This 807-Mile Lamborghini Diablo VT Is 90s Supercar Unobtanium

The Lamborghini Aventador is gone now. The last models rolled off the production line just a few weeks ago. As the last one left the factory in Sant’Agata, we could practically hear the prices of naturally-aspirated, V12 Lambos spiking. Correlation doesn’t always mean causation, but the recent trend in Diablo sales says that prices for older V12 Lambos are climbing-and rapidly.

For example, this one just sold for a princely sum, with the gavel falling on Saturday. This 807-mile 1994 Lamborghini Diablo VT sold for $399,226. That’s the second-highest winning bid on a Diablo in Bring A Trailer’s history. This car was upended only by a super-rare 30th anniversary Diablo and was 1 of 150. This one might not be that rare, but it is pretty special and points to a larger trend for big V12 Lambos.

Let’s first talk about this one. It’s a VT model, which already sets it apart from your more “pedestrian” Diablos, and that usually means a premium when they change hands. The VT version of the Diablo was introduced a year before this one was made, in 1993. It got different front air intakes, newer, bigger side scoops (a Lambo must), and VT badging. There was also a roadster introduced in ’95.

This one is powered by a 5.7-liter version of the Lamborghini V12 that, until very recently, could trace its roots back to the Muira and Countach. This one is also hooked up to a coveted, and very gated, 5-speed manual transmission. That drives the rear wheels only, which are shod in some very 90s 17-inch OZ wheels. In short, it’s a perfect museum-piece car that exemplifies everything a big V12 Lambo should be.

That’s surely much of the reason this one sold for so much cash. Nearly half a million bucks isn’t chump change, after all. But put that figure in context with the demise of the N/A V12, and the picture becomes clearer. The Diablo isn’t the only V12 Lambo rising in value at the sunset of the combustion era. Manual V12 Lamborghini Murcielagos are climbing up too, often selling for more than older models (Countach notwithstanding).

It might suck for those of us that’ll never be able to afford cars that are now worth half a million dollars, but it does prove that Lamborghini had a very special formula for a very long time. And now that the recipe is changing, people are going to continue to pay big bucks for the old recipe. A V12 Lamborghini is like mom’s meatloaf. It may not be perfect, but after mom is gone, you’d pay just about anything to have it again.