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"The fastest production car in the world!
At the Geneva Motor Show Lamborghini has presented a new very high performance car that will be produced in limited edition. Only 80 Diablos GT will leave the factory of Sant'Agata Bolognese to find happy owners among the enthusiasts of supercars.

The Diablo GT is derived from the experience gained in the development of a GT2 race car combined with Lamborghini's competence in the production of high performance road cars.

The result is a sports car with very high performance, while homologated inmost countries, and driveable on open roads. In fact the Lamborghini Diablo GT is the fastest production car in the world with a top speed of 338 km/h.

The most important innovations, in comparison with the Diablo's range already in production are:

New Lamborghini V12, 6 litre engine
New design of the body
Wider front track
Improved chassis and suspensions
Reduced weight
New sportier interior
Significantly higher performances
The new Lamborghini Diablo GT will be available from September this year but the Lamborghini Dealers are ready to accept orders from now.
Engine

New Lamborghini 6 litre V 12 engine, particularly conceived for superior performance (max power 575 PS (423 kW) at 7300 rpm, max torque 630 Nm at 5500 rpm).
Multi-throttles intake manifold ("individual intake system": one throttle unit per each cylinder), with improved runners for high flow coefficients.
New intake and exhaust camshafts, tuned to achieve very high charge efficiency at medium-high engine speeds
Intake variable valve timing system (derived from the well proven system already used on Diablos model year '98 and '99) in order to guarantee good charge efficiency and then good torque not only at high but also at low engine speeds
Dynamic air inlet duct upstream the intake plenum for additional improvements of charge density and then engine power with the increasing of car speed
Aluminium construction (as Lamborghini's tradition) with magnesium intake manifold and cylinders head covers
Titanium connecting rods and lighter crankshaft
Improved exhaust system for reduced backpressure, with Lamborghini ENCS (Exhaust Noise Control System) for noise control
Lamborghini Diablo GT Technical Specifications
Dimensions Overall length 4430 mm
Overall width 2040 mm
Overall width (rear mirrors included) 2200 mm
Overall height 1115 mm
Track: front 16110 mm
rear 1670 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm
Weight 1460 kg
Weight distribution in % front 40 % rear 60 %

Engine
Main characteristics
No. of cylinders 12 V 60 degree
Cycle-stroke Otto-4
Bore on stroke 87 x 84 mm
Engine capacity 5992 cc
Compression ratio 10,7:10.2
Max. power 575 Hp (423 kW) at 7300 rpm
Max torque 630 Nm at 5500 rpm
Cylinder heads aluminium alloy + magnesium
Crankshaft bearings 7
Crankcase aluminium alloy
Intake manifold magnesium

Distribution

DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder

Intake

Variable valve timing, electronically controlled


Performance
Although Lamborghini Diablo GT is a true road car (conforming to EU safety and emissions requirements), the combination of a very powerful engine, reduced weight and improved suspension provides "race car" characteristics for acceleration, handling and top speed (338 Km/h).
Cooling system
Lamborghini's traditional two engine cooling radiators "in parallel" with a new front mounted engine oil cooler.
Transmission
RWD transmission, Lamborghini 5 speed gearbox with various gear ratio options to satisfy different customers' requirements. The gearbox control lever is on the central tunnel, in an asymmetric position closer to the steering wheel for better ergonomics.
Chassis frame, suspension
In comparison with the standard Diablo versions, the GT features a larger front track (+ 1 10 mm) with modified suspension and chassis frame in order to achieve optimal handling characteristics for sport driving at high speed. New pedals and new lightweight aluminium alloy wheels are fitted.
Brakes
The brake and the ABS systems are derived from the well proven high performance systems of the Diablo range with self ventilated large diameter discs (355 mm front, 335 mm rear) with high performance calipers and last generation ABS system. For Lamborghini Diablo GT even better performances are achieved, thanks to the reduced car weight.
Body
Lamborghini Diablo GT combines a new construction technology with a new design. Almost all the body parts are made of carbon fibre, excluding the roof and the doors only.
Front bumper of new design, with integrated air intakes for the new front mounted oil cooler and for the brakes. Rear bumper of new design, "wing shaped". Front fenders of new design, matching the larger front track. Front bonnet of new design, with integrated air outlet from the oil cooler. Engine bonnet of new design, incorporating the engine dynamic air intake.

