Diablo & Iacocca: questions about its design origin

This is an old debate that played out in the early nineties, and, as such, you can research online and read all the details. Here is the executive summary:
1. Gandini designed the Diablo.
2. Chrysler thought it was too aggessive and toned it down for the US market.
3. Gandini got pissed off.
4. Gandini and Chrysler came together and found common ground they both liked and approved and that became the final product.
5. Gandini lists it as one of his designs. In fact, his name is on the car with the badge that says "Designed by Marchello Gandini" in Italian.

END OF STORY.

Post Script: The 6.0 body was changed quite a bit, and does not wear Gandini's name as a result of those changes.

 

yes this is correct
the Chrysler guys "softened" it up but the original was indeed a Gandini design

 

Around #3...Cizeta!

 

i personally preferred the Cizetta-Moroder to the Diablo anyway
the Diablo looked like someone had softened everything up by holding the blowtorch to it for just a tad too long

 

Sharp edges are usually masked off to protect from harsh buffing & carefully finished off...

 

Had more to do with design philosophy than retailers buffing a surface

 

I'm not sure which I like more...they are both great to me. I think I've seen photos somewhere, but I'd like to see the designs Chrysler did the Gandini refused to put his name on...

 

The Chrysler designer is a LamboClub member and lives local to me... would be a cool interview to do. He has a lots of stories about the Diablo days!

 

Yep, and awesome it is! Even more impressive in person.

 

Is that you Wally? If so, I have really enjoyed your work over the years. I know anonymity is great on the web but I think that you might get a better response if people new who you are - these are a great, helpful bunch of guys but sometimes your questions sound like some of the 16 year olds we get..

John

 

Wow... what an interesting thread... For me, the Diablo design era is one of the most attractive and mysterious of the Lamborghini history. I really love Gandini designs for the car. Much more than the rounded and americanized final design...

In fact there were more design proposals than the two of Gandini and the final mix Gandini-Chrysler. There were at least two cars completely designed by Chrysler for the Diablo that never saw the light.

I'm not sure that Gandini agreed to put his name on the car. I remember an interview in which he said he was disappointed by the way Chrysler had completely changed his design. I think the "Designed by Gandini" plate was placed in the car merely for commercial proposals..

 

To me the original Diablo design was the best variation of that model, the clean and uncluttered style of it fit that era

I'm not surprised Chrysler softened the design, this was the replacement for the long produced king of exotics then, the Countach, so would be viewed as quite a risky venture to avoid large criticism

The Cizeta V16 was certainly more faithful to Gandini's original design concept, and still being built today BTW, a wonderful design

In those years, there were some other more outlandish designs, but I don't think any were seriously considered, several were based on the Diablo platform, so not sure why they thought Chrysler would be interested, so more likely just styling one-offs for promotion of their company really
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Two weeks ago in the Schloss Bensberg Classics event, there was an event organised by Lamborghini for the 50th birthday retracing the history of the brand.

During this event, Mr. Tom Gails, formerly the chief of design of Chrysler, was invited by Mr. Winkelman and explained Chrysler's role in the Diablo's design. Basically, he explained that his team worked together with Marcello Gandini in order to softened the original design and they they took the responsibility for the entire interior design. From what I heared, Chrysler influence was very large and Lee Iaccoca was involved at many steps. For instance, many details such as the shape of the vents, the brake signal, the rear spoiler were entirely designed by Chrysler.

I tried to take some pictures during his slideshow. Sorry for the bad quality, it was very dark in the room.
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The final design was a compromise between Gandini and Chrysler, as has been discussed earlier. And I love it. The original Diablo is awesome, and I prefer it to the 'all Gandini' original which to me was too busy and aggressive. And you are correct, it is well documented Chrysler did the interior. However, Chrysler couldn't just put a plate saying 'designed by Gandini just for fun or commercial purposes. That would require his legal approval, and I think that says it all about the so called controversy. I think it is clear. Again: Gandini did original design. Chrysler didn't like it. Gandini got mad. They worked it out and came up with a compromise design they all agreed on. End.

 

Not ended yet ;-)

Anybody who knows Gandini and the styling of the cars he designed at that time (Both Cizeta proposals, both Diablo proposals, Shamal, Chubasco, P140 an more...) can't seriously say that the final Diablo design is designed by him or agreed by him except for the general proportions, volumes and little details like the lower shape of the windows which remained the same from the first proposals.
The rest of the car, all of it's styling cues, are unmistakeable Chrysler...
Gandini finally allowed his name to be used, but no more.

Compare Chubasco, EB110, both Cizeta proposals, etc with Diablo. Ligths, rear window, rounded bumpers and rounded shapes everywhere... There's no Gandini design keys anywhere...

End...

 

no need for arguing guys

the concept was obviously Gandini's, Chrysler acted like typical big company handed it off to it's team for 'renovations' to conform with their political views

it's also obvious that to badge the Diablo with Gandini's name, there was some financial arrangement met between the two parties

both designs are great IMO, in their own ways, for their own individual reasons

 

This.

 

Interesting to note that the EB110 was also re-worked post Gandini's original design. Internet pics easy to find.

Just mentioning as a lover of design (irrespective of name).

To stay on topic - i like the Diablo as is and love the Cizeta. Glad it all happened the way it did.

 

+1

 

A friend of mine (Lamboluigi) made better ones when we were also there. Also another image of the Chrysler design.
The baby blue car with Valentino in it is the actual running prototype, the car now in the factory museum.
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Also shown at Bensberg were a picture of the P140 'baby Lambo' proto, and some Chrysler proposals for that car. (so not Diablo) Very interesting stuff. There must be a lot more
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I spend alot of time at the museum this summer looking at the baby blue/grey car, P132 P zero. The car is now without its engine, as you can see in this picture I took with my phone. Also, see how the chassis of this very early protoype uses square tubes and looks alot like the final Diablo chassis design.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h21/jag_lars/image_zps80a94661.jpg

Looking at the protoype car you clearly see early Diablo design in there, or the other way around. The door and window design, the slant chin on the front bumper, the ducts in the front fenders in front of the windshield, the windsheild, the the angle of the upper rear wheel well lines, the large rear intakes for the radiators etc etc etc.

Yes, the Chrysler team did alot to soften the design, but I love it. The protoype car would never have become the timeless design classic, that the early Diablo has proved to be.

 

Jasperlambo, Thanks a lot!!! Very interesting stuff!! I didn't know that P140 proposals.