New photos in;
http://lambor.hoops.ne.jp

[QUOTE]Originally posted by a007apl
[B]New photos in:
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

Originally posted by a007apl
[QUOTE]Originally posted by a007apl
[B]New photos in:
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

Last Update in this site:11/30/2001(New photos!)

www.lamborghiniclub.ch
Last Update:11/29/2001

i gotta get one of these some day

New photos in:
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

Originally posted by a007apl
New photos in:
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

Now(12/04/2001)Roadster's in this site!(Nice cars)

www.lamborghiniregistry.com
What's new???
Oct19,2001
DiabloSE30 - 001:eek: /150
In this site:"Here are two pictures of the very FIRST customer DiabloSE30..."

Originally posted by a007apl
www.lamborghiniregistry.com
What's new???
Oct19,2001
DiabloSE30 - 001:eek: /150
In this site:"Here are two pictures of the very FIRST customer DiabloSE30..."
And :( in:
Sept13,2001
Last ever Diablo VT 6.0 #37

Originally posted by a007apl
www.lamborghiniregistry.com
What's new???
Oct19,2001
DiabloSE30 - 001:eek: /150
In this site:"Here are two pictures of the very FIRST customer DiabloSE30..."


And:cry:CRASH Diablo 2WD-Red in:
Sept 20,2001 #NLA12730

Wallpapers and Compare( Murciélago )
Last Update 12/03/2001 in News
www.supercars.net
The Old Vs New
:biggrin2:

Last update(New photos)/12/11/2001
www.lambocars.com/new.htm

www.all-lamborghini.com

Wallpapers & video
www.carpassion.com/de/lamborghini/diablo/diablosvevo.php

Originally posted by a007apl
Wallpapers & video
www.carpassion.com/de/lamborghini/diablo/diablosvevo.php
and 2WD in:
www.carpassion.com/de/lamborghini/diablo/diablo2wd.php

www.motortrend.com/august00/lambvsferarri/specs.html

Originally posted by a007apl
www.motortrend.com/august00/lambvsferarri/specs.html
www.motortrend.com/august00/lambvsferarri/2.html

Originally posted by a007apl

www.motortrend.com/august00/lambvsferarri/2.html
www.motortrend.com/august00/lambvsferarri/1.html

www.lamborghini-tractors.com/eng/particolare_foto.cfm?ident_gamma=8&ident_foto=45
:hehehe:

http://lamborghini.narod.ru

http://lego.bldesign.org/models/?n=10

www.elysiumgates.com/agora/7/images/vehicles/concorsoitaliano2000/lamborghinidiablott01.jpg
:eek:

Originally posted by a007apl
www.elysiumgates.com/agora/7/images/vehicles/concorsoitaliano2000/lamborghinidiablott01.jpg
:eek:
hey,for James Bond:hehehe:, #007
www.elysiumgates.com/agora/7/images/vehicles/concorsoitaliano2000/lamborghinidiablott02.jpg

www.grusskarten.0riginell.de/index.php?site=g-lamborghini1

The 5º model of the first line(Red Model)?

Originally posted by a007apl
www.grusskarten.0riginell.de/index.php?site=g-lamborghini1

The 5º model of the first line(Red Model)?

and the model green in the "Seite2"?????:confused:

Hello guys,

simple, the red car on the first page, first line number five is the Cizeta Moroder, not a Lamborghini, but based on the very first design for the Diablo from Marcello Gandini, Lamborghini smoothened everything out, but Cizeta used the original prototype drawing 'as is'.
On the second page, the green car is actually a Vector M12, an US made supercar using a Diablo engine.

Both cars can be found on my Lamborghini site under the 'related section', take a look at : http://www.lambocars.com/related/other.htm

Kind regards

Mark

www.insane-creations.net/policijskavozila.php

www.dochemp.com/diablo.html

Paint on-line!
www.spydergroup.co.uk/wip/lamborghini/98sv.htm

That color thing is pretty friggen cool. :)

Originally posted by jeffrey
That color thing is pretty friggen cool. :)

yeah,now paint the Roadster98:
www.spydergroup.co.uk/wip/Lamborghini/98road.htm

www.albert1st.com/Lamborghini.htm

Originally posted by lambocars
Hello guys,

simple, the red car on the first page, first line number five is the Cizeta Moroder, not a Lamborghini, but based on the very first design for the Diablo from Marcello Gandini, Lamborghini smoothened everything out, but Cizeta used the original prototype drawing 'as is'.
On the second page, the green car is actually a Vector M12, an US made supercar using a Diablo engine.

Both cars can be found on my Lamborghini site under the 'related section', take a look at : http://www.lambocars.com/related/other.htm

Kind regards

Mark
One more,green Cizeta:
http://www.sportcars.co.uk/LamborghiniPictures/GreenCizeta/

http://heritageclassics.com/lamborghini/94diablo/Page.html

Originally posted by a007apl
http://heritageclassics.com/lamborghini/94diablo/Page.html
http://www.londongarage.com/pages/cars/car_65.html

http://www.autogazeta.com/index.phtml?p=autocatalog&cat=4319

Diablo X50:confused:

Originally posted by a007apl
[QUOTE]Originally posted by a007apl
[B]New photos in:
www.lamborghiniregistry.com
Last UpDate:12/13/2001

Originally posted by a007apl
New photos in;
http://lambor.hoops.ne.jp
Last UpDate:12/16/2001

http://www.alteredrealms.com/movies/tas_2000.ram
RealPlayer
16'54"
In Toronto AutoShow 2000

.Azienda (Umberto Guizzardi Fotografo)?
http://www.fotoguizzardi.it/home_auto.htm

http://www.jochen-schramm.de/diablo.htm

http://www.fast-autos.net/lambodiablovttt.html
1996 Lamborguini Diablo VTTT
http://www.fast-autos.net/lambodiablosvtt.html
1998 Lamborghini Diablo SVTT:eek:

http://www.motormagazinesha.co.jp/medialog/car/supercar/diablo/index.html

Diablo Koenig Special
http://www.autoreview.ru/tests/diablo_169/diablo.htm

http://www.frontwheel.com/diecast/European/1991Lamborghini.htm
1991 Jota

http://www.kitcarcountach.fsnet.co.uk/diablo_lioness.jpg

http://www.supercarz.com/gallery/gallery.php?path=lamborghini&title=Photo%20Gallery%20-%20Lamborghini

The Video contains:Interview of the pilot,race(flash),and more:dogpile:
26'30"
in emissions and 20/06/2001

http://www.canalweb.net/cwsite/diffs/c/cw/default.asp?une=gtracingtv&d=cw

http://sport.auto.free.fr/detailphoto.php3?zl_id=1250&zl_idMD=379

http://www.lycos.fr/webguides/automobile/reportages/autostadt/autostadt15.html

http://www.blaise27.demon.co.uk/lambo/archives/diablo.htm

Originally posted by a007apl
http://www.fast-autos.net/lambodiablovttt.html
1996 Lamborguini Diablo VTTT
http://www.fast-autos.net/lambodiablosvtt.html
1998 Lamborghini Diablo SVTT:eek:
http://www.stylishplates.com/Images/2000_lamorghini_diablo_coatl_wallpaper.jpg
Wallpaper of the Coatl model

Originally posted by a007apl

One more,green Cizeta:
http://www.sportcars.co.uk/LamborghiniPictures/GreenCizeta/
Two of the White model
http://www.west-lothian.co.uk/gallery3/cizeta01.htm
http://www.west-lothian.co.uk/gallery3/cizeta03.htm

"On August 25th, 50+ Lamborghini Diablos gathered at the Peterson Museun in Los Angeles,in..."

http://community-2.webtv.net/BelgianRacer2/AutoRacing99Photo/page5.html

http://temp.harmony.be/hibn3/live_broadcasting.html#
(Quick time Player)

Originally posted by lambocars
Hello guys,

simple, the red car on the first page, first line number five is the Cizeta Moroder, not a Lamborghini, but based on the very first design for the Diablo from Marcello Gandini, Lamborghini smoothened everything out, but Cizeta used the original prototype drawing 'as is'.
On the second page, the green car is actually a Vector M12, an US made supercar using a Diablo engine.

Both cars can be found on my Lamborghini site under the 'related section', take a look at : http://www.lambocars.com/related/other.htm

Kind regards

Mark
Vector Gallery
http://www.crosswinds.net/~vectornut/concorsoitaliano2001/concorso2001vector.html
8 pics

Originally posted by lambocars
Hello guys,

simple, the red car on the first page, first line number five is the Cizeta Moroder, not a Lamborghini, but based on the very first design for the Diablo from Marcello Gandini, Lamborghini smoothened everything out, but Cizeta used the original prototype drawing 'as is'.
On the second page, the green car is actually a Vector M12, an US made supercar using a Diablo engine.

Both cars can be found on my Lamborghini site under the 'related section', take a look at : http://www.lambocars.com/related/other.htm

Kind regards

Mark
Vector W8 video & Diablo and more
http://maxpages.com/sportcarpage/Sweet_Video_Downloads

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Track/1926/factory/sv/sv.htm

One video of the DIABLO Koenig (rear):confused:
http://www.team-evolution.net/clips.html
and more

Photos and more
http://cars.motorcities.com/articles/01diabloroadsterhist.html

By Revell
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~xr2h-fkd/scalemodels/project/lambo/se30/se3000.htm

and more
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.mv?file=car.mv&num=583

http://www.giorgiomorodergallery.com/moroder/cizeta.html

http://webhome.idirect.com/~darkchyld/lamborghini_shot_1.html

http://www.evotuners.com/lambo.htm
:eek:

Crashed
http://www.timesdispatch.com/vametro/MGB5KQPNEVC.html
:crying:

Originally posted by a007apl
http://webhome.idirect.com/~darkchyld/lamborghini_shot_1.html
SE Jota
http://devil.beyond.net.au/startrek/dominionlamborghini/800x600/dominionlamborghini001.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/5120/lambos.html

http://oak-hill.com/class/Yasnori/yasoo/new_page_2.htm

http://www.tuning-auto.com/tuning/photos/view.php3?photo=salon091
http://www.tuning-auto.com/tuning/photos/view.php3?photo=salon061
http://www.tuning-auto.com/tuning/photos/view.php3?photo=salon060

http://www.omcgames.com/hggj/e3/e01day1/P0000202.JPG
http://www.omcgames.com/hggj/e3/e01day1/P0000201.JPG

http://performancecars.orcon.net.nz/cars/car_specs/l/lamborghini/diablo.htm

http://cars.motorcities.com/articles/articles0012_DiabloDance.html

http://tragula.gadgets.co.nz/mjv/europe/techno_classica_essen_99/images/Lamborghini_DiabloStrosek_01.jpg