Interior
In the interior, of new design, most components are made of carbon fibre.
Racing seats, racing 4 point safety belts, sporty steering wheel and general sport trimming, leather and Alcantara upholstery, carbon fibre parts "in sight", are all elements that give a sporty feeling to the driver and to the passenger. The air conditioning system is standard equipment to maintain a high comfort level."

A dual air bag system is available as an option.

Sant'Agata Bolognese, 8.3.1999

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Limited Edition

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"During the second Lamborghini Day held in Monte Carlo on January 21st 1990, the Diablo was presented to the public, the successor to the Countach took five years of development, but it was worth the wait.

The new Diablo was designed by Marcello Gandini, and for the first time his own signature was actually present on the car, an early production unit of this new low and wide Lamborghini reached a top speed of 340 Km/h on the Nardo circuit by using the new 5.7-Liter V12 with 492 Bhp.
The Diablo was a very modern design, no more square air intakes, but nicely integrated ones and a rear bumper that actually doubles as a down-force wing, although a massive rear wing was still a possible option. A very nice front spoiler with two pairs of flash lights completemented the pop-up lights on this new Lamborghini model.
Because the US market was taken into account from the start there was no need for special bumpers, both the European cars and the US models looked more or less the same, only a few details were different.

The Diablo received large 17 inch wheels with massive 335-35 tyres at the rear and bigger disk brakes, these early models didn't have an ABS system or powersteering, these were only introduced on the later models."

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The Lamborghini Diablo was introduced in 1990 as a replacement for the long lived Countach, which had first been seen in 1971, and in production since 1973. Stylistically the Diablo shared many features with it's predecessor, including upwards opening doors, characteristic wedge shape and a mid-mounted V-12. This was no surprise as Marcello Gandini designed both cars. In fact, at the time of the Diablo's launch, Gandini had also styled another Italian supercar, the Cizeta V-16T, which looked very similar to the Diablo. Lamborghini and there then owners, the Chrysler Corporation were none to pleased by the similarities between the two cars, but the Cizeta never made it into full production and only a handful of cars were built before the project folded.

Most Lamborghini's prior to the Diablo were named after famous fighting bull's, which went with the logo on the Lamborghini badge. (The Countach being an exception, "Countach" being a local expression for astonishment in the region where Lamborghini's are built). Although it also means "the Devil", Diablo is also the name of a famous bull.

Throughout the 90's, Lamborghini constantly improved the Diablo. A four wheel drive VT model, in both coupe and a new "Roadster" body were introduced in the mid-1990's. Ownership of Lamborghini changed first from Chrysler to a Malaysian consortium and then to current owners Audi. The "base model became the lightweight 2 wheel drive SV, which was not only the cheapest, but also the fastest.

In 1998, the pop-up headlights were replaced by flush fitting headlamp units from the Nissan 300ZX. Engine size also grew to the current 5.7 litres, with corresponding increases in power.

By now (1999), the Diablo was due to have been replaced, but new owners Audi did not like the replacement, and so have started a redesign which will mean the Diablo will have to soldier on for a further 2 or so years. To keep it fresh in the marketplace, a special new model, the lightweight and extra powerful Diablo GT was introduced in 1999. Contemporary road testers loved it as they felt it represented the last of it's kind in brutish mid-engined Italian supercars. It is certainly not a user friendly car, with heavy steering, poor visibility and a tricky clutch, not to mention an uncomfortable, off-set driving position, but the motoring press loved it's "character" and uniqueness in todays market. By contrast, Ferrari have gone back to a front engined layout in it's latest range topper, the 550 Maranello. This makes it easier to see out of and Ferrari have also made the controls smoother and lighter, so that trundling around in traffic should be no problem.

This model is by AUTOart, who are newcomers to the 1:18th scale car market, but have very quickly established themselves as having some of the highest quality products available. This Lamborghini is no exception. The fit and finish is superb, and the red paintwork looks great. The interior is well detailed and carpeted, as is the front luggage compartment (which also contains the amplifier for the cars standard Kenwood hi-fi system). The engine bay is nicely represented, and the trademark V-12 firing order is visible on the internal engine cover. I have also seen this model in yellow, which looks equally superb. AUTOart also make a Diablo SV Coupe and a VT Coupe in a variety of colours, and both are also in my collection!

