Back in August, cool-as-hell surprise gearhead John Cena explained why he bought a fake Lamborghini kit car. Even better, it only took him two decades or so to get it running properly. Hilariously, even though he just finished it, it appears he’s already looking to get rid of the damned thing!
The car has been listed on Bring a Trailer by Naples Motorsports down in Florida. The car is seen looking resplendent in metallic blue, shined up to the nines with those ostentatious phone dial wheels. To the average person, this thing is every bit a Lamborghini, even if it’s never seen Italy in its life.
The best bit, though? We finally get an answer to the mystery—who built this thing, and what went into it?
All The Details
When last we spoke, I did my darndest to figure out the back story of this car. We only had a few sentences to go on from Cena’s podcast interview. We pretty much just knew the car was a replica and that it rocked a BMW V12 in the back. I spent a long day researching on old forums and swimming through the archives of the Wayback Machine, and I formed a pretty cogent theory. Based on the engine, the timing of the purchase, and the details of the build, I figured this replica was built on a chassis from North American Exotic Replica Cars (NAERC).
Sweet vindication—it turns out I was right! While we don’t know all the workshops that got involved in the project over the years, the seller confirmed that it was indeed a NAERC build. “This car did not have a donor car but is a custom chassis offered by NAERC ( North American Exotic Replica Cars) who sold plans and kits that used BMW V-12 power,” stated the seller. “This car [was] originally purchased and started around 2003.”
The Bring a Trailer listing includes a build book, which goes over the parts that went into the build. Given everything is custom, this is a crucial guide for anyone who buys this thing and needs to maintain it in future. The documents state that the engine is a “1988 BMW 750 V12″—more accurately, that should probably read 750i or 750 iL. In any case, stock, its power would have been around the 300 hp mark, with 332 pound-feet of torque. However, the engine has been installed in a completely new vehicle with custom exhaust components and a full standalone FuelTech ECU. Thus, it could be in a higher (or lower) state of tune at present. Without dyno documentation, it’s hard to say either way. The seller notes that they have no dyno sheets, and believe the engine to be largely stock.
The rest of the build is very much assembled from various bits and pieces. The transmission is from a Porsche 944 Turbo (also referred to as the 951). Shift cables were sourced from an Audi 5000. The power steering rack and pump are both from a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro, with brakes sourced from the C5 Corvette. Air conditioning was achieved via a Vintage Air Gen IV kit.
There are some details on this build that are very kit car in nature. Hilariously, there’s no direct speedometer sensor feed from the transmission, either mechanical or electronic. Instead, the speedometer signal is fed by a GPS unit from VDO, so don’t expect it to work in tunnels. As a bonus, if it’s run off a switched 12-volt supply, it takes up to a minute to get a GPS lock from a cold start.
Oh, and there’s also a JoyBring touchscreen stereo in the dash. If you haven’t heard of them, it’s probably because their website is listed as a Facebook page. Not exactly the highest quality gear. The Vintage Air HVAC controls are also hidden behind a plastic panel because the hot-rod styling wouldn’t suit the Lamborghini interior. Sadly, they’re poorly camouflaged.
Obviously, being a kit car, there will always be some questions around the quality of the build. Indeed, the fact that the build hopped between multiple shops and took twenty years to finish only adds to that concern. To that end, the seller directly addressed this on the listing:
Ok guys, thank you for the comments and let’s start by getting the story straight. Yes, John went through many shops, none of which met his high standards, just like you would require for your own car but this car was completed by an absolute genius, John’s words, and I have to agree. This car not just looks great but it does drive great as well. Many of you that have kit projects in your garage that have been there for years will understand the time and money that goes into completing a project like this one so please add positive, productive and helpful comments here.
-Naples Motorsports
Bottom line: this thing looks pretty great from a distance. Up close and inside, it’s true nature becomes a little more obvious. It will obviously never sell for real Diablo money. Its real value is in how it runs and drives. The seller has driven the car, and found it to be a positive experience. “I was surprised to see how nice the car handled and felt overall,” commented the seller. ” I did really enjoy the short time in the car.” It also looks good in a short video shared on the listing. In response to queries, the seller has stated it “might” be possible for Cena to sign the car, too, which could add some value to a serious fan.
