Tony’s Take: Red car, red alert! This 1994 Lamborghini Diablo VT with sub-10k miles is a peach, but there seems to be something askew about the paperwork. Autocheck shows a really low score and a “title alert.” That could be a feature, not a bug. A chance to buy a low-mile Lambo without paying a premium, then rack-up miles of smiles.
Easily done. The Lamborghini Diablo VT was a poster child for the move toward liveable supercars. Unlike its Countach predecessor and early Diablos, the VT had power windows and mirrors, power steering, electronically adjusted four-setting Koni shocks, a lighter clutch, bigger seats, a better air-conditioning system and rearward visibility! Just kidding about that last one.
Design
The Diablo was penned by Marcello Gandini, taking the Countach’s wide, low-slung, wedge-shaped stance to another level. Yes but – Chrysler owned Lamborghini at the time.
To improve cooling and aerodynamic flow, the U.S. manufacturer’s design studio rounded off Marcello’s original design. Very few complaints were heard at the time or since. There’s a bit of Honda NSX (to some) to the front end, but let’s face it: scissor doors FTW!
“The main exterior difference between the Diablo and the VT version were the air intakes underneath the front warning lights to improve the brake cooling,” lambocars.com observes, “and the larger air intakes in front of the rear wheels, although these modifications later found their way to the Diablo 2wd too, making the exterior difference between them only noticeable by the rear mounted ‘VT’ logo.”
Engine
To quote Johnny Bravo, whoa Mama! Hooked-up to a five-speed manual, the nearasdammit 500hp V12 pulls like a proverbial freight train. All the way to 202 mph – which quickly became the benchmark for a “proper” supercar.
As fast and sure-handing as the Lambo with “Viscous Traction” (moving power from rear to front wheels when rears throw in the towel), the noise this thing makes justifies naming the car “Devil” (especially if you’re one of those curtain-twitching neighbors). Click here to hear the beast at play.
Category | Data |
Vehicle Type | mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe |
Engine | DOHC 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection |
Power | 492 hp @ 7000 rpm |
Torque | 428 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm |
Transmission | 5-speed manual (all) |
Fuel Economy | Combined/city/highway: 11/9/14 mpg |
“The car was mechanically serviced in late 2022,” RM reports. “The work included resealing the camshaft covers, redressing various minor oil leaks, replacing all fluids and ignition components—including a new distributor cap and rotor, both hard to find—and a full alignment.”
Comparables
Model | KM | Location | Price | Date |
Diablo VT | 31,500 | Newport, RI, USA | $252,000 | 2022 |
Diablo VT | 67,000 | Rockville, MD, USA | $250,000 | 2022 |
Diablo VT | 1,300 | Genesee County, MI, USA | $399,226 | 2022 |
Diablo VT | 48,000 | Scottsdale, AZ, USA | $270,000 | 2022 |
Prediction
Seems pretty clear that a quarter-mil buys you a Lamborghini Diablo VT. That said, as always, mileage, color and condition determine the car’s value outside the norm.
This one has the right color combo (Diablo Rosso over Champagne), low miles (9725) and a recent service. So I’m adding $25k to that average and predicting $275k including fees. No doubt RM will sort the title issues for the new owner.
Make | Lamborghini |
Model | Diablo VT |
Year | 1994 |
Vin# | ZA9DU07P1RLA12980 |
Total Produced | 400 first-gen VT |
Number of Owners | 6 on Autocheck |
Mileage | 9,725 |
Condition | ★ ★ ★ ★ |
Price When New | $268,005) Inflation Calculator |
Highest Previous Price | $399,226 (5/7/22) |
Auction House | RM Sotheby’s Arizona |
Auction Date | 1/26/23 |
My Prediction | $275k inc. fees |
Hammered At |