Edmonton

Why an Edmontonian drives his Lamborghini in the middle of winter

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‘I’ve worked so hard for it. Who cares if I’m going to get a scratch?'

Oren Zamir has no plans to stop doing doughnuts in his Lamborghini, despite damaging the front after driving it into a snowbank. (@laurenfrotch/Instagram)

'Tis the season for giving! That's why we're bringing back some of our favourite stories from 2019. This story was originally published on Jan. 11, 2019. Enjoy!

Most car enthusiasts park their sports cars for the winter to avoid the ice, salt and debris. Edmonton's Oren Zamir is an exception — he thinks winter is the best season to drive his Lamborghini.

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Zamir, 30, loves taking his $234,000 car out to feel its speed and do doughnuts.

"I've spent my best money, I've worked so hard for it, who cares if I'm going to get a scratch or something because of winter? I'm going to enjoy it day in and day out," Zamir said.

Although he owns several other luxury cars including a BMW i8, Zamir has been dreaming of owning a Lamborghini since he was a child in Israel. The one he owns is a Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 LB, matte black with blue accents.

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"I'm a big Transformers fan and I feel like a Lamborghini looks like a transformer: the sharper turns, the cuts. It's very aggressive and I love it."

Watch: Oren Zamir take his Lamborghini for a spin on a cold January day.

Show more Oren Zamir drives his Lamborghini Huracán all year round. 1:12

Zamir notes that he didn't grow up with a wealthy family. He's worked to buy the cars he's passionate about. He's the regional manager for Fluent Home, a business that sells home security systems.

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He initially set a goal to make enough sales in 2017 to buy the Lamborghini. Zamir didn't make his goal that year, so in 2018 he decided to go back to door-to-door sales alongside his employees, to motivate them. When mid-summer came around, he'd hit the number of sales he needed to buy the car.

Zamir bought the luxury machine in August 2018 from Lamborghini Vancouver. He noted it's a used vehicle, with 29,000 kilometres on it when he became its owner. Lamborghini Huracáns go for $300,000 or more brand new, depending on how they are equipped.

By the time he's done modifying his car, Zamir will have spent more than $300,000, including modifications.

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"I am going to make this a real beast," Zamir said. "I'm going to supercharge it and I am going to change a few body pieces to make it more unique."

Oren Zamir driving his Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 LB. (Dave Bajer/CBC)

Alejandro Santizo is the owner of Velocity Motorsport, which services luxury exotic vehicles in Edmonton. He said these luxury cars are built to be driven year-round, even in winter conditions.

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"They have an all-wheel [drive] system, traction control, they have amazing brakes and they're light, therefore they stop faster," Santizo said.

There's even a button in the car that can be pushed to lift it one or two inches higher off the ground to provide some clearance so it doesn't get stuck in the snow.

Most people will add paint or windshield protectant to their sports cars to protect them from gravel and salt, Santizo said.

With 610 horsepower, the Huracán is known for its speed. Zamir wouldn't share how fast he's gone, but the Huracán can reach speeds of more than 300 kilometres per hour.

'Adrenalin rush'

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That kind of speed isn't legal, so Zamir finds creative ways to enjoy the powerful sports car.

"My way to get the thrill is I always try and go zero to 60 as fast as I can," he said.

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"It's not necessarily about … the high speeds as much as I'm getting to the speed so much faster than anyone else. That's the adrenalin rush that kicks in."

Zamir particularly loves seeing the effect the Huracán has on onlookers. For the most part it's younger people who ogle the car but Zamir said an older couple pulled up next to him recently to take a look.

"You have car fanatics at all ages, you know, and I respect that," Zamir said. "Put a smile on people's faces in the middle of the winter. I love it."

Zamir has no plans to stop doing doughnuts in his Lamborghini, despite damaging the front after driving it into a snowbank. That's mainly an issue if he wanted to sell it — and Zamir said he plans to keep it forever.