Thursday 24th February 2011

Lamborghini Diablo: PH Buying Guide

Who wouldn't be tempted? Here's what to look out for if you're in the market...

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Thanks to Phil James for lending us his car to photograph for this guide (Pics: Steve Hall)

The tangled spaghetti of Lamborghini's history saw the Diablo first developed under the Mimram brothers. They commissioned Marcello Gandini to style the car, but it was Chrysler's 1987-on stewardship that provided the cash to bring the Diablo to the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo for its launch in 1990. The spectacular machine arrived with a breathtaking 202mph top speed, and the ability to cover 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds - crushing performance figures that varied only slightly throughout its 11-year production life.

Search for Lamborghini Diablos here

The V12 engine, with a history tracing back to the Miura, was still the heart of the Diablo. It arrived in 5.7-litre form with 492bhp and grew to 6.0-litres, with power peaking at 595bhp in the limited-run Jota. There were numerous revisions and upgrades to the engine and transmission throughout the Diablo's life, as well as styling changes. The most notable styling revision was the switch from pop-up to fixed headlights with the arrival of the second generation VT in 1999, making the earlier Diablo the last car on sale with pop-up headlights before legislation caused their demise. (Well almost, see thread below - Ed.)

Lamborghini's sometimes turbulent ownership history entered calmer water in 1998 when Audi acquired the Italian firm from short-term custodians Megatech. It set about improving quality and making the most of the Diablo before it was replaced by the Murcielago in 2001.

Diablo ownership is not for the uninitiated, as there are a plethora of different models, rear- and four-wheel drive and special editions, even though overall production didn't top 3000. In fact it's reckoned just 2884 Diablos of all types were made, breaking down (sic?) thus:

Model	Year	Nos. built
Diablo	1990-96	873
VT	1993-99	Info unavailable
VT-R	1994-95	3
SE 30	1994	135
SE 30 Jota	1994-1995	15
SV	1995-99	Info unavailable
SV-R	1996	31
VT Roadster	1996-2000	466
SV Roadster	1998-99	5
GT (1&2)	1999-2000	80 (Split unavailable)
GTR	2000	30
VT 6.0	2000-2001	260
VT 6.0 SE	2001	42

Click the section links below to find out more:

1) Introduction (reading now)
2) Powertrain
3) Body
4) Rolling Chassis
5) Interior
6) General Experiences
7) Insurance quotes

Search for Lamborghini Diablos here

[sjmoore]

It is great that there are people willing to keep these alive but I still don't understand why anyone would buy one: brash, impractical, relatively slow (in anything but a straight line) and most likely painfully expensive to keep in good condition. Also, I'm sure not all owners are medallion-wearing, attention-seeking t**sers with complexes about the size of their manhood but if you don't fall into that group it must be tiring dealing with the preconceptions.

[sjmoore]

R66STU said:

I know the world would be a dull place if everyone liked the same thing but really?? your a member of a car website and you dont like the Diablo ? this to me is what a supercar is all about.

Fully agree that the world would be a duller place without the Diablo or its ilk and who said I didn't like it? But liking and putting your money into one, when there are so many alternatives, is different. I lusted after a Countach when I was growing up, but now I can afford a supercar, practical considerations make it less attractive.

[sjmoore]

[quote=jdwcd]

So you bought a porsche


Of course. (older) 911s pretty much the antithesis of the Diablo: fairly anonymous, reliable, small, 4 seats, could use every day (without major compromises)