At the time of writing, the bidding stands at $76,000 with two days remaining. That will go higher towards the end, but the final value is anyone’s guess at this point. A quick glance over at Classic Driver suggests real Diablos start in the mid-$300,000 range. As a vaguely-educated guess, I’d expect this replica to sell for something less than half that figure. It’s also just worth noting that while the car is listed with 33 miles on the clock, the seller notes that their test drive has pushed that to 43 miles at the current time. We’re also told the car has a clean Florida title, as a 2000 replica for some reason. Close enough, I guess.
Incidentally, if you’re a fan of pretty replicas, you might like Cena’s other build. Naples Motorsports is also selling a Jaguar XJ13 replica built by Predator Performance. It looks absolutely stunning with a slammed stance in British Racing Green, with bidding currently sitting at $80,000 with just hours remaining. It’s cooler and more obscure than the Diablo, and has a real Jaguar V12 beating inside. Maybe you should buy both.
In any case, Cena’s experience should be a lesson to us all. Even if you have superstar wrestler money, trying to get a kit car finished can lead to decades of pain and thousands of dollars spent. Even now that he’s reached the finish line, it’s perhaps telling that Cena has chosen to liquidate his Lamborghini, post haste. If you do figure out how to build a kit car without going bankrupt, getting divorced, or losing your mind, do write in and tell us how you did it.
Image credits: Bring a Trailer (story); Good Morning America/Youtube (top graphic)
No evidence of working turn signals, something to do with the BMW engine I assume.
I like the idea of an “attainable” replica of a vintage or otherwise rare car that exists/ed in such small numbers that driving it or even seeing it would be a true rarity. If the lottery bus ever heads my way I will have one beautiful banana-yellow Auburn Boattail Speedster replica in my garage and it will rack up many many miles.
Good call
An Auburn Boattail is the kind of car I’d think would be worth “cloning”.
That parts build list is giving me a headache. Kudos to the builder and the creator but I wouldn’t touch this with a 10ft pole.
There is a podcast interviewing Tavarish with two finance/money advice guys (I can’t be bothered to check), where one of them said something along the lines of “the idea that you can own a car worth millions for a fraction of the price seems really appealing to me” – I think it very well sums up the special type it takes to commission and buy something like this.
Well, except that you won’t own a car worth millions, sure.
Yeah they are completely missing the point, and have no clue about cars whatsoever.
Same people who buy $20 Rolex watches and Gucci wallets from some guy standing on the street corner next to the hotdog cart
That’s exactly right 🙂 It can be that it makes sense to non-car people, but it’s cringeworthy to anyone who actually cares.
I guess that is the rationale behind high end replicas like the British Lancia Stratos replicas using Alfa or Toyota engines. They aren’t cheap and have a 5 year waiting list but look and sound authentic.
They also aren’t, as I understand it, equipped with “Lancia” badging from the supplier. I have a lot more respect for a visually-identical replica that says what it is (Lister Bell / LB) than I do for some knockoff with a “Lamborghini” nameplate on it, pretending to be something it isn’t. The only people you are going to fool are non-car savvy people and the people who know better are going to know it’s a fake. So all you get is briefly impressing someone who doesn’t know any better. What’s that about?
You get the experience of driving an otherwise unattainable car and looking at it in your garage. Think of it as a print of a famous painting. How many Monet, Matisse and Van Gogh paintings have you seen as prints or posters. Similarly how many “Cobras” are on the road?
I was going to opine that Scamborghini would be a fitting name for a kit car, googled it, and found a V8 Fiero-based Countach on Motor Trend yt
To me, replicas are totally acceptable for vehicles that were never commercially available to the public, were race cars with no real way of making them street-legal or were made in such small numbers that survivors are so astronomically expensive, and no sane person would ever drive an original one on the street.
Lancia Stratos, Shelby Daytona, most Group B rally cars, LeMans cars, etc all fall in that category.
I also like the idea of “resto-modding” a replica where you’re free to take something “historical” and modify it your heart’s content without damaging a real one. Like put a Tesla Model S Plaid AWD drivetrain in Shelby Cobra kit car.
Good take, and I totally agree. There is a company in Argentina making absolutely stunning pre-war Bugatti and Alfa Romeo replicas, down to every nut and bolt being faithfully reproduced. I dig that, and I’m sure everyone can tell that is completely different from making a fake Lamborghini, which is closer to Fiero with a body kit kind of mentality.
