Two letters: S and V. Individually, they’ve adorned countless performance cars across many manufacturers, but when Lamborghini put them together for the first time, it became something special. Standing for ‘Super Veloce,’ the moniker first appeared on the Lamborghini Diablo in 1995 when they unveiled a faster, meaner, and more untamed version. While you can look at 0-60 times, horsepower outputs, and any other metric on paper to see why these cars are unique, we decided to ask an expert. So when the opportunity came to sit down with Ed Bolian, we jumped at the chance, especially since he recently acquired a Diablo SV of his own.
duPont REGISTRY: What makes the SV model special compared to other Diablos of the era?
Ed Bolian: The Diablo SV was designed and outfitted to be the best driver-focused version in the range. The rawness and simplicity of the RWD, spartan interior, extreme graphics, sculpted wing, and stance are an immediate departure from the AWD VT. No Lamborghini lacks presence but the Diablo SV will stop anyone in their tracks, especially in a bright color with contrasting black accents.
DPR: The Diablo market has been heating up the past few years; what factors could you attribute to the rise in values?
EB: During the 1990-2001 window when Lamborghini built the 2,908 Diablos, we would anticipate the greatest impact to be on an audience between the ages of 13 and 25. They are now 36-59, established in their careers, they’ve built credit, educated themselves about the market, and they are shopping. Thinking of a target audience to spend $300k-1M on cars in the range, you couldn’t construct a better demographic. Many have also owned and grown bored with more modern and technological supercars and are gravitating toward the timelessness of slightly older cars like the Diablo.
DPR: As the age of the naturally aspirated Lamborghini V12 has sailed into the sunset, how do you see the Diablo SV being remembered in the brand’s history?
EB: I am a huge fan of vertical car collections. Drawing on the inspiration of the 288/F40/F50/Enzo/LaFerrari, I believe that a Miura/Countach/Diablo/Murcielago/Aventador vertical stands up beautifully in that company and I expect the total value gap to narrow over the next ten years. Like the LaFerrari, the Revuelto clearly fits in the lineup but a collector could justifiably stop prior to the hybrid cars out of consideration for long-term serviceability and maintainability. In that regard, the Diablo is perfectly situated.
DPR: Having driven predecessors like the Murcielago and Aventador, how does a Diablo differentiate itself in the driving experience?
EB: The V12 Lamborghinis are unmistakable for what they are in each iteration. Driving each generation clarifies the heritage and development arc with each having its own merit. Perhaps the Miura is the most beautiful, the Countach the most iconic, the Diablo the most extreme, the Murcielago the most refined, and the Aventador the best performing. In many ways, the Diablo is exactly what you would expect as it fits between the Countach and the Murcielago. More useful and more insane. It’s a terrific season in the brand’s life.
DPR: Almost seven months into the journey with your Diablo SV, what has stood out to you most about owning one?
EB: Even as someone who has put well over 100,000 miles on Lamborghinis, I still sometimes find myself worried that the older cars can be too punishing or useless to truly enjoy. Every time I climb into the Diablo I realize any hesitation is unwarranted. I fit, I can see, it starts right up, the approach angles are manageable, there’s space for things, and it does what it is supposed to. Perhaps my concerns might still have merit for a Countach, but the Diablo is a car I wouldn’t hesitate to drive a few miles to a coffee shop or make a run to Miami. We’ve even kicked around the notion of Cannonballing it and I never expected that.
DPR: What’s in store for the future of your Diablo SV? Can we expect it to stick around for a bit?
EB: A nice handful of cars have left the garage since the Diablo showed up but even though I had entertained the idea of letting it go in the window of time between buying it in Japan and taking delivery, the second I got in the car I knew it was going to be around for a good while. I do find myself wondering if I would enjoy a GT or Jota more, sufficiently more to justify the sizable additional investment, but I honestly think the SV is the perfect middle ground from a value perspective and probably peak from a utilization perspective. How can you beat that?
Want to know what it’s like to own one for yourself? Then be sure to check out this 1998 Diablo SV finished in the Giallo Evros available for auction on SOMO | Sotheby’s Motorsport. As one of the 346 made, this example was originally sold new in the US and features 3-piece forged wheels, a dual roof scoop, and a carbon fiber tail panel. While it is equipped with an Alpine stereo system, it’s hard to compete with the symphony produced by the naturally aspirated 5.7L V12 behind your head, putting out over 500 horsepower. The factory leather-wrapped bucket seats will keep you firmly in place while you carve through the corners and execute the perfect heel-toe downshift through the dog leg 5-speed manual transmission.
The auction ends this Thursday, May 9, so be sure to head over to SOMO | Sotheby’s Motorsport now to view the complete listing and bid on it before it’s gone.
