Designing a restomod of any kind is an incredibly difficult task; how does one update an iconic design which carries so much history and emotion? This challenge is then multiplied tenfold when the subject of your restomod is one of Marcello Gandini’s paradigm-shifting supercars. The Miura, Countach, and Diablo each took their turn to rewrite the supercar rulebook, and expanding on these globally-adored designs will undoubtedly ruffle some feathers; take the mixed reception to Lamborghini’s own reimagined Countach, for example. However, we think you’ll agree that there's no better team for the job than Milanese design studio BorromeodeSilva—creators of the Automobili Amos Futurista, Safarista, and Nardone 928—who were commissioned to sharpen the Diablo's horns. Behold the Eccentrica, a radical reimagining of Gandini’s final raging bull—and the start of an exciting new car brand of the same name.
Don’t tell anyone, but the Diablo is secretly our favourite Lambo — in particular the fire-breathing GT — and that’s exactly the source from which the Eccentrica team and BorromeodeSilva took their inspiration. Needless to say, we’re obsessed with this thing. The Eccentrica team state that their goal with this design was to “Emphasise Lamborghini’s character and stylistic features by elevating the original concept to its purest evolution”. Keep in mind, the Diablo is not a single model, but rather a series of cars that look similar, but carry a host of differences.
Born out of Eccentrica boss Emanuel Colombini's passion and desire to give new form to the Diablo, this restomod takes the supercar's already extreme proportions and elevates them to the nth degree. Although the length and height are the same as the Diablo’s, the Eccentrica’s wheelbase has been extended, shortening the front and rear overhangs, while the body has been widened to emphasise the stonking rear end of this reimagined Diablo.
While we could write a book unpacking all the expert design flourishes, we’ll try to condense our thoughts here. Starting at the front, the Eccentrica takes clear inspiration from the Diablo GT’s simple yet aggressive nose with that panoramic front intake. Here you’ll find a nod to the Eccentrica’s name — which literally translates to “off-centre” — in the form of the asymmetrical placement of the logo and the metal tow hook, nicknamed the ‘Gold Tooth’ by BorromeodeSilva’s team. The headlights have been totally redesigned, replacing the Diablo’s pop-up lights with a ‘pop-down’ design with three different settings.
Moving along the car, the fenders have been redesigned to incorporate wicked ‘diablo horns’ just ahead of the wing mirrors, while the wheel arches feature an oblique chamfer that serves to create shadow and lighten the appearance of the Eccentrica’s body. Notably, the Eccentrica team decided to retain Gandini’s iconic slanted wheel arches, integrating the new fender flares in the overall shape. The wheels have naturally also been redesigned, simplifying those found on the Diablo GTR with subtle touches such as invisible wheel nuts.
Making our way round to that imposing rear end, it’s obvious that the BorromeodeSilva design team were careful to preserve the horizontal surfaces that gave the Diablo’s back end so much presence. Like the front, it features a super wide grille in 3D-printed titanium, while the rear overhang has been accentuated even further. Two huge rear vents — behind which the main radiators are located — flank the twin-exit, superbike-inspired Capristo exhausts, all held in place by a simple new carbon fibre rear bumper.
Finally, we reach the Eccentrica’s real party piece: its engine. The Eccentrica team wanted to expose the V12's incredible engineering in all its glory, something which was core to the very soul of this project. After all, this is a hypercar, and not intended to be used every day. However, while undergoing validation testing, the engine is hidden under fighter jet-inspired 'remove before flight' carbon fibre covers. It's safe to say that exposed V12 should be the perfect cherry on top of this outstanding design. Only the most dangerous elements of the engine are hidden by what Eccentrica have nicknamed the ‘teppenyaki plate’, which we’re guessing would function exactly as the name suggests. Best keep your hands to yourself!
Step inside this restomod’s retro-futuristic cockpit, and you’ll encounter a whole plethora of design flourishes to admire. The dashboard has been redesigned to improve aerodynamics, fully integrating the air vent to eliminate the original plastic units. There’s a custom LED cluster, while all controls feature physical switches and buttons; no touchscreens in sight. While the steering wheel is pleasingly minimalistic — connected to a GTR-inspired carbon fibre steering column — the six-speed gated metal shifter and centre console are pure artwork. According to the Eccentrica team, the startup procedure was inspired by aviation, and will no doubt be an ASMR fanatic’s wet dream.
While we could stare at this thing all week, a restomod’s mechanical upgrades are just as important as its aesthetic updates. Thanks to a body fully comprised of pre-preg carbon fibre panels, the Eccentrica manages to shave 35 kilos from the Diablo’s 1625kg curb weight. Naturally, the engine has been uprated too, and now produces a mighty 550 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque. 0-60mph is dispatched in a rapid 3.8 seconds, while the Eccentrica’s top speed stands at 335kmh, a 10kmh increase from the Diablo. Massive 380mm front and 345mm rear brakes help stop this reborn raging bull, and hydraulically-assisted steering should make it easier to drive in urban settings.
We can only congratulate the whole Eccentrica team for their outstanding work on their reimagined Diablo, and we can’t wait to see their new creation in the metal. Oh, and as for production numbers, just 19 of this wild carbon-infused raging bulls will ever be built, making them even rarer than the Diablo on which they're based. While there’s plenty of 2023 left, we feel confident in handing the Eccentrica the title of ‘Restomod of the year’. Bravo!
