Rare $445K Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster Interim Car

A very rare 1998 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster arriving at Macchinissima II at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens. This European-market example, finished in Blu Scuro with Bianco leather interior, is one of 43 "interim" cars which combined pre-facelift styling featuring pop-up headlights with 18-inch wheels and an upgraded 530-horsepower V12 engine with variable valve timing system. It was driven and signed by Valentino Balboni in 2021 at the Inaugural Countach 50th Anniversary Rally at Laguna Seca Raceway. The car was sold for $445,000 at Broad Arrow Auctions at the Monterey Jet Center during Monterey Car Week in August 2024.

I've always had a soft spot for purple Diablos. The examples I remember first seeing in pictures as a kid were purple, and even though I knew nothing about the different variants, the one that stood out to me most was the SE30 in its signature purple. Yes, I know this Roadster's color is technically considered blue. But it has a distinctive purple hue that makes it especially gorgeous. Of course, since the Diablo was Lamborghini's first V12 supercar to be offered as a convertible, built in a time when supercars were seldom designed with open driving in mind, the roof mechanism was rather tacky, and many owners chose to simply remove the roof altogether rather than have it sit awkwardly over the engine cover when open. Still, the Diablo Roadster was one of the first mid-engined V12 convertible supercars, and it remains an unmistakable automotive symbol of the '90s. Seeing one in such excellent condition after over a quarter of a century was certainly an incredible experience.

Do you think this car is worth its $445,000 auction price? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!