HK$18 Million: Supercar customisation
your hands on a sought-after Lamborghini Veneno or the fabulous La Ferrari and thought, "this is it". It's time you think again. We've set out to work with German-based exotic car tuner DMC to create a bespoke automobile that would make the Batmobile look lame.
"For some owners of luxury vehicles that are priced at €3 million [HK$31.5 million], a factory-delivered car just won't cut it," says CEO Greg Schoner. "They want something a lot more exclusive, a one-of-a-kind and unique car built just for them."
For the specific project created for readers, Schoner based the design on Lamborghini's two-door, two-seater Aventador. Customisations cover the supercar's style and performance including exterior, mechanics, interior and smart technology, while the car's original bumper, fenders, hood and headlights are modified.
Starting off, Aventador's already powerful V12 engine gets a major upgrade. Thanks to a pair of turbochargers, its default 700 horsepower can be almost doubled.
To enhance the supercar's road performance and - let's face it - its robust and killer look, Schoner envisions a total facelift for a more aerodynamic design with a hip matt exterior wrap in a classy hue of forest green. "We'll use completely different parts to cover the bare chassis starting at the front with a more aggressive styling for the front bumper, featuring large air intakes," Schoner says. "The lower fin on the front bumper will be electronically [adjusted] into different positions [depending on] speed and road conditions, while a similar system will be used on the custom side sills and lower rear diffuser."
Those modified air-intake parts force cool air into the engine bay for reasonable operating temperatures even when the car fetches a whopping 1,500hp.
The flexible parts are adjusted to a low position for normal driving and can be raised to adapt to different road conditions. The suspension of the car is adjustable to cater to high speeds. Also adjustable is a cool two-part wing installed at the rear part of the vehicle. The two dramatic struts, doubling as air brakes, control the force on the rear axle.
"It's much like a Formula One [racing car's] nose cone on the front hood which has a custom system to allow 'on the fly' modification of the amount of down force inflicted on the front wheels," Schoner says.
Impress your date with the "glass roof" that's fashioned with modified roof panels crafted in lightweight carbon fibre and aircraft-grade tempered glass.
Other impressive aesthetics include a swooping side fin in the traditional Italian TriColore shades that refer to Lamborghini's roots.
"These vertical side fins double as fenders, in complete race-style fashion with multiple stabilisation fins under the diffusers," Schoner explains. To flaunt the owner's exquisite taste, Schoner opts for clear carbon-fibre door panels with gold-leaf inlay. Built-in fingerprint sensors on the door handles verify your identification. Seats are fitted with exotic alligator skin using Norwegian construction - a contrasting stitching made from linen twine for durability and water resistance.
The seats change shape to accommodate the body of the driver and passenger.
The bespoke dashboard will be designed to look like a fighter plane head-up display, better known as HUD. It will replace the Aventador's original LCD screen, showing details such as speed and rpm. Other display screens are mounted to the left and right of the dashboard pod. They display images from the multiple miniature HD cameras installed above the wheels at the front and the rear of the car.
Two touchscreens that slide out from the dashboard control a multitude of settings on the engine management, suspension, exhaust valves and turbo pressure.
A custom-made state-of-the-art sound system developed specifically for the car features a large subwoofer behind each seat, with tweeters and mid-range speakers on the doors. A smaller subwoofer is placed underneath the dashboard, while small speakers are added in the headrest of each seat, along with microphones for voice control of the navigation and hands-free phone systems.
Taking it a step further, you get a custom colour-coded, wireless helmet that holds a complete headset, which is to be used as an intercom system to talk to your passenger and navigator.
Having worked on numerous cars, Schoner says clients need to be aware of one thing. "It will get worse before it gets better," he says. "Nothing scares a supercar owner more than seeing it taken apart. Everything will be removed from the car, leaving a bare chassis, which usually doesn't look too nice. But you need to keep in mind that the finished product will exceed your wildest expectations."
Who: Greg Schoner
CEO OF DMC EXOTIC CAR TUNING
At the helm of a German luxury car refiner, specialising insports vehicles such as Lamborghinis and Ferraris, Schoner creates unique dream automobiles for opulent supercar aficionados. His firm offers customised elements that go beyondcolours and horsepower.
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Transform a dream Lamborghini or Ferrari into a one-of-a-kind, powerful and hot-looking supercar