Targa South Island drivers be warned, Tony Quinn has whistled up a Huracan.
The Highlands Motorsport Park owner picked up his new Lamborghini - worth ''close to $500,000'' - in Christchurch at the weekend, in what he believes is the first delivery to a private owner worldwide.
Naturally he wanted to run in the 449kW, 5.2-litre, V10 engine before he contests the six-day Targa, beginning in Christchurch on October 27 and ending in Queenstown on November 1.
Quinn had to take it easy when he drove the Huracan LP 610-4 south to its new home in Cromwell, as it has a a top speed of 325kmh and can accelerate from 0 to 100kmh in 3.2 seconds.
Speed is however, not the sole reason Quinn bought this latest offering by Lamborghini.
The self-described ''conservative entrepreneur'' is all about anniversaries.
One of his two Targa Australia titles was a hard-fought battle for the 20th anniversary silverware.
This year is Targa New Zealand's 20th birthday and to celebrate, it is making the inaugural trip south to be run on the Mainland's tarmac roads.
Quinn's co-driver of eight years, Naomi Tillet, has a new job and consequently, it could be one of her last stints in Quinn's passenger seat.
''We both really wanted to do this one together and we decided it would be really cool to win this one together,'' Quinn said.
While casting around for a replacement to the Nissan GTR which has netted him four of his five Targa New Zealand crowns, Quinn was approached by Lamborghini, which co-incidentally is observing its half century of production this year.
''They [Lamborghini] said to me, if we do you a super deal, will you buy one?''He is now the happy owner.
Quinn has had a roll-cage installed but apart from that, this Italian stallion - the only one of its kind in New Zealand - is ''dead set original as it comes''.
Will this knowledge placate his Targa title rivals?''Everybody will look at it as the premier car and the fastest car but, in reality, it's not as fast as some of their modified cars,'' Quinn said.
He will, therefore, combine the best attributes of the tortoise and hare.
''My plan is to be fast and steady.''
Then when he has completed the 850km Targa race, Quinn plans to put the Huracan out to pasture as the Highlands Motorsport Park's new ride car, where paying punters can feel the full force of the Huracan.
