As with many small-volume car manufacturers, the corporate history of Lamborghini is a long and intricate one. Remarkably, Ferruccio Lamborghini remained at the helm of his eponymous company for just nine years, selling a majority stake in 1972 and departing Sant’Agata Bolognese entirely in 1974. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1978, although in magnificently stoic Lamborghini fashion, production of their aging Countach continued. Finally, in 1984, the company received the stability and investment it had craved with its purchase by charismatic French brothers, Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran.

The Mimrans immediately identified the need for a long-overdue Countach replacement and in mid-1985, work commenced on the covertly named “Project 132.” The initial design work was entrusted to Marcello Gandini, who had previously presided over the Miura and Countach. However, in 1987, the Mimrans sold Lamborghini to Chrysler Corporation; the latter subsequently refined Gandini’s original design—much to the Italian’s chagrin—prior to it entering production in 1990.

Appropriately dubbed Diablo, the new car featured a square-section spaceframe chassis, predictably outrageous aluminum bodywork, and an enlarged 5.7-liter version of the glorious 48-valve V-12 that had been a part of Lamborghini folklore for so long. Now producing a little under 500 horsepower, its 202-mph capability momentarily rendered it the fastest production car in the world. However, the Diablo’s size and weight—initially a portly 1,580 kilograms, or about 3,484 pounds—made the original iteration somewhat unwieldy. This was tuned for later models.

With first-generation production spawning a bewildering variety of derivatives—such as the four-wheel-drive VT, high-performance SV, and lightweight SE30—the Diablo received a substantial makeover in 1999; a power increase to 529 horsepower, revised dashboard layout, and the introduction of fixed-lens headlights were among the most significant changes. Significantly, the introduction of the second-generation Diablo was accompanied by that of the Diablo GT, a track-focused yet still road-legal model partly inspired by the GT2 racing variant developed the previous year.

Featuring a noticeably more aggressive look, thanks to a racing-style front air dam and three-piece split-rim OZ alloy wheels, the GT also borrowed from its racing counterpart by employing a heavily ducted front luggage compartment lid and roof-mounted ram air scoop. At its front, the car’s wings were flared substantially to accommodate its wider track, while at the rear a race-developed rear diffuser—incorporating a suitably raucous exhaust—and carbon fiber rear wing were appended. Indeed, such was the proliferation of carbon fiber throughout the car that the only substantial panels made of their original materials were the roof and doors, still fabricated from steel and aluminum, respectively.

Internally, the cabin was rationalized in the interests of shedding weight, with carbon fiber internal paneling and racing bucket seats being contributory factors in the saving of over 154 pounds relative to the second-generation SV, and almost 265 pounds over the original 1990 Diablo. Finally, a longer stroke of 84 millimeters ensured that the engine capacity of the GT rose to 6.0 liters, with a resultant increase in output to some 575 horsepower. This ensured that the car could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds, and onward to a top speed of 210 mph.

The magnificent example which RM Sotheby’s is proud to offer here is an original European-market car delivered new to Touring Auto in Milan, Italy, having been assigned the number 67 out of the 80 constructed. Exquisitely and desirably finished in Arancio Atlas paint over an orange and black leather interior with matching contrast stitching, this Diablo GT is an exceptional example that was treated to a complete engine rebuild at Lamborghini St. Gallen of Switzerland in 2017 that totaled 39,880 Swiss Francs. An additional invoice on file details a 2024 maintenance job by the same dealership that included an annual service, brake and clutch fluids, gearbox oil, handbrake system repair, and door wiring harness service. It shows 63,566 kilometers (~39,498 miles) on the odometer at the time of cataloguing.

With total Diablo production estimated at 3,000 cars, it is self-evident that the GT—accounting for less than three percent of this figure—represents a very rare beast indeed. Recent years have witnessed a burgeoning and entirely justified upswell of interest in limited-production 1990s supercars, particularly multi-cylinder cars of Italian origin. A rare and highly original example, there can be few more significant or arresting cars of this genre currently available.