2001 Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0

After being in production for 16 years, the Lamborghini Countach was replaced by the Diablo. It had big shoes to fill, and it did so with 485 horsepower and could race from zero-to-sixty mph in four seconds, and had a top speed of 204 mph. It was a drastic improvement over the outgoing model, and power was sent to the rear wheels via the famous Bizzarrini-designed Lamborghini V-12. The 5.7-liter engine was fitted with multi-port fuel injection for all markets and mated to a five-speed manual as the only transmission on offer. Other important foal points of the car's development included additional luxuries and improved drivability. Great comfort was achieved with the help of adjustable seats and steering wheel. There were single-pane electric power windows and an unblocked rear window, which greatly improved visibility over the Countach.

Marcello Gandini, who had penned the Miura and Countach, was tasked to create the design for the Diablo. Several design elements were carried over from the Countach, such as the scissor doors, angular rear wheel arches, as well as the forward driving position. Items such as the boxed intakes and large fender flares found on the Countach did not continue on to the Diablo.

During the 11-year production lifecycle, the Diablo received many improvements. In 1993, all-wheel drive became available on the VT model, which utilized a modified version of the LM002's viscous center differential set up to send as much as 25 percent of the power to the front wheels. The Diablo's 2-piston Brembo brake calipers were upgraded to 4-piston units, and improved cooling was achieved by opening up the brake scoops in the front lower valence. Two facelifts occurred in the late 1990s, and by 1999 the Diablo had lost its pop-up headlamps. The final two years of production featured a modernized exterior, courtesy of Luc Donckerwolke, who had taken over the task of Lamborghini design.

The Diablo's final year was in 2001, and by this point, the VT's engine measured 6.0 liters and developed 543 horsepower.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019