Originally posted by a007apl

http://www.stylishplates.com/Images/2000_lamorghini_diablo_coatl_wallpaper.jpg
Wallpaper of the Coatl model
http://popularmechanics.com/automotive/collector_cars/2001/9/prototipo_italiano/images/tb_lg_9-lg.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/carpics427/lamboindex.html

http://www.saverpit.com/screensavers/l/lamborghini.exe
http://www.saverpit.com/screensavers/l/lamborghini_rocks.exe

http://www.gum-fr.com/gallerie.php3?critere=modele&choix=Diablo

http://www.artsports.co.jp/new/desktop/desktop3-s.html
http://www.artsports.co.jp/new/desktop/desktop9-s.html
http://www.artsports.co.jp/new/desktop/desktop16S.html
http://www.artsports.co.jp/new/desktop/desktop21S.html

http://www.artsports.co.jp/new/carselection/200010/home.html

http://www.froelich.de/lars.froelich/photos/iaa1999/photos/lamgeg.jpg

http://bigbenpage.free.fr/00lamborghini6.JPG
http://bigbenpage.free.fr/03diablo01.JPG

http://auto.sport.free.fr/diablo.htm

Originally posted by a007apl
http://auto.sport.free.fr/diablo.htm
http://www.rpi.edu/~pulide/web_automotive/lamborgini/lamborgini_display.htm

http://www.motionalmemories.com/1996-Lamborghini-Diablo-SE30-Jota.htm
http://www.motionalmemories.com/Lamborghini-Diablo-by-Strosek.htm
http://www.motionalmemories.com/Lamborghini-Diablo-Hermidas-Tuning.htm
:jump:
http://www.motionalmemories.com/Lamborghini-Diablo-Hermidas-Tuning-2.htm
http://www.motionalmemories.com/Lamborghini-Diablo-VT.htm
http://www.motionalmemories.com/Lamborghini-Diablo-VT-2.htm

http://www.a007apl.ubbi.com.br/pagina2.html

:jump:

http://bilnytt.spray.se/frame_index.asp?mode=nybil&usepage=nybil%5CLamborghini%5FDiablo%5C
http://bilnytt.spray.se/frame_index.asp?mode=nybil&usepage=nybil%5CLamborghini+Diablo%5C
Factory and more

http://www.h2.dion.ne.jp/~f-detail/18diablovt.htm

http://www.fast-autos.net/diablo60videos.html

http://www.kunta-ripley.com/m_cars/euro/diablo/diablo.htm

:devil: :angel:

http://www.movit.de/images/ess01ld.jpg

http://www.tuning.pl/galeria.php3?k=1162&pod=21
pics

Good

http://www.teamlamborghini.com/it/diablo/home.asp

:D

"where is the girl":D

http://www.fanateq.org/pictures/Cars/videos/reaces/Fanateq_Race_7.rm
RealPlayer

"from 1991 still looks as sharp as a new pin today, so it is hard to believe that this sensational supercar will be nine years old next month.


True, some changes have been made along the way, principally, the addition of the four-wheel-drive VT, Roadster and the minimalist SV and SVR models. But by and large, the eyeball arresting shape has remained unmolested.


For 1999, a raft of changes, both visual and mechanical, will take Lamborghini’s finest to the Millennium and beyond. The most obvious way you will be able to spot a new Diablo as it blasts past is by its integrated headlamps which replace the clumsy pop-up light arrangement. Saving weight and improving beam alignment and the cars path through the air, these new lights combine Halogen and projector units under a single glass cover. Train-spotters will probably twig that these light units are from the now defunct Nissan 300ZX.


A myriad of changes under the familiar aluminium cam covers has boosted power and torque of the 5,707cc V12 engine significantly. Power is up 35bhp to 530bhp at a heady 7,500rpm and torque up 22 lb ft to 446.5 lb ft at 5,500rpm. Not only more beefy, the torque curve is also flatter thanks to electronically controlled variable valve timing for the intake side, larger valves, higher lift camshafts and revised fuel-injection and ECU programming. To maximise the improved power and torque, the gear ratios have been altered with closer stacked lower gears and slightly taller higher ratios for more relaxed cruising.

More than just being more powerful, the revised engine is also cleaner. So clean in fact that it meets next years tough American 50 State emission legislation. The on-board diagnostic OBD II and data-acquisition functions unique to Lamborghini have also been upgraded.


Driving a Diablo has always been a special experience. It starts with opening the huge butterfly doors which swing upwards on their front pivots. This time, when you open one of the doors, you are confronted with a totally revised dashboard. The old instrument pod has gone to be replaced by an all-new sweeping layout that looks far more modern and holds more minor instruments. The passenger side of the dashboard, now incorporates an airbag.


Getting in involves planting your bottom in the deep bucket seat and swinging your legs in. The seat back is fixed so finding the ideal driving position is down to sliding the seat forwards or backwards and then using the rake adjustable steering wheel to make up the difference. What is daunting is the width of the car, over six feet. The huge expanse of sloping glass in front of you only emphasises this.


Such trivial matters fade away quickly once you turn the ignition key though. The whirr of the fuel pump gives way to the whine of the pre-engaged starter and then the big V12 motor fires up with a sound that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand and all heads within earshot turn.

It starts with a ‘kerumph’ as the twelve cylinders fire. The bark as the four big exhaust pipes cough hard is almost an echo of this. Then the powerful roar as you blip the throttle and the induction adds its own sucking to the proceedings is the icing on the cake. It is almost impossible to describe this sound with words. It has layers to it, textures as well and it changes with engine rpm. Suffice to say it is music to a car lovers ears, and significantly louder than a contemporary Ferrari V12 whose underbonnet activities are better screened from your ears by their front mounting.


530 rampant horses and 446.5 lb ft of torque require a very beefy clutch and gearbox if they are not to shatter the transmission into a thousand pieces. So you would expect the clutch to be heavy. In reality it is not. Yes, it requires firm pressure to operate, but this hydraulically actuated unit is also progressive and very sensitive. So sensitive that you can meter it in precisely enough to make this big 1,530kg supercar creep forward smoothly at a snails pace. At the other end of the spectrum, it is strong enough to take the abuse of repeatedly lighting up the huge rear tyres of the rear-drive only Diablo SV we tried first. In fact, more stress is created on the same clutch in the all-wheel-drive VT version, as the extra grip of 4WD is likely to cause clutch spin before wheelspin on a dry road.


The gearchange is also a culture shock for those unused to the supercar genre. It needs a firm hand to guide it smoothly around its alloy gate. But it is precise, and in the two cars we drove on the launch, we never missed a gear going up or down the box.


There is no substitute for cubic inches, and the big V12 has the strength of a grizzly bear crossed with the demeanour of Florence Nightingale. On the open road, you can open the taps full for the most exhilarating push in the back through the gears this side of a McLaren F1. In town, it is as docile as a kitten.

Accompanied by a soundtrack to die for as you slice the gearlever across the gate, the Diablo compresses the distance between corners like the USS Enterprise going into warp. In this car, roads you know change their complexion in the blink of an eye. What were once bends now become corners, so it is just as well that the giant brakes are now even bigger and attached to a new generation ABS that proportions the anchors on each axle to compensate for cornering forces. These huge Brembo brakes, upgraded with a larger servo, bigger calipers and larger diameter modular discs with separate centres in race style, are 355mm in front and 335mm at the rear. 18-inch wheels are needed to accomodate them. Progressive and full of pedal feel, they dissipate potentially frightening speeds on the approach to corners. Heel and toe to drop a gear or two, balance the car precisely through the bend on throttle, then open up to full noise again once the front wheels are straight. Exhilarating stuff!


In the rear-drive only SV we drove first, that ‘straight’ bit is important. Big as the 335/30ZR18 Pirelli P Zero tyres are, they are no match for 446.5 lb ft of torque if the road is damp. And remember that the Diablo is very long, very wide and very heavy with a high rearward biased polar moment of inertia. Trying to retrieve it once it is substantially sideways is very much an art the sensible will leave unpractised.


The 4WD Roadster VT on the other hand is almost an all-weather car except that the gumball tyres mean you have to watch for aquaplaning in the wet . On a dry road however, its ability to transmit all the V12’s power to the ground is unimpeachable. Thanks to fine engineering, the steering messages are relatively uncorrupted by having to share the front end with driving duties as well. In fact in both cars, the power steering is spot on for weight and feel although, as you would expect, the 2WD car tends to follow bumps and cambers in the road more. Not surprising really with 235/35ZR18 rubber in front.

Against the stopwatch, the new Diablo is staggeringly quick. Lamborghini claim 0-60mph vanishes in 3.85 sec in the 1,530kg VT, and in 3.95 sec in the 95kg heavier Roadster. The 4WD VT and Roadster models claim the same top speed of 335km/h or 209.3mph while the lighter SV which is geared for acceleration pegs out at 320km/h, or exactly 200mph. In truth, on a challenging road, the SV is the more rewarding of the two for the experienced and purist driver, its fractionally lighter weight and shade cleaner steering response and turn in giving it the edge.


These however, are all ultimates to be sampled on test tracks or on very deserted roads. In normal driving, the counterpoint is the Diablo’s docile nature. Unlike supercars of yore, the Diablo is not actually horrible to drive in traffic. Its strengths are beautifully progressive and balanced controls and an engine that will pull cleanly from just over tickover in fifth gear. One gear from 20 to 200mph would be an apt way of describing its magnificent tractibility. In traffic, its only real Achilles heel apart from its width is visibility. Magnificent and almost like a panoramic wide screen TV to the front, it is abysmal to the rear and positively hazardous in the rear three-quarters when you are merging with the traffic flow.


So in an age of speed limits and traffic congestion, has the Diablo come up against a brick wall just as Lamborghini is picking itself up off the floor? Not at all. It may not be practical enough to use everyday, but if you need entertainment, the Diablo has charisma enough to put a big grin on your face even if you only use half its towering abilities. In fact for many, its sensational looks, tactile driving experience and enthralling soundtrack will be enough."

