1990 Lamborghini Diablo Review

Specifications

The Devil Wears Prada? Or At Least Extremely Expensive Hides

Who would have thought that the same company that brought us the utilitarian K-car and Magic Wagon minivans would be able to turn around exotic Italian carmaker Lamborghinis fortunes within a few short years, but Lee Iacocca and company did just that when it took over Lamborghini in 1987. Or maybe it was that they happened to be around at the right time, suffusing the necessary capital so that the SantAgata Bolognese manufacturer could bring its stunning Diablo to market, replacing the aging Countach.

The timing was right for a new Lambo, the late 80s not only being hot money making years in general but also seeing the highest prices ever paid for European collector cars. Chrysler was in the money too. After just saving itself from what seemed like certain ruin, its chairman was on a roll and the general outlook was more than rosy. The same could be said for rivals General Motors and Ford, and along with that sunny attitude there was a sports car revival going on that saw the Big 3, and some European automakers, step into the ultra-premium ring for the first time.

It seemed at the time that GM made the biggest fumble by purchasing Lotus, a brand that is vibrant now but only had the already long-in-tooth Esprit to its credit at the time. Ford was probably most aggressive, picking up Jaguar and Aston Martin. Chrysler, mind you, also added Maserati to its arsenal, but the results of this effort only diluted the storied Italian brand - remember the Chrysler TC? No, its relationship with Lamborghini bore the most fruit, and the car that came of it, the Diablo, was probably the ultimate exotic of the 80s and 90s; Ferrari F40s, McLaren F1s and Jaguar XK220s aside.

The difference between Lamborghini and Ferrari, for instance, is that the Diablo was its only ride after 1989. The V8-powered Jalpa sold so slowly toward the end of its tenure that it was phased out along with the Countach in 89, and the larger touring cars of Lamborghinis past, such as the Espada and Jarama, were no longer part of the lineup, plus the massive LM002, SUV to the outrageously wealthy, continued on only until 1992. Where Ferrari saw numerous models come and go within the Diablos eleven year lifespan, Lamborghini only saw models depart.

Only a handful of particularly exotic Ferraris were as powerful as any Diablo, however, which allowed the rarer bull a more exclusive aura. Where a 328, 348 or 355 could be had for tens of thousands less, and while beautiful and agile couldnt hold a candle to the Diablos massive V12 and jaw dropping, awe inspiring road presence, only the Testarossa, or its 512TR and 512M replacements, or later on the 550 Maranello could measure up cylinder for cylinder. Even then the Lamborghini name was synonymous with supercar, its Countach predecessor more or less having had the term coined on its behalf.

The car itself was a marvel to drive, at least when compared to the Countach; that by all accounts was a ruddy nightmare to keep between the lines. Chrysler not only funded the project but also helped Lamborghini with its design and ergonomics. The seating position, relative to the controls was miles better than any previous Lamborghini, or any previous exotic for that matter, thanks to adjustable seats, steering wheel and dash, making it ideally suited to North American tastes. That interior was also beautifully finished with much higher quality materials than the outgoing car and by far superior fit and finish. Ironically, the uninitiated would think it would only make sense that a car costing more than six figures (a healthy sum of money in the early 90s) would be made much better than a $30,000 BMW 3-Series, but before the Diablo this wasnt necessarily the case. While the leathers in exotics were always top-grade and wood veneers some of the nicest available, some of the plastics used were deplorable and the gaps between interior panels was often laughable. We wouldnt put up with such shoddy fit and finish today, not even in the most basic Kia.

The Diablo was in development two years before Chrysler became owner, but its said that the last two-plus years of development were when it received the most attention. Marcello Gandinis initial design, at least on the outside didnt change that much under Chrysler guidance, but the inside certainly did, as mentioned (nevertheless Gandini took his original design over to Cizeta-Moroder that became the 16-cylinder V16T). Along with the multi-adjustable seats, they could also be specifically fit to the driver, like a tailored suit. The Diablo was also the first exotic to raise any fuss about its audio system, thanks to a very smart move to integrate a top-line Alpine system from the factory, with either a cassette or CD player, and reap the benefit of the Japanese electronics companys global advertising campaigns. Lamborghini offered an optional remote CD changer plus a subwoofer, for a little more. Whats more, in another co-branding move the Diablo offered the option of a Breguet clock; a $10,500 decision, while factory fitted luggage was a much more reasonable $2600.

