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Despite widespread media coverage, one man has allegedly failed to obtain his U-class licence before driving his ultra high-performance Lamborghini in South Australia – resulting in a fine from police.
A Lamborghini driver is the first person to be fined under new 'ultra high-powered vehicle' laws, just hours after being introduced by the South Australian Government.
According to South Australia Police, a 36-year-old man was found driving a Lamborghini – believed to be a Huracan STO – at 7:30am on Sunday 1 December in Hillcrest, approximately 10 kilometres north-east of Adelaide, and allegedly without the correct licence endorsement.
Announced in mid-2023, South Australian motorists are required to obtain a U-class licence in order to drive ultra high-powered vehicles (UHPV), defined as having at least 276kW per tonne (1000kg) – with the new rules coming into effect on 1 December 2024.
The U-class endorsement costs $61 and consists of an online course which takes between 30 and 45 minutes to complete, followed by a test.
The maximum penalty for driving an ultra high-powered vehicle without a U-class licence in South Australia is $2500 or one-year imprisonment – for a first offence.
Motorists can check whether a vehicle falls into the UHPV category using the South Australian Government's EzyReg smartphone app and entering the number plate.
However, this would have been more difficult for the driver in question, given the Lamborghini allegedly didn't have number plates fitted when he was pulled over by police.
With an estimated 334.5kW per tonne, the Lamborghini Huracan STO is well over the UHPV threshold, sending 470kW and 565Nm from its 5.2-litre V10 engine to its rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The Italian supercar company claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.0 seconds on its way to a claimed top speed of 310km/h, making it both the fastest and most powerful rear-wheel-drive Huracan at its release.
The Lamborghini Huracan STO was priced from $607,920 before options and on-road costs when new.
Ben Zachariah is an experienced writer and motoring journalist from Melbourne, having worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades. Ben began writing professionally more than 15 years ago and was previously an interstate truck driver. He completed his MBA in Finance in early 2021 and is considered an expert on classic car investment.