Story by Joseph E. DeMatio

Milan—

The rain that is hammering the hotel restaurant’s glass-paneled roof seems unlikely to abate, which might be good news for northern Italian rice farmers but is the cause of considerable dismay to us. I’ve flown to Italy to drive Lamborghini’s latest Diablo, the 6.0, and Andy Christodolo has driven over from the French Alps to photograph it. Both of us could go about our assigned tasks more easily with dry tarmac and sunshine. As it is, I’m nervous enough about my first drive in the “Devil.” Back in Ann Arbor, executive editor Mark Gillies had warned me that the Lambo can be “truly scary.” So here I am, about to drive it in the wet. Not exactly confidence-inspiring conditions.

As we wait for Lamborghini’s affable, chain-smoking PR man, Alberto Armaroli, to come down from his room, Christodolo ventures that our host may be tied up on the phone with one of the firm’s venerable test drivers, debating whether or not to call off the day’s media excursion. I mean, would you want to put a handbuilt, quarter-million-dollar supercar in the hands of some American journalist you’d never before met and let him drive it in the pouring rain?

Armaroli does, and so an hour later, we find ourselves at a small, flat, but fairly challenging handling track owned by the Italian automotive magazine Quattroruote. Given the weather conditions, and the fact that at Lamborghini’s last press introduction an accident involving a Diablo GT driven by a factory test driver resulted in two deaths [“The Light and the Dark,” March 2000], it is not surprising that we are to drive the Diablo 6.0 only on a track. Given the nature of the car and my unfamiliarity with it, I have to admit I am a little relieved, as much as I would like to roar down an autostrada at 150 mph. (The Diablo 6.0 reportedly will surpass 200 mph, but not with me at the wheel, folks.)

Three Diablo 6.0s are waiting for us in the garage bays, seemingly plucked from a bowl of Lamborghini fruit: an incredibly shiny orange car, a comparatively somber model with plum-colored paint, and the bright-as-sunlight, pearlescent banana Diablo you see in the accompanying photos. With the track driving not scheduled to begin until after lunch, there is ample opportunity to ogle the cars and fondle the new carbon fiber bodywork (whose paint, by the way, is flawlessly applied). Yes, I already did this at the Detroit auto show, but not with the anticipation of driving the car. The sensations are a little different.

I push the driver’s door latch and pull the insect wing of a door up, a maneuver that takes some getting used to. Getting into the Diablo’s narrow, heavily bolstered seat is not a task for one’s grandmother, unless it is part of her daily calisthenics routine. At least the wide rocker panel is lined with carbon fiber and leather, appropriately upmarket materials for the Versace pant legs that owners might slide across it.

The rest of the interior is also nicely appointed and a marked improvement over the previous Diablo’s cabin, which was reminiscent of the stage set of a bad Italian TV game show. The trite marketing term sporty elegance even comes to mind now, what with the simple, aluminum-ringed instruments and secondary controls, the careful application of carbon fiber trim, and the judicious use of supple black leather. The temperature gauge is centered in the arc-shaped, carbon fiber–faced instrument panel, with the speedometer to its left and the tach on the right. The vents for the climate control system, which was completely revamped this year, have subtle Lamborghini bulls molded into the plastic. We have little occasion to test the A/C, but it’s good to know that Lamborghini finally realizes that although many Diablo owners consider themselves to be supernatural human beings, they are not immune to sweating. The orange Diablo is lined with a combination of black leather and suedelike Alcantara fabric with orange stitching; the effect is much classier than it sounds. The only remnant of Italian exoticar cheesiness is the presence of four exposed screws holding a piece of carbon fiber to the center console.

It’s after lunch, and it’s time to drive. With only four journalists on hand, we are blessed with a car-to-driver ratio of three to four. This improves as two of the drivers, Italians who have already driven the car, leave early, no doubt prompted by the continuing rain. But first I ride shotgun with one of them, Stefa-no Pasini—ophthalmologist, motoring journalist, and author of Automobili Lamborghini, a definitive history of the marque—while he gives me a familiarization lap of the track. Then it’s my turn.

The Diablo’s 6.0-liter V-12 engine comes to life easily and idles fairly gently but certainly not inaudibly, aided by new engine-management software and an exhaust-noise-control system. An increase in the V-12’s displacement from 5707 to 5992 cubic centimeters yields not only the new “6.0” badge but also 20 more horsepower and 11 more pound-feet of torque, for the incredible (but perhaps still conservative) figures of 550 bhp and 457 pound-feet. The revamped twelve also boasts coil-on-plug ignition, titanium connecting rods, and a lighter crankshaft, and, like the 1999 Diablo V-12, it incorporates variable intake valve timing.

Easing the Diablo from pit lane, I am surprised not only by the smooth clutch en-gagement but also by the car’s relative user-friendliness. The driver’s seat in the re-decorated cabin has been repositioned, and wider front and rear tracks afford more foot-well space, so there’s actually room down there for big American feet, as long as they’re clad in diminutive Italian loafers. The forward view is reasonable despite the high cowl and the sharply sloped front end, while peripheral vision is aided by the low-cut anterior portion of the side windows. Forget about the rear view—the mirror is filled with the image of two rows of engine vents flanked by the huge wings. Besides, in the Diablo, you don’t have to worry about anyone overtaking you. Parallel parking this car on a busy city street, however, surely would risk scraping the lovely new magnesium alloy wheels.

Not that I need concern myself with that. Once on the track, I sink my right foot and listen to that glorious V-12 resonate as the rev needle climbs toward the 7500-rpm redline. Ultimately, this is what American Diablo buyers pay $275,000 for: the sound and fury of an aluminum-and-magnesium, 48-valve, double- overhead-cam twelve-cylinder engine at work. That and the exterior styling are the very essence of the Diablo. During this first burst of acceleration, I realize that the luxury of having a seemingly unlimited supply of power and torque, ready to be delivered in great bellowing blasts in any gear, might just be worth all that money.

The one-two shift is unintuitive. First gear is in the lower left corner of the aluminum shift plate, below reverse, with second above it and to the right. The movement is made more difficult by the tall center console, which raises my right arm to the point where my elbow is higher than my wrist. As I become more acquainted with the car and drive faster, the ability to execute smooth shifts is at once more difficult and more important, and the most discernible debit in the Diablo’s dynamic profile.

While it replaced most of the Diablo’s body panels with carbon fiber (the steel roof and the aluminum doors remain for safety), Lamborghini also beefed up the chassis with carbon fiber inserts. The resultant increase in torsional rigidity, the standard VT (for viscous traction) all-wheel-drive system, and the perfectly calibrated steering make the car feel much more solid, stable, and chuckable on this wet track than I expected. The greatest surprise is how easy the car becomes to drive (admittedly at relatively low speeds), how quickly I forget about the huge mass of automobile, weighed down by the engine, that is behind me. A bit of oversteer is possible, especially in the wet, before VT engages and sets the car straight. One particular left-hander gets the viscous fluid churning for me every time, until I finally come into it too fast, the rear end slides right, my front wheels go left, and I end up sideways, at a standstill, my momentary visions of spinning wildly arrested by the torque-split mechanism.

I’m at the far end of the track, so it’s doubtful that anyone has noticed my near-spin, not that anyone would care since there are no barrier walls nearby. I return to the rhythm I’ve established around the now-familiar route: To 5000 rpm in third on the short back straight; 4500 rpm is the sweet spot where engine vibrations start traveling through the seat and you know you are driving a true thoroughbred. Brake for an extremely tight, low-speed, lefthand curve leading toward the main straight, where 210 kph (130 mph) is about all I dare in the rain. Then it’s hard on the Brembos for a right-hander, and a bit of a struggle to keep the rear end in line while downshifting. Through a series of first- and second-gear turns, and then roar down the back straight again.

It’s five p.m., and I realize I’m the only person left on the track; the third journalist has left to catch a plane. I’ve done about five laps in the orange Diablo and ponder switching back to the banana. But once I’m back in pit lane, everyone will want to go home, so I’ll stay out here and do one more lap. Which turns into another. And another. I can’t bring myself to make the right-hand turn onto the track’s exit lane. It probably will be a long time before I’m able to drive a Diablo again, let alone by myself on a track.

“Enough?” asks a grinning Armaroli, after I finally succumb and pull into the pit. Is one afternoon in the Diablo enough? That’s like asking if one slice of chocolate génoise cake is enough. For Diablo owners, enough must be a relative term. The previous Diablo’s 530 horsepower was surely sufficient; after all, NBA bad boy Latrell Sprewell admitted to the New York Times that he had driven his Lamborghini 180 mph on the San Mateo Bridge over the San Francisco Bay. But maybe he would have made it to 200 mph with 20 more horses.

6.0

First car made in 1992, first production car made in 1996.

Years built 1996 - present.

Production Not available.



General.

Vehicle type:

Two-door.

two-seater.

mid-engined open car.

Openable hard top with housing on the engine caover.

Four-wheel drive.

Body styling

Modified rear bumper.

Modified engine cover and airintakes.

New side airintakes.

New exhuast pipes.

New wheels.



Dimensions.

Exterior:

Wheelbase 265,0 cm.

Track:

Front: 154,0 cm.

Rear: 164,0 cm.

Length 446,0 cm.

Width 204,0 cm.

Height 110,5 cm.

Ground clearance 14,0 cm.

Weight 1626 kg. (w/fluids).

Weight distribution, front to rear 47/53 %.



Interior:

Head room 95,0 cm.

Leg room 102,0 cm.

Shoulder room 151,0 cm.

Hip room 80,0 cm.



Chassis.

Frame: Rectangular tubes in high strength steel alloy and carbon fiber composite material.

Body: Alminium alloy and hand lay-up composite materials.

Suspension: Independent front and rear double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar.

Brake system: Power Vacuum H system, alminium alloy calipers, ventilated discs.

Front disc size: 32,5 cm x 3,3 cm.

Rear disc size: 31,5 cm. x 2,8 cm.

Steering: Power assisted rack and pinion: Curb to curb turning diameter 13,0 m.

Turn to turn 3.2

Tires: Perelli P Zero.

Front 235/40 ZR 17.

Rear 335/35 ZR 17.

Wheels: Alminium alloy, (OZ-Racing).

Front: 8,5 x 17 inches.

Rear: 13 x 17 inches.



Performance.

Top speed: 322 km/h.

Acceleration: 4,09 sec.

Standing kilometer: 20,7 sec.

Fuel Consumption: (EPA standards).

Highway: 5,9 km/liter.

City: 3,8 km/liter.



Engine.

V12 quad valve DOCH alminium construction, mid-longitudinal

Displacement: 5707 ccm.

Bore and Stroke: 87,0 x 80,0 mm.

Compression Ratio: 10,0:1.

Maximum Horsepower: 492 SAE @ 7000 rpm.

