Sally Reed
When you’re a millionaire, fast cars are just another indication you’re worth more than most people. While Donald Trump isn’t doing much of his own driving, he used to own some pretty fancy cars. One of them went up for auction recently to a massive price tag. Shmee150 the Youtube Automotive Megastar was in attendance to see it all unfold.
Several Fancy Cars Up For Auction
Barrett-Jackson is well-known in collectible car circles for their fabulous auction finds. The 2024 Scottsdale auction features the most extensive docket of cars to be auctioned – a whopping 2,016 vehicles.
The sales for the day also included 1,180 pieces of memorabilia for automobiles. Overall, total sales hit a ceiling of $207.6 million in total sales. That figure included several record-breaking sales as well.
Trump’s Le Mans Blue Lamborghini Breaks Records
Trump’s Lamborghini VT Roadster was sold for a record-breaking $1.1 million. The car, which is painted Blu Le Mans, was the only VT Roadster manufactured by Lamborghini in that color for that year.
It was custom-built to the specifications of the former president. The car is one of only 132 of this particular model made for the American market. It even comes with a ‘Donald Trump 1997 Diablo’ plaque on the door.
A Car Like No Other
The interior of the VT Roadster is off-white and black in a two-tone design. It also comes with a gated five-speed manual transmission, designed to get the most out of the V12 engine under its hood.
Speaking of the V12, this engine can generate 492 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. All of these push the VT Roadster’s top speed to 202 mph (325 kph). With world-class handling and well-maintained internals, it’s a steal of a deal for any buyer.
Buyers Lined Up
Barrett-Jackson advertised the car as one of its feature offers for the auction, and when the car rolled in, it was met with a standing ovation from all present. It didn’t take long for the bidding to start going up.
According to Barrett-Jackson, the bidding for Trump’s VT Roadster hit $1 million after a mere 90 seconds. The auction house confirmed that the $1.1 million was a world record for sale for a car of this type.
Other Cars Don’t Come Close In Value
VT Roadsters have been sold in the past, although their value is far less than a million dollars. For comparison, in April last year, a 1998 VT Roadster was sold for $291,500. However, this car is no ordinary Diablo.
The car is in pristine condition and hasn’t been driven that much. The odometer reports that it’s only been driven for 15,431 miles (24,834 km). However, another car with around the same mileage was sold by Sotheby’s for $456,000.
Went Through A Few Owners After Trump
According to the official ownership records, the vehicle was owned by two people after Trump. The former president sold the car in 2002, but the plate with his name remains on the inside of the vehicle.
On the back of the car is a TRUMP 2016 decal, added sometime after the former president owned the vehicle. The price of the car was likely a result of the provenance of the ownership. Many supporters would pay a premium to own the former president’s Lamborghini.
A Special Relationship
So how did Donald Trump manage to get such a unique Lamborghini? The story stems from how well he got along with the Italian car manufacturer. The firm provided Trump with some “loaner” Lamborghinis for promotional material.
This close relationship with the company led to discussions that ended in him being able to customize this particular car and build it to his specifications. The celebrity ownership, alongside the car’s uniqueness, had a lot to do with it crossing the $1.1 million mark.
Driven Around the Lot For All to Admire
While most people were waiting to bid on the supercar, it made its way around the lot before it even got onto the auction floor. Visitors would see the Blu Le Mans Diablo making its way from one area to the other, making sure everyone noticed it was there.
Barrett-Jackson’s reputation for offering some of the most stunning cars for bid was evident in this offering. The company didn’t say how much they estimated the car would sell for, but the final price surpassed even their expectations.
More Than Just The Donald Trump Car
The auction encompassed several other vehicles aside from Donald Trump’s Diablo. Visitors could encounter a wide range of vehicles from all eras of car history throughout the auction.
From 300SL Gullwings to Lamborghini Countach, even a few older cars made their way to the block for auction-impressive vehicles like Shelbys in various configurations and ages. By the numbers, this single auction was filled with expensive cars from many different manufacturers.
Other Record Breakers In the Crowd
Aside from Trump’s vehicle, several other record-breaking cars were sold at the Scottsdale 2024 Barrett-Jackson auction. A 300SL Gullwing from Mercedes Benz went for a massive $3.41 million.
A 2018 Bugatti Chiron was also sold for a record-breaking $2.97 million. As far as sale prices go, Trump’s Diablo was number 10 on the list of highest-value cars, with a few other offerings ahead of this one.
Live Entertainment Makes It Fun
Barrett-Jackson certainly knows how to throw a party, and this particular auction was packed with entertainment. With so many people showing up to get a glimpse of Trump’s car, there was a lot of demand for great acts.
The cars on offer weren’t just mint-condition originals either. There were a lot of resto-mods and additions that made it a smorgasbord for hobbyists who wanted to get a taste of what was possible. It demonstrated exactly why so many people love collecting cars.
A Treat For All Attendees
Trump’s Diablo was, without a doubt, the star of the show, but it was far from the only great car on display. Between the antique offerings and the restorations up for auction, there was a sense of excitement that wouldn’t be out of place in a comic convention.
The show was great for many things, especially showing off why car collectors enjoy their hobby so much. If anything, it cements the popularity of cars as collectibles as an indelible part of Americana.
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