This is the Lamborghini Pregunta (that translates to 'ask' or 'question' in Spanish), a name that only the most devoted Lambo faithful might recognize. It began life during the Chrylser-era and was subsequently built in 1998 by French coachbuilder Carrosserie Heuliez-Torino; it was never meant for mass production.
Instead, it was a design exercise —a one-off that carried the spirit of a fighter jet on the chassis of the already stunning Diablo. Now, more than two decades later, that lone prototype is heading to auction with Broad Arrow Zoute Concours Auction on October 10 in Knokke-Heist, Belgium, with an estimate of €2.5 to €3.5 million ($2.7 to $3.7 million).
The highlight of this concept is, without a doubt, its radical design language. The project was overseen by Heuliez design director Marc Deschamps, formerly of Bertone, whose career included icons like the Renault 5 Turbo and Lamborghini Jalpa.
The Pregunta concept drew inspiration from the Dassault Rafale fighter jet; it features a matte dark gray paint, canopy-style cockpit, the signature Lamborghini scissor doors, digital side mirrors, and removable polycarbonate roof panels.
Now, despite being based on the Diablo, which served as the basis for several design studies over its decade-long run, the overall form of the Pregunta was a departure from the angular wedge shape defined by Marcello Gandini, a legacy that can be traced back to the Countach.
Having said that, the Pregunta does predate another fighter-jet-inspired Lambo, the Murcielago-based Reventon, but that car would make it to series production in both coupe and roadster forms, albeit as a limited-run model. Coming to the interior, the aviation theme continued with Azure Blue Alcantara upholstery, fiber-optic lighting, an Alpine stereo, and a Magneti Marelli digital instrument cluster.
The Pregunta debuted at the 1998 Paris Motor Show and appeared again in Geneva in 1999. Unlike the other Diablo-based Lamborghini concepts like the Zagato Raptor or Canto prototypes, no further examples were built; this car remains the only Pregunta in existence.
The was subsequently also displayed at Rétromobile 2007, and remained with the French coachbuilder before passing to a private collector. Lamborghini’s Heritage department performed maintenance and issued Polo Storico certification in 2021 before displaying it in the company’s museum.
The Pregunta represents a turning point in Lamborghini’s story, serving as a bridge between two glorious eras of the raging bull. Now, Broad Arrow is giving collectors a rare chance to acquire a part of that Lamborghini history from the pre-Audi era.
Images: Broad Arrow Auctions
