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The notion of John Cena, one of the most recognizable figures globally, investing in a Lamborghini kit car is quite peculiar. With a highly successful career in both professional wrestling and acting, Cena has the means to purchase an actual Lamborghini, even though he often opts for more modest vehicles like Honda Civics. Nonetheless, this Hollywood star dedicated two decades and faced numerous challenges to get his replica Lamborghini operational, and he only recently received it.
In a candid appearance on Club Shay Shay, a show hosted by the legendary NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe, Cena reflected on the experience, labeling the fake Lamborghini as his worst purchase ever. “I didn’t want to spend money on a real Lamborghini, so I got a fake one,” he explained. “This was back in 2003. I found a company that would handle it for me, and they put a V12 in it. I thought, ‘Hey, it looks pretty good!'”
That V12 engine turned out to be a BMW V12, likely sourced from an 850CSi or 750iL, so it wasn’t exactly a budget-friendly project. More critically, securing the finished vehicle proved to be a challenge.
“They tried to shortchange me on the car. I had to enlist some friends with experience in finding lost things to track it down. After a lengthy wait, I finally got the title. When the car arrived two years later, it wouldn’t go into gear,” Cena recalled. “The engine was cobbled together using the timing systems of two Chevy V6s, so nothing worked. The car was not safe to drive. I decided to send it to a shop, which was in 2005.”
The challenges Cena faced seem overwhelming—two years spent grappling with dubious shops and mechanics attempting to piece together a non-functional BMW V12 into a Lamborghini-style body. Most people would likely have cut their losses at the first sign of trouble, but Cena persisted.
“I just received the keys to that car a week ago,” Cena revealed, surprising Sharpe. “I took it to ten different shops, and finally found the right one. They worked on it from start to finish, and I have to say, it looks fantastic.”
According to Cena, the price tag for revamping the kit car to a working condition after 20 years of modifications is approximately equivalent to one and a half brand-new roadsters. In a 2022 interview, Sam Hard of Hard Up Garage stated that Cena’s replica Lambo resembles a Diablo VT Roadster, finished in yellow. Based on information from J.D. Power, the original MSRP for the Diablo VT Roadster in 1997 was $273,000. Thus, tracing back the costs, Cena may have invested around $409,000 over the years to bring his imitation to life.
Today, Cena laughs at the irony of spending so much time and money on a faux exotic car. He shared with Sharpe that the entire journey has provided him with some important life lessons. It’s admirable that he remained committed, whether out of nostalgia or sheer determination, continuing to seek out mechanics for twenty years before finally achieving his goal.
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