• The Eccentricia V12 is a modern take on the Lamborghini Diablo.
• It runs a 550-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-12 engine with a six-speed manual transmission, paired with a modernized interior and suspension.
• Just 19 examples are planned for production, with deliveries beginning next summer.
  

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A little over a year ago, Eccentrica Cars announced its intentions to build a Lamborghini Diablo restomod. A nice set of computer-rendered photos accompanied the announcement, showing a neat but as-yet non-existent Diablo. Now, the company has delivered on its pledge with the Eccentrica V12—a “fully drivable vehicle” that makes its debut at The Quail.

On the outside, it certainly looks like a Diablo. The 19-inch wheels are decidedly new, but it looks like the “pop-down” headlights from last year’s concept are gone. Old-fashioned pop-ups are still in place, positioned above a sharp fascia with integrated LED running lights. Restyled vents, flared front wheel arches with side sills, and a new engine cover round out the major upgrades to the exterior. It’s certainly a clean look.

Essentrica Cars

Things are clean inside, too. Eccentrica Cars merged the classic Diablo’s interior with modern items like a digital driver display and infotainment system that extends nearly to the center of the dash. There are several switches and buttons on the center console, and there’s also an honest-to-goodness gated manual gear lever. It doesn’t shift an old Lamborghini transmission, though. There’s an updated six-speed manual with different ratios sending power to the rear wheels.

As for the engine, it’s an upgraded 5.7-liter Lambo V-12. Eccentrica adds new camshafts, a new electronic throttle body, and a new flywheel. There’s also a custom center-exit exhaust system bolted up, and it all results in a maximum output of 550 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. Moreover, the company says the power delivery is smoother and more progressive versus a stock Diablo. Honestly, we aren’t sure if that’s better or worse in this case.

Essentrica Cars

The chassis and suspension are upgraded, too. It rides on active dampers and incorporates a front-lift system to help clear those pesky speed bumps. Composite reinforcements are added, though Eccentrica doesn’t offer details on the changes. Brembo brakes are bolted up at the corners, and drivers will enjoy standard power steering.

“The Eccentrica V12 is a personal passion project, born from my lifelong admiration for the Lamborghini Diablo,” said Eccentrica Founder and President Emanuel Colombini. “While I have such admiration for the original design, I wanted to enhance the driving experience.
What you see here today is the result of our engineering team going to work to deliver a car that transcends the boundaries of what has previously been achievable in technology and performance.”

If all goes according to plan, deliveries of 19 planned production cars will begin in the summer of 2025.

• Acura has released a concept previewing its second all-electric vehicle, dubbed the Performance EV Concept.
• There are gigantic wheels, sticky tires, and big brakes, indicating this is very much a performance-minded vehicle.
• Like the ZDX before it, we expect Acura to turn this concept into a production vehicle sometime next year.

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The ZDX was Acura’s first foray into electrification. But at this year’s Monterey Car Week, the luxury brand is showing an electric SUV concept that previews its next production EV. Unlike the ZDX, this one will use a totally unique EV platform.

Acura calls it the Performance EV concept. The coupe-like SUV has a long wheelbase with short overhangs, introducing an entirely new design language for the brand. The front end has a pointed nose, a vented hood, and extra-wide headlights. If you squint, it looks like some modern Buicks (sorry).

Acura

In sticking with trends, the Performance EV concept has a sleek coupe-like profile and a full-width light bar on the rear. Sizeable 23-inch wheels wrapped in 295/35R23 performance tires hide four-piston brakes with neon green accents.

This concept has no specs, but as mentioned, this will be Acura’s first electric vehicle on the brand’s first dedicated EV platform. So it won’t use GM’s Ultium platform. This SUV will also be manufactured at Honda’s EV Hub in Marysville, Ohio.

“The Acura Performance EV Concept is the archetype of Acura Performance in the electrified era, taking full advantage of the extreme design freedom of stance and proportion offered by our next-generation EV platform to push the boundaries of Acura design even further,” said Dave Marek, Acura Design Executive. “As with our previous Acura concept vehicles, the Acura Performance EV Concept introduces a number of design themes that will be seen on future Acura vehicles.”

Acura

This is the fifth concept Acura has debuted during Monterey Car Week. The original NSX concept showed up to Monterey in 2013, the Precision concept in 2016, the Type S concept in 2019, and the Precision EV concept in 2022. And like all of those concepts prior, we fully expect this one to reach production.

• The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum partnered with RM Sotheby’s to auction some incredible cars.
• Most important is this extremely rare Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner.
• Also coming up for sale are the 1966 Le Mans-winning Ferrari 250 LM, a Ford GT40 MkII, and a number of important pre-War cars.

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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum has an extraordinary collection that extends beyond Indy cars. However, it wants to refocus its efforts on collecting cars that raced at the Speedway, so it’s thinning the herd a bit. The cars its selling, in partnership with RM Sotheby’s are extraordinary.

Perhaps none more so than this 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner. With standard open-wheel bodywork, Juan Manuel Fangio ran this car in a non-championship Formula 1 race in 1954, and with the sleek body you see here, it was campaigned by Stirling Moss in the 1955 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Sir Stirling set the fastest lap of the race, and though he retired, Fangio won the race in the sister car. It was Mercedes’ last streamliner. RM Sotheby’s estimates it will sell for between $50 and $70 million, which is a bargain compared to the $143 million 300 SLR “Ulenhaut” coupe, the world’s most expensive car. 

Bill Pack | V12 Enterprises

Then, there’s the Ferrari 250LM that won Le Mans in 1965, the last for the automaker until its stunning comeback with the 499P last year. At Le Mans, it was campaigned by Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team and driven to victory by Masten Gregory and Jochen Rindt. The car went on to run at Le Mans twice more, and at the Daytona 24 Hours four times in its racing career. It’s one of the most significant Ferraris ever made, and while RM doesn’t have a price estimate, it might not be far off the Mercedes.

Also coming up for sale are a 1966 Ford GT40 that placed second at Sebring and ran at Le Mans in 1966, though it retired early on. Because of its short racing career, RM Sotheby’s believes it’s one of the most original GT40s in existence. There’s also an ex-Michael Schumacher Bennetton B91B, a rare 1957 Corvette racing protoype, and a handful of very significant pre-War race cars.

RM Sotheby’s hasn’t announced sale dates yet, but it says the cars will be auctioned later this year and into next year. The goal of the sale, per a statement, is for the IMS Museum to “to increase its endowment and long-term financial sustainability, enhance the restoration and care of its collection, and acquire new artifacts that reflect a more comprehensive history of the Indianapolis 500 and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.” Given the sale of the Mercedes alone, it should have no trouble achieving these aims.