A Lamborghini previously owned by Rod Stewart is up for auction in Australia, where bidding opened at just A$1.
The silver 1998 Diablo VT Roadster now belongs to Darryn Lyons, the businessman, celebrity photographer and former mayor of Geelong known as “Mr Paparazzi.”
Lloyds listed the current bid at A$320,736 when the auction was checked on Oct. 8.
The online sale is scheduled to close Saturday, Oct. 31.
Lyons Bought the Car After a Frightening Test Drive
Lyons acquired the Diablo through a specialist dealer in England, who told him Stewart had only just dropped it off, according to a statement released by Lloyds.
Before the purchase, a salesman who had previously been a racing driver took Lyons through the Oxfordshire countryside at speed. Lyons recalled the outing as one of the most frightening experiences of his life.
He described the car as powerful and firmly planted on the road and said owning it had fulfilled a childhood ambition.
“It’s been one of the biggest thrills of my life,” Lyons said, adding that “when it goes, there will absolutely be a tear.”
He said he had turned down offers to buy the Lamborghini for years before deciding to part with it.
“At one stage in my will, years ago, I wanted to be buried in it,” Lyons told the Herald Sun in September.
A V12 Roadster With Pop-Up Headlights
Lloyds lists 22,874 kilometers on the odometer, a black leather interior and right-hand drive. The car has a naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V12 paired with a manual transmission.
VT stands for Viscous Traction, the all-wheel-drive system Lamborghini added to the Diablo range in 1993. A viscous coupling directs power to the front wheels when needed.
The production Roadster debuted at the 1995 Bologna Motor Show, WhichCar notes. The car offered here combines a removable hard roof with scissor doors and pop-up headlights.
The auctioneer says the sale includes service records, other documentation, an owner’s manual and a logbook.
Stewart Calls His Italian Cars ‘Works of Art’
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In a November 2024 Instagram post, Stewart posed with five sports cars and called them “works of art.” He said he had been driving iconic Italian cars since the 1970s and credited his fans with making the collection possible.
The same post included his frustration with potholes, which he said might force him to find new owners for those vehicles.
In April 2025, Stewart paired a 1971 photograph of himself with a Lamborghini Miura with a more recent image taken inside a Ferrari, PEOPLE reported. He captioned the comparison, “Then and now… Some things never change.”
Stewart Kept One Countach for 25 Years
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RM Sotheby’s has documented the history of a 1977 Countach LP400 “Periscopio” that Stewart bought new while touring Australia and kept until 2002.
The car followed him to Los Angeles, where he had it fitted with a wide-body kit and an open targa roof. He brought it to the United Kingdom in 1987.
Later owners reversed those body modifications, and the Countach received restoration work at Lamborghini Polo Storico in 2022.
Lyons Is Also Selling a Ferrari and a Range Rover
The collectable-car auction also includes a champagne-colored 2002 Ferrari 360 Spider and a 2021 Range Rover Sport SVR.
It is one of seven sales in Lyons’ “Living Estate” series, which spans watches, designer fashion, fine art, antiques, wine, jewelry and celebrity memorabilia.
Lyons told the Herald Sun he had come to value experiences over possessions and was preparing for new adventures overseas.
Lloyds offers in-person or virtual inspections by appointment for the Lamborghini, which is located in Thomastown, Victoria. The car is being sold unregistered, and an 8.8% buyer’s premium applies to the winning bid.