Late final 12 months, after a 29-year stint in Sant’Agata Bolognese that outlined the trendy Lamborghini supercar, Maurizio Reggiani introduced his retirement. It marked the top of a legendary profession that started in Maserati engaged on the Biturbo, then Bugatti on the EB110, and eventually, with the raging bull for the higher a part of the final three many years, or so we thought. At present, Reggiani publicizes that he’s stepping again into the business, this time as an advisor tasked with serving to Eccentrica Vehicles develop its reinterpretation of the Lamborghini Diablo.
We sat down with Reggiani for a fast chat forward of this newest announcement. Some responses have been edited for readability.
“After spending so a few years, you might be actually glued to the enterprise of the tremendous sports activities automotive,” says Reggiani. “Once I joined Lamborghini, it was within the time of the Diablo SV, and right this moment, to work on a product that’s what occurred earlier than my arrival at Lamborghini is like closing an enormous circle that is kind of 30 years of the historical past of Lamborghini.
Reggiani arrives in a pivotal 12 months for the San Marino-based carmaker. It has been over 12 months for the reason that startup model unveiled its tackle the Lamborghini Diablo, which it defines as a “restomod.” Flash ahead a 12 months, and Eccentrica is gearing as much as showcase a working and driving car at this 12 months’s The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. It’s at this inflection level, earlier than the reimagined Diablo begins its growth cycle, that Reggiani steps in.
“Increasingly more petrolheads need to have this sort of product. There’s increasingly of a love of what had been the extra pure automobiles produced within the final 20, 30 years. It’s clear that folks love this, however they want to have one thing extra precise by way of design, but additionally by way of performance,” says Reggiani. “The large job is to have the ability to do one thing that’s coherent with the DNA of the unique automotive however making a type of refresh. From a technical viewpoint, it’s saving the purity of the automotive whereas permitting for some enhancements which might be in a position to resolve or reduce the criticisms current on the time when the automotive was launched.”
Eccentrica is exclusive within the resto modding world as the primary trendy firm to reinterpret one in every of Sant’Agata Bolognese’s icons. Working straight with Reggiani, who labored on the Diablo when new, provides quite a lot of credibility to the San Marino-based outfit. Nonetheless, tempting an automotive legend to step out of retirement isn’t any simple process. Fortunately, Reggiani dropped hints relating to what enticed him to return so shortly.
“It’s additionally a chance to supply clients one thing a bit bit extra wild in comparison with all of the standardization of right this moment,” says Reggani. “Because of the automotive being born underneath the homologation guidelines of the 90s, it’s clear which you could have rather more freedom in comparison with the OEMs right this moment that should launch a very new automotive fulfilling all the brand new laws that must be in the marketplace for ten years…Petrolheads, I believe, can admire one thing in a section that’s tremendous unique however can present distinctive feelings…In the event you speak about a donor automotive that could be a Lamborghini, you’re already in a section that’s on the high of the highest.”
Whereas Eccentrica plans to unveil its first working and driving prototype throughout this 12 months’s Monterey Automotive Week, Reggani shared that the corporate goals to start buyer deliveries subsequent summer time. When requested in regards to the quick growth timeline, Reggani responded, “In the event you bear in mind the time I spent usually growing restricted automobiles just like the Sian, just like the Countach and the Veneno, we’re speaking a couple of related timeline… It’s formidable, however nothing inconceivable.”
Count on to listen to extra particulars about Eccentrica’s first reinterpretation because the 12 months rolls on. Nonetheless, this newest announcement clearly reveals that what already seemed like a promising addition to the restomod world has picked up some critical potential with its growth now guided by somebody that’s nothing wanting a residing automotive legend.
