THE CAR WE ALL HAD IN A POSTER ON OUR WALLS AS A KID TURNS 35 - THE ICONIC LAMBORGHINI DIABLO.
In the pantheon of supercars, few names strike quite the same chord as Diablo. For Lamborghini, the model wasn’t just a replacement for the Countach; it was the car that propelled the raging bull into the 1990s, set new benchmarks, and made poster dreams feel almost tangible. And now, the devil turns 35. The Diablo’s roots trace back to 1985 under the cryptic codename Project 132. The mission was clear but audacious: build a successor to the Countach that would be the fastest production car in the world. By the late ’80s, Chrysler’s ownership helped refine the original sharp sketches into something more cohesive, blending raw Italian aggression with a dash of American-influenced polish. When the final silhouette emerged, it ticked every Lamborghini box - scissor doors, muscular haunches, outrageous rear end - but it also introduced something new: a degree of comfort. For the first time, a Lamborghini wasn’t just a weapon; it was also (sort of) livable.
The official unveiling came in 1990 at the Monte Carlo Rally, where the world met a car capable of smashing past 325 km/h. From that moment, the Diablo wasn’t just Lamborghini’s next chapter - it became the symbol of 1990s supercar excess. Beneath its wild skin, the Diablo packed a 5.7-litre naturally aspirated V12, good for 362 kW and 580 Nm. On paper, that meant 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and a Nardò-verified top speed of 337 km/h. In practice, it meant thunderous acceleration, a spine-tingling soundtrack, and a reputation as one of the most intimidating cars you could buy. The Diablo also marked a shift in construction. Its tubular frame and steel/aluminium body were reinforced with carbon fibre inserts – a first for a production car. That blend gave it rigidity, helped manage the V12’s fury, and paved the way for how supercars would be engineered going forward. Inside, Lamborghini dialled up the luxury: leather trim, adjustable seats, power windows, and even an Alpine stereo. It was outrageous but indulgent - a true Italian contradiction on wheels.
Evolution of the Beast
Like every proper Lamborghini, the Diablo spawned an entire family tree:
1993 Diablo VT: The first all-wheel-drive Lamborghini, boosting stability and grip.
1993 SE30 & Jota: Built to celebrate Lamborghini’s 30th anniversary, pushing output to 386 kW (and an insane 438 kW in Jota guise).
1995 VT Roadster: The first open-top Diablo, cementing the idea of topless V12 Lambos.
1999 GT: A lightweight monster with 423 kW and a 338 km/h top speed.
2000/01 VT 6.0 & SE: Redesigned under new Audi ownership, with styling tweaks by Luc Donckerwolke and a bored-out 6.0-litre V12.
The Diablo also got its moment on track. The SV-R one-make series marked Lamborghini’s first official racing program, spawning 32 cars and later the GT-R, which saw action in Japan’s JGTC and European GT series. Two GT1 Stradale prototypes even appeared, packing 482 kW and signalling what might have been had Lamborghini gone fully racing. More than just a machine, the Diablo became a pop culture kingpin. Hollywood snapped it up: Jim Carrey famously wheel-spun a bright red example in Dumb and Dumber, while it made cameos in Exit Wounds, Die Another Day, and a string of TV shows. Gamers thrashed it mercilessly in Need for Speed. Music fans saw it sliding through Jamiroquai’s Cosmic Girl video - still an absolute banger of a tune, parked next to Cindy Crawford in a commercial, or tied to celebrities like Jay Leno, Mike Tyson, Nicolas Cage, Rod Stewart, and Jay Kay himself. The Diablo wasn’t just a supercar – it was a global status symbol, a cultural artefact of ’90s excess. There were 2,903 units built, 60+ paint options, 40 of which could be customised (years ahead of the Ad Personam program), and red was king, with over 550 examples painted in the shade of fury.
Today, collectors are snapping up Diablos at auctions, with values climbing fastest for rare specials like the SE30, Jota, and GT. Lamborghini’s Polo Storico is busier than ever, restoring and certifying these icons for a new wave of enthusiasts who see the Diablo as more than a car, but as a rolling piece of cultural history. Thirty-five years later, the Diablo is still instantly recognisable, still outrageous, and still defines what a Lamborghini should be: fast, theatrical, and unashamedly excessive. The devil hasn’t aged. If anything, it’s only grown sharper horns.
Take a look at the YouTube video that gives a cool overview of the history of the iconic Lamborghini Diablo, a car from the Italian stable that still has the best name of every Lambo ever: History of Lamborghini Diablo | Auto Time Machine
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