Effect of the rear wing

I'm just wondering if anyone here who's owned (or at least thoroughly driven) winged and wingless Countachs could comment on how much of an effect the rear wing has on the car's handling. Ostensibly it was to improve high speed stability, but was this ever really problematic in the Countach to begin with? Or was the high frequency of CTs specified with wings more to do with styling preferences?

I'm just wondering if anyone here who's owned (or at least thoroughly driven) winged and wingless Countachs could comment on how much of an effect the rear wing has on the car's handling. Ostensibly it was to improve high speed stability, but was this ever really problematic in the Countach to begin with? Or was the high frequency of CTs specified with wings more to do with styling preferences?

I can certainly tell a difference in acceleration on the highway, worse with the wing on of course. As for the positive handling it adds....none.

 

Brian

Theres been arguments many times about this. Most side with Brain's opinion. I will remain opinionless

I have driven mine with it on and off, definately slower with it on, but handling I am not sure about, I suspect no difference. However I usually never get to such speeds that the wing really holds it back and I am not brave enough ( or skilled enough ) to take the car to the limits.

i think the only positive thing about it is to keep the car more "planted" while braking from hi to very hi speed (100 mph plus)

Ive had it on and off a few years back and for the life of me can not remember any difference....which tells you there wasn't any worth writing about.

This particular wing could and would serve as an air brake in this position. LOL

 

 

It is a rare adjustable wing and one of the five or so optional wings used on a Countach.

All kidding aside what I have been told was the wing was merely a cosmetic item. Although some have claimed that it added high speed stability during heavy braking. Sincerely Vic

 

If it's from the factory, I'm sure it would be wind tunnel tested, but than again i dont think they had that technology in the 80's? So if it has been tested than I'm sure it would not slow the car down so much, just my 2 cents..

Wing or no wing, I guess it doesn't add performance..... probably takes some away.........but it is badass!

 

Still looking for a used trunk lid to have the "wingless" option. For the time being it stays.

 

Alex

This particular wing could and would serve as an air brake in this position. LOL

 

 

It is a rare adjustable wing and one of the five or so optional wings used on a Countach.

All kidding aside what I have been told was the wing was merely a cosmetic item. Although some have claimed that it added high speed stability during heavy braking. Sincerely Vic

 

 

this is what i noticed to

the car without the wing goes straight like an arrow BUT it gives a feel of a little "moving" while hard braking from hi speed

If it's from the factory, I'm sure it would be wind tunnel tested, but than again i dont think they had that technology in the 80's? So if it has been tested than I'm sure it would not slow the car down so much, just my 2 cents..

 

Well, the wing debuted with the LP400S in 1978 - the same year Lamborghini declared bankruptcy. Most of the key Lamborghini engineers had left several years earlier, and if I remember rightly Walter Wolf was behind quite a bit of the development on the 400S. So even if the technology was there at the time (and in all honesty I have no idea), it wasn't exactly a cutting-edge, high budget operation.

 

Thanks loads for the input guys, I very much appreciate it! I'm rather shocked at how unnecessary the wing is, considering such a large percentage of Countachs had it specified.

It depends on the year as to whether it helps with high speed stability. The 4 valve cars were canted forward, so it became an aesthetic consideration at that point. I spent much more time looking at mine than hoping to hit 200mph, so I kept the wing.

Well, the wing debuted with the LP400S in 1978 - the same year Lamborghini declared bankruptcy. Most of the key Lamborghini engineers had left several years earlier, and if I remember rightly Walter Wolf was behind quite a bit of the development on the 400S. So even if the technology was there at the time (and in all honesty I have no idea), it wasn't exactly a cutting-edge, high budget operation.

 

Thanks loads for the input guys, I very much appreciate it! I'm rather shocked at how unnecessary the wing is, considering such a large percentage of Countachs had it specified.

 

 

Wolf's cars had a lot to do with the S developments (at least an other car was used as a S mule though)

 

last Wolf car was sort of first S car and the biggest differnce btw that car and a S1 was the special tuned engine (that were accordingly to period test and impressions real monsters)

we should not forget engineer Dallara came back to Lambo to help making these cars, so there is little surprise the S cars were pretty much the best sport cars for the road of the era

 

the wings were part of the Wolf cars image (the 3rd one was unvieled without it though) , they were the big adjustable model and likely were the only wings that actually had a purpose...the small plain wings on QV-25 th should be only a cosmetic item imo

Well, the wing debuted with the LP400S in 1978 - the same year Lamborghini declared bankruptcy. Most of the key Lamborghini engineers had left several years earlier, and if I remember rightly Walter Wolf was behind quite a bit of the development on the 400S. So even if the technology was there at the time (and in all honesty I have no idea), it wasn't exactly a cutting-edge, high budget operation.

