The Lamborghini Diablo was one of the defining cars of the 1990s, just as its Countach and Miura predecessors had come to prominence over the previous two decades. And like its predecessors, Diablo’s production ran for a long time, from 1990 to 2001, which left plenty of room for iteration. Saying you want Diablo isn’t specific enough, as there are so many to choose from. This may be the best of the group.
part of a bonhams Monterey Car Week Auction This 2000 Lamborghini Diablo GT is one of the final versions of Lambo’s 1990s supercar. As a later version, it benefits from the experience Lamborghini has gained in building cars for a decade, as well as the more generous budget that came after Audi acquired the Italian automaker in 1998. It is a back-to-basics, track-focused model and one of the rarest versions of Diablo.
Lamborghini unveiled the Diablo GT at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show as a tribute to its then-new racing program, which fielded the Diablo in international sports-car competition. Flared fenders, NACA ducts, a roof scoop, a large rear diffuser and OZ wheels surrounded by a thick rear wing definitely gave it a race-car look. It featured performance courtesy of a 6.0-liter V12 (earlier Diablo models had a 5.7-liter version) making 575 horsepower. This allowed the Diablo GT to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in an estimated 3.5 seconds and reach a claimed top speed of 210 mph.
While Lamborghini introduced all-wheel drive with the Diablo VT in 1993, the GT stuck with rear-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission. And because it’s a Diablo, you can appreciate the epic combination of naturally aspirated V12, manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive without any distractions. The cabin is free of modern tech features, but so is the chassis, so you better pay attention.
A production of 80 cars was planned, but 83 were actually built. This still makes the GT the second rarest Diablo road car behind the 6.0 SE, of which only 44 were made (only the Track SVR and GTR were built in even lower numbers). The car put up for auction is number 74 out of 83 cars manufactured. It is finished in Black Rage with black leather interior matching the carbon fiber trim. According to the auction listing, it has 8,828 miles on the odometer and has been professionally maintained by a Lamborghini master mechanic for the last 19 years.
The Diablo remains an icon today as it represents Lamborghini. Just as Ferrari is indelibly linked to Formula 1, the name Lamborghini inevitably brings up the image of scissor doors, an impossible-to-ignore wedge shape and a naturally aspirated V12. The Diablo GT is one of the purest expressions of that image, and one of the last before Audi completely changed the character of the automaker under (admittedly successful) leadership.
