Billionaire Block star Adrian Portelli reveals why he wanted $3m McLaren ‘decoration’ in luxury penthouse

An Aussie billionaire’s $3m “decoration” has garnered attention all over the world, but the entrepreneur has revealed why he decided to have the car craned in.

The $3m sports car will serve as a living room decoration. Picture: A Current Affair

A young Aussie billionaire has made a decorative decision few could afford, choosing to adorn the living room of his $39m Melbourne penthouse apartment with a “rare” $3m McLaren.

Adrian Portelli rose to fame on last year’s season of The Block, offering up $4.8m for Omar and Oz’s Gisborne South abode during the final bidding.

“I was fairly low key back then so no one really knew what I was worth or what money I had,” Mr Portelli told Nine Network’s A Current Affair.

“People thought I couldn’t afford the house – obviously I knew I could buy all the houses.”

Mr Portelli offered $4.8m for The Block 2022 winners Omar and Oz’s house. Picture: Supplied / Channel 9

The best friends from Western Sydney took home $1,686,666 in winnings — a record for the show. Picture: Supplied / Channel 9

The home ultimately sold to home collector Danny Wallis for $5.66m but Mr Portelli said he wasn’t fazed.

Having started from humble beginnings in Melbourne’s western suburbs, Mr Portelli found wealth in a series of tech start-ups.

With a diverse business portfolio reportedly worth $1bn, Mr Portelli said he now turns over $100m a year, or $2m a week.

His most recent real estate venture – and the new home for his unique sports car – comes as the two-floor penthouse at Sapphire by the Gardens in Melbourne’s CBD, purchased for a whopping $39m.

Mr Portelli said the ‘rare’ car is one of 75 globally, while there are only three in Australia. Picture: Supplied / A Current Affair

He had it craned to his penthouse as a living room decoration. Picture: Supplied / A Current Affair

The sale of the 1200 sqm penthouse, interlinked to the upcoming Shangri-La hotel via a sky bridge on level 46, set a new record as Melbourne’s most expensive apartment when it was sold to Mr Portelli in May.

Perched across the 57th and 58 floor of the new luxury apartment building, Mr Portelli decided to crane his McLaren into his new “weekender” as a living room decoration.

The penthouse’s $39m sale earlier this year crowned it Melbourne’s most expensive apartment. Picture: Picture: Supplied / A Current Affair

The apartment is part of the new Sapphire by the Gardens residential building in Melbourne’s CBD. Picture: Colliers

The 1200sqm apartment stretches over two floors. Picture: Colliers

“(I bought the car) simply because I could,” he said.

“It’s just a rare car, there’s only 75 of them in the world, only three in Australia.

“I am definitely going to drive this car around this penthouse.”

When asked about how such a spectacle might affect others in the community struggling amid an ongoing cost of living crisis, Mr Portelli said he would choose how to spend his own money.

Mr Portelli said he would do what he wants with his fortune. Picture: Supplied / A Current Affair

When finished, Mr Portelli said he planned to drive the McLaren around his apartment. Picture: Supplied / A Current Affair

“I’ll do what I want,” he said.

“I was doing it rough once upon a time as well, I wasn’t born into this situation, I worked for it.

“Some people can use this as motivation to get the life they deserve or some people can hate and be negative about it.”

Though renovations are incomplete, Mr Portelli said the record-breaking penthouse is “just a weekender”.

“If I go out to a bar in the city and don’t want to drive home, I’ll come here.”