$11,000, final offer.
John Cena’s cars are to cars what John Cena’s wrestling is to wrestling… reproductions.
Does his car have folding chairs in it, too?
When it’s a replica of a one-off Jag like the XJ13 that’s worth tens of millions of dollars, I can completely understand it. When it’s a production vehicle you can get for not even an added zero more, that is generally available, the replica gets no pass.
Generally these ground up replicas of highly expensive historic cars that would never otherwise get driven I view as a good thing. John Ficarra had a great recent Vinwiki video on his take I agree strongly on. These are cars that would never be seen outside of museums or highly sheltered collections, replicas allow the public to appreciate the design, and raises enthusiasm and awareness of an era of cars that would otherwise be on a strong decline due to an aging owner pool.
you are thinking John Cena today. instead of John Cena starting out somewhat in the time when these Lambo’s were very expensive and of course he did not know enough to think this would be the money pit it turned out to be.
Yeah, this is the correct take on this whole situation..
I second this. Replica in true meaning of the word is totally fine. Jay Leno mentions this often, whenever he gets one in the garage.
This here however, although I’ll admit well executed and with surprising attention to detail as far as kit cars go, is merely an attempt at a cheaper knock-off.
I would get it if this was a fever dream of some teenage kid knocked together in a valiant attempt to realize a dream, but this is a rich guy trying to get a status symbol on the cheap.
I knew a guy with a Shelby Cobra kit car and his thinking was basically that.
It looked and sounded great, was super sketchy to drive and always got lots of attention.
This is the least sensible car ever made. Ever. It has literally no reason to exist. The Cybertruck is perfecty cromulent in comparison.
You could get any number of cool, mid-engined cars for what it cost to build this, without the compromises. Or get a bigger loan and get a real Diablo; you’ll get most of it back when you are selling. And I agree, the XJ13 kit car is nice – because a real one is just about unobtainable.
That is incorrect.
https://www.e3sparkplugs.com/blogs/news/plastic-surgeon-designed-youabian-puma-steals-la-auto-show
But then the problem with the real diablo is what do you do with it? It probably runs like crap and you’re risking over a quarter million every time it leaves the garage. Does the kit car handle as well? No, but it’s going to come pretty close, especially in traffic.
I can’t wrap my head around why you’d buy the kit car in the first place, as the Diablo was seriously undervalued up until recently. Maybe Cena didn’t have the money at the time? it’s kind of mind boggling.
He commissioned it in 2003, Bing tells me he started with WWF, or whatever they’re called now, in 2002, so it was pretty early in his career where he might not have had real Diablo money yet. Or, even if he maybe technically did, it would have been an uncomfortably large purchase
In high school, me and probably the only other guy there who would have realistically been able to think about it discussed building a Countach copy, whereupon I believe we both had it occur to us that fooling people is not a legit reason to put a bunch of effort into something. After making the initial splash, I’d be embarrassed to drive it which could be a reason the Diablo-copy has so few miles. It looks to have some real craftsmanship into the details but with that is it even, underneath it all, a “good car”?
These many years later, I’m building a chassis and structure for a 1960s original-design kit body and can attest to the effort involved. I’d have to say I know what I’m doing yet still it is a dicey thing at times, the thought (and sometimes lose-your-mind level obsession) going into each component and the frequent do-overs to get it right…or just make an acceptable compromise…are costs you’ll never see in the someday-finished project.
Original design kit cars are cool. Replicas are pointless, with occasional exceptions for those truly unicorn in nature.
Which kit are you building?
I would like a Dutton Rico or a Spartan Roadster myself; or a Kougar Sports if I had a lot of money.
Fiberfab Jamaican
Oh dear, that has no right to be so beautiful. VW engine or are you going crazy?
Front-mount LS/6-speed because why-not, but that means having to take a lot of care that the rest of the car will back it up. In fact the TR-4 chassis the body was originally configured to fit would have made for a fun car.
Came here to say the same. But I guess a replica is about the same money and work so I can see how some folks with different tastes would go for it.
In my view, the main reason to do a kit car is to have something you can’t buy new and/or is unobtanium/very expensive to buy used.
So to me, a kit car that is a replica of a Bugatti of some sort or a Facel Vega makes more sense than a copy of a Lambo that you can buy used for not much more money.
