Influencer's $500K Luxury Car Goes Up In Flames In NorCal

A luxury vehicle valued at over $500,000 that belonged to a popular car influencer was destroyed in a blaze last week, according to the California Highway Patrol of San Jose and the vehicle’s owner.

Gabe Farrell, who has more than 2 million followers on TikTok, posted Friday on Instagram that the previous day his Lamborghini Aventador had broken down and was taken to a local dealership for servicing in anticipation of Monterey Car Week.

“This morning I got an unfortunate call, the dealer took the Aventador for a drive after servicing it & the car caught fire & burned to the ground…” Farrell wrote in the caption of the post, which included images of the shiny purple car before the fire, engulfed in flames and severely burned.

Farrell, in a follow-up Instagram post, described the vehicle as his “first BIG purchase as a young entrepreneur” and “personal dream car I’ve wanted since I was a kid.”

He also noted no one was hurt and “cars can always be replaced.”

Car and Driver listed the typical price of a 2022 Aventador, the most recent iteration of the vehicle, at well over $500,000 and described it as “a flamboyant, loud, and positively glorious hyper car.”

The cause of the fire was unknown, but there was no indication it was due to a mechanical issue, the highway patrol said Monday in a social media post.

“Vehicle fires can occur unexpectedly,” the post said. “We remind everyone to stay alert to warning signs such as unusual smells, smoke, leaking fluids, overheating, or electrical issues.”

The highway patrol reminded drivers to pull over, turn off the engine and exit immediately, then call 911, if a vehicle catches fire. Motorists should not try to re-enter the vehicle, nor should they open the hood or trunk, as oxygen can intensify the flames.