Maximum Torque: 580 Nm. @ 5200 rpm.

Fuel Requirement: Premium Unleaded fuel.

Cooling system Pressurized water cooling.

Ignition system Electronic integrated with fuel injection.

Fuel injection L.I.E. (Lamborghini Injectione Electronica), sequential multipoint electronic.



Drivetrain.

Transmission: 5 speed manual.

Clutch: Dry singel plate 10".

Gear Ratios:

1st 1:2,31 97 km/h.

2nd 1:1,52 147 km/h.

3rd 1:1,12 200 km/h.

4th 1:0,88 254 km/h.

5th 1:0,68 325 km/h.

Reverse 1:2,12 105 km/h.

Differential:

Front - Bevel gear type - limeted slip 25 % - ratio 1:2,81.

Rear - Bevel gear type - limeted slip 45 % - ratio 1:2,41.

Central Differential - Viscous Coupling.



Capacities.

Engine Oil: 13 liters.

Fuel Tank: 100 liters.

Engine Coolant: 15 liters.

Trunk Volume: 140 liters.



Comments

With the diablos width of 204 cm. it is the widest production car in the world!

Of all the great supercar survivors, Lamborghini has had probably the most knife-edged commercial history while making some of the world’s most dramatic cars.

The company was created in 1963 by Ferrucio Lamborghini, a Ferrari-owning tractor manufacturer who had been treated as badly as many other customers by Enzo Ferrari - but Ferrucio had the resources to strike back. The first Lamborghini prototype, created by a talented young design team, showed he was serious. And when the first production Lamborghini, the 350GT, went on sale in 1964 it was hailed as a real Ferrari rival.

Since then, the company has lived on the edge and been through an extraordinary number of owners; but the cars - like the ground-breaking mid-engined Miura and the outrageous Countach - have never been ordinary. In 1999, Lamborghini was taken over by Audi and eventually there promises to be a new, more compact, more ‘affordable’ Lamborghini to give the famous company the volume it needs to survive. In the meantime, there is only one Lamborghini, the Diablo, and it is now down to only two distinct versions, but the Diablo still represents everything Lamborghini stands for.

The Diablo was introduced back in 1990, but there is still no other supercar with such an ability to turn heads and few to match this legendary Lamborghini’s all-round performance credentials. Styled by Marcello Gandini, the extrovert Diablo, with its broad arrow tail, dipping side lines and scissor doors, is pure Lamborghini. The chassis is an old-school cage of steel tubes and composite panels, clad in an alloy and composite skin. It has double wishbone and coil spring suspension all round, king-size ventilated disc brakes, and rack and pinion steering. Since 1999 it has also had automatic damping control, ABS and the steering has finally gained much-needed power assistance.

The mechanical layout is a classic example of Lamborghini’s free thinking. Their solution to fitting a massive engine and bulky gearbox between cockpit and rear axle was to position the big V12 ‘back to front’ with the gearbox ahead of it, largely between driver and passenger. Power returns to a final drive unit behind the engine via a driveshaft running in a sealed tube through the bottom of the block, below the crankshaft. So the tail of the Diablo can be smaller than the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Just slightly smaller.

As unveiled, Diablo took another poke at Ferrari. In 1990, the limited edition F40 was the most powerful and fastest supercar of all - with 478bhp and a top speed of 201mph. The Diablo had 492bhp, and Lamborghini announced a verified maximum of 202mph, and 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds. It was the fastest production car in the world.

Between then and now, there have been several versions. In 1992 the Roadster combined a lift-off roof with 200mph performance. In 1993 ‘Visco Traction’ four-wheel drive, in the Diablo VT, offered a little more point-and-squirt security. By 1995 you could combine Roadster with VT, and in 1996 the lighter, more powerful, two-wheel-drive Diablo SV ‘Sport Veloce’ appeared as a road-going spin-off of the SV-R, Lamborghini’s one-model race series Diablo.

In 1999 came minor styling changes, interior changes, more power, more performance, and more flexibility - in a range which at the time comprised SV, VT coupe and VT Roadster. New fixed headlamps were neater and lighter, with better performance than the retractable originals. The cockpit was restyled, with a curvy, easier-to-see full-width dash replacing the old pod, and allowing for the first time a passenger airbag in addition to the driver’s.

Lamborghini’s V12 is a masterpiece. It has four camshafts, 48 valves, and now has electronically controlled variable valve timing and improved injection and management systems - all first seen on the SV.

Late in 1999 Lamborghini introduced the limited edition Diablo GT, which was lighter than the SV (thanks to more composite and fewer alloy panels). It had a number of aerodynamic and chassis tweaks along with another increase in power thanks to cylinder capacity growing from 5.7 to 6.0 litres and output from 530 to 575bhp. It claims a maximum speed of 211mph, with 0-62mph in around 3.6 seconds. That 6 litres is now standard Diablo fare, with the GT up now to 600bhp and the 6.0 VT to 550. All these recent engines replace the earlier V12’s notorious peakiness with a more user-friendly power spread, and the VT isn’t far behind the GT, with headline figures of 208mph and 0-62mph in 3.8.

The Diablo is the best it has ever been with no less character but fewer compromises. ABS was a welcome addition with still bigger brakes and a proportioning system, DRP, which allows for cornering effects as well as squat and dive. This reduces stopping distances from excellent to amazing and pedal effort from huge to merely heavy. Massive tyre profiles provide colossal grip. The Diablo is half comfortable on most roads thanks to its four-stage automatic damping control and surprisingly compliant springing. Only potholes and big bumps really catch it out, with shudders through the chassis and scrapes on the absurdly low underside.

The steering is firm and quick. While slightly dead at low speeds, it comes alive nicely once you’re nipping along. The handling is neutral to way beyond the levels of bravery or prudence that most drivers will ever explore - and limited by cautionary understeer or scary oversteer, depending on how aggressive you’ve been. The effect is similar in the VT, where only up to around 30 per cent of the torque is ever diverted to the front wheels, so the change of balance and feel is only a subtle one, not a box of miracles.

It’s a shame that the keep-it-simple SV isn’t around any more, but what’s left is as sensational as ever. That’s why Lamborghini still has a future.

Brian Laban

V12
:eek2:
Perfect!

The devil goes into its final year in full 543-hp rage.

BY LARRY WEBSTER
July 2000

Putting every kind of car imaginable through our tire-squealing, sheetmetal-quivering, eyelid-fluttering performance tests is, as you can imagine, more fun than finding out your fiancee's parents have a large Ferrari collection that needs regular exercise. But every so often, particularly with cars named after, oh, the devil, there emerges at the test track a potential for mechanical hara-kiri that verges on the terrifying.

Such was the case recently when we flew to Milan, Italy, to test the latest Lamborghini Diablo VT (the VT indicates the four-wheel-drive version). This last Diablo in a decade of flamboyant--some daresay outrageous--sports cars first introduced in 1990 is certainly the best Diablo.
The VT is, curiously, a very high-powered four-wheel-drive beast. Situated amidships is the biggest, baddest V-12 engine we've ever tested in a Diablo. For this 2000 model, Lamborghini has lengthened the stroke by 0.16 inch, lightened the crankshaft, used lighter and stronger titanium connecting rods, and updated the old 16-bit engine-control system to a more powerful 32-bit unit. As a result, peak engine output has been promoted to 543 horsepower at 7100 rpm, 20 more than found in the last Diablo. Torque is up 11 pound-feet to 457 at 5800 rpm. Horsepower freaks take note: This latest Diablo now has more horsepower than four four-cylinder Toyota Camrys. (Hey, where else can you get these vital comparisons?)

Despite the fact the rear tires--Z-rated Pirelli P Zeros, good for more than 200 mph--are so wide that, at first glance, they appear to form a solid rolling pin of rubber across the rear of the car (they're 13.2 inches wide), 543 horses and 457 pound-feet of torque can reduce them to pudding. To counter that possibility, the Diablo VT's four-wheel-drive system makes perfect sense. A viscous coupling transfers power to the front wheels if the rears slip; the rest of the time, the Diablo prowls about as a rear-drive car. At most, 28 percent of engine torque is routed to the front wheels. There are no levers to switch or buttons to punch to engage this four-wheel-drive system, and during routine driving, you'd never know this wild Italian was a four-wheeler.
Perform a drag-strip launch, however, and you'll instantly realize the Diablo VT is not a rear-driver. Usually, those of us who drive in hard acceleration tests rely on a touch of wheelspin to get the car moving in the quickest manner. In a four-wheel-drive car with sticky tires, it is almost impossible to get those rears spinning in a hard launch, unless the car has a system that allows some initial rear wheelspin before the fronts get the juice. An example of one such car is the 1997 Porsche 911 Turbo S. Hold the gas pedal down to create 4500 rpm in that sports car, then drop the clutch, and the rear tires will spin for a moment before power is directed to the front wheels; the tires dig in and you're off. In that Porsche, we've recorded 0-to-60-mph blasts in an amazingly fast 3.7 seconds.

But we've tested just one Diablo VT before (C/D, September 1994), because they are very tough to come by--just 23 were sold in the U.S. in 1999, apparently to people who own small countries or athletic shoe companies, at a price of about $275,000. At that test, we declined to risk the dropped-clutch technique, figuring the Diablo's massive tires (235/40ZR-17s up front and 335/35ZR-17s at the rear) and substantial weight (3900 pounds) would result in gobs of traction and no wheelspin. More to the point, there's a good chance that revving the engine and dumping the clutch would fry the clutch and possibly destroy it, and we did not want to find out what that repair bill would look like. A good guess is somewhere in the vicinity of $9000.

Turns out we were half right. The Diablo can, with the right driver, survive drop-clutch launches -- we watched three such feats performed remarkably by Lamborghini's own test driver, Mario Fasanetto (You were expecting whom--Jim Scoutten?). After Fasanetto performed three flawless wheelspinning launches in a gray Diablo, a writer for another magazine who was on hand decided he'd like to acquire his own test numbers. Fasanetto got out of the Diablo and instructed the magazine writer to drop the clutch while the engine was revving between 6000 and 7000 rpm. Fasanetto also warned him: "If you make a mistake and don't get wheelspin, you'll destroy the clutch in two tries." The writer drove to the staging area, held the revs at the instructed point, then dumped the clutch. Instead of rear wheelspin, we were treated to the nauseating sound (and then the smell) of an overstressed clutch that was busy producing nightmarish blue smoke. But the Diablo still drove fine, so after performing one more, less stressful launch, the writer parked it.

