard made from recycled cork, the door panels replaced with mesh, and the floor mats fashioned from recycled rubber.If you feel overwhelmed by the dazzling display of exotica revealed at Monterey Car Week—from the open-top Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider to the 600-hp Acura NSX Type S—then check out the latest Mini concept, unveiled yesterday in London. The Mini Strip is a collaboration with fashion designer Paul Smith, who took an electric Mini Cooper SE and pared things back, guided, according to Mini, by a mantra of “simplicity, transparency, sustainability.”

Mini

Smith removed anything from the Mini he deemed unnecessary while using sustainable materials for the parts he replaced. The bodywork was left unpainted (save for a transparent coat to protect against corrosion) and marks on the steel panels from the manufacturing process weren’t fixed, with Smith aiming to show “the perfect imperfection.” Much of the simplified front and rear bumpers were 3D-printed from recycled plastics, and Smith left the screws exposed on the wheel arches to emphasize the back-to-basics look. The aerodynamic wheel covers as well as the grille trim and panoramic roof were all made from recycled Perspex, a transparent plastic.

Mini

While the exterior is very monotone, there’s a splash of color inside, where the theme of simplification continues. The doors feature Smith’s iconic stripe motif, and most of the interior trim was removed to expose the blue-painted bodyshell. A semi-transparent, smoked-glass piece makes up the dashboard, and the central console was removed, with a space for your smartphone to take over the infotainment duties. The only remaining physical controls are the window switches and start/stop button.

Mini

Sustainable materials abound in the cabin, replacing the traditional chrome and leather elements. The top of the dashboard and doors are made from recycled cork, the seats are wrapped in a knitted fabric, and the floor mats are recycled rubber. The steering wheel ditches buttons and switches for plain aluminum spokes and, since Smith is an avid cyclist, a rim wrapped in handlebar tape. A mesh covering in the center of the wheel allows the driver to see the airbag, and the door panels were replaced with the same mesh material. While the aluminum door handles remain, there are also pull handles fashioned from wound climbing rope.

With the Strip more of a styling exercise than anything, Mini didn’t quote any performance figures, but we would have to imagine that the weight shed by Smith’s simplification will have made the Cooper even more sprightly. This is not the first time Smith has gotten his hands on a Mini, painting an old Cooper with 86 stripes in 24 colors in 1997 for the Tokyo auto show.
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Most of the time, we don’t get too sad when a car ends production. But occasionally, there’s a vehicle that is disappears before it has had its due, and those are the rare birds we aimed to find on this week’s episode of Window Shop.Our panel found a wide variety of cars spanning many decades. Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman kicked things off old-school with a nostalgic look at GM’s rear-engine alternate universe that never was, as exemplified by the Chevy Corvair that he claims was “murdered” by Ralph Nader.The next two entries fast-forwarded to modern times, with a look at one of Ford’s canceled hot hatches, the Fiesta ST, and VW’s luxury SUV, the Touareg. Both departed the U.S > market within the last few years. There’s a bit of lively discussion over whether these cars truly count as being “killed” since they’re both still on sale in Europe.Contributing editor Jonathon Ramsey examined an entire brand that was killed off, finding one of the last Saab 9-5 sedans sold in the U.S. before the Swedish automaker went kaput. And deputy editor Tony Quiroga took an entirely different tactic, looking way back into Chrysler’s history to find an Airflow from the 1930s, which was pioneering vehicle in terms of aerodynamics.After you watch the episode, let us know in the comments which cars you think were unjustly killed.

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Tonight, as Monterey Car Week warms up ahead of a busy weekend, Acura dropped a surprise announcement we’re thrilled to hear: The Integra is coming back in 2022. “The Integra is back,” Jon Ikeda, vice president of Acura, said in a statement released late Thursday night. “I’m thrilled to say Integra is returning to the Acura lineup with the same fun-to-drive spirit and DNA of the original, fulfilling our commitment to Precision Crafted Performance in every way—design, performance and the overall driving experience.”Acura made the announcement to a gathering of journalists attending Monterey Car Week, revealing the news via skywriting drones, as Roadshow’s Daniel Golson shows here:
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The announcement was accompanied by a teaser video that Acura posted to Instagram:
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Acura didn’t share any details about the upcoming Integra beyond the promised 2022 production date. But the signs all point to a faithful and fitting new addition to Integra history: the vehicle silhouette illustrated in Acura’s nighttime drone show certainly looks like a compact 2-door hatchback, as seen in images tweeted by automotive journalist Kurt Bradley:
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And a collection of speculative renderings and test-mule spy photos posted to Instagram earlier this week by @1320Video seem to show a prototype that fits the compact fastback shape we’ll always associate with the Integra name (spy photos on 2nd and 3rd slides):
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We’re hopeful that the new Integra will stick close to the nameplate’s roots as an affordable and gleeful sports compact car. After all, the second-generation Integra was a generation-defining machine, especially in Type R form. Honda already has some great four-cylinder engines and manual transmissions in its parts bin—hello, Civic Type R—and while the brand certainly went through a recent period where it struggled to identify itself, the most recent crop of Acura vehicles has been mighty impressive. If Acura can bring back the Integra as a modernized and refined sport compact that recaptures the magic of the late-Nineties icon we loved, we’re sure it will be a hit.

