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The Lamborghini Diablo is an Italian beast on four wheels that just barely falls under the category of being a 'car'. As the era of the Countach as its predecessor came to an end, Lamborghini designed a successor. Extreme and extravagant design is Lamborghini's trademarks, and the Diablo makes no exception. Its name - meaning ‘devil’ - reflects reality: it is lightning fast and highly performant. Upon its debut, it was not surprisingly 'one of the fastest cars on the market', if not 'the fastest'. Given its flamboyant design, it did not go unnoticed, and it became the best-selling Lamborghini up to that point.
In 1985, the first blueprints for a Countach successor were laid out, and, just like with the Miura and the Countach, Marcello Gandini was tasked with designing the Diablo. Later, after the initial prototypes were presented, Chrysler took over Lamborghini in 1987, and these prototypes underwent significant aesthetic changes. Reportedly, the Diablo became somewhat rounder and nimbler, which reportedly angered Marcello Gandini. Nevertheless, the design was officially named to be his.
After five years of designing, the Diablo was released in 1990. Despite Chrysler's alterations, the design remained sharp and somewhat aggressive. The Diablo retained the pop-up headlights that the Countach also featured and under the hood laid a 5.7-liter 48-valve manual V12 mid-engine, delivering an impressive 485 hp, a 0 to 100 – or 0 to 60 – acceleration took just 4.5 seconds, and a speed of 325 kilometres per hour, or 202 miles per hour could be reached. Some considered it 'the fastest production car of that moment' as no other car proved faster than the Lamborghini Diablo, once again allowing Lamborghini to eclipse Ferrari. However, this was not enough as the Diablo became increasingly more powerful edition after edition.
To keep the car's weight as low as possible and performance as high as possible, all the unnecessary elements were initially omitted. In the first few years, the Diablo even lacked power steering, and people had to settle for typical sports car comfort. However, once the Diablo gained speed, these compromises were easily forgiven.
In 1999, the Diablo underwent a drastic facelifting, most notably dropping its pop-up headlights in favour of conventional ones. The V12 engine could optionally be upgraded to 6.0 litres, making it even more powerful. ABS was also introduced, a new dashboard was designed, and the whole interior received a fresh update.
In total, thirteen street-legal variants were built, each bringing new and other innovations. In 2001, the Diablo was succeeded by the Lamborghini Murciélago. The production reportedly ended with 2,884 Diablos ever built.
Lamborghini Diablo
‘Lamborghini Diablo’, without further suffixes, is the original model name in the Diablo series, introduced in the early spring of 1990 and in production until 1998, among other variants of the Diablo.
Compared to the Countach, the Diablo was a true driver's car to enjoy. While the Countach was a bit unfurnished, attention was paid to the Diablo's comfort. It featured a high-quality sound system, adjustable seats, and an adjustable steering wheel, enhancing the ergonomics of a sports car. This trend continued, as power steering was introduced in the Diablo from 1993 onward.
Approximately nine hundred of the first Diablo were ever manufactured. It has since joined the ranks instant classics, as it was adored by many since day one.
Technical information:
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