Lamborghini Pregunta – The Fighter Jet on Wheels That Time Forgot

In the world of concept cars, few are as daring, obscure, and unforgettable as the Lamborghini Pregunta. Born in 1998 as a one-off prototype, the Pregunta was the last concept car Lamborghini created before being acquired by the Volkswagen Group. It was a bold, futuristic vision that fused aerospace aesthetics with supercar engineering—and now, nearly three decades later, it’s making headlines again as it heads to auction with a jaw-dropping price tag of up to $4.2 million.

✈️ A Jet-Inspired Dream

The Pregunta wasn’t just a car—it was a statement. Designed by French coachbuilder Carrosserie Heuliez and styled by Marc Deschamps, the concept drew heavy inspiration from the Dassault Rafale fighter jet. Its matte grey carbon-fiber body, wraparound windshield, and afterburner-style exhausts gave it an unmistakably aeronautical vibe. Even the name “Pregunta,” which means “question” in Spanish, hinted at its role as a provocative design exercise.

Scissor doors added Lamborghini’s signature drama, while removable polycarbonate roof panels allowed the car to transform from a coupe to a semi-open roadster. The headlights and taillights were composed of small circular clusters, giving the car an insect-like appearance that was both futuristic and slightly alien.

🧠 Ahead of Its Time

Inside, the Pregunta was equally radical. The cabin was drenched in Azure blue Alcantara and divided by a sweeping central spine. It featured fiber-optic ambient lighting, GPS navigation, and a digital instrument cluster derived from Formula 1 technology. Rear-view cameras replaced traditional mirrors—an innovation that wouldn’t become mainstream until decades later.

This wasn’t just a static showpiece. The Pregunta was fully functional, built on a modified Lamborghini Diablo platform. It packed a 5.7-liter V12 engine producing 529 horsepower and 446 lb-ft of torque, mated to a five-speed gated manual transmission. Reengineered to be rear-wheel drive, it could sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 209 mph.

🏁 A Concept Born in Transition

The Pregunta’s development began under Chrysler’s ownership of Lamborghini, but it wasn’t unveiled until the 1998 Paris Motor Show—just months after the brand was acquired by the Volkswagen Group. This timing makes the Pregunta a fascinating artifact: the last gasp of Lamborghini’s pre-Audi era, a moment when wild creativity still ruled the design studio.

Unlike many concept cars that remain locked away in corporate vaults, the Pregunta was sold to a private collector and later displayed at the Lamborghini Museum in Sant’Agata. Now, it’s resurfacing at the Broad Arrow Zoute Concours Auction in Belgium, where it’s expected to fetch between €2.5 million and €3.5 million.

🔥 Why It Still Matters

The Pregunta may not have led directly to a production model, but its influence is undeniable. Elements of its design—fighter jet inspiration, digital interfaces, and carbon-fiber construction—can be seen in later Lamborghinis like the Reventón, Egoista, and even the Aventador. It was a precursor to the brand’s modern obsession with angular, aggressive styling and high-tech interiors.

Moreover, the Pregunta represents a time when concept cars were truly experimental. It wasn’t built to appease focus groups or tease upcoming models—it was built to challenge assumptions. In today’s world of increasingly homogenized automotive design, the Pregunta stands out as a reminder of what happens when designers are given free rein.

💸 The Auction Buzz

The Pregunta’s upcoming auction has reignited interest in this forgotten gem. Collectors and enthusiasts alike are marveling at its rarity, performance, and sheer audacity. With only one ever built, it’s a unicorn in the supercar world—a drivable concept that bridges the gap between art and engineering.

Joe Twyman, VP of Sales for Broad Arrow’s EMEA region, called it “a striking piece of design that combines both the superb engineering of Lamborghini and the fighter-jet inspired design created by Heuliez”. That’s not just auctioneer hype—it’s a fair assessment of a car that dared to ask, “What if?”

🏆 Legacy of the Unseen

While the Pregunta never made it to production, its legacy lives on in the hearts of those who appreciate automotive boldness. It’s a reminder that concept cars aren’t just marketing tools—they’re visions of alternate futures. And sometimes, those futures are worth revisiting.

As it prepares to cross the auction block, the Lamborghini Pregunta is finally getting the spotlight it deserves. Whether it ends up in a private collection or a museum, one thing is certain: this fighter jet on wheels will never be forgotten.