We were originally scheduled to test that same day, but Ferrari's Formula 1 team decided it needed the track more than we did, so we tested the following day at Pirelli's test track in Vizzola.
On our way there in a fresh yellow Diablo, we chatted with Fasanetto and marveled at the Diablo's interior comfort. Diablos are not yet ready to be considered luxury vehicles, but they are unexpectedly pleasant automobiles. According to Lamborghini's new chairman, Giuseppe Greco, Diablo owners drive their cars an average of 6500 miles a year, three times farther than they drove them 10 years ago. That suggests that customers are happy with the continual improvements Lamborghini has made beneath that flamboyant body.

This year the Diablo's comfort level is increased again, thanks to a host of interior and mechanical refinements. The front suspension was redesigned to widen the interior foot box and allow for larger, easy-to-use pedals. To accomplish this, the front frame section was widened to move the suspension mounting points outward, and the front track was increased 2.8 inches. Each of the three pedals was widened 1.6 inches.
Also new are the seats and the climate-control system, and the dash and interior trim have been revised. The seats now have adjustable backrests (previous Diablo's had fixed backrests) and are wonderfully supportive. They feel like stiff racing shells that have been given a thin covering of foam and leather. Lamborghini says the new automatic climate-control system has more cooling capacity and is easier to use. It certainly worked well; we set a temperature and never touched it again. There are also several conveniences sprinkled throughout the interior that we didn't expect in an Italian exotic. Behind the seats are small storage compartments, map lights reside on the rear of the center console, and there's even a pair of coat hooks.

The dash and the center console are covered in carbon fiber, a styling cue that reminds the owner that the car's body panels--except for the aluminum doors and steel roof--are now made of the same carbon fiber found in the world's best (and safest) racing cars. Lamborghini says the new body is lighter, but since the new front suspension and climate-control system added weight, overall vehicle weight is the same as it was last year. There's also a newly styled nose, which to us is not an improvement over last year's beak.
At Vizzola, Fasanetto performed the first acceleration runs. That way, we'd get some highly competitive numbers before yours truly began some experiments in which the clutch might wind up needing a doctor. Fasanetto staged out of view, but we could hear the launch and knew immediately something was not right. The engine revved, but we couldn't hear any wheelspin. He rolled into the pits and said the clutch of this test car had been worn to the point that wheelspin was not possible. We would later learn that our test car had spent nearly all of its 1000 miles in the hands of ham-fisted journalists. A new--or at least unabused--clutch is a must to get the quickest acceleration runs. Even without the optimal launch, the Diablo ripped off some impressive numbers--0 to 60 in 4.3 seconds, 0.2 second faster than a Ferrari 360 Modena can manage. By 100 mph, at 8.2 seconds, the Diablo is 2.3 seconds ahead of the Ferrari. As holy as those number sound, we know the latest Diablo is! potentially quicker. For those willing to risk a clutch, it might well turn the 0-to-60 trip in the mid-three-second range.

We did not get a chance to perform a top-speed or skidpad test. Lamborghini figures the Diablo tops out at 208 mph. Lateral acceleration on the VT we tested in '94 was 0.89 g, but we expect the new car to make about 0.95 g with the wider front track and revised shock and spring rates.
What amazes us most about the Diablo, however, are its benign handling characteristics. We wouldn't call it nimble, or tossable, but it is immensely stable and forgiving. Overcooking any corner results in mild understeer and never any unwanted fishtailing. Thanks to the four-wheel drive, an overly aggressive right foot won't smoke the rears when exiting a corner.

The massively powerful V-12 is a huge part of the Diablo driving experience. It feels similar to a Viper V-10 engine in that there's absolutely gobs of low-end grunt and little need to shift. But unlike the Viper, the Diablo rips all the way to a 7500-rpm redline, which makes the Diablo's V-12 one of the most flexible engines built today.
Prices have not been set yet, but don't expect much change from a $300,000 check. For the current model year, only the VT fixed-roof model is available.

Considering the laundry list of new stuff, we were surprised to hear that Lamborghini will produce an all-new Diablo in 2001. We expected Audi ownership to pay dividends, and so it has. A second, all-new Lamborghini is now on the planning boards--a V-10 model that will be priced to compete with the Ferrari 360 Modena. It should debut within three years. The hope is that the new car could result in annual production going from 250 cars to about 1100.
The Diablo's price can make anyone gasp for air, but hey, it has coat hooks. And few cars can make it to the dry cleaner's faster.

LAMBORGHINI DIABLO VT
Vehicle type: mid-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe

Estimated base price: $300,000
Options on test car: navigation system

Major standard accessories: power steering, windows, and locks; A/C; tilting and telescoping steering wheel
Sound system: Clarion AM/FM-stereo radio/cassette/ 6-disc CD changer, 4 speakers

ENGINE
Type. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V-12, aluminum block and heads

Bore x stroke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.43 x 3.30 in, 87.0 x 84.0mm
Displacement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .366 cu in, 5992cc

Compression ratio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10.7:1
Engine-control system. . . . . .Lamborghini LIE with port fuel injection

Emissions controls. . . . . . . . . .3-way catalytic converter, feedback air-fuel-ratio control
Valve gear. . . . . . . .chain-driven double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, hydraulic lifters, variable intake-valve timing

Power (SAE net). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .543 bhp @ 7100 rpm
Torque (SAE net). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457 lb-ft @ 5800 rpm

Redline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7500 rpm
DRIVETRAIN

Transmission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-speed manual
Final-drive ratios. . . . . . . .F: 2.81:1, R: 2.41:1, rear limited slip

Transfer-gear ratio (to rear axle). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.62:1
Gear Ratio Mph/1000 rpm Speed in gears

I 2.31 8.2 62 mph (7500 rpm)
II 1.52 12.5 94 mph (7500 rpm)

III 1.13 16.9 127 mph (7500 rpm)
IV 0.89 21.4 161 mph (7500 rpm)

V 0.68 28.2 208 mph (7400 rpm)
DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES

Wheelbase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104.3 in
Track, F/R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63.4/65.7 in

Length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176.0 in
Width. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80.3 in

Height. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43.5 in
Frontal area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18.9 sq ft

Ground clearance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.5 in
Curb weight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3750 lb

Weight distribution, F/R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41/59%

Fuel capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26.4 gal

Oil capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13.7 qt
Water capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15.9 qt

CHASSIS/BODY
Type. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . steel-tubing space frame

Body material. . . . . welded steel and aluminum stampings, carbon-fiber
reinforced plastic

INTERIOR
SAE volume, front seat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 cu ft

luggage space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 cu ft
Front seats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bucket

Restraint systems, front. . . . . . . . manual 3-point belts, driver and passenger airbags
SUSPENSION

F:. . . . . . .ind, uequal-length control arms, coil springs, 4-position cockpit-adjustable shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
R:. . . . . . ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs, 4-position cockpit-adjustable shock absorbers, anti-roll bar

STEERING
Type. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . rack-and-pinion, power-assisted

Turns lock-to-lock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.3
Turning circle curb-to-curb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.1 ft

BRAKES
F:. . . . . . . . . . . . . .14.0 x 1.3-in vented and cross-drilled disc

R:. . . . . . . . . . . . . .13.2 x 1.3-in vented and cross-drilled disc
Power assist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vacuum with anti-lock control

WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheel size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F: 8.5 x 18 in; R: 13.0 x 18 in

Wheel type. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cast magnesium
Tires. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pirelli P Zero Asimmetrico; F: 235/35ZR-18 86Y, R: 335/30ZR-18 102Y

C/D TEST RESULTS
ACCELERATION Seconds

Zero to 30 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.1
40 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.9

50 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.6
60 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.3

70 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.6
80 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.7

90 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.9
100 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.2

110 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.7
120 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.8

130 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.7
Street start, 5-60 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.7

Top-gear acceleration, 30-50 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . .7.6
50-70 mph. . . . . . . . . . . . .6.9

Standing 1/4-mile. . . . . . . .. . . . .12.2 sec @ 122 mph
Top speed (manufacturer's rating). . . . . . . . . . 208 mph

BRAKING
70-0 mph @ impending lockup. . . . . . . . . . . . . .165 ft

Fade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .none
PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY

EPA city driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 mpg
EPA highway driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 mpg

INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL
Idle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 dBA

Full-throttle acceleration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 dBA
70-mph cruising. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 dBA

70-mph coasting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79 dBA

"The fastest production car in the world!
At the Geneva Motor Show Lamborghini has presented a new very high performance car that will be produced in limited edition. Only 80 Diablos GT will leave the factory of Sant'Agata Bolognese to find happy owners among the enthusiasts of supercars.

The Diablo GT is derived from the experience gained in the development of a GT2 race car combined with Lamborghini's competence in the production of high performance road cars.

The result is a sports car with very high performance, while homologated inmost countries, and driveable on open roads. In fact the Lamborghini Diablo GT is the fastest production car in the world with a top speed of 338 km/h.

The most important innovations, in comparison with the Diablo's range already in production are:

New Lamborghini V12, 6 litre engine
New design of the body
Wider front track
Improved chassis and suspensions
Reduced weight
New sportier interior
Significantly higher performances
The new Lamborghini Diablo GT will be available from September this year but the Lamborghini Dealers are ready to accept orders from now.
Engine

New Lamborghini 6 litre V 12 engine, particularly conceived for superior performance (max power 575 PS (423 kW) at 7300 rpm, max torque 630 Nm at 5500 rpm).
Multi-throttles intake manifold ("individual intake system": one throttle unit per each cylinder), with improved runners for high flow coefficients.
New intake and exhaust camshafts, tuned to achieve very high charge efficiency at medium-high engine speeds
Intake variable valve timing system (derived from the well proven system already used on Diablos model year '98 and '99) in order to guarantee good charge efficiency and then good torque not only at high but also at low engine speeds
Dynamic air inlet duct upstream the intake plenum for additional improvements of charge density and then engine power with the increasing of car speed
Aluminium construction (as Lamborghini's tradition) with magnesium intake manifold and cylinders head covers
Titanium connecting rods and lighter crankshaft
Improved exhaust system for reduced backpressure, with Lamborghini ENCS (Exhaust Noise Control System) for noise control
Lamborghini Diablo GT Technical Specifications
Dimensions Overall length 4430 mm
Overall width 2040 mm
Overall width (rear mirrors included) 2200 mm
Overall height 1115 mm
Track: front 16110 mm
rear 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm
Weight 1460 kg
Weight distribution in % front 40 % rear 60 %