The only gripes I have are the left hand side door mirror which is loose (but luckily sits in the correct position), and that the roof panel (which sits on the engine cover when the cabin is open) cannot be removed and placed in the closed position. Apparently it is supposed to be able to come off, but I have seen correspondence on other sites where other collectors had broken the roof panel when trying to remove it. Consequently I am happy enough to leave it where it is!

Without a doubt, when compared to the Diablo's offered by Maisto and Bburrago, AUTOart are streets ahead in the level of detail and finish of the model.

Below is a link to a sound file which allows you to listen to a Diablo start up and accelerate away. The V-12 engine sounds superb! Be sure to listen.

http://www.iol.ie/~donohoer/0Lamborg...T_Roadster.htm

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By Tony Whitney

As an automotive journalist busy with tests for everything from television shows to lifestyle magazines I get to drive just about everything sooner or later. But don't ever think that I get jaded doing this kind of work. Every new car I climb into has some kind of appeal and there's always a sense of excitement and anticipation (at least, for me) when I get behind the wheel of something I've never tried before.

But of course, there are some cars that are more exciting than others. The thrill of turning the key and firing up Jaguar's latest isn't QUITE duplicated when the target of my evaluative effort is a Lada Samara.

Every now and again, though, something comes along that really IS special, a roadgoing icon that even hardened auto scribes can get quite light-headed at the very thought of.

On my way back from a recent drive to Death Valley and back (in a 1998 Ford Windstar) where I was testing a couple of new Fords, I dropped in on my friends at Bellevue Alfa Romeo to find that they'd recently taken on the Lamborghini franchise for the Pacific Northwest. Sitting in the shop in all its predatory glory was Lamborghini's US press car and the guys asked if I'd like to give it a good workover. Having responded with all the usual comments about what bears do in the woods, I booked a test session, returning later with a TV crew to cover this rare Western Driver contributor Ted Laturnus. I know of no other Canadian auto writer who's gotten his hands on a Lambo of any kind, so this feature is something of an exclusive.

The Diablo, of course, replaced the legendary Countach - the stealth fighter of the automobile world and a model that upstaged even Ferrari in the supercar stakes for sheer drama and brashness.

The Diablo is no less dramatic and one of the main problems of driving a car like this is worrying about other drivers having an accident while trying to look at it. After I'd familiarized myself with the cockpit layout I headed out into the Seattle-area traffic to the general amazement of 'mere mortals' in Cavaliers and Kenworths.

It would be a complete understatement to say that this is a striking automobile. It looks spectacular from every angle and has power and handling to live up to its promise. Only the Italians could build a masterpiece like this and the Diablo succeeds a remarkable assortment of fascinating ancestors - cars like the Miura and Espada. My tester was finished in a beautiful light gold color and is the only one in the world in that shade. As almost everyone with an interest in automobiles knows by now, Lamborghini started out as a manufacturer of agricultural tractors and decided that he could 'out-Ferrari' the folks in Maranello in the lucrative supercar business. Many believe that he did.

Bodywork uses aluminum alloy and carbon fibre composites and even the frame employs tubing made from these materials. If you're a fresh air motoring fan, by the way, you can get a Diablo roadster with a removable roof. Bugs-in-the-teeth motoring in a car that costs more than a decent house must be quite an experience.

Cars like this can be a bit daunting - even to experienced automotive journalists. After all, it's not every day you get to climb into a road rocket with 492-horsepower on tap and a zero to 60 mph time of just four seconds.

Getting in is probably the toughest part, though. Owners must develop a kind of 'Lamborghini crouch' to get past the swing-up doors without cracking their heads. Actually, I got the hang of this pretty quickly - so clearly I was born to own one of these cars!