And the biggest downside to kit cars is you have to know all the details of how it’s built. There is no company documentation to go back to for reference. And if you’re just building a show piece, then it’s not that big of a deal. But if you want something you can drive regularly, then it matters more.
YOU are the company that provides the support. Hope you wrote down what came from where or have a very good memory.
It’s the same reason why companies don’t buy custom-built computers except for exceptionally specific circumstances.
Agreed. That is why the ~Jag is so much cooler than the ~Lambo. There are so many cool concept cars (Carabo, AMX II & III, Cadillac 16 & Ciel, etc.) and race cars (Porsche 917 and 962, Lola T70, McLaren M6, etc.) that would make for truly interesting kits. And yeah, I know a few of these have been done (I watched Hardcastle and McCormick), but not enough.
“It’s the same reason why companies don’t buy custom-built computers except for exceptionally specific circumstances.”
Companies buying custom computers aren’t the right example though. That would be like Hertz buying a fleet of kit cars which doesn’t happen. Custom built computers are built and owned by individuals like most kit cars are.
But in general I agree that its best to stick with eye bleedingly expensive, unobtanium targets. Pre emission controlled vintage cars like Porsche 550 spiders and Shelby Cobras are probably the best ones as they can come out pretty close or even better than the originals. Modernish cars, not so much.
Some people wanted unobtanium looks back in the day with more plebian price to get in and less expensive upkeep/maintenance.
Never mind that it seems like all Fiero kit cars overheat and VW motors while somewhat simple often require a boot full of side of the road repair items to “Make it Home”.
This hodgepodge of parts reminds me of that Johnny Cash song “One Piece at a time” : “Well, it’s a ’49, ’50, ’51, ’52, ’53, ’54, ’55, ’56 ‘57, ’58’ 59′ automobile
It’s a ’60, ’61, ’62, ’63, ’64, ’65, ’66, ’67
’68, ’69, ’70 automobile“
This one would go: “Well, it’s a BMW, Chevy, Porsche, Audi, NAERC automobile!”
Perfect!
Am I the only one that finds kit cars that are modeled to look like existing cars to be far less desirable than their respective donor vehicles? I would rather have a Fiero than a Fiero vaguely resembling a super car. Only exception would be Caterham types.
To prove your point, I would like to call your attention to the Estfield – Sevenesque kit, using Lada underpinnings. Brilliant!
https://www.racetech.ee/a/f2-for_sale.htm
In all cases of a donor vehicle, yes. In the case of a ground up replica that’s repurposing a junkyard engine or a crate engine, I’ll give it a pass since they’re bespoke ground ups that generally won’t cannibalize a running car.
Willy Mays Hayes’s “Rolls” comes to mind..
I can’t see me in this car. Also, “clean Florida title” is an oxymoron.
My local Chevrolet dealer has two brand new Corvettes advertised for $69k and 71k.
Why would I buy this??? It has a 40 year old pile of flaming dog vomit for an engine. Not to mention 41 miles of working the bugs out vs some of the best enginners on the planet designing/testing the car for a hundred thousand hours and racking up close to a million miles on their test mules
Who knows why people buy things? There is a guy out there selling fake Rolexes for $100k.
But those Trolexes are numbered. Meaning that some lucky person gets to be number 2… Though I think that’s the one that the purveyor of such fine goods should have reserved for himself.
i think I’d much prefer this cobbled-together greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts creation to an actual lamborghini. taking a bmw V12 and removing its achilles heels (the two computer madness) and putting on a standalone, inside a gorgeous chassis? if i had the money to bid, i would absolutely be bidding on this car
Hey Pete! You forgot to add John Cena into the topshot. I don’t see him.
Did John Cena really feel the need to be in every photo?
This is a good joke. +1
I would rather have this car than a real Lamborghini.
I’ll give you $15 and… That’s enough, actually, as it already includes a fair allowance for me to be persuaded up to $20.
I’m not sure why someone with his deep pockets would go down the road of any kit cars at all – other than maybe that Jag is unobtanium – but something like a Diablo, Countach, etc. he could easily afford. Kinda weird. I love that he’s a car guy though, would be awesome to meet him and talk cars someday!
He mentioned in the interview it was when he was just starting to make money and he really did not want to spend for a real one. Which sorta tracks, since he dailies a Type R.
