One of the first "Diablo" concept pictures, as penned by Harris Mann. The Princess character is already abundantly clear.
Below are some pictures showing the development of ADO71 - or Diablo, as it was known in the early stages.
Wedge development
One of the first "Diablo" concept pictures, as penned by Harris
Mann. The Princess character is already abundantly clear.
Two-door scheme never made it into production... (Picture:
BMIHT)
By August 1970, the first full-size clay model is finished - and it shows remarkable
similarities to Mann's early sketch (above). Contrast this with the final clay
model of November 1970, shown below.
Slippery wedge...
Not a glamourous picture this, but it shows the ADO71 undergoing wind-tunnel testing at MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) in Nuneaton. This is actually a one-third scale model and demonstrates that the air flow over this model was pretty good for its day. Drag co-efficient was Cd0.404 (compared with 0.44 for a Ford Cortina Mark IV).
Three-box alternative
What do you get when you cross a coke-bottle design with a wedge? This proposal
for a three-box saloon was ruled out early in the car's development, with Saab
and Rover
P8 overtones. (Picture: John Capon)
Frontal treatments
Despite the fact that the new Leyland management charged their BMC forebears
with excessively resorting to badge-engineering, they planned for their upcoming
"D" sector car to be available in Austin, Morris and Wolseley forms.
(Pictures: John Capon)
Many frontal treatments were tried... (Picture: BMIHT)
What's this Project Delta? (Picture: BMIHT)
Trapezoidal headlamps coming through... (Picture: BMIHT)
If only... (Picture: BMIHT)
Interior designs