While the interior was a cut above anything else available, the Diablos aluminum alloy exterior panels were shaped, with a short, steeply raked nose and expansive, flat windscreen, plus an extremely long rear deck, to maintain stability at speeds of up to 200 mph. Such speeds were attainable thanks to its large 5.7-liter V12, complete with multi-point fuel injection for a very respectable 500-horsepower, also resulting in a sprint to 60 mph in only a little more than four seconds.

For greater stability at high speeds a dining room table-sized rear wing could be added, a $4,500 investment, although the car looked a lot prettier without it.

What most would agree looked prettiest, mind you, or at least were the most exotic elements of the car, were the Diablos scissor-like doors. Opening upwards instead of outwards, the car took on the presence of a bird of prey spreading its wings before an attack when both doors were ajar, while the system actually had just as much functionality to it as style. You see, it was so wide, at 80 inches - almost as wide as a Hummer H2 - that its doors moved up and out of the way when in tight parking stalls, making ingress and egress more convenient. Certainly it was a reach to pull the doors down, but most didnt find this process too arduous. Unlike the Countach, which only offered outside air (or conversation) through a small half window, the Diablos side windows could be powered down completely, again improving usability. And those windows were larger than those of its predecessor, brightening the cars interior and improving outward visibility. Whats more, the rearview mirror wasnt blocked by a massive deck lid or rear wing (at least in base trim), enhancing visibility further.

While it was good right from the start, Lamborghini found opportunity to make things better throughout its eleven year run. First there was the rather unorthodox VT Roadster that ran from 1993 to 1998, followed up by a second version in 1999. Next there was the most unique aspect of the roadster which was later introduced to the coupe, and why it was dubbed VT (Viscous Traction), being the addition of a viscous coupling type all-wheel drive system. The new VT Roadster also received a better power steering rack, a new set of front wheels and tires that worked better with the AWD, four-piston Brembo brake calipers, an revised dashboard design, plus a reworked computerized suspension system sporting aggressively tuned Koni shocks. The adjustable suspension could be left in AUTO mode for total submission by the driver, or of more interest, one of four DIY modes could be manually selected via console mounted buttons. On the negative, at least in some circles, the Diablo still couldnt be had with antilock brakes.

The Roadsters roof, by the way, wasnt as easy to drop as a Porsche convertible, per se, but was rather more like the old 911 Targa, with its removable carbon fiber section. It stowed handily on the rear deck lid, looking a little odd but nevertheless out of the way of the sun while not clogging up the miniscule luggage compartment under the front hood. Other than the roof, the VT Roadster was more or less the same as a regular Diablo, other than a minor update to the taillights that helped them better integrate with the revised rear deck.

There were other models added to the Diablo range too, namely the SE30 in 1995, in commemoration of Lamborghinis 30th anniversary, and the SE30 Jota a year later. Initially, the SE30 was lighter and a little more hardcore, designed more for club racing. Only 150 SE30s saw production, 8 of which were right-hand drive models. The SE30 Jota was even more hard-edged, with upgrades that included two roof-mounted air intakes, a specially tuned L.I.E. chip plus a six-speed, fully-synchromesh gearbox. The Diablo SE30 Jota also put out a little more power, with 595 horsepower at the wheel, 72 more than the regular SE30s 523 horsepower maximum. Finding one of these, however, might be difficult, as only 28 Jota upgrade kits were produced, one of which was never installed. The kits could be installed by a dealer or at the factory, with only 12 believed to be done in SantAgata (10 in LHD, 2 in RHD). An interesting sidebar, Jay (Jason) Kay, lead singer of funk-band Jamiroquai, featured the SE30 Jotas exhaust note as the intro to a track on one of the bands CDs, and not just any Jota, but the one he personally purchased. That car, unfortunately, is no longer among the living, having been beaten to a pulp in late 2005 when missing a high-speed turn he rolled it into a ditch. Fortunately for Kay, a regular participant of the GumBall Challenge, his classic Miura is still in one piece, as is his Aston Martin DB5, Audi RS4, Audi RS6, Ferrari 550, Ferrari F355, Ferrari Mondial, Ferrari F40, Ferrari F50, Enzo Ferrari, Fiat 1000 Abarth (the sport version of Fiat 600), Maserati A6 GCS FRUA, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, classic 60s Mercedes-Benz 600 (W100), Range Rover, and Rolls-Royce Phantom… yes I can imagine tears welling up in your eyes as you read about his loss.

