One of the rarest Lamborghinis ever built, a car so exclusive it never passed through the factory’s own production line, is heading to auction. The 1993 Diablo Evolution GTR, one of only ten ever produced, will be offered at Broad Arrow’s Zurich sale on November 1.
A Dealer’s Personal Project
Unlike standard Diablo variants, this car was never built at Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata Bolognese factory. Instead, it was commissioned by Roland Affolter, Lamborghini’s Swiss importer during the 1990s, who financed a small custom-bodied run of Diablos under the “Evolution GTR” name, each featuring modifications well beyond factory specification.
Powertrain Carried Over From the Standard Diablo
Despite its custom bodywork, the car retains the standard Diablo’s 5.7-liter V12 engine, producing 485 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque, sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. That combination allowed the standard Diablo to exceed 200 mph, a benchmark this modified variant would have matched or come close to as well.
Condition and Presentation
This particular example is finished in Viola paint with a blue Alcantara interior and shows just 21,000 miles, presenting as a well-preserved example from an era when exotic cars relied on mechanical engineering rather than digital systems.
Distinctive Custom Bodywork
Affolter’s redesign departed significantly from the standard Diablo’s styling, replacing the pop-up headlights with fixed units and adding a roof scoop, larger vents, a reshaped rear bumper with mesh inserts, an oversized adjustable rear wing, and unique three-piece wheels.
Auction Expectations
With only ten examples in existence, the Diablo Evolution GTR represents an unusual footnote in Lamborghini’s history, born from a dealer’s personal vision rather than a factory program. Pre-auction estimates suggest the car could sell for around $600,000.