The Low-Down

The performance of the Lamborghini Countach put it well into supercar territory but it was its extra-terrestrial design – extreme angular athleticism even as car design passed from organic to boxy in the decades it was in production, from 1974 to 1990 — that qualified it as a pin-up car of an era, a picture of raging machine beauty that decorated the walls of growing boys right beside posters of Samantha Fox. Thirty years after the last Countach left its factory, Lamborghini announced a 21-century environment-conscious remake in August this year: the Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 hybrid mates a ‘traditional’ 6.5L V12 combustion engine pushing out 770hp, with an electric motor pushing out 34hp (about as much as a Fiat Panda from the 1980s), with 112 units planned for production.

Parallels between watch and supercar abound as Roger Dubius has characteristically spared no effort in making its Excalibur Spider Countach DT/X the technical and aesthetic equal of the LPI 800-4. It’s dubbed the RD112 to mirror the planned production volume of the LPI 800-4; it’s been built from scratch just as GT competition cars are designed and produced in-house by Squadra Corse; and every component is hand-finished by master craftsmen in Geneva to be awarded a Poinçon de Genève.

IMHO

There are easier ways to pin that connection between motoring and horology. And there have been truly commendable results from rather less ambitious undertakings. But if one were to go all the way and push things to the hilt, or pedal to the metal, then Roger Dubius’ brand of “hyper watchmaking” has very few peers on the field. Going to extreme is what makes Lamborghini what it is, and this is the very guiding principle behind Roger Dubuis that validates its relationship with Squadra Corse and makes its watches special.

Tech Specs

Movement: Double tourbillons arrayed at 90 degrees, 72 hours power
Functions: Hours, minutes
Case: 47mm, Mineral Composite Fiber (MCF) case and bezel, titanium crown with lacquer ring, water resistant to 5 BAR (50m)
Strap: Rubber strap with fabric mesh inserted between the rubber layers, interchangeable with Quick Release System
Price: POA