The Countach name originated in late 1970 or 1971, near the beginning of the LP112 project. Most previous and subsequent Lamborghini car names are associated with famous bulls and bullfighting, but the Countach broke with this tradition. The name originated from the word contacc an exclamation of astonishment in the Piedmontese language.
The Lamborghini V12 used in the Countach originated in 1963 and was designed by Giotto Bizzarrini. Versions of this engine were used in preceding and then currently produced Lamborghini models including the 350 GT, 400 GT, Islero, Espada and Miura.
As used in the Miura, this engine had a 3,929 cc (3.9 L) displacement, a 60ยบ cylinder bank angle, double overhead camshafts per bank, two valves per cylinder, lubrication and distributor ignition.