A New York-based Lamborghini owner has been fined after his Huracan supercar was pinged by one of the city’s ‘noise cameras’ – despite it being unmodified.
As reported by The New York Post, Anthony Aquilino was driving his 2018 Lamborghini Huracan Performante through New York City when one of the noise cameras – which use microphones to detect exhaust noises – picked up the supercar being excessively loud.
Mr Aqulino was fined US$800 (A$1178) for his car exceeding 85dB, but has filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court to have the charge overturned as he claims the Huracan’s exhaust was factory-fitted, complying with US road laws.
“The fine amount is US$800 for the first offence. The second offence is US$1700 (A$2500) and the third offence is US$2700 (A$3682),” Mr Aquilino told The New York Post.
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“How can anybody afford that? Especially if the city wants to move these cameras all across the five boroughs.
“The only remedy [to not be fined again] would be to sell the vehicle. How else do you fight the fine?
“I feel that if the residents are upset by noise and the city wants to crack down on noise – I don’t disagree with it. I disagree with if a car is unmodified and you want to fine them.”
Mr Aquilino reportedly took the Huracan to a Manhattan Lamborghini dealership to have the carmaker confirm its exhaust was unmodified, with the manufacturer finding it remained stock.
While Mr Aquilino claims he wasn’t speeding or driving excessively – instead slowing down – though The New York Post discovered he had received two unrelated tickets on the same day for driving through a red light and speeding in a school zone.
It’s not the first case of stock exhausts landing car owners in trouble in the US.
Last month, a Chevrolet Camaro owner in California was fined for driving in ‘Sport Mode’, which the police officer who pulled him over claimed violated the state’s vehicle noise laws.
In 2022, a Hyundai Elantra N (i30 Sedan N) owner was also driving in California in the car’s in ‘N mode’ when he was pulled over for it being excessively loud, with police suspending his registration on the spot.
After a prolonged back-and-forth with California Air Resources Board and Hyundai across multiple months, the carmaker bought back the car despite finding it was “100 per cent stock and working as expected”.
