Powered by dreams, Aromal’s replica Lamborghini takes shape in Kerala's Alappuzha

ALAPPUZHA: For most children, a toy car is simply something to play with. For 24-year-old Aromal Unni of Thamarakulam, a toy Lamborghini became the starting point of a dream that would take years of patience and plenty of hard work to realise.

Today, Aromal has a Lamborghini of his own — not a showroom model costing crores of rupees, but a working replica of a Lamborghini Huracan 610-4 that he designed and built himself using locally sourced materials and the engine of an old Ford car.

An automobile-engineering student, Aromal began dreaming of the supercar while he was preparing for his Class 10 examinations. He spotted a remote-controlled Lamborghini model at a nearby shop and bought it with money from his mother. Little did he know that the toy would eventually inspire him to build a full-sized version.

His interest in automobile making grew gradually.His first major experiment was a driverless, remote-controlled jeep, which he later modified to operate using a mobile phone.

Encouraged by the experience, Aromal started working on his Lamborghini project in 2021, even before joining his automobile-engineering course. His family stood by him throughout the six-year journey.

Building the car was far from easy. Aromal had to create a new mould and laminate a fibreglass body before giving shape to his dream machine. Modern techniques,including 3D printing, were also used in the construction. The car is powered by a Ford Ikon 1.3-litre petrol engine. The project cost around `5 lakh.

For now, however, the car remains parked in the courtyard of Aromal’s home. The Motor Vehicles Department has not permitted him to drive it on public roads. That has done little to diminish his enthusiasm.“My dream of building a Lamborghini has come true. I drive it around the yard and show it to visitors,” Aromal said.

The project has also begun attracting attention beyond his home. Aromal says he missed many classes while working on the car, but the effort has now started to pay off, with enquiries coming from different parts of Kerala for automobile exhibitions. Although he sees little possibility of obtaining registration for the vehicle, he hopes to take it to auto shows and display it at exhibition grounds.

Organisers have invited him to display the car at an auto show in Thrissur on September 29. They have offered to meet the transportation and other expenses involved in bringing the car to the venue.

Mavelikkara joint regional transport officer M G Manoj said officials visited Aromal’s house and examined the vehicle.

“We appreciate the talent of this young man. A vehicle comes out of a factory after the combined efforts of various departments, including mechanical, automobile and electrical engineering. But this young man has done almost all the work himself. We see a bright future for him. There are no legal hurdles to exhibit the vehicle in exhibitions, but no permission can be given to drive it in public places,” Manoj said.