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The 2022 Acura NSX Type S is a higher-performance variant of Acura’s storied sports car that gains 27 hp, for an even 600 horsepower. Acura claims it’s two seconds quicker around its Suzuka circuit than the 2019–2021 NSX.Every 2022 NSX will be a Type S, and there will be just 350 sold worldwide, 300 in the U.S.2022 is also the last model year for the second-generation NSX.To send off the second generation of the storied NSX mid-engine sports car, Acura is launching a new Type S variant for 2022 that made its debut at the Monterey Car Week festivities. Every 2022 NSX will be a Type S, and Acura says it’s building just 350 of them globally, 300 of which are destined for the U.S. They’re available to order now. It also marks the end of the line for the second-generation NSX, which launched for the 2017 model year. In the Type S press release, Acura boss Jon Ikeda says, “We’re already exploring what the next generation of sports cars should be in the coming electrified era,” which makes it sound like there won’t be an immediate successor.

The Type S gains 27 hp to an even 600, and adds 16 lb-ft of torque to 492. These are the combined ratings of the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 plus three electric motors—two that power the front axle and a third that works in conjunction with the engine. The 75-degree-V-6’s output is boosted from 500 to 520 horsepower through the use of larger turbos that deliver up to 16.1 psi of boost, 0.9 more than before.

Starting at $171,495, the Type S is an even $12,000 more than last year’s NSX. However, the Type S gains a standard carbon-fiber roof, which was previously a $6000 option. The Type S’s priciest option is the $13,000 Lightweight package, which sheds 58 pounds via carbon-ceramic brake rotors, and carbon-fiber engine cover and interior trim. That also represents a savings of $3700 versus the stand-alone option pricing for those bits.
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Sharper, more angular features on the front and rear end make the Type S readily distinguishable. Also new is an available matte-gray paint. The so-called Gotham Gray is a $6000 add-on and is limited to 70 cars.Get them while you still can; Acura is taking orders now. It’s anybody’s guess how many years it will be before the next NSX.

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Stellantis recently confirmed that a plug-in hybrid Dodge would arrive next year, and now Mopar Insiders claims it will be a new small crossover.The Dodge PHEV will allegedly use the Hornet name, which last appeared on a 2006 concept car, and will be based on the upcoming Alfa Romeo Tonale, shown as a concept back in 2019.Mopar Insiders says the Hornet’s plug-in-hybrid drivetrain will use a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four as its gasoline engine.Stellantis recently confirmed plans for upcoming electric and hybrid vehicles, including Alfa Romeo’s electric future, a Jeep EV due to arrive in 2023, and a plug-in-hybrid Dodge that will debut next year. We had initially speculated that the Dodge PHEV could be based on the Durango, given that the similarly sized Jeep Grand Cherokee will soon get a plug-in setup, but a new report from Mopar Insiders claims that the Dodge PHEV will instead be a new crossover model called the Hornet.

Alfa Romeo

Dodge last used the Hornet name back in 2006 on a compact hatchback concept (pictured at top). The styling of the new Hornet will certainly be different, and this time the nameplate will reportedly be used for a small crossover based on the upcoming Alfa Romeo Tonale, expected to launch next year as well. Both these hybrid models are expected to have a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four gasoline engine, and it’s possible that nonhybrid versions may appear as well. All-wheel drive will likely be available.