Like the similarly positioned Ferrari F40, the Jato scrubbed most of the regular Diablos luxury items, such as the audio system, climate control and much of the sound insulation, while carbon fiber molded racing seats helped to reduce its weight by 125 kilos over the regular Diablo. Also, more like the 911 GT2, Lamborghini dropped the VTs electronic suspension system and all-wheel-drive, but the driver could nevertheless adjust the stiffness of the Jotas front and rear anti-roll bars via a control knob on the inside. And while no ABS was offered, yet again, larger rotors made for quicker stops.

That same year, 1995, Lamborghini also brought back two legendary initials once made famous for the ultimate Miura, SV. The Diablo SV, which stood for Sport Veloce, was rear drive only and came devoid of any electronic suspension components, but rather featured the VTs upgraded dash and, more importantly, larger disc brakes. In back it boasted a new three-piece wing that kept its more powerful V12 from hurtling it off the road. The upgraded 5.7-liter unit made 510 horsepower in SV trim, partly due to greater airflow from the revised air intake ducts. The SV remained in production until the Diablos life came to an end, revamped in 1999 to feature exposed headlamp clusters that were reportedly sourced from Nissans Z32 chassis 300ZX (the side markers were from an Austin/Morris Marina), and further reducing weight and complexity, while reducing drag when the lights were on - daytime running lights were being mandated throughout Europe and other jurisdictions at the time.

Of note, Uber-tuner König (or Koenig) sold a slammed version of the SV that not only offered a tauter suspension and larger brakes, but twin-turbos pumped up the engines output to an outrageous 800 horsepower!

There was more done to the SV in 1999 than just exposing the headlights, mind you, as Lamborghini also added new wheels, larger rotors for better stopping power, plus a new variable-valve timing equipped 530 horsepower engine. Inside, a more modern dash design was added to improve form and function. 

Model year 1999 also saw the second iteration of the mighty VT Coupe and Roadster. Now the SVs exposed headlights became part of the VT design, while updated wheels and the same dash redesign that the SV received was integrated. Most incredulously, ABS brakes were finally added to the Diablo range in 1999, enhanced by larger rotors. Like the SV the new VT needed all the braking performance it could muster, thanks to the more potent V12. And how potent was it? Naught to 60 mph took only 3.8 seconds, which is almost as quick as the VT went out of production… the very same year.

During the same year a very special GT version of the Diablo saw the light of day, with a bored 6.0-liter V12 and a resulting 575 horsepower. The brakes were once again suitably enlarged, and the cars overall ride height was lowered. Its gearing could be owner specified, which is a pretty good indication of its track orientation. Lamborghini flared the fenders and added wider rims and tires for a larger contact patch and thus greater traction, but alas only for gripping European roads. Only eighty examples were built.

