Back in the 1990’s and earlier, Lamborghini was not known for it’s Audi partnership and derived models such as the Gallardo. In fact, it was not known for luxury of any sort, and it certainly was not known caring what any environmentalist thought.
Lamborghini produced aggressively styled, lightweight machines with massive V12 engines putting power to the road. Creature comforts were an afterthought and driving them was not even an easy task. They were not cars that you bought simply to show you had the money to buy one – it was more akin to buying a Harley-Davidson motorcycle – you had to be macho enough to drive these beasts.
The Diablo model which was the successor to the venerable Countach had been introduced nearly a decade before Audi gained control and was in need of some serious updates. What Audi helped them produce was one of the fastest and most competent Diablo models to ever come from St. Agata Bolognese, Italy.
Exterior
A designer named Luc Donckerwolcke began working on the Diablo revision for Automobili Lamborghini SpA. In order to bring the design into this century, carbon fiber was used extensively on the new body panels. The car was redesigned from front to back with even more aggressive and edgy styling. The front-end featured fog lights that had been raised onto the next level of the bumper from previous models and were mounted flush with the body. Large air ducts for brake cooling replaced them below.
Scissor doors – Lamborghini’s staple - remained from the previous model. Traveling around to the rear of the car a revised bumper with refreshed taillights was clearly visible, but the true centerpiece was the dual exhaust exiting upwards. Ferrari may be known for its unmistakable sound, but Lamborghini knows a thing or two about waking the dead with the shriek emitted from this car.
Interior
Once the problem of actually entering the Diablo had been solved, there were still issues with the interior. Some of the complaints had to do with size and others with finish and materials. The overall dimensions of the cabin are something that Lamborghini was never going to apologize for. Clearly the Diablo is an exercise in form over function and if you can’t fit inside it then go buy another car.
Low slung bucket seats that seem to be inches from the road surface are thinly padded, yet supportive. The 6.0 models received a carbon fiber center console that was revolutionary at the time as well as a new steering wheel design. New air conditioning and stereo systems were also included to make the car seem more comfortable – when there is a 6.0-liter V12 sitting a foot behind your head nothing is overly comfortable, but they gave it a good try.
Performance
The decision had been made to do whatever was necessary to get the Diablo back to its peak and be able to fight off other supercar contenders. The solution came from boring out the V12 engine to 6.0-liters. This and a few smaller enhancements gave the car a mighty 550hp at 7,100rpm and 457 lb-ft of torque at 5,500rpm. Adding power and shaving weight is always a good combination so the weight savings from the use of carbon fiber and magnesium wheels in association with 550hp led this Lambo to 60mph in 3.4 seconds. The Diablo was sure to shine just fine until the new Murcielago was complete.
Competition
The Diablo’s main competitor of the day was the Ferrari 550 Maranello and if you owned the Lamborghini than you were hoping to see one of these on the road. We can just imagine waiting at a red light when a pompous Ferrari driver pulls up. Surely they’re thinking we’re driving a regular Diablo – Ha, the light turns green and we’ve hit 60mph nearly a full second faster than him. The Ferrari stood little chance in any other category as well, the Lamborghini was lighter, faster through the slalom, took less room to brake from 60mph, and got better gas mileage just to top it all off.
Pricing
Not only was the car something that could stop your heart, but the price also led to more than a few missed beats. Coming in at $274,000 the Diablo 6.0 was worth the price of an average home. However, this was a completely redesigned masterpiece from the Italians in conjunction with those German Audi boys and had proven the Diablo to still be a viable pure-bred supercar stallion. Many customers may have waited an extra year to receive its replacement, the Murcielago, but for those wanting the ultimate Diablo experience the 6.0 VT would not go quietly into the night as it reached its top speed of 205mph.