Engine
Main characteristics
No. of cylinders 12 V 60 degree
Cycle-stroke Otto-4
Bore on stroke 87 x 84 mm
Engine capacity 5992 cc
Compression ratio 10,7:10.2
Max. power 575 Hp (423 kW) at 7300 rpm
Max torque 630 Nm at 5500 rpm
Cylinder heads aluminium alloy + magnesium
Crankshaft bearings 7
Crankcase aluminium alloy
Intake manifold magnesium

Distribution

DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

Intake

Variable valve timing, electronically controlled


Performance
Although Lamborghini Diablo GT is a true road car (conforming to EU safety and emissions requirements), the combination of a very powerful engine, reduced weight and improved suspension provides "race car" characteristics for acceleration, handling and top speed (338 Km/h).
Cooling system
Lamborghini's traditional two engine cooling radiators "in parallel" with a new front mounted engine oil cooler.
Transmission
RWD transmission, Lamborghini 5 speed gearbox with various gear ratio options to satisfy different customers' requirements. The gearbox control lever is on the central tunnel, in an asymmetric position closer to the steering wheel for better ergonomics.
Chassis frame, suspension
In comparison with the standard Diablo versions, the GT features a larger front track (+ 1 10 mm) with modified suspension and chassis frame in order to achieve optimal handling characteristics for sport driving at high speed. New pedals and new lightweight aluminium alloy wheels are fitted.
Brakes
The brake and the ABS systems are derived from the well proven high performance systems of the Diablo range with self ventilated large diameter discs (355 mm front, 335 mm rear) with high performance calipers and last generation ABS system. For Lamborghini Diablo GT even better performances are achieved, thanks to the reduced car weight.
Body
Lamborghini Diablo GT combines a new construction technology with a new design. Almost all the body parts are made of carbon fibre, excluding the roof and the doors only.
Front bumper of new design, with integrated air intakes for the new front mounted oil cooler and for the brakes. Rear bumper of new design, "wing shaped". Front fenders of new design, matching the larger front track. Front bonnet of new design, with integrated air outlet from the oil cooler. Engine bonnet of new design, incorporating the engine dynamic air intake.

Interior
In the interior, of new design, most components are made of carbon fibre.
Racing seats, racing 4 point safety belts, sporty steering wheel and general sport trimming, leather and Alcantara upholstery, carbon fibre parts "in sight", are all elements that give a sporty feeling to the driver and to the passenger. The air conditioning system is standard equipment to maintain a high comfort level."

A dual air bag system is available as an option.

Sant'Agata Bolognese, 8.3.1999

Limited Edition

"During the second Lamborghini Day held in Monte Carlo on January 21st 1990, the Diablo was presented to the public, the successor to the Countach took five years of development, but it was worth the wait.

The new Diablo was designed by Marcello Gandini, and for the first time his own signature was actually present on the car, an early production unit of this new low and wide Lamborghini reached a top speed of 340 Km/h on the Nardo circuit by using the new 5.7-Liter V12 with 492 Bhp.
The Diablo was a very modern design, no more square air intakes, but nicely integrated ones and a rear bumper that actually doubles as a down-force wing, although a massive rear wing was still a possible option. A very nice front spoiler with two pairs of flash lights completemented the pop-up lights on this new Lamborghini model.
Because the US market was taken into account from the start there was no need for special bumpers, both the European cars and the US models looked more or less the same, only a few details were different.

The Diablo received large 17 inch wheels with massive 335-35 tyres at the rear and bigger disk brakes, these early models didn't have an ABS system or powersteering, these were only introduced on the later models."

The Lamborghini Diablo was introduced in 1990 as a replacement for the long lived Countach, which had first been seen in 1971, and in production since 1973. Stylistically the Diablo shared many features with it's predecessor, including upwards opening doors, characteristic wedge shape and a mid-mounted V-12. This was no surprise as Marcello Gandini designed both cars. In fact, at the time of the Diablo's launch, Gandini had also styled another Italian supercar, the Cizeta V-16T, which looked very similar to the Diablo. Lamborghini and there then owners, the Chrysler Corporation were none to pleased by the similarities between the two cars, but the Cizeta never made it into full production and only a handful of cars were built before the project folded.

Most Lamborghini's prior to the Diablo were named after famous fighting bull's, which went with the logo on the Lamborghini badge. (The Countach being an exception, "Countach" being a local expression for astonishment in the region where Lamborghini's are built). Although it also means "the Devil", Diablo is also the name of a famous bull.

Throughout the 90's, Lamborghini constantly improved the Diablo. A four wheel drive VT model, in both coupe and a new "Roadster" body were introduced in the mid-1990's. Ownership of Lamborghini changed first from Chrysler to a Malaysian consortium and then to current owners Audi. The "base model became the lightweight 2 wheel drive SV, which was not only the cheapest, but also the fastest.

In 1998, the pop-up headlights were replaced by flush fitting headlamp units from the Nissan 300ZX. Engine size also grew to the current 5.7 litres, with corresponding increases in power.

By now (1999), the Diablo was due to have been replaced, but new owners Audi did not like the replacement, and so have started a redesign which will mean the Diablo will have to soldier on for a further 2 or so years. To keep it fresh in the marketplace, a special new model, the lightweight and extra powerful Diablo GT was introduced in 1999. Contemporary road testers loved it as they felt it represented the last of it's kind in brutish mid-engined Italian supercars. It is certainly not a user friendly car, with heavy steering, poor visibility and a tricky clutch, not to mention an uncomfortable, off-set driving position, but the motoring press loved it's "character" and uniqueness in todays market. By contrast, Ferrari have gone back to a front engined layout in it's latest range topper, the 550 Maranello. This makes it easier to see out of and Ferrari have also made the controls smoother and lighter, so that trundling around in traffic should be no problem.

This model is by AUTOart, who are newcomers to the 1:18th scale car market, but have very quickly established themselves as having some of the highest quality products available. This Lamborghini is no exception. The fit and finish is superb, and the red paintwork looks great. The interior is well detailed and carpeted, as is the front luggage compartment (which also contains the amplifier for the cars standard Kenwood hi-fi system). The engine bay is nicely represented, and the trademark V-12 firing order is visible on the internal engine cover. I have also seen this model in yellow, which looks equally superb. AUTOart also make a Diablo SV Coupe and a VT Coupe in a variety of colours, and both are also in my collection!

The only gripes I have are the left hand side door mirror which is loose (but luckily sits in the correct position), and that the roof panel (which sits on the engine cover when the cabin is open) cannot be removed and placed in the closed position. Apparently it is supposed to be able to come off, but I have seen correspondence on other sites where other collectors had broken the roof panel when trying to remove it. Consequently I am happy enough to leave it where it is!

Without a doubt, when compared to the Diablo's offered by Maisto and Bburrago, AUTOart are streets ahead in the level of detail and finish of the model.

Below is a link to a sound file which allows you to listen to a Diablo start up and accelerate away. The V-12 engine sounds superb! Be sure to listen.

http://www.iol.ie/~donohoer/0Lamborghini_Diablo_VT_Roadster.htm

By Tony Whitney

As an automotive journalist busy with tests for everything from television shows to lifestyle magazines I get to drive just about everything sooner or later. But don't ever think that I get jaded doing this kind of work. Every new car I climb into has some kind of appeal and there's always a sense of excitement and anticipation (at least, for me) when I get behind the wheel of something I've never tried before.

But of course, there are some cars that are more exciting than others. The thrill of turning the key and firing up Jaguar's latest isn't QUITE duplicated when the target of my evaluative effort is a Lada Samara.

Every now and again, though, something comes along that really IS special, a roadgoing icon that even hardened auto scribes can get quite light-headed at the very thought of.

On my way back from a recent drive to Death Valley and back (in a 1998 Ford Windstar) where I was testing a couple of new Fords, I dropped in on my friends at Bellevue Alfa Romeo to find that they'd recently taken on the Lamborghini franchise for the Pacific Northwest. Sitting in the shop in all its predatory glory was Lamborghini's US press car and the guys asked if I'd like to give it a good workover. Having responded with all the usual comments about what bears do in the woods, I booked a test session, returning later with a TV crew to cover this rare Western Driver contributor Ted Laturnus. I know of no other Canadian auto writer who's gotten his hands on a Lambo of any kind, so this feature is something of an exclusive.

The Diablo, of course, replaced the legendary Countach - the stealth fighter of the automobile world and a model that upstaged even Ferrari in the supercar stakes for sheer drama and brashness.

The Diablo is no less dramatic and one of the main problems of driving a car like this is worrying about other drivers having an accident while trying to look at it. After I'd familiarized myself with the cockpit layout I headed out into the Seattle-area traffic to the general amazement of 'mere mortals' in Cavaliers and Kenworths.

It would be a complete understatement to say that this is a striking automobile. It looks spectacular from every angle and has power and handling to live up to its promise. Only the Italians could build a masterpiece like this and the Diablo succeeds a remarkable assortment of fascinating ancestors - cars like the Miura and Espada. My tester was finished in a beautiful light gold color and is the only one in the world in that shade. As almost everyone with an interest in automobiles knows by now, Lamborghini started out as a manufacturer of agricultural tractors and decided that he could 'out-Ferrari' the folks in Maranello in the lucrative supercar business. Many believe that he did.

Bodywork uses aluminum alloy and carbon fibre composites and even the frame employs tubing made from these materials. If you're a fresh air motoring fan, by the way, you can get a Diablo roadster with a removable roof. Bugs-in-the-teeth motoring in a car that costs more than a decent house must be quite an experience.

Cars like this can be a bit daunting - even to experienced automotive journalists. After all, it's not every day you get to climb into a road rocket with 492-horsepower on tap and a zero to 60 mph time of just four seconds.

Getting in is probably the toughest part, though. Owners must develop a kind of 'Lamborghini crouch' to get past the swing-up doors without cracking their heads. Actually, I got the hang of this pretty quickly - so clearly I was born to own one of these cars!

Once tucked in the driver's seat, everything is just fine. The footwell seems racecar-tight at first, but after a few minutes on the road it becomes clear that pedal placement is just about ideal. To my delight, I soon felt pretty happy with the beast. Interior trim, incidentally, is all leather - even the dash top and roof lining. You'd have to be a cow to have more leather surrounding you than this. Don't even ask about cupholders though. I was amazed to find that the view from the driver's seat was very good indeed. Many supercars are the devil to see out of, but not this one. At no time, on back road or freeway, did I feel that I was suffering from restrictive vision. The rear view mirror gives a decent indication of what's happening behind and it would take a crafty highway patrolman (and a fast one!) to sneak up on you. The car is much better in this respect than a Lotus Esprit. The 5-speed manual gearshift is gated like other cars in this class - including Ferraris - but you soon get used to it. I miffed one shift, but that's about all.

