Retro '60 Minutes' Clip Reveals Wild Lamborghini Test Days

Modern Lamborghinis are remarkable examples of precise craftsmanship. When Audi acquired the struggling Italian supercar company in 1998, traditionalists worried about how the famously practical and dedicated German investors would alter the flawed but thrilling brand. Having been just three years old at the time of the acquisition, I have only heard stories about the older Lamborghinis. The pre-Audi Lamborghinis such as the fierce LM002 which was reviewed by Jalopnik's own Andy They were characterized as rugged, awkward, and illogical, yet I didn’t fully grasp just how crazy the original Lamborghini was until I saw this classic "60 Minutes" segment.

A speaker travels next to Valentino Balboni, one of the most renowned test drivers in car industry history, who has driven approximately 80% of every Lamborghini ever made from 1973 through 2009, as he tests a red Countach at velocities reaching 180 miles per hour on open Italian highways. Lamborghini did not possess a testing facility until it was acquired by Audi in 1998, which meant that each vehicle underwent rigorous evaluation and street trials. Observing Balboni maneuver past large vehicles and small cars, including traveling side-by-side on a narrow road with hidden turns, definitely seems extreme according to me.

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The Conversations Were Chaotic as Well The Discussions Were Unstable, Also The Talks Were Out of Control Too The Q&A Sessions Were Wild as Well The Interactions Were Unpredictable, Too The Dialogues Were Disordered, As Well The Meetings Were Unruly, Likewise The Exchanges Were Unbalanced, Also The Gatherings Were Turbulent, Similarly The Communications Were Uncertain, Too

During an interview with Daniele Audetto, once a racing car driver now serving as marketing director for the Lamborghini Countach, the demeanor and public persona the brand aimed to present comes into focus. In traditional Italian style, he compares a white Countach to "a lovely maiden," a red one to "a sophisticated lady," and a black one to "a mysterious femme fatale."

As someone who grew up in the era of political correctness, witnessing this kind of dialogue on television is truly astonishing, particularly coming from someone serving as the marketing director for a prominent automobile company. Those were entirely different times. People genuinely reveled in sexifying the Countach, with one piece mentioned in the "60 Minutes" segment comparing operating the Countach to losing one’s virginity. I believe driving a Countach during the 1980s must have been an exciting adventure, yet such language has no appropriate venue today.

Nothing Beats a Countach Nothin' Compares to a Countach There's No Substitute for a Countach The Unmatched Appeal of a Countach A Unique Experience with a Countach What Makes a Countach One-of-a-Kind The Special Charm of a Countach Countach: An Irreplaceable Icon Why a Countach Stands Out Unparalleled Excellence of a Countach

Our current world is vastly different from 1987, characterized by more rigorous emission and safety standards that wouldn't permit a vehicle as wild as the Countach. Honestly, considering how overly enthusiastic yet inexperienced social media influencers have wrecked their brand-new McLarens and Ferraris, picture what might happen if they drove something as raw and unrestrained as a Countach? It certainly wouldn’t be anything like today’s vehicles. Countach LPI 800-4 very much matches the madness of its predecessor.

Fortunately, even though they are now owned by the practical Germans, Lamborghinis remain showy, noisy, thrilling, and emotional. However, the era of purely raw and unrestrained vehicles like the Countach has passed. One perspective I do admire comes from the wonderfully mustached editor and publisher of Automobile Magazine David E. Davis once stated, "I strongly feel that everyone who has value should own a 12-cylinder vehicle during their lifetime, as there’s absolutely nothing comparable." I believe the world would improve if more people followed this belief. Until then, we can only enjoy hearing the high-pitched sound of a Lamborghini V12 engine in first-person perspective video from this film.

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