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Diablo VT Roadster
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  Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster      

  Article Image gallery (5) Specifications  
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Country of origin:Italy
Produced from:1998 - 2000
Numbers built:100
Introduced at:1998 Paris Motor Show
Internal name:L132.II
Predecessor:Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster
Author:Wouter Melissen
Last updated:Before December 1st, 2004
Download: All images
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Click here to download printer friendly versionAt 1993 Geneva Motor Show, the Lamborghini Diablo line-up expanded with the 'VT' version. The type name was short for Viscous Traction and referred to the addition of the all-wheel drive system. This was derived from the wild Lamborghini LM002 luxury off-road vehicle. Through a viscous clutch, up to 25% of the power of the Diablo's mighty V12 engine could be diverted to the front wheels in case the rear wheels lost traction.

In addition to the revised drivetrain, the Diablo VT also featured a choice of updates to the suspension, exterior and interior that were later also applied to the 2WD Diablo range. The visual changes included intakes for the front brakes beneath the driving lights, mirrors in body colour and a redesigned dashboard. Underneath the carbon-fibre composite skin, the Diablo VT featured four-piston brake callipers, power steering as standard and electronically adjustable Koni dampers.

Compared to the original Diablo, the new VT was not quite as wily due to the all-wheel drive system and adjustable dampers, and also considerably easier to drive courtesy of the power steering. It was expected that the 2WD model would soon be phased out in favour of the VT but it remained in production until 1998. The next major change to the Diablo line-up was the introduction of the Roadster in 1995. Equipped with a removable hard-top, it was available as a VT only.

Coinciding with the disappearance of the base Diablo, the range was submitted to a considerable update in 1998 following Audi's acquisition of Audi. The pop-up headlights were replaced by conventional units, larger wheels were fitted as standard and the engine was tuned to produce a further 40bhp. In addition to the VT and VT Roadster, Lamborghini also briefly offered the hard-core SV option, which would be the last of the regular production rear-wheel drive Diablos.

The final revision to Diablo VT line-up came in 2000, when a six-litre, 550bhp version of the venerable V12 engine was introduced. It was available only in coupe form as the company was busy developing the all-new Murciélago that would replace the Diablo late in 2001. The last hurrah for the Diablo was the VT 6.0 SE limited edition, which was available in two colours only and of which just 40 examples were built.

With the all-wheel drive Diablo VT, Lamborghini gradually moved away from the rather wild models of the 1970s and 1980s and as such it is the link between the original mid-engined Lamborghini supercars and the rather more refined machines that have been created since Audi took over.

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  Article Image gallery (5) Specifications