Adrian Portelli, ‘Lambo guy’, cranes McLaren Senna GTR into high-rise penthouse
Crowds gathered on LaTrobe St to watch entrepreneur Adrian Portelli stop traffic to crane his McLaren Senna GTR up 57 floors to his $39m penthouse.
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Melbourne millionaire Adrian Portelli was mobbed like a rock star on LaTrobe St as crowds converged to watch his prized McLaren craned up to his new sky high penthouse.
On Wednesday morning the tech businessman and investor literally stopped traffic as the $3m McLaren Senna GTR car was flown up to the 57th and 58th levels of his $39m investment in the Sapphire building near Carlton Gardens.
“It’s going to sit in the lounge room, I want it to be the first thing you see when you walk into the penthouse and you see the car and overlooking all of Melbourne,’’ Portelli, 34, said.
“I can’t drive it anyway, it is a race car and you can’t register it in Australia unfortunately. It’s sitting collecting dust back at my place so I might as well turn it into an art piece.
“Considering everyone is meant to be at work it is a good turnout.”
The delicate operation was delayed for an hour due to inclement weather but once that passed it was a swift hoist off the truck.
There was a queue for selfies with Portelli who has risen to prominence since bidding for a house on last year’s series of The Block.
He bought Melbourne’s most expensive penthouse last month and plans to have it ready for living in 12-18 months time.
“I think it was a bargain (for $39m),’’ he said.
“People got so offended when I said it’s a weekender. I didn’t mean it in a cocky way, I just don’t want to live there. I like the western suburbs and I tend to keep to myself.”
Portelli now owns more than 20 properties across Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia and is about to enter developments in NSW.
Also an owner of 40-plus cars, he is enjoying sharing his wealth.
On Friday night he gave away another million dollars to a lucky member of his LMCT+ tech business.
It’s the seventh house or money giveaway he’s completed through his promotions and giveaway business.
“I enjoy changing someone’s life and I don’t think anyone else has ever done that,’’ he said.
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