After 17 years in production, Lamborghini’s much revered Countach was superseded by the Diablo which, on its arrival, was the fastest, most advanced and most expensive Lamborghini ever built.

First presented publicly at Monaco in January 1990, the Diablo improved on its predecessor in every way, setting a new standard in ‘supercar’ design.

It was styled by the late Marcello Gandini, the man responsible for Lamborghini’s Miura, Countach, Uracco, Khamsin and Jarama, Alfa’s Montreal, the Lancia Stratos and many more stunning designs over four decades.

The use of carbon fibre composite panels, first seen in the Countach Evoluzione model, was extended in the Diablo, which also featured revised suspension capable of accommodating the anticipated future developments of four-wheel drive and active suspension.

Stretched to 5.7-litres for the Diablo, Lamborghini's 48-valve V12 boasted fuel-injection for the first time.

With more power and a lower drag coefficient than the Countach, the Diab...