Car nut takes angle grinder to Lamborghini Huracan to create world's most expensive drift car

December 6, 2019

Mad Mike Whiddett shows Michael Holland his modified Lambo before its NZ debut at Hampden Downs.

Christmas has indeed come early for Kiwi car nut and drifter 'Mad Mike' Whiddett.

He's taken an angle grinder to a half-a-million-dollar Lamborghini.

"It's always about doing something different, doing something unique," he told TVNZ1's Seven Sharp. “Just making something unique that will put smiles on people's faces."

The project was conceived during a chance dinner introduction at the famed Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK.

"’Mad Mike, this is Stefano [Domenicali], CEO of Lamborghini,” he recalled. “Stefano instantly says, 'I follow you on Instagram.’ How crazy is that? The CEO of Lamborghini follows me on Instagram."

Mad Mike floated the idea of drifting a supercar to the CEO, who readily agreed.

"It was just like bro chat, it was really weird," he explained. "Like, 'Yes, we need to make this happen.'"

The modifications to the car, dubbed the Lamborghini Huracan MM 123, were put together in just four weeks.

"People always ask, ‘How did you drop the grinder? How did you actually build the courage up to do that to a half-a-million-dollar motor vehicle?’

“The vision was that clear. There was no second-guessing, just do it."

The car also got the seal of approval from Mr Domenicali as it made its debut at this year's Goodwood Festival.

"To see his reaction was overwhelming. He was emotional, I was very emotional,” he said. “He's like, ‘This is perfection, this is something that people will talk about.’”

Mad Mike will debut his Lamborghini in New Zealand at Hampton Downs tomorrow. 

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