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- The iconic scene in The Wolf of Wall Street where Jordan Belfort crashes a Lamborghini Countach was filmed in a real $700,000 Countach, not a replica.
- The Countach used in the film was a rare 25th Anniversary Edition with white paint and white leather interior, one of only 23 produced in the US.
- The Countach from the film will be auctioned at RM Sotheby’s in December 2023 and is expected to be the most expensive Countach ever sold, with an estimated value of between $1.5 million and $2 million.
Using a Lamborghini There is nothing extraordinary about the portrayal of a character’s wealth in Hollywood films. In addition, for production, several of them are often used for different purposes. In Martin Scorsese’s greatest hit, The Wolf of Wall Street, saw Leonardo DiCaprio play Jordan Belfort in the three-hour epic comedy biopic in 2013. Belfort is said to have owned a Ferrari Testarossa and a white Lamborghini Countach in the film. But the Countach got some special screen time that was hilarious for most, but heartbreaking for gearheads.
UPDATE: 2023/10/25 11:59 EST RAHUL KAPOOR
This article has been updated with new information about the Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition that was destroyed during filming The Wolf of Wall Street in 2013. In addition, RM Sotheby’s has put the hero car up for auction in December 2023, expecting it to become the most expensive Lamborghini Countach ever sold.
The Countach was the perfect choice for Belfort’s character and his development in the film. In one scene in particular, Belfort crashes and destroys a Countach beyond repair. The big screen moment has become iconic in pop culture. Sure, there are Hollywood stunts that crash real expensive cars, but production houses usually try to use cues for scenes, taking artistic freedom and saving a ton of money.
However, Scorsese is not a director who takes the easy way out. For fairly obvious reasons, Scorsese didn’t use a replica, but it was actually a real $700,000 Lamborghini Countach.
A replica Countach would not crumple in an authentic way
Martin Scorsese used a real Lamborghini Countach in the now-iconic scene because the replica just wouldn’t crumple up in a way that would make it look authentic on screen. Adding insult to injury for us car lovers is the fact that it used the 25th anniversary of the already iconic ’80s supercar. However, the real Jordan Belfort confirmed that it was in fact a Mercedes in real life, but we think you’ll agree that the Lambo made for a much better movie.
The 25th Anniversary Edition example used in the film was from 1989 and was one of only 23 white leather interior examples ever made in the US. The cherry on top is that it only had 7,000 miles on the clock. In the now iconic scene, Belfort is seen kicking open a scissor door and crawling inside. He is then seen finally crashing the Countach into everything between him and his home.
Until the film was nominated for five “Oscars”., this scene was definitely win-worthy, even though it was painful to watch as a car lover. Seeing the condition of this beautiful Countach at the end of this scene made us cringe. The wheels are shifted to the center, the body panels are completely crumpled, and the iconic retractable headlights have attracted attention. The car would be classified as an insurance write-off.
The Wolf of Wall Street Countach will appear at auction
As with most films, several examples of cars are used for different shots. Some of them are stunt cars like the one that crashed in the movie. Some examples are used as hero cars used for beauty photo shoots. Scorsese used two Countachs in the film. One was broken beyond repair in an iconic scene. Sotheby’s Luxury Week auction announced another Lamborghini Countach the hero car from The Wolf of Wall Street will go under the hammer in December 2023.
Classic.com suggests Lamborghini The Countach 25th Anniversary Edition is currently valued average less than $500,000. Other versions of the Countach are more expensive and sell for an average of $582,000. But the value of Countaches has risen steadily in recent years and is only expected to rise. It’s the same reason YouTuber and automotive journalist Matt Farah bought one a while back, which cost him a lot of repairs. Even YouTuber Doug DeMuro recently acquired a carbureted LP5000 S in white.
Classic.com shows that some examples of the Countach have sold for more than $1.1 million. According to estimates by RM Sotheby’s, the Lamborghini Countach hero car from the movie could be worth 1.5-2 million dollars. That would easily make it the highest paid Countach in history.
The destroyed Countach from “The Wolf of Wall Street” was sold for parts
While the Countach was certainly a wreck, the filmmakers didn’t just put it in the back of a warehouse and let it gather dust. Many parts were apparently auctioned off after the movie, including the doors, hood, lights, latches, and even the glass. The glass itself is apparently extremely thin and very expensive, so the studio reportedly sold it to a Countach specialist for around $50,000.
While it’s not a memorable end for the Countach, at least it didn’t go to the junkyard. We’re sure the owners of what’s left are very proud to have a piece The Wolf of Wall Street Countach in their possession.
Lamborghini Countach is a very desirable Italian supercar in 2023
Although the United States is one of the largest markets for exotic sports cars, Lamborghini never sold the Countach in North America at one time. The original Countach did not meet US emissions and safety standards. However, people still imported them and paid to have them modified to American standards during what later became known as the “Grey Market Era (1978-1988)”.
Throughout its life, starting in 1974, the Lamborghini V12 engine in the Countach got bigger and more powerful. The 3.9-liter engine produced about 370 hp. in the LP400 model, while the LP400 S produced 350 hp less ponies. In 1982, the Countach LP500S used a larger 4.8-liter engine with six Weber carburetors and continued to produce around 370 hp. While the exterior remained cosmetically similar, Lamborghini updated the interior with the model update. The LP500S was also sold in some markets as the 5000 S.
Lamborghini introduced the Countach 5000 Quatrovalvole in 1985 with significant upgrades to the V12 engine. The 5000 QV featured an extended-stroke engine that increased the V12’s displacement to 5.2 liters. Also, as the name suggests, another upgrade included four valves per cylinder (Quattrovalvole). Some markets continued to receive the 450 hp carbureted engines, but a less powerful fuel-injected version was developed to meet US regulations. Fuel-injected Countach models sold in the US produced around 415 hp.
The 25th Anniversary model that was used in The Wolf of Wall Street was based on the 5000 QV, updated by Horatio Pagani. However, looking at the current ratings and average prices on Classic.com, they are not as valuable as the standard model. However, if the Hollywood hero Countach from the film reaches RM Sotheby’s estimate, it could change the fortunes of the 25th Anniversary Countach Edition.
Sources: Paramount Pictures, Twitter, Classic.com, Oscar, Jeremy Cliff, RM Sotheby’s