One to Buy: Unique ex-Max Bobnar 1980 Lamborghini Countach LP400 S Turbo
The super tuner era of the 1970s and 80s certainly churned out some spectacular creations, but Lamborghini’s Countach was generally regarded as sufficiently extreme in OEM trim that few companies looked to take it up a notch.
However, one individual who did precisely that was Lamborghini’s Swiss distributor, Max Bobnar of Lamborcar SA, who went the forced induction route, initially with an LP400 S.
The car in question, chassis 1121160, was dispatched from Sant’Agata on June 4th 1980 having been configured in Rosso with Bianco upholstery and the expensive rear spoiler option. Soon after delivery, Bobnar sent the car to Franz Albert’s renowned tuning house, Albrex in Worgl, Austria, where it was re-engineered to accommodate two Raja turbos and three wastegates.
Over the next couple of years, chassis 1121160 was further refined and eventually ended up with a finalised specification that comprised a spectacular dark metallic red paint job with matching wheel centres, deep side skirts, Turbo graphics and Sabelt harnesses.
Thanks to several appearances in major automotive magazines, chassis 1121160 went on to acquire legendary status. Sadly, Bobnar only commissioned one further Countach Turbo which was based on a 5000 S a couple of years later.
Today, this revered LP400 S, the original Countach Turbo, is on the market with Curated in Miami. It has covered a little under 23,000km and represents a rare opportunity to acquire a genuine Countach icon.
Reprinted below is Curated’s description:
Current mileage: 22,940km
Chassis: 1121160
Engine capacity: 3.9L V12 Twin Turbo
Exterior color: Rosso
Interior color: Bianco
Total production: 105
1 of 2 Turbo Countach
Series II Low Body Countach
Chassis 1121160 began life as a 1980 Lamborghini Countach LP400 S Series II Low Body, a true testament to the radical styling and performance Lamborghini had become known for.
Delivered new to Max Bobnar, Lamborghini’s official Swiss importer, this car quickly made its mark. Its connection to Lamborghini’s most iconic figures is undeniable—there’s an unforgettable photo of test driver Valentino Balboni and founder Ferruccio Lamborghini standing proudly in front of 1121160, parked next to the legendary Walter Wolf Countach.
Between 1980 and 1982, Bobnar entrusted the car to master technician Franz Albert for a stunning transformation into a twin-turbocharged beast.
The car was repainted in a dazzling metallic red, outfitted with unique side skirts, and rolled on red wheels. Its final iteration, completed around 1982, was visually striking with Turbo graphics and a white interior—a look that made it a standout.
In this form, 1121160 became a media sensation, gracing the pages of countless magazines and immortalized as a model car.
This turbocharged evolution of the Countach remains one of the most iconic versions ever created.
