Skip to main content

Want to roll like The Donald? Trump’s 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster is for sale

Donald Trump is not someone we typically associate with good taste, but when it comes to cars, the man knows how to pick ‘em.

In 1996, the longtime CEO of The Trump Organization and current Republican presidential candidate purchased one of the few vehicles that can match his own penchant for subtlety and restraint — a 1997 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster. After changing hands a few times, the Le Mans Blue Italian sports car wound up in the clutches of New Yorker Michael Digonis, who has put it up for sale for a whopping $299,000. The news comes via The Drive.

The Diablo isn’t just special because of its exceptionally well-groomed former owner; this particular VT Roadster is one of only 200 or so ever made. The mid-engine, all-wheel drive exotic was one of the first Lambos to top 200 mph, and it maintains its bedroom poster looks to this day. Power came from a screaming 5.7-liter V12 that pumped out 492 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque, good for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in the neighborhood of 4.0 seconds.

Trump’s model appears to be in pristine condition and has the original insurance card, certificate of liability, and a recent CarFax report to prove its legitimacy. The odometer is pegged 14,992 miles at the time of this writing — fairly high for a car of this type — but it has retained its factory specifications outside of a custom Donald Trump badge and 2016 presidential campaign sticker. Nothing that a hair dryer and razor blade won’t fix.

Before you get to de-Trumpifying your new ride, though, consider the potential value of this car if The Donald wins the Republican nomination or the general election next year. Presidential supercars aren’t exactly a common occurrence on Craigslist, so tempting as it may be — for many of us — you may want to leave the badges on for now.

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Twitter restricts Donald Trump Jr.’s account over viral hydroxychloroquine video
twitter restricts donald trump jr account over viral hydroxychloroquine video holds  maga rally in central pennsylvania

Twitter restricted Donald Trump Jr.’s account on Tuesday after he posted a viral video that contained misinformation about the drug hydroxychloroquine and the coronavirus.

Trump Jr. tweeted the video Monday evening and it has since been removed from his account. A Twitter spokesperson told Digital Trends the tweet went against the platform's COVID-19 misinformation policy.

Read more
President Trump has failed the U.S. on 5G. Can we lead on 6G?
donald trump facebook libra cryptocurrency banking charter president holds news conference in rose garden on census and citze

5G is the next generation of wireless network, and whether you believe the hype or side with the tin-foil cancer-conspiracy crowd, one thing’s painfully clear: The U.S. isn’t winning. And it’s kind of Donald Trump’s fault.

According to a 2018 Deloitte report called “5G: The Chance to Lead for a Decade,” China has outspent the U.S. by about $24 billion on 5G. The country aims to spend $400 billion to fuel the development of the technology because of its critical nature to China's national security and technological leadership. The document’s assessment is blunt: “China and other countries may be creating a 5G tsunami, making it near impossible to catch up.”

Read more
Are self-driving cars the death of car ownership?
Tesla Cybercab at night

Self-driving cars are coming. It remains to be seen how long that will take. Plenty of vehicles can more or less drive themselves on highways, but for now, they still can't completely reliably drive themselves on all streets, in all conditions, taking into account all different variables. One thing is clear, though: the tech industry sees autonomous driving as the future of personal transportation, and they're spending billions to reach that goal.

But what happens when we get there? Tesla made headlines for not only announcing its new Cybercab fully autonomous vehicle, but simultaneously claiming that customers will be able to buy one. That's right, at least if Tesla is to be believed, the Cybercab doesn't necessarily represent Tesla building its own Uber-killing fleet of self-driving cars, but instead giving people the ownership over the self-driving car industry.

Read more