Once tucked in the driver's seat, everything is just fine. The footwell seems racecar-tight at first, but after a few minutes on the road it becomes clear that pedal placement is just about ideal. To my delight, I soon felt pretty happy with the beast. Interior trim, incidentally, is all leather - even the dash top and roof lining. You'd have to be a cow to have more leather surrounding you than this. Don't even ask about cupholders though. I was amazed to find that the view from the driver's seat was very good indeed. Many supercars are the devil to see out of, but not this one. At no time, on back road or freeway, did I feel that I was suffering from restrictive vision. The rear view mirror gives a decent indication of what's happening behind and it would take a crafty highway patrolman (and a fast one!) to sneak up on you. The car is much better in this respect than a Lotus Esprit. The 5-speed manual gearshift is gated like other cars in this class - including Ferraris - but you soon get used to it. I miffed one shift, but that's about all.

In fact, I found the Diablo a surprisingly driver-friendly car to tool around in. It wasn't quite as daunting as I'd expected and after an hour or so I was quite used to it. You have to watch out for concrete parking spot markers with the low nose, but I found that the turning circle was better, if anything, than that of a Volvo C70 I tested for Western Driver recently.

The 5.7-litre, 48-valve V-12 makes the most wonderful noises, although this is not a car that'll numb your ears after a blast up the road, even if the huge and impressive powerplant is just behind your head. You'd expect more noise intrusion, but this isn't the case. Best of all, my test Diablo was a VT or Viscous Traction version - a four wheel drive exotic, no less. I've always felt that all wheel drive was essential for cars in this class. It really helps to get the power on the road - via huge Pirelli P-Zero tires in the Diablo's case. Even a good stab at the throttle pedal doesn't produce any unwanted gyrations. You have to take care with the clutch when starting on grades with all that horsepower and I would imagine that a replacement unit for a Diablo would run you a buck or two for sure.

Cornering is incredible, to say the least. What with the four wheel drive, grippy tires and a superbly-engineered suspension, this car really does corner like it's on rails. Although I didn't push it anywhere near its limit, I drove it quickly enough to find an uncanny absence of body lean. I once rode in a Diablo in Sicily with rally/race great Sandro Munari, who does PR work for Lamborghini, and he really showed me what it could do. To bring things to a stop, the Diablo is equipped with huge Brembo disc brakes similar to those Michael Schumacher uses on his Formula One Ferrari. This is about as safe a supercar as you're likely to find anywhere.

Suspension is independent front and rear, of course, and uses double wishbones, coil springs and anti-roll bars. Shock absorbers are electronic with manual and automatic control.

Of course, exotic cars come at exotic prices and this one is no exception. Get ready to cough up something like $350,00 Canadian for one of these beauties - $275,000 if you buy it in the US. This isn't really an automobile per se . It's more a rolling work of art. Think of it as a Michelangelo with a V-12 and you'll get the idea.

Incidentally, Bellevue Alfa Romeo Lamborghini is a wonderful source for all things Alfa - everything from clothing to camshafts - and they'll also sell you the Diablo you've always promised yourself (there's no dealer in BC). Located in downtown Bellevue at 225 105th Avenue (Washington zip code 98004), you can reach them by phone at (206) 635-9331 - ask for John Shrader.

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T o p 5 m o s t c l i c k e d c a r s

Rank Manufacturer and Model

1. Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0
2. Bentley 8 Litre 4/8
3. Triumph TR 3 A
4. Lamborghini Diablo
5. Lamborghini Countach 5000S

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Paint this
http://www.spydergroup.co.uk/wip/Lam...i/diablosv.htm

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Model

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History of the Diablo


In the mid 1980’s Automobili Lamborghini decided that the time was right to start thinking about a successor to the legendary Countach. After five years of development the new supercar was unveiled in Monte Carlo during January 1990. The Lamborghini Diablo was born.

The name ‘Diablo’ was taken from a ferocious fighting bull that was raised by the Duke of Veragua in the 19th Century. In 1869 it fought an epic battle with the famous matador ‘El Chicorro’ in Madrid and became legendary for its aggression and power. These qualities were exactly what Lamborghini had produced in its new sportscar.

The car was styled by the same man who penned the Countach, Marcello Gandini. However, the Diablo went through several design alterations, first of all by Gandini himself and also by the Chrysler styling centre, as Chrysler had taken control of Lamborghini during the design process of the car. Despite the alterations, the Diablo was still a true Lamborghini - low, wide and extremely fast with the 5.7-litre engine giving it a top speed of 325km/h from a healthy 492bhp.

