$450,000 Lamborghini faces crusher after cops seize supercar

By Trevor Mogg July 5, 2013

lamborghini650 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

A luxury sports car seized in London for allegedly having no insurance could end up in the crusher, police said Thursday.

The $450,000 Lamborghini Aventador was stopped by police near high-end department store Harrods at the end of last month. Should the owner – believed to be 24-year-old Nasser Al-Thani – fail to produce up-to-date insurance details and refuse to pay any imposed fine, he could see his flashy supercar wrecked by a crusher.

And while such an unthinkable act may bring tears to the eyes of petrolheads around the world, Al-Thani might simply shrug his shoulders, pop down the nearest Lamborghini showroom and buy another one. He is, after all, a member of the Qatari ruling family.

A spokesman for London’s Metropolitan Police told the Evening Standard the Lamborghini, complete with its 6.5-liter V12 engine, isn’t the first upmarket vehicle its seized.

“We’ve had a few Porsches, BMW X5s, and a Ferrari – that one got crushed and in fact the vast majority of them are,” the spokesman said.

lamborghini in london — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The car, with an extraordinary purple and orange paint job that’s rumored to glow in the dark, drew quite a crowd when it was pulled over by police (video below) in London’s wealthy Knightsbridge district last week, with many eager to snap a picture of the 217-mph car as it was loaded onto the back of a truck.

It’s not clear precisely when the car could end up in the crusher, but if it does, we won’t be surprised if a video surfaces on YouTube showing the pricey motor making its way to that great parking lot in the sky. We’ll keep you posted….

[Top image: Evening Standard]

Topics

Web

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Cars

Mercedes-Benz EQG: range, price, release date, and more

Concept image of the larger electric G-Wagon

The G-Class is going electric. We already knew that Mercedes-Benz was working on an electric, small-size G-Wagon, but it looks like the company is also working on a larger G-Class SUV, in the form of the EQG. In fact, Mercedes has gone as far as to show off a concept version of the off-roader.

While there's much we don't know about what will become the production model of the EQG, Mercedes has also shared a lot about it. Curious about whether the Mercedes-Benz EQG could be the EV for you? Here's everything we know so far.
Design
Fear not -- the EQG will retain many of the design aspects of the G-Class that you already know and love but with a modern face-lift. The EQG will keep the boxy design that gives the G-Class a classic look but with some additional modern styling, at least if the concept version is anything to go by.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs. Kia EV9: battle of affordable electric SUVs

Kia EV9 GT-Line Three Quarters

The long-awaited Rivian R2 has finally been announced, and it's an excellent option for those who want an electric SUV that doesn't completely break the bank. Sure, the R2 isn't cheap -- but it's a whole lot cheaper than most other EVs out there, especially when it comes to SUVs. But Rivian isn't the only company trying to tackle the problem of the budget electric SUV. The Kia EV9 is finally available, and it too offers a modern design and a range of helpful features.

Given the fact that the Rivian R2 and Kia EV9 are two electric SUVs in a similar price range, you might be wondering which is better for your needs. That's why we put the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 head-to-head.
Design
Both the Rivian R2 and the Kia EV9 are actual SUVs -- not crossovers pretending to be SUVs, like plenty of other EVs out there. The two vehicles offer big, boxy designs and plenty of interior space, making them excellent options for families or those who need that extra storage.

Cars

Rivian R2 vs R1S: How will Rivian’s cheaper SUV compare?

The front three-quarter view of a 2022 Rivian against a rocky backdrop.

Rivian has finally unveiled the R2, its long-awaited attempt at a more affordable electric SUV. The new vehicle may not be available just yet, but fans of Rivian's design aesthetics and feature set are already looking forward to being able to order the new car. The R2 is targeted at being a more affordable take on the electric SUV and will sit alongside the flagship-tier R1S.

Let's get this out of the way right now: The R1S is most likely going to be a better vehicle than the R2. Rivian isn't replacing the R1S with the R2 — it's releasing the R2 as a more affordable alternative, and there will be some compromises when buying the R2 over the R1S.