The 1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV Roadster is one of just two ever made.
In 1990, when it was still under Chrysler, Lamborghini launched the Diablo which eventually became a cultural icon. While fewer than 3,000 have ever been built, the rarest of them all is the SV Roadster.
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However, after only one prototype, the model was shelved due to external factors. That would’ve been the end of the SV Roadster, if it wasn’t for a man named Emanuele Conforti.
Conforti, a Lamborghini enthusiast and owner of Touring Auto S.R.L. in Milan, wanted to build a second Diablo SV Roadster. He approached Lamborghini CEO Vittorio Di Capua and their conversation led to the car’s final production.
Lamborghini shipped the car to Touring Auto S.R.L. in 1998, where it was sold to Germany in 2001. Since then, the SV Roadster has passed through the collections of three well-known Lamborghini enthusiasts. It has remained largely out of the public eye.
A true rarity heads to auction
This month, the ultra-rare sports car will be heading to Sotheby’s sealed auction. The SV Roadster is configured in left-hand and rear-wheel drive. Its exterior is finished in bright yellow with exposed carbon fiber details. On each side, the stylized initials “SV” covers the scissor doors.
Still in exceptional condition, this Diablo SV Roadster has gone 42,842 kilometers. It was recently serviced in June 2023 and has had new tires fitted less than 500 kilometers ago.
Because it’s a sealed auction, current bids on the sportscar aren’t listed. Due to its exclusivity, experts expect the Diablo SV Roadster to fetch over $250,000, and may even sell for $1 million or more. The auction officially closes today, December 15, in Germany.
Banner image via Instagram @rmsothebys.
