When the Diablo was launched in 1990 it was the first Lamborghini capable of over 200 mph and in the process it relieved the Ferrari F40 of 'the worlds fastest production road car' title. The design brief set by then Lamborghini owners the Swiss Mimram brothers for the Lamborghini Countach replacement back in the late eighties was relatively straight forward - Minimum speed capability 315 kph / 196 mph.
Marchello Gandini was responsible for the styling but when Chrysler took over Lamborghini in 1987 they were unimpressed and after the Chrsler Styling Centre in Detroit smoothed out the design Gandini was so unimpressed he took his original drawings which later were realised in the form of the Cizeta-Moroder V16T.
By the time this one of 251 penultimate VT 6.0 variants was built in 2000 Audi had become owners of Lamborghini and the Diablo had; acquired 4 wheel drive (Viscous Traction), an upgraded 547 hp 6 litre / 370 cui V12 and been fitted with made under licence Nissan 300 ZX Z32 head light clusters. The title of worlds fastest production car was short lived and handed on to the 213 mph Bugatti EB110 in 1991.
Hope you have enjoyed the Viscous Traction edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres' and that you will join me again tomorrow for Ferrari Friday, don't forget to come back now !
Reading about the 4-wheel drive in this Lamborghini reminds me of the 1960s and into the early 70's when some Indy cars sported 4WD, often to great advantage. I wonder what happened to the rationale for 4WD technology in race cars?
ReplyDeleteSteve all wheel drive is quite simply banned from much motor sport including F1, Indy, NASCAR (LMAO) and most recently the World Rally Championship, I suspect on the grounds that it adds to the cost of competition, which most competitors simply cannot justify.
ReplyDeleteI would take that one for a spin around town.
ReplyDeleteI think with AWD you would have to introduce a lot of trailing-clutch oversteer coupled with some severe steering input to spin this one, JC.
ReplyDeleteI'm suffering whiplash from the transition of red double decker touring bus to the fast, sleek, and, I'll say it, sexy Lamborghini Diablo!
ReplyDeleteWith the "Diablo" name I would have thought RED a more suitable color. Was it too closely associated with Ferrari? Probably. The yellow is a stand out.
Only held the title for a year, huh? Wow.
JC your so Viscous ! Did I mention the convertible ?
ReplyDeleteI agree Racer spinning AWD takes some seriously advanced driving techniques.
I agree red would be a better choice for this vehicle but I am guessing the yellow turns just as many heads.
The funny part is..with Optional Gear this car goes 359 KPH.
ReplyDeletethat more than a SV670.