 

Thanks loads for the input guys, I very much appreciate it! I'm rather shocked at how unnecessary the wing is, considering such a large percentage of Countachs had it specified.

 

Wolf was into formula one and wanted the cars to look more like a formula one car's. That ment redesigning the rear suspension to a four rod system and the installation of a wing.

Wolf was into formula one and wanted the cars to look more like a formula one car's. That ment redesigning the rear suspension to a four rod system and the installation of a wing.

 

he also found the standard LP400 not good enough for him in standard mode

so he got lambo build for him some better cars

 

a lot of money was spent doing this, developing new suspensions, brakes, etc...

lambo decided to use the experience to bring the countach to next level

Been wanting a Countach for years and have read everything I can get my hands on about them, (especially Lamborghini club back issues from the era). All I have ever read is that the wing slows the car down by creating drag. Not needed for stability. I have never heard anyone say it helps significantly. Just a styling choice.

 

In may 1985, English magazine Motor had their hands on enthusiast Barry Robinsons winged red QV. On a banked circuit they achived a mere 155,1 mph (corner MIGHT rub og 5 mph). On a bit later test with the same car on the autobahn, it reached a tad over 160 mph. Since the car was supposed to top 183, they was of course not happy, so they dropped the wing with the result that they now managed 167,9. It had a bit more to give they thought, but the oil lamp was alight, so they backed off. IF they had gone for it, they thougt it would max at 170. Not more.

 

AND as for the dream of 200mph. MIRA put the car in their windtunel, and their discovery was that the car with no wing would need 600bhp to reach 200. They allso confirmed that with 455 it should reach 183 witch it not did, so I guess the aerodynamics really suck. As for directional stability they noticed no change under speed.

In may 1985, English magazine Motor had their hands on enthusiast Barry Robinsons winged red QV. On a banked circuit they achived a mere 155,1 mph (corner MIGHT rub og 5 mph). On a bit later test with the same car on the autobahn, it reached a tad over 160 mph. Since the car was supposed to top 183, they was of course not happy, so they dropped the wing with the result that they now managed 167,9. It had a bit more to give they thought, but the oil lamp was alight, so they backed off. IF they had gone for it, they thougt it would max at 170. Not more.

 

AND as for the dream of 200mph. MIRA put the car in their windtunel, and their discovery was that the car with no wing would need 600bhp to reach 200. They allso confirmed that with 455 it should reach 183 witch it not did, so I guess the aerodynamics really suck. As for directional stability they noticed no change under speed.

 

 

All this is true, indeed......... BUT.... I have come to realize that most Countach aren't actually too well set up unless someone knowledgable has been through them and properly set cam timing, valve adjustment, etc. HUGE difference in my car before and after doing this....

 

The wing cetainly has a drag value. It most certainly DOES improve high speed stability under braking and sideloads (140 mph + ). A euro downdraft Countach is capable of much better than 170 if, again, properaly set up (which I think most are not right from the assembly line).

 

I have video in mine in the mid 160's (unreliable instrumentation keeps that number vague) and video of a buddy's downdraft with the wing on bouncing off the rev limiter in 5th (around 185mph) which we later verified to be cutting out at 7450 or so.... a tad premature. We always used methods other than speedos or tachs to figure true speed as they're so unreliable and inaccurate in Lambos of that era (sure wish we had GPS back then !!!!).

 

Bottom line on the wing for me was the braking and lateral stability in the higher speed regimes were noticable, and I thought it looked cool. I would love to have felt the acceleration without it, even if just once.

a good tuned DD without a wing can do 290 or slighlty more Km/h, ( real speed confirmed to me by Cesare Lodi, official lambo tester these years)

 

anyone who drove a good DD knows these are fast cars with serious power (please remember a bad one is not even close ...)

a good DD with an ANSA sport and tuned carbs may go to some 295 Km/h, may be more with reclined mirrors

Anyone here have videos of the CT doing high speeds/top speeds? Would be nice to watch.

Anyone here have videos of the CT doing high speeds/top speeds? Would be nice to watch.

Yes a brick, but a real pretty brick wing or no wing.

Yes a brick, but a real pretty brick wing or no wing.

 

Agree to that!!

 

I love this video and I've seen it over a million times but you know what, thanks, I love watching it. Is this the real sound of the CT in the start? Sounds phenomenal. Really old school. What I was wondering if they had a video of the CT at nardo or some other track doing top speed?

I love this video and I've seen it over a million times but you know what, thanks, I love watching it. Is this the real sound of the CT in the start? Sounds phenomenal. Really old school. What I was wondering if they had a video of the CT at nardo or some other track doing top speed?

 

I have heard time and time again that the sound for the countach was dubbed.