- Classic Diablo is a model of increasing focus for Lamborghini Polo Storico.
- Original model was the fastest car in the world in 1990.
- Highly regarded for its performance, but also a pop-culture icon.
The Lamborghini Diablo is celebrating its 35th annniversary. It’s not only a genuine old-school supercar becoming increasing prized by collectors and enthusiasts, it’s also a model of historical significance: the last car created by Lamborghini before current owner Audi acquired the brand in 1998.
In 1990, the Diablo represented a new era for Lamborghini, breaking the 325 km/h speed barrier and setting an all-time record for road cars of that period.
The Diablo’s story started to take shape in 1985 with Project 132, conceived to deliver a successor to the Countach and create the fastest car in the world. The first prototypes revealed sharp lines that were later refined with the arrival of Chrysler in 1987.
The Lamborghini Diablo was unveiled in 1990 in the Principality of Monaco at the opening of the Monte Carlo Rally and produced until 2001. Today, the model’s heritage is preserved by Lamborghini Polo Storico (the maker’s classic-car division) which mainstains an archive and undertakes restorations and certifications.
“The Diablo isn’t just a symbol of Lamborghini’s history; it’s also a model of growing strategic importance to Polo Storico,” says Alessandro Farmeschi, aftersales director at Automobili Lamborghini.
“In recent years, we’ve seen a significant increase in requests for certifications and restoration services for the Diablo, in the most part due to a new generation of collectors and enthusiasts who see this car as a cultural and design icon.”
Diablo was named in honor of the legendary fighting bull of the same name which, in 1869 fought for hours against the matador José de Lara, known as “El Chicorro”.
With its 5.7-litre V12 engine, delivering 367kW/580Nm, the original Diablo could accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds and established a new speed record for road cars, reaching 337km/h on the Nardò circuit.
The construction featured a tubular frame, and an aluminum and steel body with carbon fibre inserts. The performance was matched with high comfort including adjustable seats, electric windows, and an Alpine stereo system.
In 1993, the VT model introduced all-wheel-drive for the first time on a Lamborghini super sports car, which would become a typical feature of all the V12 engines.
In the same year, the SE30 model celebrated the company’s 30th anniversary with an engine boosted to 390kW, and pushed up to 444kW in the Jota version, while the 1995 VT Roadster paved the way to the Lamborghini open-top V12 cars.
In 1998, with the acquisition of Lamborghini by Audi, the Diablo underwent a significant restyling: this marked the arrival of fixed headlights instead of traditional pop-ups, anti-lock brakes, and the V12 with displacement increased to 6 litres.
The SV was created to epitomise the ultimate expression of performance: the 1999 GT could reach a top speed of 338km/h, while the VT 6.0 and 6.0 SE represented the final evolution with the design by Luc Donckerwolke, the company’s first chief designer under Audi’s ownership.
At the same time, the Diablo opened doors to official competitions: 1996 saw the launch of the Super Sport Trophy one-make championship for the Diablo SV-R, with 32 units produced, marking the first racing programme directly linked to the brand.
From this experience came two ultra-rare Diablo GT1 Stradale prototypes, real racing testbeds, as well as the Diablo GT-R: the track version of the GT, built in 40+1 units and competing both in the Japanese JGTC championship and in various European GT series.
It was a regular in movies, video games, and TV programmes of the time: a red model was driven by Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber (1994), and it appeared in Exit Wounds (2001), and Die Another Day (2002), as well as the TV series Smallville, Nip/Tuck, and Blue Mountain State.
It has been a mainstay in the video games of the Need for Speed franchise since the 1990s, while in a famous 1996 commercial it appears alongside model Cindy Crawford.
Celebrities such as Jay Leno, Mike Tyson, Dennis Rodman, Jay Kay, Rod Stewart, Nicolas Cage, Troy Corser, and Mario Andretti drivej Diablos.
With over 60 available colors, 40 of which could be customised, this Lamborghini super sports car preempted the “Ad Personam” philosophy. Red was the most popular color, with over 550 units.
With 2903 units produced, the Diablo not only set an all-time sales record for Lamborghini up to 2001, but also contributed to strengthening the brand’s global reputation.