The Lamborghini Diablo is one of the most iconic Lamborghini models of the 1990s with the Diablo emerging as a 1990s icon thanks to its brash styling and powerful engine which helped to set it apart from the Countach that preceded it. While the Diablo is a classic, it almost never made it into production with internal corporate strife nearly killing the car before development even began.
Chrysler throws a monkey wrench into the script
The history video from Bay Area dealer OTS shows just how much the Diablo went through its development. The Diablo embodied Lamborghini’s fortunes at the time with the car’s life spanning four different owners. One of these owners was Chrysler who bought the Italian supercar maker in 1987. Lamborghini intended to release the Diablo in 1988 but Chrysler decided that the design needed to be changed. Predictably, this decree was made at the last minute with designer Marcello Gandini being forced to alter the design much to his chagrin.
Chrysler’s meddling continued unabated and the company was forced to make more changes as it scrambled to make the Diablo a production vehicle. The troubled Lambo eventually made its debut in 1990 but appeared just as an economic recession was taking hold with the car having a rough start into production. The lingering effects of the recession and slow sales forced Chrysler to throw in the towel and it sold the company in 1994. Lamborghini went through several investment firms before Volkswagen bought the company in 1998 with the brand falling under the control of Audi. Audi went to work improving the Diablo with the end result being seen in the final “6.0” models before the car ended production in 2001. These models are also the pinnacle of Diablo performance with the 6.0-liter V12 producing 543 hp and benefitting from the additional resources that Volkswagen and Audi brought to the table.
Diablo signaled the end of an era
In addition to being one of the most notable models produced in Lamborghini’s history, the Diablo also signaled the end of an era for the company with the Volkswagen purchase transforming the company from a plucky underdog that always managed to stay a step ahead of bankruptcy like a magician into a world-class supercar maker that’s now preparing to enter a new era of electrification.
While changing market conditions have forced the company to downshift slightly from this plan and put a stronger emphasis on hybrids for the immediate future, the Diablo’s wild V12 and its brash looks are a reminder of the days when displacement and wild styling were the building blocks of a proper supercar entry.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.