Built from 1990 to 2001, the Diablo has become one of the most iconic supercars of the era and symbolizes everything Lamborghini is known for: extreme performance, exclusivity, and futuristic styling. An update of the radical wedge-shaped Countach, the Diablo was the poster car for a generation. After several years of ownership during the 1990s by an Indonesian consortium, in 1998 Lamborghini was acquired by the VW Group, which placed it under the umbrella of Audi A.G. Though the upcoming Murcielago model was already in development, a decision was made to further extend the life of the popular Diablo with one last ultimate version, the 6.0.

Luc Donckerwolke, an Audi stylist who had penned the R8 Le Mans racer among other important Audi models, assumed the role of chief Lamborghini designer and was tasked with freshening the Diablo’s original Marcelo Gandini design for the final evolution. The resulting Diablo VT 6.0 was formulated around the all-wheel-drive ‘viscous traction’ platform and utilized the 6.0-litre V-12 used in the limited-production Diablo GT model. With updated engine management software, the V-12 engine was capable of developing 549 bhp and a whopping 457 foot-pounds of torque. The increased displacement and revised control software improved the Diablo’s already prodigious performance, lowering 0–60 mph times to 3.8 seconds, while increasing top speed to nearly 210 mph.

To accommodate the voracious motor, Donckerwolke revised the front fascia with two large air intakes below new fixed headlamps, which eschewed the prior pop-up arrangement. The front bumper panel, air dam, and fenders were all correspondingly adjusted, and the signal lamps were enlarged. The taillamps from the Diablo GT variant were adopted, and rear lamp bezels were changed from transparent components to paint-matched units. Classically styled eighteen-inch OZ wheels completed the exterior redesign.

In late 2000, as the Diablo model neared the end of production, Lamborghini earmarked the final 42 examples to comprise a premium iteration to be called the Diablo VT 6.0 SE (the SE standing for Special Edition). These cars were fitted with special magnesium intake manifolds and valve covers, a short-gear transaxle for quicker launches, and marque-badged brake calipers, while the engine compartments were trimmed in carbon fibre. Interiors were equipped with special chocolate leather upholstery, additional carbon-fibre trim, a titanium gearshift and instrument bezels, and an upgraded premium audio system with a DVD-based navigation system.

Just two colours were offered (evenly divided with 21 examples each): metallic gold Oro Elios, which represented dawn, and a color-shifting bronze-maroon called Marrone Eklipsis, which represented sunset. In summation the most advanced version of the definitive 1990s Lamborghini, the VT 6.0 Special Edition was unveiled at the 2001 Geneva Salon and defined as the apogee of the company’s highly developed Diablo, a rare iteration replete with arresting aesthetics and blistering performance.

THE LAST ‘BRAND-NEW’ DIABLO

This delivery mileage VT 6.0 SE is the fortieth car built, making it amongst the very last Diablos produced. This U.S.-specification example was finished in Marrone Eklipsis paint, and the Diablo was sold in 2008 to a West Coast–based enthusiast. The car continued to lead a pampered life of immaculate storage as it was garaged in a climate-controlled facility. In 2012 the Diablo was sold to its next collector owner, and the odometer displayed only 18 miles at the time of cataloguing.

Nearly the last of only 42 examples built, this rare Diablo VT 6.0 SE would make an outstanding addition to any supercar collection, particularly appropriate for marque enthusiasts searching to acquire minimally used examples of the rarest boutique-edition cars. The 6.0 was the most refined and ultimate version of the legendary Diablo, the SE was the last and most exclusive version of the 6.0, and this Special Edition is in virtually new condition. Perhaps the best-preserved and lowest-mileage example of the final Diablo built, this car is without question the zenith of the model’s eleven-year evolution.