Is this the most fascinating Lamborghini Diablo SE30 ever offered for public sale?

The 1994 model coming to RM Sotheby’s London auction on 31 October is unique—it is the only right-hand-drive example to have originally been finished in Bianco over Bleu. Its first owner was the Royal Family of Brunei.

Launched in 1993, the Diablo SE30 was Lamborghini’s 30th-anniversary present to the world. A revised fuel system, magnesium intake manifolds, and a free-flow exhaust pushed horsepower to 525. But the really clever bit was what Lamborghini took away.

Carbon fibre panels helped save weight, while the air conditioning, power steering, and electric windows were all sacrificed in the pursuit of performance. Then came the biggest deletion of all: four-wheel drive. All that power was sent through the rear wheels, with no traction control to intervene when things got interesting. At 1,428 kilograms, the SE30 was around 180 kilograms lighter than a Diablo VT.

Chassis RLA12122 was ordered new by the Royal Family of Brunei and completed at Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata Bolognese factory on 26 June 1995. It was specified in striking Bianco Impacto with a Bleu Alcantara interior. Only three other Diablo SE30s were finished in this combination, but this is the sole right-hand-drive example.

Delivered to the UK, the car soon departed for Brunei, where it remained until the early 2000s. It was then purchased by Sir Colin Giltrap, the New Zealand automotive magnate who supported the careers of rising Kiwi motorsport stars including Earl Bamber, Scott Dixon, Shane van Gisbergen, and Brendon Hartley. It was registered in New Zealand from September 2002. Giltrap enjoyed the SE30 on the open road during his early years of ownership before it was eventually placed into storage.

The car has been meticulously cared for. The best example is the steering wheel. Early in Giltrap’s ownership, the original Momo piece was removed and replaced with the current item to preserve it from wear. The original remains with the car and, appropriately for the SE30, carries the same badge as that fitted to Lamborghini’s first production car, the 350 GT. The Diablo was acquired via Lamborghini Auckland by the consigning owner in March 2006. Since then, it has covered approximately 120 kilometres a year.

A car not flouted publicly but cherished quietly during its life, it now emerges as one of the most fascinating right-hand-drive SE30s built, having never before been offered for public sale.