Lamborghini’s Former CTO on Making a New $1.3 Million Diablo Restomod and the Future of Gas Engines

Older automotive exotics reimagined with state-of the-art enhancements were once dismissed by the original manufacturers, but as the market and value of these restomods increases, so does their stature within the industry. The latest case in point is Eccentrica’s reinterpretation of the 1990s-era Lamborghini Diablo. Although the Raging Bull marque is not part of the project (shown above), its former chief technical officer, Maurizio Reggiani, has just been announced as Eccentrica’s advisor.

Prior to spending nearly three decades with Lamborghini, Reggiani honed his prowess in mechanical engineering with Maserati and, later, was instrumental in the resurrection of Bugatti. Now, one of the principal architects of such models as Lamborghini‘s Murciélago, Gallardo, Aventador, Huracán, and Urus, is entering the supercar ring again to help Eccentrica Cars, based in the Republic of San Marino.

In his new advisory role, Reggiani, who was recently given an honorary degree from the University of Bologna, will be focused on Eccentrica’s V-12-powered restomod, which will be limited to 19 examples, each starting at roughly $1.3 million. A few days before the official announcement, Reggiani spoke to Robb Report about his time with—and exit from—Lamborghini, why he finds this new project inspiring, and what it is that now propels him.

Why did you retire from Lamborghini when you did?

In my career [with Lamborghini], I moved from the Murciélago to the Gallardo to the Aventador to the Huracán to the Urus, and I was also part of the concept phase of the Revuelto. There is an age for everything. In terms of respect for the company, you must be able to guarantee that you are really able to perform at your best. But this is not enough. You need to be able to provide an outlook, a vision for a minimum of six years forward, because, normally, this is the development time of a project. You need to be able to step back when you are on top. You leave when you are somebody, not when you are nobody. It was respect for the company and respect for myself. From December of 2023, I was officially retired.

Of all the cars that you were instrumental in developing, which one are you proudest of up to this point?

If I was to choose a car that I thought was worthy of my honorary degree, it would be the [Lamborghini] Aventador. It was a car that didn’t exist, no single component existed. I was able to convince the VW Group to open a laboratory in Seattle to work with Boeing. And I was able to convince Boeing to work with us on this project. Nobody thought it was possible to build a car with this cost and with this contents. The profitability of the car was outstanding, we built and sold double of what was foreseen. I teach an MBA course at the University of Bologna, and it’s related to the full path of development for the Aventador. [I had] to convince the board of Lamborghini, of Audi, and of VW, that this was the right step forward for Lamborghini to have the success of today.

How did you become involved with Eccentrica?

The president and CEO of Eccentrica, Mr. Emanuel Colombini, is also a Lamborghini customer, and was a racer in our Super Trofeo. I had many opportunities to talk with him and have discussions about the philosophy of the car, and we developed a good relationship. I was approached some months ago by Emanuel, and he asked me if I can be available to be engaged in this type of project.

What will be your role and primary focus with Eccentrica?

To give them all of my experience without being the one who makes the final decisions. To tell what happened in the last 30 years of Lamborghini, in what way it was possible to build a success story, and what customers expect today. The requirements of Lamborghini customers in the 1990s are completely different from [those of] Lamborghini customers in 2024 and 2025. And for this, I think I am probably one of the best people to tell how we make this technical migration.  

What draws you to this project in particular?

This is a small chapter that is missing from my story with Lamborghini. I arrived with the Diablo SV, but I was not involved with the Diablo. [Now] I can discover the project of the original Diablo and define, with Eccentrica, what can be the contents to allow them to update the car to the expectations of customers today, and where best to put effort and resources.

Why the Diablo instead of, say, Lamborghini’s Miura or Countach?

Emanuel Colombini is the right person to give this answer, but in my opinion, the Diablo was the first car produced by Lamborghini in a new era. It was the first car developed under the responsibility of Chrysler, which means it was the first [Lamborghini] approached from an industrial point of view that was completely different from that of its predecessors. Sure, the Countach and Miura are much more iconic, but it’s difficult to catch donor cars that can be used to build this kind of car. With Diablo, the [production] volume is superior and [donor examples] are much more affordable.

What are some of the upgrades being made?

Changes have been made to the valve train, the speed of the engine, and the power of the engine—now 550 hp, which is superior to the original. And we decided to develop a new six-speed manual gearbox. The management of the power train is completely new, [as is] the chassis and steering rack. The exterior proportions of the Diablo remain, but the aesthetic has been updated. You perceive that it’s a Lamborghini Diablo, but it’s completely new in every single element—everything is done in carbon fiber. What is outstanding is that all of the interior is completely redefined with marvelous instrumentation, everything in full electronics.

What is one of the greatest challenges presented by this project?

When you are seated in the car, you smell the Diablo, but you have the feeling that it’s completely new—from an emotional point of view from driving, from quality, from the visual point of view. But you still perceive it to be a donor car with the DNA of Lamborghini. I think this is one of the most difficult tasks to achieve.

What else is planned for your next chapter?

I love to teach in the university because, for me, what is important is to give back to the school, to the industry. This, for me, is like a religion. To be able to talk with a student, to talk with a new generation and tell them my mistakes, my experiences, my achievements, and to help this new generation be enthusiastic like me, and better than me. This is one of the most important missions that I want to take.

Speaking of the next generation, is there a future for the internal-combustion engine?

I think engines like the V-12 and V-8 will never die. Never. They will become super-rare jewels. Everybody that experiences the sound, the vibration, the progressivity of the thermodynamic engine, cannot say that another type of propulsion is better. It can be faster and able to provide more performance, but as humans, we live for experiences, not numbers. A super-sport luxury car must touch all five senses.