1992 Lamborghini Diablo

Details

There is no doubt the Lamborghini Countach was THE first supercar. First shown to the world at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show the prototype Countach shocked the world. Surely ‘just another show car’ they said. The Miura was a tough act to follow and Bertone’s design team pushed the boundaries to create what is today one of the most recognisable shapes on the planet! Supposedly named after an Italian slang expression of awe or astonishment the Countach became reality when the first production car rolled off the Sant’ Agata production line in 1974.

The original LP400 was replaced by the LP400S in 1978. The “S” model had the wide wheel arches and uprated suspension to accommodate the massive Pirelli P7 tyres / Campagnolo wheel rims along with other subtle improvements. In 1982 the LP500S (also referred to as the LP5000S) was introduced. The major change here was the increased engine capacity from 3929 cc to 4754cc. The Countach continued to evolve and in the 1985 the LP5000 Quattrovalvole (or “QV”) was introduced. With the “QV” the engine was improved again, bored and stroked to 5.2 litres (5,167 cc) and given four valves per cylinder (quattrovalvole in Italian). The final variant of the Countach, the 25th Anniversary, was released in 1988.

In total circa 2,000 Countach were built spanning an amazing 17 years of production from 1974 to 1990.

What an impossible act to follow, but Lamborghini was up for the challenge and development of the successor to the Countach, code named Project 132, commenced in the mid 1985 whilst the company was under the control of the Mimram brothers. It was a difficult time for Lamborghini and whilst the sale to Chrysler in 1987 pushed the project backwards because the bosses in Detroit were not happy with Marcello Gandini’s proposed design, the end result was no doubt worth the wait. The Diablo (or “Devil”) is an illustrious breed of Spanish fighting bull and it was the name given to Lamborghinis new supercar. It was first shown (formally) at the Chicago Auto Show in January 1990 and with a claimed top speed of 202 mph was to be the world’s fastest production car.

The Diablo entered production by mid 1990 and evolved through a number of different models including the VT (all wheel drive), Roadster, SE30, SV and the 6.0 being the final iteration of the eleven year production run.

Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer this stunning 1992 Lamborghini Diablo. This factory RHD example was delivered new into Hong Kong and sold by the Lamborghini dealer Kingsway Cars. The car returned to the Lamborghini factory in Sant’ Agata Bolognese, Italy in 1996 and received a number of VT upgrades including the dash, engine bay panels and the fitment of power steering. The car also had a major service at that time.

This Diablo was acquired by an Australian who lived in Hong Kong and he enjoyed the car there for some time before importing it into Australia in 2009. Whilst in Hong Kong the car was registered as JN2812. There are receipts on file for major mechanical works (including an engine rebuild, suspension overhaul and other miscellaneous works) and repaint from November 2008 totalling HK $395,000. Once in Australia the car was subsequently registered in NSW and it had a gearbox rebuild in late 2009. The owner enjoyed the car on the wide open roads in country Australia before it was sold in 2015. The car went to Adelaide for a short time before being acquired by Oldtimer Australia. Whilst in Adelaide the car had a major service by Italian car specialists Veloce Motorsports.

Today the car presents and drives fabulously. Aside from a few nicks on the front bumper the paint is in excellent condition. Similarly all of the exterior trim, the wheels and glass are also in excellent condition. Inside the cabin the interior is also in very good condition and the seats, door cards, carpets etc all look to be original with little or no wear evident.  All of the gauges and switch gear are also in excellent condition.

Open the dramatic scissor door, slide into the cockpit and get comfortable . . .  for a new Diablo driver it will take a minute to find the ‘over the left shoulder’ seatbelt . . . and you’re ready to go! The engine bursts to life at the turn of the key and it is immediately obvious that the Diablo is indeed the devil! The car is surprisingly tractable at low speeds and apart from the fact this is a ‘big car’ it is relatively easy to drive. This car makes all the right noises and it pulls like a train as you accelerate through the gears. The car handles, steers and stops as one would expect

This Diablo is finished in its original colour scheme of red over tan, just a stunning combination for this outrageous supercar.

This car is now 25 years young and the earlier Diablos are following in the footsteps of their older brother, the Countach, and becoming a highly sought after classic.