In fact, I found the Diablo a surprisingly driver-friendly car to tool around in. It wasn't quite as daunting as I'd expected and after an hour or so I was quite used to it. You have to watch out for concrete parking spot markers with the low nose, but I found that the turning circle was better, if anything, than that of a Volvo C70 I tested for Western Driver recently.

The 5.7-litre, 48-valve V-12 makes the most wonderful noises, although this is not a car that'll numb your ears after a blast up the road, even if the huge and impressive powerplant is just behind your head. You'd expect more noise intrusion, but this isn't the case. Best of all, my test Diablo was a VT or Viscous Traction version - a four wheel drive exotic, no less. I've always felt that all wheel drive was essential for cars in this class. It really helps to get the power on the road - via huge Pirelli P-Zero tires in the Diablo's case. Even a good stab at the throttle pedal doesn't produce any unwanted gyrations. You have to take care with the clutch when starting on grades with all that horsepower and I would imagine that a replacement unit for a Diablo would run you a buck or two for sure.

Cornering is incredible, to say the least. What with the four wheel drive, grippy tires and a superbly-engineered suspension, this car really does corner like it's on rails. Although I didn't push it anywhere near its limit, I drove it quickly enough to find an uncanny absence of body lean. I once rode in a Diablo in Sicily with rally/race great Sandro Munari, who does PR work for Lamborghini, and he really showed me what it could do. To bring things to a stop, the Diablo is equipped with huge Brembo disc brakes similar to those Michael Schumacher uses on his Formula One Ferrari. This is about as safe a supercar as you're likely to find anywhere.

Suspension is independent front and rear, of course, and uses double wishbones, coil springs and anti-roll bars. Shock absorbers are electronic with manual and automatic control.

Of course, exotic cars come at exotic prices and this one is no exception. Get ready to cough up something like $350,00 Canadian for one of these beauties - $275,000 if you buy it in the US. This isn't really an automobile per se . It's more a rolling work of art. Think of it as a Michelangelo with a V-12 and you'll get the idea.

Incidentally, Bellevue Alfa Romeo Lamborghini is a wonderful source for all things Alfa - everything from clothing to camshafts - and they'll also sell you the Diablo you've always promised yourself (there's no dealer in BC). Located in downtown Bellevue at 225 105th Avenue (Washington zip code 98004), you can reach them by phone at (206) 635-9331 - ask for John Shrader.

T o p 5 m o s t c l i c k e d c a r s

Rank Manufacturer and Model

1. Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0
2. Bentley 8 Litre 4/8
3. Triumph TR 3 A
4. Lamborghini Diablo
5. Lamborghini Countach 5000S

Paint this
http://www.spydergroup.co.uk/wip/Lamborghini/diablosv.htm

Model

:D

History of the Diablo


In the mid 1980’s Automobili Lamborghini decided that the time was right to start thinking about a successor to the legendary Countach. After five years of development the new supercar was unveiled in Monte Carlo during January 1990. The Lamborghini Diablo was born.

The name ‘Diablo’ was taken from a ferocious fighting bull that was raised by the Duke of Veragua in the 19th Century. In 1869 it fought an epic battle with the famous matador ‘El Chicorro’ in Madrid and became legendary for its aggression and power. These qualities were exactly what Lamborghini had produced in its new sportscar.

The car was styled by the same man who penned the Countach, Marcello Gandini. However, the Diablo went through several design alterations, first of all by Gandini himself and also by the Chrysler styling centre, as Chrysler had taken control of Lamborghini during the design process of the car. Despite the alterations, the Diablo was still a true Lamborghini - low, wide and extremely fast with the 5.7-litre engine giving it a top speed of 325km/h from a healthy 492bhp.

The first cars were delivered to customers in June 1990 and the Diablo was finally unleashed on the motoring public around the world. Over the next ten years Automobili Lamborghini made a number of different versions of the Diablo, including the four-wheel drive VT and the popular Roadster.

It was at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show where the company unveiled the limited edition Diablo GT. Only 80 cars were to be made of this special Diablo, a car capable of carrying you to a speed of 335 km/h. Later that year, at the Bologna Motor Show, Lamborghini launched the evolution of the GT, the race-ready Diablo GTR.

The GTR model was launched specifically for the Lamborghini Supertrophy as a replacement for the SVR model, which had been used since the series began in 1996. Production was limited to only 40 units.


The GTR model takes the Supertrophy and the Diablo to a higher level. The power output of the 6-litre V12 engine is increased with small modifications to the fuel inlet system. The addition of titanium connecting rods, a lightened crankshaft, specially race-tuned exhaust system and an improved engine management program have all helped to produce an extra 50bhp over the outgoing SVR. The Diablo’s power was raised to an impressive 590bhp, increasing the maximum speed to 338km/h.

July 2001
Ref: gtr038

For information: Lamborghini GTR Supertrophy Media Office, ProAction, Kings Hall,
Parsons Green, St Ives, Huntingdon, PE27 4WY, England
Tel: +44 1480 494060 Fax: +44 1480 494062
e-mail: supertrophy@proaction.co.uk
website: www.lamborghini.com

On event contacts: Steve Fellows +44 7831 868496
Rachel Ingham +44 7771 705950

:cool:

"How do you follow a legend? As the 1990s were about to bloom Automobili Lamborghini faced that question on two fronts. It was forced to confront the problem of replacing both a legendary leader and a legendary car. Either issue would be difficult enough, but both at one time? Some might call the task impossible.

Its founder and spiritual leader, Ferruccio Lamborghini, had long since sold his brainchild and moved on to less stressful ventures, including his death (eventually). Absent from the company for more than a decade, Lamborghini's long shadow still stretched over the company that bore his name. The final car that he inspired, the Countach, was not only in production nearly twenty years after Lamborghini had signed the final sales contract, it was still regarded by many as the epitome of "supercardom." The company contemplated: How to follow a cover girl crowd-pleaser like the Countach?

Gazing into this void, the faceless Swiss investors who had taken control of Automobili Lamborghini from its founder in the Seventies decided to cash in and look for new investments. After all, it is one thing to maintain the production of an established car; it is quite another to find the inspiration for a completely new car. The Swiss found a willing taker in the unlikely form of the Chrysler Corporation.

By the mid-Eighties Chrysler had rebounded from a brush with bankruptcy, invented the minivan and suddenly become, against all odds, flush with success. In those heady days Chrysler thought it finally had the keys to the kingdom. And such success breeds a natural inclination to buy some expensive toys. For Chrysler Corporation, one of its expensive toys was American Motors and its Jeep brand; others were Maserati and Automobili Lamborghini. So it came to pass that American corporate managers and an Italian-led contingent of designers and engineers were given the great task to produce a vehicle that would succeed the Countach. In the absence of one single guiding force, the committee that created the Diablo made it so it would do and be everything the Countach did and was, but more so. And though Chrysler Corporation has long since been out of the picture (in 1994 it peddled its stake in the legendary firm to somewhat unlikely suitors from Indonesia), the car is one of the most formidable Italian-American combinations. The car's Italian-American heritage has survived the relatively recent acquisition of Automobili Lamborghini by yet another big, flush car company, Volkswagen-Audi. Time will tell if VW will prosper where Chrysler ultimately had to bail.

So much for the mixed parentage of the car, what about the Diablo itself?

Well, though it might lack the staying power of its predecessor, which reigned at the top of the exoticar heap for a period of nearly two decades, the at-first-dismissed Diablo has demonstrated remarkable staying power of its own. Further, it seems to be the last of its breed of "styling first, function last" exotic GT cars. After all, Ferrari (Ferrari!) has decided to make its cars easier to drive, easier to live with and even easier to get in and out of. While that might be laudable to those of us who are having a more and more difficult time bending at various joints, wouldn't you rather see a sinuous supermodel emerge from an exotic foreign car than a creaky octogenarian?

Since it barely comes up to the average person's waist, the Diablo is (to its credit) a challenge to get into. With its radical swing-up doors and let-it-all-hang-out styling, it is also the contemporary car that has the biggest presence, kind of a Madonna for the road.

In most ways, just like the singer-actress, the Diablo revels in being outrageous and uses that as its key marketing tool. Just peer at the 6-liter all-alloy V-12 engine. With titanium connecting rods and 32-bit computerized engine controls (hey, those VW guys are good for something), a representative late-model Diablo has 543 horsepower on tap (at a busy 7100 rpm.) The peak torque figure is a stupendous 457 pound-feet at 5800 rpm.

With all this power perched very close to your right ear, the Diablo is automotivedom's grandest thrill ride. If it were to be offered to Disneyland patrons, even the SpeedPass line would be hours long. To deal with the horrific amount of power (and the potentially ham-handed drivers who get to use it), Lamborghini decided to equip the Diablo with all-wheel-drive. While big and bigger tires used to be the answer, Pirelli simply can't build tires that are wide enough to cope with all the torque. Instead, like an oversize quattro, the Diablo employs a viscous coupling-governed drive system that slides some of the torque to the front wheels if the rears begin to slip. Don't plan any off-road expeditions when you buy your Diablo, though. Not only is ground clearance a minimal 5 1/2 inches (as it should be), the four-wheel-drive system also channels a maximum of 28 percent of torque to the front wheels, no matter what. This means the Diablo still feels like a rear-drive car, while being able to launch like a Saturn rocket.

Speaking of launch, a current Diablo in a decent state of tune can flash from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds or so, making it the quickest production car you can buy for your 300-large. Top speed, according to those very precise folks at Automobili Lamborghini, is reported to be 208 mph.

And that is the point. These days even Lamborghini is marketing its creature comforts, stereo system and automatic climate control. But if that's what you want, just stay in your La-Z-Boy and take a nap. We would rather blow some mental carbon out on a long-fast drive. And the Lamborghini Diablo is certainly the right tool for that job."

:D

The Diablo was introduced to the public and journalists in Monte Carlo during the second Lamborghini day on January 20, 1990. The Diablo was finally ready to take over the tradition of the Miura and the Countach.

Some of the new batch of prototypes, a total of eight were built, had to be used for crash tests. Even the best sports car in the world has to comply with rigid regulations if it wants to run freely on the roads. Thanks to special techniques used in frame construction, the Diablo was able to easily pass the more demanding crash tests.

