The Lamborghini Diablo is a cult classic, a poster car for an entire generation. So, when someone decides to tinker with such an icon, the result better be something special—or it risks sacrilege. Enter the Eccentrica V12, a restomod that's just debuted at The Quail. But is it a bold reimagining or just a misstep with fancy wheels?

Eccentrica Cars has been teasing us for over a year, promising a reborn Diablo that blends the past with the present. Now, they've delivered, unveiling a machine that looks unmistakably like the raging bull we all know, yet with a few contemporary twists. The 19-inch wheels catch the eye first, an unmistakable nod to modern design, but they don’t overshadow the car’s classic lines. Thankfully, those peculiar "pop-down" headlights from the initial concept have been ditched in favor of the original pop-ups—a win for nostalgia. The new front fascia is sharp, featuring integrated LED running lights, while restyled vents and flared arches give it a muscular stance. The engine cover is reworked too, adding a bit of flair to the rear.

Step inside, and the blend of old and new is even more apparent. Eccentrica has kept the essence of the Diablo’s cockpit but injected it with some 21st-century tech. A digital driver display and a modern infotainment system stretch across the dash, flanked by a slew of switches on the center console. But the pièce de résistance? A gated manual shifter. That’s right, an honest-to-goodness manual gearbox, though not quite the same one you'd find in an original Diablo. Instead, this is a fresh six-speed unit with tweaked ratios, channeling power to the rear wheels.

Speaking of power, under the hood lies an upgraded 5.7-liter V12, true to Lamborghini's roots. Eccentrica has fitted new camshafts, an electronic throttle body, and a custom flywheel, alongside a bespoke center-exit exhaust. The result? A robust 410 kW (550 PS) and 599 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque. They claim the power delivery is smoother and more progressive than the original. That sounds great, but there’s something charming about the slightly feral nature of the old Diablo that we might miss.

The underpinnings haven’t been ignored either. Active dampers and a front-lift system keep the ride civilised over speed bumps, while Brembo brakes and composite reinforcements should keep things tight when you push it. Power steering is standard, a nod to the fact that most buyers probably won’t be up for wrestling with the old-school heavy steering every day.

Eccentrica’s founder, Emanuel Colombini, describes this car as a “personal passion project,” born out of his lifelong love for the Diablo. He’s certainly put his money where his mouth is, ensuring that the engineering team has crafted something that, in his words, “transcends the boundaries of what’s been achievable in technology and performance.” Whether that holds true on the road remains to be seen, but with just 19 units planned for production starting in the summer of 2025, these cars will be as rare as they are intriguing.

For now, we're left pondering whether this restomod truly honors the spirit of the original Diablo or if it’s just a modern remix of a classic track that didn't need tweaking. Time—and a proper thrash around some winding roads—will tell.