Finally, from model years 2000 to 2001 the Diablo hardly coasted out of existence. The larger 6.0-liter V12 became standard albeit with slightly less output than the previous GT at 550 horsepower in 2000 and then 582 horsepower in 2001, a sign that Lamborghinis new owner, Audi, which took over from its then-current Southeast Asian owners VPower, Mycom in 1998 (which incidentally bought it from Megatech in 95 who purchased it from a troubled Chrysler Group in 1994, which incidentally bought it from Patrick Mimram who first managed it while in bankruptcy from 1980 through 1984 and then owned it from 1984 to 1987. It was put into bankruptcy in 1977, however, by Georges-Henri Rossetti and René Leimer who held the company since 1972, when they took it over from Ferruccio Lamborghini himself, who founded it in 1963), was about to launch the Italian brand into the stratosphere. Basically, Audi wanted to put together one last Diablo that would be exciting enough to win back Lambo customers before an all-new model could be released, therefore all the stops were pulled out. The VT 6.0 went way beyond a facelift, revising almost every aspect of the Diablo. From redesigning the cabin with a new dash, new seats and switchgear, featuring leather everywhere there wasnt exposed carbon fiber or aluminum and, under the dash, standard airbags for both driver and passenger, to updating exterior aluminum panels and adding a new front bumper and nose, plus redesigned air intakes and replacing the windshield wipers for better visibility at high speeds. Most last generation Diablos came with all-wheel drive, although a customer could request rear-wheel drive if desired.

The 6.0-liter V12 received updated software for the ECU, plus new intake and exhaust systems, not to mention a revised VVT system with slightly less aggressive camshafts, plus titanium connecting rods and a lighter crankshaft.

Only 260 third-generation Diablos were produced throughout 2000 and 2001, although production ended in 2000, marking the end of an era and what would be the beginning of the brands most significant growth curve with the introduction of the now-current Murciélago.

All in all, Lamborghinis eleven-year Diablo run was one of the most interesting in its history. Certainly it was a superb car that won accolades from customers and the auto journalism elite of the day alike, but the need to keep it around for so many years caused the Italian marque to get very creative in marketing it. For instance, Lamborghinis bespoke customization process allowed for near limitless personalization, a Victorias Secret theme car being one of the more unorthodox examples of co-branded marketing excess… but ouch do we like those seven heavenly bodies.

Speaking of unique versions of the car, Lamborghini also chose to go racing with the Diablo, but not before trying with earlier models. The companys founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini (April 28, 1916 to February 20, 1993) wouldnt allow for any motorsport aspirations, probably due to a desire to make money rather than throw it away in competition, but all this changed when he gave up control in 1972, and Swiss businessman Georges Henri-Rosetti, who now shared controlling rights to the extent of 51 percent with another businessman, signed a contract with BMW to build a production-homologated racing car. Lamborghini, unfortunately, wasnt able to fulfill its agreement and therefore, BMW with a significant investment in hand and needing to justify the expense, eventually developed the car in-house through its skunkworks BMW Motorsport Division, after which manufactured and sold it as the M1.

Later, for the 1986 Group C championship, Lamborghini developed the QVX. Only one car was built and one race ventured, mind you, the non-championship contending 1986 Southern Suns 500 KM at Kyalami in South Africa, and despite placing farther up the field than it had started thanks to some crafty driving by Tiff Needell, a lack of sponsorship caused the Italian company to scrap the rest of the season.

Realizing that its rather heavy and large Diablo would struggle to compete in any of the mainstream auto races and series, such as Le Mans, Lamborghini set out to create its own single-model series. Therefore, two racing versions of the car were built for the Diablo Supertrophy held annually from 1996 to 1999. The Diablo SVR was used in year one, while the Diablo 6.0 GTR was used for years two through four.

Despite never achieving racing success, the Diablo will go down in history as one of the most influential supercars of all time. It may not have been as outlandish as its predecessor, the Countach, but it delivered greater drivability and eons more refinement, morphing the Italian tractor builder into one of the most respected players in the exotic car industry. No one could jest that Lamborghinis cars handled about as well as his farm appliances anymore, the Diablo laying all critics to rest. We can thank Chrysler for carrying out the VPower, Mycom-lead companys vision and making it better than the tiny carmaker could have on its own, and then appreciate the Asians for keeping it alive and kicking until Audi pulled it within its rings, reworking the third-generation car into the best Diablo ever, and transforming Lamborghini into the amazing powerhouse that it is today.