Lamborghini Diablo Celebrates its 30th Anniversary

Automobili Lamborghini, the Italian brand known for its luxury sports cars and SUVs needs no introduction. The name Lamborghini evokes a sense of pride and sets your pulse racing. This year Lamborghini celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Diablo, one of its most iconic models in the history of super sports cars, and originally on the market since January 1990.

The story of the Diablo began in 1985. Codenamed project 132, it was brought into existence to replace the Countach at the top of the Lamborghini range. Designed by Marcello Gandini and partially revised by Chrysler’s design center the Lamborghini Diablo sports clean and aggressive design lines.

The Diablo was officially the fastest production car in the world at the time of launch. It was capable of reaching a top speed of 325 km/h (203.1 mph). The Lamborghini Diablo was appreciated by fans and enthusiasts the world over. Its impressive dynamic behavior was the result of intense development work involving the rally champion Sandro Munari.

The Diablo is powered by a massive 5.7 litre, 12-cylinder engine, four four overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, equipped with multi-point electronic injection. The engine produced 485 HP and 580 Nm of torque, in a rear longitudinal position. Despite being luxuriously finished, with leather interior, air conditioning, electric windows and electrically adjustable seats, the Diablo is still a hard and pure car with traction on the rear wheels only: no electronic driving aids or power steering were available until 1993.

In 1993, Automobili Lamborghini launched the Diablo VT, the first Lamborghini Granturismo to be equipped with four-wheel drive, which also brought a series of mechanical improvements and stylistic changes also to be soon adopted on the two-wheel drive version. In 1993, the special SE30 series was presented to commemorate 30 years since the birth of the company, with a power increase to 523 HP. The Diablo SV debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1995, available only as a two-wheel drive version with maximum power of 510 HP, and with an adjustable rear wing. In December of the same year, the Diablo VT Roadster came to market: Lamborghini’s first 12-cylinder, open-roofed, mass-produced Lamborghini, with slightly revised lines and offered with the four-wheel drive transmission only.

In 1999, following the purchase of Automobili Lamborghini by the Audi Group, there was the unveiling of the Diablo SV “restyling” designed by Luc Donckerwolke, Lamborghini’s first in-house designer. It followed the VT and VT Roadster: all three models evoked clear signs of modernization through its revised lines and interior. From a mechanical point of view the engine, now with 529 HP and capable of 605 Nm of torque, was equipped with the variable valve lift system and, for the first time on a Lamborghini, the brakes were completed by ABS.

The Diablo, also launched in special series or for competition with 6-liter engines, was Lamborghini’s most produced car to date with 2903 units in total. It remained available until 2001, when it was succeeded by the Murciélago model.

Lamborghini Diablo 30th Anniversary

• This year Lamborghini celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Diablo
• It was launched in January 1990
• The Diablo is Automobili Lamborghini`s most produced car till date with 2903 units