The first cars were delivered to customers in June 1990 and the Diablo was finally unleashed on the motoring public around the world. Over the next ten years Automobili Lamborghini made a number of different versions of the Diablo, including the four-wheel drive VT and the popular Roadster.

It was at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show where the company unveiled the limited edition Diablo GT. Only 80 cars were to be made of this special Diablo, a car capable of carrying you to a speed of 335 km/h. Later that year, at the Bologna Motor Show, Lamborghini launched the evolution of the GT, the race-ready Diablo GTR.

The GTR model was launched specifically for the Lamborghini Supertrophy as a replacement for the SVR model, which had been used since the series began in 1996. Production was limited to only 40 units.


The GTR model takes the Supertrophy and the Diablo to a higher level. The power output of the 6-litre V12 engine is increased with small modifications to the fuel inlet system. The addition of titanium connecting rods, a lightened crankshaft, specially race-tuned exhaust system and an improved engine management program have all helped to produce an extra 50bhp over the outgoing SVR. The Diablo’s power was raised to an impressive 590bhp, increasing the maximum speed to 338km/h.

July 2001
Ref: gtr038

For information: Lamborghini GTR Supertrophy Media Office, ProAction, Kings Hall,
Parsons Green, St Ives, Huntingdon, PE27 4WY, England
Tel: +44 1480 494060 Fax: +44 1480 494062
e-mail: supertrophy@proaction.co.uk
website: www.lamborghini.com

On event contacts: Steve Fellows +44 7831 868496
Rachel Ingham +44 7771 705950

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"How do you follow a legend? As the 1990s were about to bloom Automobili Lamborghini faced that question on two fronts. It was forced to confront the problem of replacing both a legendary leader and a legendary car. Either issue would be difficult enough, but both at one time? Some might call the task impossible.

Its founder and spiritual leader, Ferruccio Lamborghini, had long since sold his brainchild and moved on to less stressful ventures, including his death (eventually). Absent from the company for more than a decade, Lamborghini's long shadow still stretched over the company that bore his name. The final car that he inspired, the Countach, was not only in production nearly twenty years after Lamborghini had signed the final sales contract, it was still regarded by many as the epitome of "supercardom." The company contemplated: How to follow a cover girl crowd-pleaser like the Countach?

Gazing into this void, the faceless Swiss investors who had taken control of Automobili Lamborghini from its founder in the Seventies decided to cash in and look for new investments. After all, it is one thing to maintain the production of an established car; it is quite another to find the inspiration for a completely new car. The Swiss found a willing taker in the unlikely form of the Chrysler Corporation.

By the mid-Eighties Chrysler had rebounded from a brush with bankruptcy, invented the minivan and suddenly become, against all odds, flush with success. In those heady days Chrysler thought it finally had the keys to the kingdom. And such success breeds a natural inclination to buy some expensive toys. For Chrysler Corporation, one of its expensive toys was American Motors and its Jeep brand; others were Maserati and Automobili Lamborghini. So it came to pass that American corporate managers and an Italian-led contingent of designers and engineers were given the great task to produce a vehicle that would succeed the Countach. In the absence of one single guiding force, the committee that created the Diablo made it so it would do and be everything the Countach did and was, but more so. And though Chrysler Corporation has long since been out of the picture (in 1994 it peddled its stake in the legendary firm to somewhat unlikely suitors from Indonesia), the car is one of the most formidable Italian-American combinations. The car's Italian-American heritage has survived the relatively recent acquisition of Automobili Lamborghini by yet another big, flush car company, Volkswagen-Audi. Time will tell if VW will prosper where Chrysler ultimately had to bail.

So much for the mixed parentage of the car, what about the Diablo itself?

Well, though it might lack the staying power of its predecessor, which reigned at the top of the exoticar heap for a period of nearly two decades, the at-first-dismissed Diablo has demonstrated remarkable staying power of its own. Further, it seems to be the last of its breed of "styling first, function last" exotic GT cars. After all, Ferrari (Ferrari!) has decided to make its cars easier to drive, easier to live with and even easier to get in and out of. While that might be laudable to those of us who are having a more and more difficult time bending at various joints, wouldn't you rather see a sinuous supermodel emerge from an exotic foreign car than a creaky octogenarian?