New strict anti-pollution regulations posed serious problems in the design of the new engine. Old carburetors could not be used if the car was to be sold in the United States. At the moment, there was no commercial electronic fuel injection system on the market for a 12 cylinder engine. Engineer Checkorani, head of the research and development department, had the only solution to develop a new electronic fuel injection system. Using internal Lamborghini resources, the result was the new engine system called L.I.E., which is still at the heart of today's Lamborghini engines.
This documentation is intended to outline the features of the 550 Maranello following a natural progression from its functional and styling definition, to the evaluation if its driveability.

We were so enthusiastic about Marcello Gandini's design that we wanted to see the new creature in action as soon as possible. We started in about January 1987, and we built everything from scratch in no more than four months; in some cases even working overnight. Just to start with something, we took an engine from the Countach and fitted it to the new body with some light modifications.

As it happened for the Miura, the basic frame of the car and the general mechanical layout was designed as the very first element of the project. The frame was studied and optimized using sophisticated computer analysis programs. This allowed a weight reduction of 30 kilos from the Countach, increasing at the same time, its performance. At this point, the skeleton of the new creature was ready for the designers to work on.

When we decided to build a new car November 1985, we realized that the task was a very tough one. Our top model, the Countach, had become a myth after 20 years of production, and it was clear that any new Lamborghini had to perpetuate this leadership. The requirement was very simple; continue to be the number one. Some values of the Lamborghini tradition had to be taken into the future; (1) have a very aggressive design without using merely aesthetic parts, and (2) build a real car that could be used in every part of the world.


http://www.grog.miesto.sk/info/Lamborghini2WD.htm
Pics

http://star.xq23.com/gift_presents_favorites/lamborghini_diablo.html

http://www.kitcarillustrated.com/archives/features/1201_features01.shtml

At a test track about an hour south of Milan, Italy, in a small town called Vairano, four Lamborghini Diablo 6.0s sit in the paddock, taunting our group of journalists to climb aboard. It's almost like going to a rodeo in the States, with the bulls pawing behind the gates, defying the cowboys to challenge them in the ring. both the bull and the Diablo can intimidate by their mere presence, ready to stomp you if you're not careful. The bull's cold dark eyes staring into yours are haunting, as is the view of the super-wide and ultra-low stance of the Lamborghini, with its large exposed headlamps atop two huge air scoops.

Fortunately, our European Editor Paul Frère is here to tame the beast from Sant'Agata Bolognese. I opt for a ride with him around the track before I take the helm myself, so both of us duck underneath the signature scissors-doors and strap into the low-slung seats of our Miura-orange Diablo 6.0 test car.

Paul turns the ignition key. The starter whines for a second and the car snorts briefly before the mid-mounted 12-cylinder power-plant is able to gulp in enough air to get the pistons pumping. He pulls the gearshift's round knob down to the lower left into 1st gear, eases out the clutch, and the car rolls into position just behind the gate, waiting for the security guard to release us onto the road course.

At idle, the engine's vibrations and the accompanying rumble travel through the firewall and into your lower back. There is no attempt at subtlety here; the engine's powerful roughness makes it known that an enormous amount of horse power is just one right-foot tap away.

The 5992-cc displacement in the latest Diablo is up 285 cc from the version introduced in 1999. The all-aluminum-alloy engine block and heads, with titanium connecting rods and lighter crankshaft, can crank out 550 bhp at 7100 rpm, accompanied by 457 lb.-ft. of torque at 5500rpm. Using a new 32-bit microprocessor in the engine-management system, the variable intake valve timing is electronically controlled to ensure high performance as well as good driveability at low speeds. A new variable-geometry Exhaust Noise Control System (ENCS) also takes orders from its electronic managers to modulate noise levels at different engine speeds.

As soon as the gate to the racetrack is lifted, Paul punches the throttle, and every rough-revving piston loafing near 1000-rpm mark quickly snaps to attention. Like getting an instant shot of adrenaline, all of the Diablo's 12 cylinders explode with a guttural growl, and serve up what seems like an infinite amount of torque. The Lamborghini's pulling power begins around 2000 rpm, then peaks at 5500 before finally tapers off near the redline at the 7600 mark. Off-the-line launches at the drag strip during our road test showed the Diablo accelerated to 60 mph in a mere 3.6 seconds, and took 12.0 sec. (with the speedometer registering 119.8 mph) to cover the quarter mile. For zero-to-60-mph sprints, it matches the times turned in by the Ferrari F50, and is only two-tenths slower than the McLaren F1. The Lambo's blistering pace can be attributed in part to its maintaining at least 0.5g of forward acceleration and reaching 68 mph in 1st gear before needing to up-shift.

On the racetrack, Paul is able to balance the car easily with throttle and just the right amount of steering input. The gated shifter takes some time to get used to, and it requires several laps to perfect the up-shift/downshift routine. At speed, the Diablo shows tremendous grip, thanks to its awd viscous traction system. And because sending power to all four wheels occurs only when needed (up to 15 percent to the front), the Lamborghini behaves more like a rear-wheel-drive sports car. However, having the awd system is comforting when all the available torque (457 lb.-ft.) is misplaced and the driven front tires can pull you out of an impending spin.

After six laps of thrill rides with Paul at the wheel and me desperately trying to pick up any tips on driving, it's my turn in the driver's seat to challenge the bull in the ring.

Equipped with upper and lower A-arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar, plus electronically controlled shocks set for sport mode at all four corners, the Lamborghini manages its Pirelli P Zeros (235/35ZR-18s up front and 335/30ZR-18s at the rear) precisely, tracking true to steering input. Though some under-steer is inherent in the awd Diablo, an abrupt lifting of the throttle will help the car tuck in toward the apex. The Lamborghini's excellent road holding ability is further demonstrated on the skidpad by generating an impressive 0.99g, drifting almost all the way around the 200-ft. circle. Also through our 700-ft. slalom exercise, the car's large footprint and sluggish turn-in make it feel a bit less nimble by sportscar standards; however, it still posts an outstanding average speed of 66.4 mph.

When the time comes to slow down before a turn, the ABS system coupled to each of the 14.0-in. vented brake discs responds quickly to driver input, albeit requiring moderate pedal effort. Brake fade is never an issue, even after more than a dozen hot laps around the racetrack. And despite the Lamborghini tipping the scaled at 3925 lb., it can accomplish panic stops from 60 mph in 210ft., and from 180 mph in a remarkable 203 ft.

The Diablo 6.0 sports a wider track than the previous model, with 2.8 in. more at the front and 1.1 in. more at the rear. And most of its skin is now made of carbon fiber, with the exception of the aluminum doors and the steel roof. The chassis beneath the sleek-looking Italian body work is still tubular steel. The large air scoops integrated into the front bumper incorporate not only new headlamps but also air intakes for the brakes.

On the inside, every visible surface is covered with leather, with a new instrument panel giving the car a more modern look. The familiar gauges, including tachometer, speedometer, fuel level, coolant and oil temperatures, and oil pressure, are present, but set in a more sweeping layout accented with carbon fiber. On the center console, the carbon fiber theme continues, with aluminum ball-shifter and toothed gate highlighting the sporting nature of the car. The driver's seat has been moved closer to the center, allowing a less awkward position when reaching for the pedals.

According to Lamborghini, the 2001 Diablo 6.0 should begin arriving in US showrooms as we speak. There are plans to produce about 260 copies, with most of them slated for the States. Pricing for this latest Italian exotic should hover around the $280,000 mark, and there will be very few options available, limited to items such as a navigation system and a rear spoiler.

According to Giuseppe Greco, president of Automobili Lamborghini, with strong support from Audi this Italian exotic car-maker is poised to widen its product line in the near future. Look for another update on the Diablo with another increase in engine displacement and more power within 18 months. And further down the road, a smaller Lamborghini is in the works to compete with the Ferrari 360 Modena, perhaps making an appearance in three years' time. We are guessing that the younger Lamborghini will be V-8 powered.

As always, just when I begin to feel comfortable pushing the Diablo around the racetrack and inching towards its handling limits, the security guard waves the checkered flag, signaling the end of our test session. It's difficult not to become addicted to the brute force of this ferocious, terrifically quick Italian exotic car. And even though I wished for more time to work on taming the bull from Sant'Agata, at least I can walk away knowing I put up a good fight.




2001 Lamborghini Diablo 6.0


Engine Question Answer
Type aluminum block & head, V-12
Valvetrain dohc 4-valve / cyl
Displacement 366 cu in. / 5992 cc
Bore x stroke 3.43 x 3.31 in. / 87.0 x 84.0 mm
Compression ratio 10.7:1
Horsepower (SAE) 550 bhp @ 7100 rpm
Bhp/liter 91.8
Torque 457 lb-ft @ 5500 rpm
Redline 7600 rpm
Fuel injection elect. sequential port
Fuel premium unleaded, 91 pump octane



Chassis & Body Question Answer
Layout mid engine / awd
Body/frame carbon fiber & aluminum / tubular steel
Brakes:
Front & Rear Front:14.0-in. vented discs
Rear: 14.0-in vented discs
Assist type vacuum assist; ABS
Total swept area 603 sq in.
Swept area/ton est 307 sq in.
Wheels cast alloy; 18 x 8.5 f, 18 x 13 r
Tires Pirelli P Zero Asimmetrico; 235/35ZR-18 86Y f, 335/30ZR-18 102Y r
Steering rack & pinion, pwr assist
Overall ratio 18.0:1
Turns, lock to lock 3.0
Turning circle 42.7 ft
Suspension:
Font & Rear Front: upper & lower A-arms, coil springs, electronically controlled shocks, anit-roll bar
Rear: upper & lower A-arms, coil springs, electronically controlled shocks, anit-roll bar



General Data Question Answer
Curb weight 3740 lb
Test weight 3925 lb
Weight dist (with driver), f/r, % 41/59
Wheelbase 104.3 in.
Track, f/r 63.4 in. / 65.7 in.
Length 176.0 in.
Width 80.3 in.
Height 43.5 in.
Ground clearance 5.7 in.
Trunk space 5.8 cu ft



Accomodations Question Answer
Seating capactiy 2
Head room 35.5 in.
Seat width 2 x 16.3 in.
Leg room 43.0 in.
Seatback adjustment 30 deg
Seat travel 4.0 in.



Drivetrain Gear Ratio Overall Ratio (Rpm) Mph
1st 2.31:1 9.02:1 (7600) 68
2nd 1.52:1 5.95:1 (7600) 103
3rd 1.13:1