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The Lamborghini Countach LP500S was developed in response to Ferrari’s faster Berlinetta Boxer, which had exposed the performance limitations of the Countach LP400S. Lamborghini initially considered a turbocharged version of its 4.0-litre V12, but cooling problems led the company to abandon that project.

Instead, the engine was enlarged to 4,754 cc by increasing both the bore and stroke. It also received redesigned combustion chambers, a lower compression ratio, revised camshafts and larger Weber side-draught carburettors.

Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1982, the LP500S looked largely unchanged from the LP400S. Subtle exterior differences included revised front indicators, updated rear badging and OZ aluminium-alloy wheels replacing the magnesium Campagnolo wheels used on earlier cars. Inside, the door trim became more luxurious, while the glovebox lock was revised.

Despite being approximately 290 kg heavier than the LP400S, the larger V12 made the LP500S significantly faster, with an acceleration of just 5.6 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h compared to the 5.9 seconds of the 4-Liter V12. Produced for around three years, 323 examples were built, making it the most successful Countach variant up to that point.

I have to admit that my all-time favorite Lamborghini Countach LP500 S scale model is the white-on-white 1/18 scale version made by Kyosho; that one is so quintessentially 80s, I love it, but you can’t ignore a black Countach either, so when Schuco released their new sealed resin version, on silver wheels, with a nicely contrasting tan interior, I took notice … but I didn’t buy it straight away.

And that was due to the fact that I bought the Schuco 1/18 scale Lamborghini 1556 DT tractor in March of 2024, and despite it being rather expensive, I was very disappointed with it. Firstly, it arrived broken (I managed to fix it, but still), and secondly, the overall details and quality were just not on par with the price, so parting with another €200 for a Schuco-made sealed resin Countach didn’t sit well with me at that point.

Fast forward to February 2026, I saw a listing for another Schuco-made Lamborghini Countach, this time the LP400 S version finished in a beautiful shade of blue on gold Bravo-style wheels, and I just gave in; I ordered that one, still a bit worried about it arriving damaged and again, not worth the money … but I was proven wrong.

I have to admit Schuco made one mistake on the blue Countach LP400 S; feel free to check out my review on that model, but I was still impressed enough with it that I looked around for the black LP500 S to add to my collection, which I found at a decent discount, so I added it to the collection too.

And the same remarks I made about the blue Countach LP400 S are also valid for this black LP500 S version, it is a very nice model, and I specifically like the color combination of an intimidating black exterior over a very nice tan interior and silver wheels, being the 5-Liter V12, these wheels are now fully concave without the protruding holes seen on the early LP400 S models, the so-called Bravo-style wheels which we all love.

This black Lamborghini Countach LP500 S comes in a similar white Schuco box, albeit with a smaller cut-out that only shows the front part of the model, but you still get a blue plinth and a plexi cover to protect the model from dust, and being a black resin model, it is a dust magnet for sure, so you have to keep her inside this display case at all times.

Still, in the end, the AUTOart Lamborghini Countach LP500 S in black completely blows this sealed Schuco out of the water. For one, the AUTOart one opens up completely; secondly, it comes with an absolutely stunning white interior, and it’s just a ‘sharper’ model all the way. Perhaps a better comparison would be the old Kyosho release in black over a tan interior, and even that one would be a better option if you are looking for a very nice, all-opening 1/18 scale model of this magnificent Countach LP500 S version.

Bottom line: I added this black-on-tan Lamborghini Countach LP500 S model from Schuco on a 1/18 scale to have it pair up next to their blue LP400 S version, I like to have different models from the same manufacturer, and let’s hope Schuco releases some more interesting, classic Lamborghini models in the future, they also have a tan LM002 that’s really nice, the only thing I personally feel is that they are just a little too overpriced at their regular price, €200 is just too much for these, I would think they are about a €99 model like GT Spirit models, add €25 for the fact you get a display case with it, and for me, the perfect pricing would be €125 to €150, but that’s just me.

our RATING

Exterior		8/10
Interior		6/10
Engine	Not visible
Accuracy		8/10
Overall rating		7/10

Original price on March 3, 2026 : € 170