John Cena recently admitted on the Club Shay Shay podcast that he tried to have a Lamborghini Diablo replica built 20 years ago. The project began disastrously, but Cena never gave up on it. After two decades of changing shops and plans, he finally took delivery of the fake Diablo VT, only to turn around and list it for sale on Bring a Trailer almost immediately.
The aforementioned podcast episode aired a month ago and in it, Cena admitted “I just got the keys to that car a week ago.” It’s unclear when the podcast was recorded, but it would seem Cena hasn’t had the finished product in his possession for long. You might think that after two decades and countless headaches, the wrestler and movie star might want to keep the fake Diablo and drive the thing, but instead, it’s listed right now on the auction site with no reserve.
Despite it having a fiberglass body, Cena’s “Diablo” looks surprisingly accurate for a replica. The lower front lip, rear wing, and rear air ducts seem just a bit off, but I needed to look closely at a real Diablo VT back-to-back with the fake to spot most of the differences. Perhaps Lamborghini aficionados will notice them with the naked eye, but I’d reckon that even most car nerds will be hard-pressed to find anything wrong with it in person. The interior looks accurate enough, even with its proportional quirks and unique switchgear. It does bother me a little that there are still plaques on the doors that read “Disegno Marcello Gandini,” but maybe that’s just me being petty.
What isn’t close to the real thing, though, is the engine. Rather than the Diablo’s incredible-sounding V12, Cena’s replica uses a BMW V12 from an 8 Series or ’90s 7 Series. The listing for Cena’s car includes a video clip, in which you can hear its engine and exhaust note. It all sounds good, but lacks the thrill of Lamborghini’s. Paired to that engine is a Porsche-sourced, five-speed manual transaxle.
Typically, a replica Lamborghini wouldn’t draw a second glance from most car enthusiasts. A replica that was owned by John Cena, though, is a bit more interesting—and this example’s odd and amusing 20-year backstory doesn’t hurt, either. Good thing Cena conveniently told the not-Diablo’s origin story on a podcast, so its next owner can truly appreciate it.
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