In the January 2001 issue of Sport Auto, a French car magazine, this running Lamborghini Prototype was shown, it had close resemblances to the MY 2000//2001 Diablo VT 6.0 but still many details were different.
The front spoiler looked closely like the one used on the 1999 Diablo GT with massive square air intakes, the inclination of the windscreen was exactly the same as on the Diablo 6.0, but the front fenders were more rounded looking like the Countach ones in their time, while the rear quarter windows became much smaller.
The front headlights look close to the ones mounted on the Canto prototypes, completely fixed units different than the ones found the current Diablo, no more Nissan 300 ZX units on a Lamborghini.
Finally the massive air intakes seen on the earlier Canto prototypes had vanished, a new treatment was similar to the Diablo solution but the entire rear end of the car looked much rounder, recalling the design of the Bugatti Veyron, judging from the photo the rear lights are still round units but are somewhat outside the rear panel.
On the image a special rear spoiler is visible in an upright position, if this one will make it onto the production car isn’t known at this moment but it could, Strosek made a similar design on the Diablo with the rear wing fitted between the rear fenders like this one.
When we interpret the image correctly, the engine cover still uses the same design as on the Diablo, while a Miura style cover like seen on the SE30 would also be very nice I personally think.
If this prototype will be close to the final Diablo successor isn’t really sure at this time, some sources state it is a test car for the new Lamborghini to replace the Diablo on June 24th 2001, while another respectable source states this car is only an hybrid model to test the new V10 engine mounted on a current Diablo chassis. This car is a testing ground for the latest aerodynamics, suspension setup and cooling flow to be used on the new ‘entry-level’ Lamborghini and not the Diablo replacement.
Later, in early 2001 this drawing was presented by Car and Driver, an US car magazine, it looks similar to the top prototype in many ways, but still it looks different, especially the front headlight configuration, it looks rather mean this way, but for a definitive look at the new Lamborghini model we’ll all have to wait until June 2001, when it will finally be officially presented …
Whatever this car represents, it sure looks a lot better than any of the Canto prototypes we were able to see before, if this is the way the new designers of Automobili Lamborghini SpA are heading I for sure won’t complain about it.