I have one word for John:
“Why?”
Ditto.
I’d rather just have the best real car I can buy for $75k or whatever this will sell for. Plus as the years go by (and if you actually drive it), I cannot believe maintaining this Frankenstein car is going to be easy.
“Joybring” radio? They couldn’t spring for a Pioneer or Alpine unit? They do a have a website, it is under “SJoybring”. $170 for a double din head unit. https://www.sjoybring.com/
This is what someone puts in the $2500 G35 from the other day, not a car trying to be a high end replica.
Hard buttons and a volume knob. That’s probably why. The band name stuff that fits a double din doesn’t have those.
This was literally the first google result for “kenwood double din”
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/kenwood-bluetooth-cd-receiver-alexa-built-in-satellite-radio-ready-black/6514906.p?skuId=6514906&ref=212&loc=1&utm_source=feed&extStoreId=160
Look again. This unit has none of those things.
You’re thinking touch screens maybe, but there are still plenty of traditional decks in double-din format with all the physical buttons.
Yes. Everyone wants CarPlay/Android auto. And the strictly double din units mostly don’t have any hard controlsat all, let alone knobs. (Oversized ones that have bigger screens stuck out in front often do from what I’ve seen.)
The one on the front page of the mfr (linked above) does. Didn’t look closely at the pics of the subject car.
I’m honestly considering buying such a thing for my NB. The screen only alpine I bought is a PITA. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad if I had steering wheel controls but the car predates those too.
These two are even “higher end” models that you would frankly expect in a car that supposedly cost $400k to build. Not something from AliExpress.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113DMX958X/Kenwood-Excelon-Reference-DMX958XR.html
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XAV9000/Sony-XAV-9000ES.html
Cool. I’m almost surprised they don’t have remotes too.
My remotes from an early 2000s Pioneer deck (DEH-P7000R) that you can barely see now because it features an aged OLED display still work on some modern Pioneer single DIN radios. Pretty neat.
It’s nice having Bluetooth, but I do sometimes miss my old deck. 4V preamp outs and a flip face for all those CDs! =P
There’s a $50 Nakamichi on slickdeals….. just sayin’.
It will fit right in if you just want to have the right badge and look the part but have absolutely nothing to back those up.
Like you say, that would at least make sense if they were trying to be “period appropriate”. Nakamichi was still high end audio when the Diablo was built, even if they are just rebadged SJoyBrings today.
Nakamichi made great stuff back when I most cared about car audio. It’s sad where that nameplate is at now.
It’s also sad that new cars come with touchscreens and bespoke mfr designs. The car audio world is so different now.
Gimme standard DIN-like sizes ftw!
The benefits of corporate chaos. A Diablo is Chrysler-era Lamborghini, which it two corporate owners ago. If this were claiming to be a Ferrari or a Mercedes, Cena probably would have been sued for IP theft, the car confiscated and crushed long ago.
The only reason I’d want an exotic kit car is to annoy the purists in my city. They regularly hold Italian exotic car shows in our Little Italy and all the big money comes out.
I want something hilariously obvious though, like the Liberty Walk Ferarri F40 kit for the Autozam AZ1.
The idea of showing up with a 2/3rds scale replica just makes me giddy. I also just love Kei cars.
I often think about what Japanese engine I’d want to put into a Cobra kit car. I go back and forth between a 13b and an SR20. Either one would probably be a ton of fun in there and would cause the local old guys to have a melt down
The answer is obvious:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LiCCftV2nvg
Tou-Zhee-Zedd?
Maybe.
The AC Ace had a straight six, so going back to that with a 2JZ or 26RBDETT (did I get that right?) Would be a good start. Not Japanese, but a Barra keeps with a Ford engine (and can make big power).
I think I’d want to go for full confusion, so maybe something like a Slant 6 with a cheapo turbo on it.
Watched a video where they did that to a beat pickup and the thing was basically whistling the whole time. Went from 0-60 in 18 secs to about half that, it was hilarious.
“I want something hilariously obvious though, like the Liberty Walk Ferrari F40 kit for the Autozam AZ1.”
Except for the gull wing doors that looks more obtainable using a 1st gen MR2 as a donor.
But then I wouldn’t have an Autozam. Therefore, your answer is incorrect.