White, Wing, Radical

Sorry, folks, but you can keep your Gallardo; stash the Diablo; and don’t even bother rummaging for the keys to the Murcielago; if you want to snap heads around and cause a ruckus on Main Street, you need to haul up neat in a Lamborghini Countach. Hey, those other cars are okay. But it was the first of the breed that caused our hearts to flutter; on arrival, this wedgy, edgy origami automobile with the linguistically-challenging name never failed to stop traffic - and most other activity - on sight.

So does Kyosho’s newly-minted 1:12 model of the car, a dead-on replication of a mid-stream LP5000S in beautiful white on white, rolling on equally otherworldly Ozzeta Electron wheels and signature (but unbranded, here) wide, wide Pirelli P7 rubber. The paint’s amazing, the stance is just right, and the fit and finish of the opening panels (and there are lots of those) is very, very good. True to this maker, the build is investment-grade, and the installed lensing, glazing, and markings - done in dark chrome foil, natch - is absolutely free of flaws.

The features list lives up to that first impression. Press the chrome metal button in the side scoop and the doors rise on friction struts; ditto the multi-vented engine lid, the trunk, and the boot. The headlight covers, activated by a trigger under the nose, snap upwards in tandem. It all feels like quality; in fact, there wasn’t a loose piece or a rattle to be heard anywhere on the model.

And there are many pieces, indeed. The interior - though fitted with soft-touch seats that look a tad plasticky - is welcoming, with a carpeted floor, clear-lensed gauges, readable buttons and knobs - even a working shift knob below what appears to be a Lambo-spec, OEM Alpine AM/FM/cassette radio. Is that Journey I hear?

Behind the bulkhead lies the Weber-carbed, five-liter (4754cc) V12, and the thing’s been slammed with detail, both on the engine itself and in the areas around it. Each of the twelve ignition leads is strung through looms, and stainless braid cris-crosses the top; the sight of those six thirsty carbs straddling the 375-horse motor tells of a car with a large appetite for fossil fuels. Under the boot lid is a spare tire, a clear brake fluid reservoir and a cabled-in, hard-mounted battery wearing “AC Delco” labels; drop and roll and there’s a plastic chassis/belly pan fitted at all four corners with a fully realized, working coil-spring suspension, real metal brake discs, flexible cooling hoses, and steerable, poseable wheels.

These should be ready to roll by the time you read this, at a price of around $525.00; if you’ve got the scratch, this is one beautiful way to raise a ruckus. - CRM

Kyosho Lamborghini Countach LP5000S / $499.00 / Minichamps, NA, www.minichampsna.com

Comments   (0)