In the '80s, the battle for the most striking supercars was down to two Italian manufacturers, Ferrari, and Lamborghini. Mark Frankel of YouTube channel 888MF uploaded a review comparing the Ferrari Testarossa and the Lamborghini Countach in a "battle of the classics."
“Back in 1984, Ferrari brought out this, the Testarossa, one of the most beautiful cars they’ve ever made," Frankel said, "and it still looks amazing today. This one’s kindly lent to us by Richard, it only has 8,000 miles on the clock."
In 1985, Lamborghini brought out the upgraded version of the Countach, the 5,000 QV. The Countach brought the world to a standstill when it first debuted at the Geneva motor show in 1971.
Lamborghini Only Produced 610 Units Of The LP 5000 QV
The LP 5000 QV debuted in 1985 and came with a 5.2-liter V12 engine making 455 hp. Lamborghini only produced 610 of these units. The Italian manufacturer used the carburetor version of the engine for Europe, while the US got the Bosch Fuel Injection version. The final version of the Countach, the 25th Anniversary Edition, debuted in 1988.
The Ferrari Testarossa's production ran from 1984 to 1991. It came with a 4.9-liter flat 12 engine making 385 hp. With a grand tourer design, it came with an aircon and a decent-sized front trunk. Ferrari sold over 7,000 units of the Testarossa. In 1992, Ferrari launched their first revision of the Testarossa, the 512 TR that made 422 hp.
Frankel first tests out the Lamborghini Countach, and his first reaction is it has a loud exhaust, probably due to the straight pipe exhaust. He also notes the front tires are quite narrow, and the rear tires are enormous—making a lot of traction in a straight line.
“Visibility is horrendous, as you can probably see from the design. You’ve got these tiny little mirrors made out of plastic, which you really can’t see anything out of the rear,” Frankel disclosed.
It doesn’t come with a power steering and the gas and brake pedal are too close to each other.
The Testarossa Is More Practical Compared To The Countach
While testing out the Testarossa, Frankel is quick to note the gated gearbox is not easy to use. He also notes, while the steering wheel is big, it’s nice to use.
“What really surprises me about this car the most, is that you can’t really hear the engine,” Frankel said.
He notes that the Testarossa is a very easy and smooth car to drive. It also has good visibility.
Frankel feels both the Testarossa and the Countach are beautiful and iconic. In his opinion, you’d use the Ferrari more than the Lamborghini, even though, the Lamborghini is more of a showstopper.