Supercar surprise as Inverness oil worker wins £80,000 top prize
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OFFSHORE oil worker Niall Gunn was thinking of upgrading his modest Volkswagen people carrier.
He dreamed of owning a supercar one day, but he reckoned he would probably settle for a sporty Golf GTI.
That was until he struck it lucky in an online competition and won an estate car.
But this is no ordinary estate... it is the £80,000 Audi RS6 Avant.
It is capable of a neck-snapping 0-60mph in 3.9secs from a massive 4litre V8 engine delivering 552bhp through Audi’s famous four-wheel-drive Quattro system.
And if you were so inclined, you could break the UK speed limit by 120mph, as it has a top speed of 190mph!
Not only that, the Audi came with a suitcase packed with £10,000 spending money.
Niall, who lives with wife Doreen in a bungalow off the single-track lanes around Kiltarlity village, said: "It is a beaut of a car, but it will be strange going around with our dog Findlay and the messages in the back."
For the past two years, Niall has been spending around £30 a week in an online raffle-style competition run by BOTB (Best of the Best) with supercars as the top prize.
And he regularly watches the company founder, Will Hindmarch, personally deliver the big surprise to the lucky winners.
Because of this Niall instantly recognised Will at his door, and his surprise was palpable.
He said: "Oh my God! What a surprise. I am shaking.
"What a fright... but a nice one."
And after the company boss told him the Avant was "faster than almost anything on the road", Niall added: "I have dreamed about this, so dreams must come true. This is a great day.
"It is just what I was needing, a new car. But what a car!"
Keeping the surprise for BOTB became a major exercise in subterfuge for Doreen who has twin daughters Jay and Summer
They had to liase with BOTB to ensure Niall was home from his mechanic job on board the Brittania rig in the North Sea. Then a vet’s appontment for retriever Findlay had to be cancelled along with a doctor’s appointment.
Doreen, an admin assistant with NHS Highland, said: "The big problem was getting Niall to dress up at the appropriate time. He had been out the back laying slabs, so we pretended that my sister and brother-in-law were coming to visit and they were going for a walk.
"Poor Niall was really surpised - I have never seen him shake so much.
"We have been looking at a new car. We have the Touran and I have a Corsa for commuting to Inverness, so I think the Volkswagen might go."
And the £10,000 bonus? Nial said: "Me and Doreen both turned 50 this year, so I think a holiday will be on the cards."
He said his sons Jack (19) and Sam (17), who live in Strathpeffer, will be equally excited with the Avant, especially Jack. "He is a real petrolhead who dotes on his cars," said his dad.
Sadly, Niall wasn’t able to drive away in the Avant, as the model driven to his doorstep had to be sourced in Aberdeen, and he will take delivery of his own prize car later.
