Family making a 3D-printed Lamborghini replica are surprised with the real thing

A father and son from Colorado got the Christmas wish they were hoping for when car-maker Lamborghini loaned them a luxury vehicle for two weeks.

Physicist Sterling Backus, 54, and his 12-year-old son Xander have spent almost two years replicating a Lamborghini Aventador, complete with body panels an interiors.

They got the idea while they were playing the racing simulation video game “Forza Horizon 3” and then decided to use a 3D printer to build their own super car.

Physicist Sterling Backus and his 11-year-old son Xander, (pictured), got the Christmas wish they were hoping for when car-maker Lamborghini loaned them a luxury vehicle 

Sterling Backus

Xander Backus

Sterling Backus, 54, and Xander, 12, have spent almost two years replicating a Lamborghini Aventador, complete with body panels an interiors

Sterling said he was shocked when he got a call out of the blue two months ago from Katia Bassi, who is the chief marketing officer of Automobili Lamborghini.

He was told that the Italian car manufacturer wanted to make a holiday commercial with his family. 

He was also told that they were going to loan them their very own Lamborghini Aventador S for two weeks, which arrived a few days before Christmas.

 He told CNN: ‘I was shaking in my boots since it was like getting a call from the Pope and he is coming to dinner.

‘Of course, a metaphor, but just to give (you) the idea of the gravity to me, personally.’ According to CNN, the family had to give back the Lamborghini on December 26 but they had two weeks to enjoy the car in the meantime. 

The Aventador S Roadster which was lent to the Backus family over the Christmas season costs approximately $460,247.

Backus claimed that he took the Aventador out every day, saying ‘their amazing generosity will never be forgotten.’ 

The pair 'fell in love' with Lamborghini Aventador after playing a video game Forza Horizon 3, where they used it and decided to give making their own a go

The pair ‘fell in love’ with Lamborghini Aventador after playing a video game Forza Horizon 3, where they used it and decided to give making their own a go

Sterling was told that the Italian car manufacturer wanted to make a holiday commercial with his family. Father and son are seen above in a grab from the Christmas ad

Sterling was told that the Italian car manufacturer wanted to make a holiday commercial with his family. Father and son are seen above in a grab from the Christmas ad 

The real Aventador which was loaned to the family is seen above

Their replica Aventador is seen above

Backus and his son made their dream a reality using a 3D printer to build their own super car

Backus, his son, his wife Jennifer and daughter Aliyah are featured in a heartwarming advertisement for the car-maker, which includes a caption at the end saying:  ‘Lamborghini is for real lovers.’

At the beginning of the advert, Sterling Backus claims: ‘Zander reminds me a lot of me as a child, he has a very mechanical mind, he likes to build things.

‘We had no clue, then I had the idea that maybe we could do 3D printings.

‘We had a lot of failures but every time we put a part on the car, we were always like “wow, we’ve got to finish this project.”‘

Backus, his son, his wife Jennifer and daughter Aliyah are featured in a heartwarming advertisement for the car-maker, which includes the caption at the end saying: 'Lamborghini is for real lovers'

Backus, his son, his wife Jennifer and daughter Aliyah are featured in a heartwarming advertisement for the car-maker, which includes the caption at the end saying: ‘Lamborghini is for real lovers’

The ad then shows Xander standing in shock as a real Aventador is unveiled before them parked in the garage of their home

The ad then shows Xander standing in shock as a real Aventador is unveiled before them parked in the garage of their home

A team from Lamborghini are seen placing the car in the family's driveway during the night

A team from Lamborghini are seen placing the car in the family’s driveway during the night 

‘I got a phone call from Lamborghini and the idea was they were going to swap a real Aventador for our project in the dead of night.’ 

His son Xander then says in the ad: ‘We started playing this game, we would always drive the Lamborghini avenge door and eventually I said to my dad, hey can we build one of those? 

‘It’s been a year and a half now, it’s still in progress but to the time it’s finished, it’s going to be awesome.’ 

The ad then shows Xander standing in shock as a real Aventador is unveiled before them parked in the garage of their home.  They both appear delighted as they take the car for a test drive near their home in Denver. 

'Ultimately, I want kids to get interested in STEM, and this is a great platform for it because of all the disciplines involved in a project like this'Backus said previously

‘Ultimately, I want kids to get interested in STEM, and this is a great platform for it because of all the disciplines involved in a project like this’Backus said previously 

Sterling Backus claimed that getting Xander's input on the project was 'one of the most enjoyable aspects of the build'

Sterling Backus claimed that getting Xander’s input on the project was ‘one of the most enjoyable aspects of the build’

It took father and son almost two years to build the car

It took father and son almost two years to build the car

‘We decided that we would use advanced technology to build the car. However, we needed to do it on the cheap’ Backus said

Sterling said he was told that they were going to loan them their very own Lamborghini Aventador S for two weeks, which arrived overnight on Christmas Eve

Sterling said he was told that they were going to loan them their very own Lamborghini Aventador S for two weeks, which arrived overnight on Christmas Eve

The pair ‘fell in love’ with the car after playing a video game Forza Horizon 3,  where they used it and decided to give making their own a go. 

‘I was a gear head from the age of 12. I played around with 3D printing at work about 7 years ago. It took a while to get the 3D printing settings and configuration down,’ Backus told All3DP earlier this year.

He told the outlet that the final project was estimated to have cost $20,000. 

He added that getting Xander’s input was ‘one of the most enjoyable aspects of the build’  

‘It is a commitment… I am trying to get others interested, but they will need the passion, and a few dollars.

‘Ultimately, I want kids to get interested in STEM, and this is a great platform for it because of all the disciplines involved in a project like this.’

Almost the entire vehicle was designed in the SolidWorks software and came from a printer, including headlights, body panels, and air vents.

Anything that couldn’t be 3D printed, such as the headlight, Backus found on eBay.

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk