Boss Cerbera's Deep Purple

[Godzilla]

Typically superb writing from Phil: http://www.auto-journals.com/journals/Lamborghini?...

I particularly love his description of early Diablos! (No offence to any early Diablo owners, and we'd love to hear from any of you about your rides...)

[chr55y]

So the diablo as designed is an ugly car? But saved by the tweaks of the last model? An SV experience underwhelming? Previous diablos were "A showy waste of road space"?

I thought the SV was the most engaging drive of the lot being 2WD, 530bhp and lighter?
mmmm. So long as he likes his car, I guess that's all that matters. Always a pleasure to see his car.

[MitchT]

I once read that the instrument binnacle on the early Diablo looked like it had been designed by a couple who hadn't actually spoken to each other during the process! (or something to that effect)

[burriana]

My favourite Diablo ever ... not the model particularly, just THAT car

[jdwcd]

Thanks phil but I like my "opel fruit" (starburst)! seeing your mileage makes me feel better by the way.

[chr55y]

Hi Jon,
I like your starburst car too....

Edited by chr55y on Friday 19th December 22:02

[graeme36s]

Does the 6.0 run the same front track as the GT? I would not have thought so. Having spent quite a few miles in a 93 and a 99SV I can only comment as follows. The 93 rwd only was a fair bit faster. I prefferd the smaller gear lever gate of the 93. I also preffered the non power steering and the way it weighted through cornes. I really did not prefer the brakes. Overall the 99SV was a better car but I ended up with an aching left hand from the gear lever and overall I found the 93 more of an event to drive. The exhaust was straight though and with GT tail pipes was ridiculously loud, but in france that seemed OK. Should have kept it and sorted out the brakes.

[Mattymouse33]

A 95 SV? This is a man who knows what he is talking about!

[diablo_pete]

graeme36s said:

Does the 6.0 run the same front track as the GT? I would not have thought so. Having spent quite a few miles in a 93 and a 99SV I can only comment as follows. The 93 rwd only was a fair bit faster. I prefferd the smaller gear lever gate of the 93. I also preffered the non power steering and the way it weighted through cornes. I really did not prefer the brakes. Overall the 99SV was a better car but I ended up with an aching left hand from the gear lever and overall I found the 93 more of an event to drive. The exhaust was straight though and with GT tail pipes was ridiculously loud, but in france that seemed OK. Should have kept it and sorted out the brakes.

Reading your opinions of the cars you've driven, reckon you should have tried a low ratio 96-97 SV. They are different to the 98+ model.

[identti]

Excellent journal Phil, and I have to agree that the 6.0 is the best looking Diablo by some margin.

On another note, my Journal's also on the front page of the site
Thanks Mr. Yu!

[Godzilla]

You're welcome Robbie and congratulations! You were the first new Auto-Journalist to come onboard since we re-launched. About 4 hours in fact!

And it might not be about a Lambo, but that is a cracking Journal you've started there. Look forward to reading the next entry...

[identti]

Godzilla said:

You're welcome Robbie and congratulations! You were the first new Auto-Journalist to come onboard since we re-launched. About 4 hours in fact!

And it might not be about a Lambo, but that is a cracking Journal you've started there. Look forward to reading the next entry...

I hope to own a Lambo one day, but that may be a while as I've got 4 years of university and a student loan to pay off before I can start saving for one. I will write about my cheap thrills in the mean time.

I had no idea I'd caught the website relaunch like that! I checked last week and saw it was going to be updated, and then checked on Thursday and saw it was up and running. It looks great and works a treat. I wish you every success with it.

[bosscerbera]

chr55y said:

So the diablo as designed is an ugly car? But saved by the tweaks of the last model? An SV experience underwhelming? Previous diablos were "A showy waste of road space"?

I thought the SV was the most engaging drive of the lot being 2WD, 530bhp and lighter?
mmmm. So long as he likes his car, I guess that's all that matters. Always a pleasure to see his car.

Personal likes/dislikes are the essence of why any of us choose particular cars. I don't begin to pretend it's rational - I'm sure if it were, we'd all be in 5 Series BMWs based on press data.

I actually looked up the Six in my magazine collection after I'd bought it and looking at the article, I don't think I even bothered to read it when it was published - I probably just dismissed it as "yet another rehash". I was THAT disinterested in Diablos.

The Six's styling - inside and out - appealed to me in a way early Diablos just don't. But the revelation was how the Six made me want to drive it - and that, with the looks thing, is why I bought one. It has not disappointed.

Have you driven an SV or a Six?

[Plaistow]

bosscerbera said:

chr55y said:

So the diablo as designed is an ugly car? But saved by the tweaks of the last model? An SV experience underwhelming? Previous diablos were "A showy waste of road space"?

I thought the SV was the most engaging drive of the lot being 2WD, 530bhp and lighter?
mmmm. So long as he likes his car, I guess that's all that matters. Always a pleasure to see his car.

Personal likes/dislikes are the essence of why any of us choose particular cars. I don't begin to pretend it's rational - I'm sure if it were, we'd all be in 5 Series BMWs based on press data.

I actually looked up the Six in my magazine collection after I'd bought it and looking at the article, I don't think I even bothered to read it when it was published - I probably just dismissed it as "yet another rehash". I was THAT disinterested in Diablos.

The Six's styling - inside and out - appealed to me in a way early Diablos just don't. But the revelation was how the Six made me want to drive it - and that, with the looks thing, is why I bought one. It has not disappointed.

Have you driven an SV or a Six?

Phil, CHR55Y's husband has a couple of SVs, so I guess she has driven them.

[911owner]

chr55y said:

So the diablo as designed is an ugly car? But saved by the tweaks of the last model? An SV experience underwhelming? Previous diablos were "A showy waste of road space"?

I thought the SV was the most engaging drive of the lot being 2WD, 530bhp and lighter?
mmmm. So long as he likes his car, I guess that's all that matters. Always a pleasure to see his car.

That's my type of woman.
One who can talk cars.

[diablo_pete]

bosscerbera said:

Have you driven an SV or a Six?

Hi Phil, Big fan of your car too. I have driven both 6.0 and SV. Love both for different reasons. The 6.0 is so refined and easy to drive. The SV is great fun with awesome acceleration and a characteristic that will "bite you" if you're not careful with your right foot. To me I love the raw feel of the 2WD and rarely drive my 4WD these days. The Sv is also slightly simpler and probably easier to keep maintained. In terms of "bang for your buck", I reckon it's the best at the moment when viewed from the point of view of sitting in it and driving it. Of course if you find only the 6.0 palletable in terms of it's easthetics then you have no other choice. Fair enough.

I was slightly surprised that your article almost slated the Diablo. It suggested that 96% of them are crap, and the model was saved only by the mods of the last revision? Whilst the 6.0 is certainly the most evolved of the cars, it's earlier predecessors are basis of the car and put the diablo on the map. I agree that the earlier cars look slightly more dated, but these are already classic cars and they are a figment of the 1990s. The design deserves to look dated and associated with it's place in car design history, much like the countach.

Your car is an interesting colour, not 30purple, or viola orphilia.
Jon Deacon's car has really increased my appreciation of the 6.0 too.

[Mattymouse33]

Tell me this, can the SV only be appreciated over a VT if driven hard?

[bosscerbera]

diablo_pete said:

bosscerbera said:

Have you driven an SV or a Six?

Hi Phil, Big fan of your car too. I have driven both 6.0 and SV. Love both for different reasons. The 6.0 is so refined and easy to drive. The SV is great fun with awesome acceleration and a characteristic that will "bite you" if you're not careful with your right foot. To me I love the raw feel of the 2WD and rarely drive my 4WD these days. The Sv is also slightly simpler and probably easier to keep maintained. In terms of "bang for your buck", I reckon it's the best at the moment when viewed from the point of view of sitting in it and driving it. Of course if you find only the 6.0 palletable in terms of it's easthetics then you have no other choice. Fair enough.

I was slightly surprised that your article almost slated the Diablo. It suggested that 96% of them are crap, and the model was saved only by the mods of the last revision? Whilst the 6.0 is certainly the most evolved of the cars, it's earlier predecessors are basis of the car and put the diablo on the map. I agree that the earlier cars look slightly more dated, but these are already classic cars and they are a figment of the 1990s. The design deserves to look dated and associated with it's place in car design history, much like the countach.

Your car is an interesting colour, not 30purple, or viola orphilia.
Jon Deacon's car has really increased my appreciation of the 6.0 too.

Woah! The difference - and it's a big difference - with Auto Journals is it's about OWNERS' own views. It's about why I did my dollars on one - not my critique of one Lamborghini loaned to me. I wouldn't argue with anybody about what floats their particular boat - I've got quite enough cars that aren't other people's cup of tea to know both sides of the coin. I suppose that's what I liked about the idea of A-J. The professional media casts a view of cars, sometimes awarding them stars etc.. So why don't we all buy 5-star, and only 5-star, cars? A-J ought to be where you'll find a horse's mouth opinion on why people own sub-5 star cars. You don't have to agree with it...

I'm not a Diablo fan (...well, OK, that's not so true now... ) Yeah, 96% of Diablos I wouldn't be interested in - to the point of saying for years "I'd never have a Diablo". Friends have replayed those words back to me since I bought the Six... But that's really a measure of how different I perceived the Six to be. Maybe a late 5.7 VT/SV runs it pretty close in performance/build? I wouldn't be surprised if it did - I know that comparing a 2001 TVR Tuscan Mk1 with a 2005 Tuscan Mk2 suggests a lot of progress between Mk1/Mk2. BUT... Step between a late 2004 Mk1 and a Mk2 and the difference is nowhere near as marked. Whatever, the cleaner styling and wider track of the Six (and the interior) was as much a part of the attraction as the driving. The colour is called Scuro Blue by the way.

Keep an eye on the Journal... the opening salvo was just about proving "never say never" because sometimes I'm wrong. The Six does feel "refined" compared with earlier Diablos but "refined" is not the first word that springs to mind to describe the experience of being in it!

Anyway, why not write a journal(s) on all yours?


Graeme36S - you're right.... the Six doesn't have the GT's track width. I was misinformed. It has wider track all round (quite a lot more at the front which does it for me) but it's not quite as wide as the GT. My bad.

[diablo_pete]

Hi Phil, Didn't realise it was scuro blue. One of my cars is that colour too. In certain bright light and under artificial lights it's just stunning and almost pearlescent (yeah know I've spelt that wrong) purple. Most of the time though, it just looks dark blue to me. Have complete respect for your opinion, the 6.0 is a stunniong car. Just seems a rather extreme dislike of all other models considering they are all basically the same car.

[diablo_pete]

Mattymouse33 said:

Tell me this, can the SV only be appreciated over a VT if driven hard?

Hi Matt, for driving round town for a pose etc, the VT will be the car to go for. The SV is just a more responsive car anywhere within the rev range, however the responsiness is only an issue if your looking to create that big smile on your face. If you're driving the car legally, there wouldn't be much difference I reckon. Remember, these are all very fast car anyway from early 2WD to 6.0.