Lamborghini Diablo

Information

Chassis #HLA12000
Engine #

Work on the first prototype Diablo (chassis #12000) started on June 5, 1986 and proceeded according to Gandini's original design.

The chassis of the car was similar to that of the Countach but simplified to improve the manufacturing process and to make repairs easier to carry out.

The engine for the new car would be a completely redesigned version of the current QV engine. The new engine displaced 5.3 litre and with K-Jetronic injection turned out 460bhp though a staggering 650bhp was reached on the testbed.

The suspension was completely redesigned and based on upper and lower quadrilaterals with anti-dive angle and dual rear shock absorbers. Brakes were the same as those used on the Countach though modified.

The car was designed to eventually carry a four wheel drive system. This was developed right from the beginning and appeared on the first car. The gearbox in front of the engine with a third central differential and torque splitter to provide 70% power to the rear axle and 30% to the front.

Radiators were enlarged and placed a the rear of the car. This positioning would allow for longer though smaller air scoops on top of the fenders and still take in more air than previous methods devised for the Countach.

The finished prototype had all the necessary ingredients for a true enthusiast sports car, wedge shaped nose with ample luggage space, seating for two, flushmounted glass, full-size roll down windows, hideaway windshield wiper and headlights, trademark vertically opening doors, air intake scoops and vents everywhere and gently flowing curves.

The car was eventually finished in an impartial, neutral gray just a shade darker than that found on an F-14. Marmiroli had chosen the medium gray so as not to be influenced by color when judging the shapes of the car.

Here the car is seen during the latter half of April 1987 on the low-traffic tollway stretches of the Imola-Ravenna bypass. The car was disguised to look as much as possible like an evolution of the Countach to attract less attention and possibly fool the great professionals of photographic espionage.

Today it can be seen repainted a blue-grey and on display in the Lamborghini Museum in Sant'Agata, Italy.