One of the more popular posters to grace the bedroom walls of teenage boys during the 1980s was of a red Lamborghini Countach, complete with its enormous fender flares and towering rear spoiler. By the time its production run ended, the Countach had become a flamboyant vehicle, but it wasn’t a practical “driver’s” car. Its replacement, the Diablo, addressed many of its predecessor’s shortcomings. It enjoyed a twelve-year production run and was the company’s first model to eclipse a 200mph top speed. This 1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster is a rare beast, and its presentation is virtually perfect. It needs a new home and is set to cross the auction blocks in Phoenix, Arizona, on January 26th. You will find it listed here at RM Sotheby’s with an auction estimate of $425,000 – $475,000. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Araknid78 for spotting this Italian thoroughbred.

Although Lamborghini elected to follow the Countach’s wedge styling with the Diablo, they gave it a more rounded and conservative appearance. The massive fender flares and largely decorative rear spoiler disappeared in favor of smoother sides and a rear spoiler that was there for more than good looks. This Diablo wears Titanium Silver paint that presents as nicely as you would expect from any car within this price range. It shines impressively, with both the paint and panels looking flawless. It carries the hallmarks of a vehicle that has been pampered its entire life, meaning the lack of visible corrosion across the whole car is unsurprising. The glass looks flawless, but the eye-catching feature is the chrome 18″ OZ racing wheels. They are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubber that should allow this Lambo to grip like a limpet.

Powering the Lamborghini is a mid-mounted 5.7-liter V12 monster that is a work of art. When the company released the Diablo, it initially featured a five-speed manual transaxle that sent the power to the rear wheels. However, the VT version brought all-wheel-drive to the equation, allowing the car to more effectively utilize its 523hp. Acceleration and top speed figures are all you might expect, with this Italian beauty capable of romping from 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds. It will devour the ¼ mile in 12.1 seconds before winding its way to 208mph. There are modern supercars that will better those numbers, but the Diablo VT would not feel out of place in that company. The seller states the car has a genuine 18,716 miles on its odometer, which is consistent with the history I’ve uncovered. The vehicle recently underwent a comprehensive service, which cost the seller $6,000. It is in excellent mechanical health and is ready to be enjoyed by a new owner with a good bank balance.

While the Diablo brought many mechanical improvements to the table compared to its predecessor, the most notable changes for buyers were inside the car. The Countach was never renowned for having a user-friendly interior, with what journalists described as appalling visibility and ventilation. I remember one review where the writer described the controls and switches as looking like they had been fired from a bazooka, with no logic employed in their placement. The Diablo addressed those shortcomings with better visibility, climate-control air conditioning, and more conventional placement of the controls. This car features Black leather upholstery that looks spotless. The heavily-contoured seats show no edge wear, with the carpet and dash equally impressive. The leather-wrapped wheel features a driver’s airbag, with entertainment on the road provided by a premium Alpine CD stereo. This car sports one of my favorite characteristics of Italian supercars, which is a gated shifter that is, in this case, topped by an aluminum and carbon-fiber Momo shifter knob.

The Countach developed a reputation for model longevity, remaining in production for seventeen years. During that time, the company produced 1,983 cars across all variants. Its iconic image was always going to be difficult to follow, but the Diablo succeeded, with 2,884 rolling out of the factory over twelve years. Lamborghini introduced the VT Roadster in 1995, which remained unchanged until an updated version arrived in 1999. Although figures aren’t precise, it is believed that only one hundred of the updated version were built before Diablo production ended. The seller estimates that only a few dozen found their way onto North American soil, which seems realistic. This one presents superbly and is ready to find a new home. It isn’t the first time this Lamborghini has hit the market because I found a prior listing indicating it sold for $231,000 in May 2019. It has accumulated less than five hundred miles since that sale. Although the current auction estimate is well above the previous sale figure, it indicates the rapidly rising values of these Italian thoroughbreds. It won’t appeal to every enthusiast, but I won’t be surprised if it heads to a new home once the hammer falls.