Tuesday 10th June 2014

Lamborghini Diablo SV: Spotted

Prefer a supercar with a surfeit of testosterone? Right this way

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If there's an accusation often levelled at the current breed of Lamborghinis, it's that they're almost a little too user friendly. That's great for many prospective buyers as they can exploit their cars more easily, enjoy them more often and, dare it be suggested, pose in them more easily but a little of the challenge has been lost. That has been mentioned also but, when there's a Diablo SV to discuss, it's worth repeating.

Modern supercars not scary enough? The answer...

The new Huracan LP610-4 has nearly 100hp more than this Diablo. That's absurd, isn't it? Anyway, it also indicates where driver aids and chassis technology have come since then; most keen drivers would probably happily get into a Huracan and drive it fairly hard with little acclimitisation period. The Diablo however...

Even the silhouette is terrifying, almost awkwardly cab forward so as to accommodate the giant V12. This one is in a subdued colour scheme but there's an intimidation still to the Diablo's appearance; say what you will about Lamborghini elsewhere but it does aesthetic drama like nobody else. The SV was arguably the most dramatic Diablo to drive too, if the even rarer Jota is discounted. Of course being RWD contributed the majority of that, along with a little extra power and a bit less weight compared to the VT cars.

Plush surroundings for scaring yourself silly

In a world of supercars that can carry ridiculous speed without apparently straining themselves or the driver, to actually have to work at extracting far less performance from the Diablo may seem strange to some. But again it's the challenge that would be so exciting to the small minority (hopefully quite a few on here) that crave a little bit of terror from a mid-engined V12 supercar experience. Makes it more exciting, right?

With Lamborghini's future apparently committed to 4WD models with automated gearboxes of some kind, will there be a spike in demand for the older cars? The SV moniker was only used on this car, the Murcielago and the Miura and there's no way either of those are being offered at £130K any time soon, if ever. And look at its contemporaries; F50s are soaring and EB110s are way more than the Lamborghini too. Perhaps that's flattering the Diablo a little, but when a 993 Turbo with similar mileage is for sale at the same money something seems a little amiss.

And if it doesn't appreciate? Then you're left with one of the supercar icons powered by a legendary V12 and one of the most intense (that's the polite term) driving experiences around. The SV isn't perfect, in fact it's quite flawed in some instances, but that's exactly the reason to embrace and adore it.

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LAMBORGHINI DIABLO SV
Engine: 5,707cc V12
Transmission: Five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 517@7,100rpm
Torque (lb ft): 428@5,900rpm
MPG: Ha!
CO2: See above
Recorded mileage: 24,342
Year registered: 1999
Price new: Probably lots but less than the 4WD cars
Yours for: £129,995

[Schermerhorn]

Mega want!

[Sexual Chocolate]

Awesome car. Are these really a bit scary to drive?

[Rawwr]

Ooh, I'll have the 993 Turbo, please!

[SturdyHSV]

Stop telling everyone about them, they'll keep going up in price. Everybody? Shhhhhh!

[TREMAiNE]

God I want me one of those!

[yearoneracing]

No they are not scary to drive, I bought mine two years ago and was surprised by how civilised and well mannered it is. Sure if you really lob it around there is a big V12 in the middle waiting for you but it's not scary as such. I adored these as a teen and it's the last of the real old school Lambos, great cars and all the flamboyance and drama you could wish for . With Countach prices gone loopy these are next...

[snowley]

very good value considering some of the ridiculous prices out there at the moment.....

Perhaps the next to be sucked into the bubble.

[vtecyo]

My favourite car ever I think.

[Kinell]

I had a 1:43 scale purple Diablo when I was a kid, still have it. I remember when I first saw a real one leaving a petrol station near Selhurst Park on my ninth birthday - nearly had a little accident!

The Diablo and my F40 were the only cars I wouldn't let my mates play with.

[Schnellmann]

Supercars that are hard to drive because they take skill to extract the best from them I like (even if I don't really have the skill I like the challenge and I'd rather go slower in a quicker car but have to try really hard than go really quick because the car is doing everything for me).

Supercars that are difficult because they are basically user-unfriendly (unnecessarily heavy clutches, very poor or no rear or side vision, too wide for UK roads, too stiff or low for crap UK roads so they tramline and/or bounce on anything but perfect tarmac) I don't like.

Never having driven a Diablo I don't know which camp it belongs to. My prejudices and reading magazine reviews would say the latter but I would like to be proved wrong. Probably worth it for the noise of the engine. Not for shy or retiring types (presumably part of the appeal is the attention it gets).

[Skater12]

Funny that this topic comes up shortly after I chipped in my two pennies worth on the subject of appreciating supercars.

I'd said on page 4 of the post below..
" A couple of years ago a friend bought a Diablo SV with 30k on the clock for a shade over £80k and sold it a year later for £95k.
They're now demanding around £125k-£150k.
I wonder if these £125k cars will be reaching £200k in a year or so??"

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

[Type R Tom]

I don't care how good the 993 Turbo is, the kid in me would not let allow me to buy one over this!

[CampDavid]

Saying that a used Diablo is the same price as a used 911 is a bit like saying that a used Jaguar is the same price as a used Fiesta, sure, that's completely right, however, the Fiesta won't go through cash nearly as well as the Jag

[bozzy101]

I bet on modern tyres these aren't half as difficult to handle as they were back in the day!

[Bladedancer]

Outrageous.
Mad.
Silly.

I want one.

[iloveboost]

Wow these are another supercar that has gone massively up in value. A few years ago I was browsing (dreaming) and found a few Diablos for about 60K. I wonder if the F355 will go up in value soon it seems to have been available for under 50K for the last decade!

[Baryonyx]

iloveboost said:

Wow these are another supercar that has gone massively up in value. A few years ago I was browsing (dreaming) and found a few Diablos for about 60K. I wonder if the F355 will go up in value soon it seems to have been available for under 50K for the last decade!

Funny you should mention the 'cheap' Diablos. I remember reading something a few years ago about how the Diablo had fallen into a mire as far as value and desirability went. The reasoning was, that they were unpopular with supercar dealers at the time because they didn't have the 'classic Lamborghini' cachet at the time, and the new money obsessed over the latest and greatest at the time, which meant the more user-friendly, easy to drive, less sexy and dramatic Gallardo and the like. The collectors wanted the Countach, and the Diablo was just a decade old Supercar in a bad spot.

Of course, the SV will probably always have an appeal and Diablo values are probably rising fast compared to this time when dealers felt they couldn't give them away!

[soad]

The Diablo will always be my favourite Lamborghini.

[Alfa159Ti]

iloveboost said:

Wow these are another supercar that has gone massively up in value. A few years ago I was browsing (dreaming) and found a few Diablos for about 60K. I wonder if the F355 will go up in value soon it seems to have been available for under 50K for the last decade!

I have been watching F355 values and they have been climbing quite rapidly for the last few years now. I worry that when I am ready to buy they will be beyond my reach.... :-( The 360 is now the 'cheap' modern Ferrari and looks like it may begin following suit.

The Diablo remains my favorite Lambo by a country mile. What an incredible machine and for me their intimidating reputation for not suffering fools only adds to the appeal.

[Rawwr]

I always felt the greatest thing the Diablo had in its favour was its name.