Lamborghini's flagship cars have always been a bit special. Right the way from the classic Miura to the contemporary Aventador, and everything in between. And with every car produced, Lamborghini has remained consistent with a couple of things: radical styling and all-out performance.

The 1970s, '80s, and '90s are often looked upon through a sepia-hued lens when it comes to Lamborghini, and there are a few supercar-shaped reasons for that. The one that probably springs to mind first is the Countach, largely due to its out-of-this-world styling.

But the one that took things to a whole new level — especially in terms of performance — came in 1990 with the Diablo. It was the first car Lamborghini had produced that could reach that all-important 200 mph mark. In fact, it exceeded it, going on to reach a top speed of 202 mph. That figure is big today, but in 1990, it was enormous.

So, given how important it was in Lamborghini's history, let's take a detailed look at the Diablo and how much it costs today. 

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The History of the Lamborghini Diablo

Via: Toru.wiki, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Supercars have always been Lamborghini's forte. In fact, the company was responsible for developing the first-ever supercar in 1966, the Miura. It had sleek and elegant styling — which was dreamt up by legendary Italian designer Marcello Gandini — and a then-radical engine, with a quad-cam V12 placed behind the driver. It developed 350 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 300 lb-ft of torque at 5,500, meaning sixty could be reached in 6.3 seconds, and a top speed of 163 mph achieved.

Then followed the Countach in ’74, which was about as bold as car styling gets. Again, it was handled by Gandini, though the result made the Miura look conservative by comparison. It was boxy, wedge-shaped, and, in later generations, had a wing at the back that was similarly sized to a small aircraft's.

In 1985, Lamborghini set about developing a replacement for the Countach, and they needed something special to follow up. Again, Marcello Gandini was brought on board, though his initial designs were altered dramatically during its five-year development stage.

Chrysler had purchased Lamborghini in 1987 and set about tweaking Gandini's original creation for something a little less aggressive. Though this isn't to say the result was tame, not by any means, as it was still quintessential Lamborghini with its gull-wing doors and wide, angular body.

A Detailed Look At The Lamborghini Diablo

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And though the styling was brilliant and very of the era, Lamborghini's objective wasn't just looks with the Diablo, it was also speed — 315 km/h, or 196 mph, to be exact. To reach that milestone, the Diablo needed some serious power, and serious it received. The first Diablo, introduced in 1990, came with a 5.7 liter, dual overhead camshaft V12 that was mounted in the middle, sending power to its back wheels. It developed 492 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 428 lb-ft of torque at 5,200, respectively. This meant sixty could be reached in 4.5 seconds and that 196 mph target exceeded, with the Diablo going on to achieve an additional six.

New, the Diablo cost $210,000 — or $422,000 in today's money — but for that, you didn't get the creature comforts you'd expect for such a large price tag. The Diablo didn't feature ABS or power steering until 1993, and with a V12 pumping out 492 bhp, this meant the original models were a bit of a handful. Lamborghini set about rectifying this in 1993 — albeit only partially — with the Diablo VT. It had all-wheel drive — instead of rear — and power steering, although it wasn't until '99 that ABS was fitted.

Throughout its 11-year production run, several variations of the Diablo were developed. Arguably the most notable, though, was the SE30 that came in '94 and the VT that came in 2000. The SE30 was, as the name would imply, developed to celebrate 30 years since the company was founded, so it had to be something special.

And that's exactly what it was. It was lighter, thanks to plexiglass windows and luxuries removed, and more powerful, with an additional 31 bhp. The SE30 could now reach sixty in 4.1 seconds and go on to hit 207 mph. The visuals were reworked, too, with a new front fascia, a deeper front spoiler and the placement of the front badge moved further down.

The VT, meanwhile, arrived at the turn of the millennium, following Audi's takeover of Lamborghini in 1998. The Diablo was now ten years old, so it was decided the car would be given one last drastic makeover before it would eventually bow out and be replaced by the Murcielago.

Both the interior and exterior were reworked, with the front bumper, nose, and air intakes altered, while on the inside, a new dashboard and redesigned seats were fitted. The engine was uprated, too, with displacement increased to 6.0 liters — using a unit borrowed from the Diablo GT, albeit with less power — and bhp upped to 543.

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How Much The Lamborghini Diablo Costs Today

Via: Brian Snelson from Hockley, Essex, England, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Now, given the Diablo's importance in Lamborghini history and the car's overall popularity, prices still carry a premium — though admittedly, the figures aren't too dissimilar from what the car cost new. At the time of writing, prices for earlier models are sitting anywhere between $150,000 to $180,000, which, generally, will get you one with relatively low mileage and that's been well looked after.

Prices for special-edition models, like the SV or the VT, could cost you anywhere from $300,000 to $350,000. In any case, though, you'll be getting a proper Lamborghini, and one with all the character, power, and styling you'd expect from the legendary Italian company.

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