What you're looking at is the extinguished engine bay of a Lamborghini Gallardo that caught fire outside the Portland Auto Show yesterday. Supercars sometimes burst into flames unexpectedly, but this was no random accident. This was the work of complete idiots.
There's a reason fire marshals don't allow cars onto the show floor if they've got more than a quarter-tank of fuel inside their tanks. It's because it's a fire hazard. This particular Gallardo had more than the allotted fuel and thus was in need of a gasoline reduction. Perfect excuse to drive it, right? Wrong.
The way they decided to reduce the amount of fuel, according to Motor Authority, is so ridiculous it's almost unbelievable.
Instead of figuring a way to extract the fuel from the tank, taking it for a quick 50-mile spin, or just swapping it for another Gallardo, the display staff decided it'd be a good idea to just sit in the car and rev it to redline in neutral. Not so good for the car, but, in a pinch, excusable—perhaps.
The person behind the wheel soon grew tired of the limiter-popping, however, and decided to automate the process with a piece of wood lodged between the seat and the gas pedal.
It was just a matter of time, then, before the poor thing overheated and burst into flames. Perhaps they can work this into the next season of Portlandia.
Photo Credit: i_am_Audi