The last 1999 Lamborghini Diablo produced in the 20th century was among the star lots of the Restoration Show sale at Silverstone Auctions on March 5-6.

It realised £174,375 ($246,697), slightly over its £170,000 ($240,507) estimate. The sale took place at the NEC Arena in Birmingham.

The Lamborghini Diablo was one of the top sports cars of its era

While it was not the last Diablo ever built, the model was the last one built before Lamborghini's new parent company Volkswagen took over production (the German marque acquired the brand in 1998).  

The auction house explains: "Generally speaking, being 'last' gets a bit of a bad press.

"Naturally there are exceptions to this, and I think that the last Lamborghini Diablo SV imported into the UK, the last Diablo SV off the production line in 1999, and, most importantly, the Last Lamborghini to leave Sant'Agata that Millenium, would certainly qualify as an exception…

"The condition of the car is amazing for the year and it drives superbly, particularly after a chassis and suspension restoration in 2013 at a cost of over £10,000."

A 1985 Aston Martin Lagonda also sold well, achieving £73,125 ($103,453).

The Lagonda was designed primarily for the Middle Eastern and American market, with the present lot being one of 645 built between 1976 and 1989.

Its pioneering design, it was the first car in the world to feature a digital instrument panel for instance, has resulted in it becoming very popular with collectors.

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