Since it barely comes up to the average person's waist, the Diablo is (to its credit) a challenge to get into. With its radical swing-up doors and let-it-all-hang-out styling, it is also the contemporary car that has the biggest presence, kind of a Madonna for the road.

In most ways, just like the singer-actress, the Diablo revels in being outrageous and uses that as its key marketing tool. Just peer at the 6-liter all-alloy V-12 engine. With titanium connecting rods and 32-bit computerized engine controls (hey, those VW guys are good for something), a representative late-model Diablo has 543 horsepower on tap (at a busy 7100 rpm.) The peak torque figure is a stupendous 457 pound-feet at 5800 rpm.

With all this power perched very close to your right ear, the Diablo is automotivedom's grandest thrill ride. If it were to be offered to Disneyland patrons, even the SpeedPass line would be hours long. To deal with the horrific amount of power (and the potentially ham-handed drivers who get to use it), Lamborghini decided to equip the Diablo with all-wheel-drive. While big and bigger tires used to be the answer, Pirelli simply can't build tires that are wide enough to cope with all the torque. Instead, like an oversize quattro, the Diablo employs a viscous coupling-governed drive system that slides some of the torque to the front wheels if the rears begin to slip. Don't plan any off-road expeditions when you buy your Diablo, though. Not only is ground clearance a minimal 5 1/2 inches (as it should be), the four-wheel-drive system also channels a maximum of 28 percent of torque to the front wheels, no matter what. This means the Diablo still feels like a rear-drive car, while being able to launch like a Saturn rocket.

Speaking of launch, a current Diablo in a decent state of tune can flash from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds or so, making it the quickest production car you can buy for your 300-large. Top speed, according to those very precise folks at Automobili Lamborghini, is reported to be 208 mph.

And that is the point. These days even Lamborghini is marketing its creature comforts, stereo system and automatic climate control. But if that's what you want, just stay in your La-Z-Boy and take a nap. We would rather blow some mental carbon out on a long-fast drive. And the Lamborghini Diablo is certainly the right tool for that job."

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The Diablo was introduced to the public and journalists in Monte Carlo during the second Lamborghini day on January 20, 1990. The Diablo was finally ready to take over the tradition of the Miura and the Countach.

Some of the new batch of prototypes, a total of eight were built, had to be used for crash tests. Even the best sports car in the world has to comply with rigid regulations if it wants to run freely on the roads. Thanks to special techniques used in frame construction, the Diablo was able to easily pass the more demanding crash tests.

New strict anti-pollution regulations posed serious problems in the design of the new engine. Old carburetors could not be used if the car was to be sold in the United States. At the moment, there was no commercial electronic fuel injection system on the market for a 12 cylinder engine. Engineer Checkorani, head of the research and development department, had the only solution to develop a new electronic fuel injection system. Using internal Lamborghini resources, the result was the new engine system called L.I.E., which is still at the heart of today's Lamborghini engines.
This documentation is intended to outline the features of the 550 Maranello following a natural progression from its functional and styling definition, to the evaluation if its driveability.

We were so enthusiastic about Marcello Gandini's design that we wanted to see the new creature in action as soon as possible. We started in about January 1987, and we built everything from scratch in no more than four months; in some cases even working overnight. Just to start with something, we took an engine from the Countach and fitted it to the new body with some light modifications.

As it happened for the Miura, the basic frame of the car and the general mechanical layout was designed as the very first element of the project. The frame was studied and optimized using sophisticated computer analysis programs. This allowed a weight reduction of 30 kilos from the Countach, increasing at the same time, its performance. At this point, the skeleton of the new creature was ready for the designers to work on.

When we decided to build a new car November 1985, we realized that the task was a very tough one. Our top model, the Countach, had become a myth after 20 years of production, and it was clear that any new Lamborghini had to perpetuate this leadership. The requirement was very simple; continue to be the number one. Some values of the Lamborghini tradition had to be taken into the future; (1) have a very aggressive design without using merely aesthetic parts, and (2) build a real car that could be used in every part of the world.


http://www.grog.miesto.sk/info/Lamborghini2WD.htm
Pics

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http://star.xq23.com/gift_presents_f...ni_diablo.html