The Hornet will allegedly be built alongside the Tonale in Italy, with production beginning in mid-2022 before the Hornet arrives in dealerships in the fall of 2022 for the 2023 model year. Dodge has not confirmed any of the information in the Mopar Insiders report, but if it holds true, it won’t be too long before we see the Hornet and Tonale siblings.
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Aston Martin has already sold all 85 copies of the newly revealed Valkyrie Spider.The car has the same 6.5-liter Cosworth V-12 as the regular Valkyrie, working with a hybrid system to reach total output of 1139 horsepower.That top is removable, not folding, as the sinuous shape of the Valkyrie left no room for a mechanism.When we rode next to Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers in a Valkyrie prototype at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month, he hinted that we would be seeing another Valkyrie variant. We didn’t have to wait long; the British sports-car company has just unveiled the open-topped Valkyrie Spider at Pebble Beach in California.Just 85 examples of the Spider will be built and, in bad news for any multimillionaires who are just reading about the car for the first time, Aston says the whole run has already been allocated to buyers. And that’s despite an undisclosed price that is likely higher than that of the $3.5 million coupe.

Mechanically the Spider is unchanged from the roof-wearing Valkyrie, with power coming from a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated Cosworth V-12 that will rev to 11,500 rpm and make up to 987 horsepower by itself. This will work in conjunction with a hybrid system that takes the total output to 1139 horsepower. As on a race car, the Spider’s engine is mounted directly to the car’s carbon-fiber tub without an insulating subframe. From our passenger ride at Goodwood, we already know the engine is almost painfully loud when working hard, yet it sounds amazing. The lack of a roof will likely enhance both of those qualities still further for occupants.

Aston Martin

The Spider’s roof is removable rather than being a conventional folding hood; the Valkyrie’s tightly sculpted shape leaves nowhere for a bulky mechanism to go. The three elements are a central carbon-fiber spar that forms a targa-style link between the windscreen and rear of the car’s carbon tub, then a pair of hinged clear polycarbonate “roof windows” that clip in on each side. These locate against new front-hinged dihedral doors that have, necessarily, replaced the Valkyrie coupe’s roof-hinged gullwings. Unusually for a roadster, the side windows seem to always remain in place, since the minimal doors have no space for an opening mechanism.The upshot is that, with its roof in place, the Spider should be able to get close to matching the aerodynamic performance of the Valkyrie coupe—with most of the car’s downforce created by the vast diffuser and Venturi tunnels that run around the cockpit. Aston claims it will have up to 3080 pounds of downforce at 150 mph in its track mode. While roof-off performance won’t be as aerodynamically efficient, rushing airflow will likely make the car feel even more thrilling. Aston has not revealed if the Spider carries any weight penalty but says it will be able to achieve a top speed of more than 217 mph with its roof in place and 205 mph with it removed. Production of the Valkyrie Spider will follow that of the coupe, with customer deliveries starting in the second quarter of 2022. So what do you think, roof or not?

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Ford has revealed the 2022 GT ’64 Prototype Heritage Edition, which honors the original GT prototype from 1964, as part of the GT’s final year of production. The Heritage Edition is finished in Wimbledon White with an Antimatter Blue hood, racing stripe, and side graphic to mimic the original GT prototype’s livery.The special edition is covered in carbon fiber, from the rear diffuser to the seats, and the interior is swathed in upscale Alcantara.Since launching for the 2017 model year, the Ford GT supercar has repeatedly paid homage to Ford’s endurance racing conquests at Le Mans in the 1960s. Now, to celebrate its final year of production, Ford is releasing yet another special version of the GT to honor its lineage. The 2022 GT ’64 Prototype Heritage Edition pays tribute to the five original GT prototypes that kicked the Ferrari-rivaling GT40 project, specifically mimicking the livery of the first prototype, GT/101, that debuted at the 1964 New York auto show.
The 2022 Ford GT ’64 Heritage Prototype Edition features Wimbledon White paint with Antimatter Blue accents including on the hood, the racing stripe over the roof, and the “Ford” graphic on the side sills. The 20-inch carbon-fiber wheels are painted Antimatter Blue as well, and carbon fiber is sprinkled across the exterior, appearing on the front splitter, sills, mirror stalks, engine louvers, and rear diffuser. The Brembo brakes are finished in silver. No changes were made to the GT’s performance characteristics, with the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine still producing 660 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque.
The interior also gets a healthy dose of carbon fiber on the doorsills, A-pillar, and center console. The carbon fiber seats are clothed in Lightspeed Blue Alcantara, which also appears on the dashboard, while the headliner and steering wheel are Ebony Alcantara.

The 2022 GT ’64 Prototype Heritage Edition will be displayed alongside the only 1964 GT prototype still wearing its original livery, chassis GT/105, during Monterey Car Week. The prototype that the new special edition honors, GT/101, was scrapped after Le Mans and Monza crash testing back in the day. There is no word on just how limited the ’64 Prototype Heritage Edition production run will be or how much it will cost to take home one of these special-edition supercars, but it should be more than the $500,000 that it costs to buy a “standard” GT.
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