Anthony Aquilino, an insurance broker and car enthusiast from Staten Island, is suing over an $800 noise ticket he received for driving his 2018 Lamborghini Huracan Performante. Aquilino argues that his exotic sports car is completely stock and legal to drive in New York City, therefore the fine should be dropped. The fine amounts escalate significantly with each offense, making it financially burdensome for drivers. Aquilino believes that the city should only issue tickets to cars purposefully modified to increase their engine noise, not to vehicles like his Lamborghini that are loud by factory design.
In his lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Aquilino contends that the only way for him to avoid future fines would be to stop driving his Lamborghini, which he finds unreasonable. He believes that he should not be held accountable for noise violations since his car was not intentionally modified to produce excessive noise. According to Aquilino, his Lamborghini passes inspection every year and is otherwise legal to drive on city streets. He feels that fining unmodified cars for noise violations is unjust, and that the focus should be on cracking down on cars that have been intentionally modified.
Despite receiving a noise ticket while driving down 41st Street at a normal speed, Aquilino maintains that he was not driving recklessly or being excessively loud. He points out that pedestrians did not react to his presence by looking up or reacting to any noise, indicating that he was not causing a disturbance. Aquilino also took his Lamborghini to the dealership to confirm that there were no aftermarket installations or modifications that could have contributed to the noise level. He argues that he did not cause or permit the total sound from his vehicle to exceed the legal limit.
Council Member Keith Powers, who sponsored a bill to expand noise cameras citywide, initially indicated support for fining owners of illegally modified vehicles that produce excessive noise. However, he later clarified that the cameras will target all noisy operators, regardless of modifications or not. Powers explained that the noise camera program aims to address any vehicle that disrupts the local community by violating noise-related laws. The Department of Environmental Protection, which controls the noise-detecting cameras, did not respond to requests for comment regarding Aquilino’s case.
Aquilino, who purchased his Lamborghini in 2021 by trading in a purple Porsche 911, claims that he is not speeding or driving recklessly. In addition to his Lamborghini, he also owns a Cadillac and a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. Aquilino believes that he is being unfairly targeted and fined for noise violations, despite driving legally and responsibly. While he acknowledges that addressing noise disturbances is important, he argues that his unmodified Lamborghini should not be subject to fines for noise violations. The city’s law department is currently reviewing Aquilino’s lawsuit, which challenges the legitimacy of the noise ticket he received for driving his exotic sports car.
