The Ultimate Lamborghini Countach

Cars like the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959 were faster and more technically advanced, but the Lamborghini Countach, and especially this '86 5000 Quattrovalve that'll be at RM's Amelia Island auction this spring, have their own place in history.

Few cars have ever even been conceived, let alone produced, that can stack up to the Countach in terms of the sheer outrageousness of the design — ever counted just how many vents are on there? The fact that it lived on the walls of nearly every single American boy in the eighties serves as a testament to the role it has played in defining the modern supercar.

By the time the car made its way to the U.S., it was sporting a 5.2L V12 putting out 412 hp, which meant 60 mph was always only five seconds away, and 170 mph was doable if you felt the need to complete the entire Cannonball Run.

The mandatory-for-an-Italian-supercar gated shifter is crucial to the driving experience, as is the rather large step you've gotta take to crawl in. Hey, you're supposed to look good while driving it, not while getting in and out.

There's just no angle where the car doesn't ooze the essence of supercar. That's why it was on everyone's wall decades ago, and why the majority of supercars are still trying to be The Next Countach.