Chassis No. ZA9RE31A0WLA12848

Faced with the task of succeeding the most lusted-after supercar of the 1980s – the vaunted Countach – Lamborghini once again tapped Marcello Gandini to design the latest Raging Bull. Save for some rounded edges courtesy of parent company Chrysler, the unbridled Diablo was as hardcore as the Countach it replaced. There was no power steering, no anti-lock brakes, and no traction control at launch, instead relying on the skill of the driver to contain the 492 horsepower being sent to the rear wheels from its mid-mounted 5.7-liter V12. However, amidst constantly changing ownership in the mid-to-late 1990s and continued attempts to increase sales, the Diablo matured into a more refined, yet no less staggering supercar.

By 1994, the Diablo VT (Viscous Traction) was available with a viscous four-wheel-drive system adapted from the LM002 that sent up to 25 percent of the car's torque to the front wheels. Other additions included power steering, electronically adjustable dampers, four-piston brake calipers, larger brake cooling intakes, a more ergonomic interior, and minor engine refinements. These improvements carried over to the Diablo VT Roadster introduced in December 1995 – an open-topped variant with heavily revised bodywork to accommodate an electronically actuated, carbon fiber targa-style roof panel. The result was the last of the truly analog Raging Bulls before Volkswagen AG's acquisition in 1998, with the added civility of four-wheel drive and the ability to take full advantage of the guttural Bizzarrini V12 exhaust note with the top back.

Final improvements before the face-lifted models of 1999 arrived in October 1997, with these so-called "interim cars" receiving new variable valve timing good for 530 horsepower and 18 inch wheels to accommodate larger brakes. This is one of approximately 446 total Diablo VTs Roadsters built, and according to the Lamborghini Registry, is one of just 43 interim cars produced in 1998. As such, it desirably retains the Series 1 Diablo styling featuring pop-up headlights while benefiting from the aforementioned power increase. A left-hand drive, European-market example, this particular Diablo VT Roadster left the Sant'Agata factory finished in breathtaking Blu Scuro over Bianco leather. While its early history remains undocumented, the accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History report begins with the car being titled in Colorado in 2006, followed by subsequent registration history in Florida (2011), Indiana (2011-2012), Illinois (2012-2015), and Montana (2015-2021).

In recent years, the Lamborghini has been thoroughly sorted by the renowned Diablo specialists at Driven Exotics in Gilroy, California, with over $57,000 in invoices on file since July 2021. The work primarily addressed the Diablo's Bizzarini V12 to ensure smooth running, including an engine-out diagnosis in October 2021 which involved new spark plugs and a new clutch slave cylinder, as well as rebuilding both fuel injector rails in February 2022. Other items performed by Driven Exotics encompassed refinishing the front bumper and engine lid in correct Blu Scuro paint (July 2021), resurfacing and redrilling 3/4 rotors, replacing the right-rear brake rotor, installing new brake pads and stainless-steel brake lines (October 2021), and mounting new Pirelli P Zero Asimmetrico tires on its correct 18 inch "phone dial" OZ aluminum wheels.

Under current ownership, the stunning Diablo was also shown at a special exhibition at Laguna Seca celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Countach in 2021, and following the event was driven back to the Bay Area by legendary Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni, whose signature can be found on the underside of the front lid. Offered with less than 16,500 original kilometers (approximately 10,252 miles) from new, this spectacular poster car is beautifully presented in its striking original livery and is accompanied by owner's manuals in a leather folio, a tool roll, and a fitted car cover.