Minneapolis Street Sighting: Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 VT

By now, readers are well aware of the various classics and oddball cars I see scouting the streets if the Twin Cities (and other places I visit, for that matter). What I haven't let readers in on, are my list of favorite cars. I already blogged my absolute favorite modern German car of all time, the Porsche Carrera GT. Now, it's Italy's turn. It's no secret that I lust after Lambos (or maybe it is, since the only relatively common one is the Murcielago, which is a hit-or-miss car for me), and the Diablo has always been a favorite of mine. But, unlike most Italian cars, the Diablo bucks a trend. I favor the 6.0/facelift cars much more than their predecessor. When the original car bowed in 1990, it was a new era for Lamborghini; a replacement for the Countach, it was said to be more civilized. But the new car still had the "woes" the made the Countach not easy to live with. Horrible rear visibility, quirky entrance and exit, kit-car-looking dash layout, and MPG was in the single digits. But that's not why you buy a Lamborghini.
You buy it for style, for presence, and performance. Honestly, though, most Lambo owner hardly use their car to their potential. I bet if the next Lambo came along with a turbodiesel four cylinder, the badge on the "hood" would have people lining up in droves.

















Unlike the first iteration, I loved the 6.0 from the time it came out. Everything about the previous car I didn't like was fixed here. The wheels were bigger, the headlights now sat flush with the body, and the air intakes looked better. Heck, even the new fascias looked better. Some may argue that the original Diablo is the "correct" iteration, and I don't blame them. I'm in a minority when it comes to loving the later Diablos, and I'm perfectly fine with that. I loved this car in 2000 when it came out, and I still do. Apart from the Jalpa, and obvious Miura, this Diablo 6.0 ranks up as one of my favorite Lamborghinis--of all time.
I first spotted this car about a year or so before shooting it; it had Florida plates then, so I was absolutely sure that was a one-time spotting. Quite a pity because I didn't have a camera on me at the time. Fast forward nearly a year, and lo-and-behold, here it was. Parked at Top Gear, fresh off of a service. I talked to the owner for a bit and found out he was the first owner and this was his second Lamborghini after owning a red 1990 Diablo. He said the newer car rides better, but thanks to slightly more sound deadening, the cabin is quieter, resulting a minimal loss in supercar experience. To be honest, that really doesn't matter to me. I love the noise these cars make, but I would maybe enjoy hearing my iPod once in a while--at least in city traffic. Out on the open road, though, there's no question. I'd love to hear that V12 because in a car like this, the V12 is the music.
It makes me sad that they replaced it with a Murcielago, and decided to go the whole "edgy" route. Cars that look great now likely will look extremely dated in a few years. The Murcielago is a good example of this. While they looked stunning when new, they're near the hallmark of "bland exotic". I mean, sure, it had gobs of power, and it certainly had presence when new, but honestly, they don't make my head turn the way a Diablo does. An Aventador sparks the same reaction. I was all over those cars when new, but now, it has to be special for me to care.
For me, nothing will ever replace the Diablo as my favorite modern Lamborghini--unless the Diablo somehow gets a magical new production run--and shares no parts with Audi, Bentley, or VW. Then, and only then, will Lamborghini have its magic back.