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CH293 | GSI
🕑 Added 2025-04-09 02:12:04 +0000 UTCEven though it wasn’t even noon yet, the sweltering heat had already pushed the temperature up to 34°C. Just standing still made it feel like the air was suffocating.
On the shimmering asphalt circuit, waves of heat rose into the air, and the acrid smell of burning rubber filled the surroundings. A yellow bull roared fiercely, tearing through the track at blistering speed.
The car hugging the asphalt and surging forward with explosive velocity was none other than the Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota.
This wasn’t just any ordinary model—it was a Special Edition built to commemorate Lamborghini’s 30th anniversary, produced in a limited run of only 150 units between 1994 and 1995.
Equipped with a modified 5.7-liter V12 engine capable of 603 horsepower, it had been stripped of various comfort features for weight reduction. Expensive carbon fiber components further cut down its weight by approximately 200 kg compared to the standard model.
In short, this was the most powerful Diablo ever made, a pure racing machine built solely for speed.
Dressed in a form-fitting racing suit and helmet, Seok-won gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes locked straight ahead.
The deafening screech of tires and the acrid stench of burning rubber sharpened his focus.
Screeeech! Screeech!
As he maneuvered through a series of corners, the car suddenly oversteered, turning inward more than the steering angle dictated.
For a split second, the vehicle seemed like it would veer off the course entirely.
Reacting instantly, Seok-won loosened his grip and corrected the steering just in time, narrowly making it through the turn.
A thrilling rush shot up his spine as adrenaline surged through his veins.
As the straight section of the track stretched out ahead, he slammed the accelerator to the floor.
The engine’s thunderous roar grew even louder, pounding against his eardrums as the car catapulted forward like a missile.
In the blink of an eye, the speedometer needle shot past 300 km/h, the crushing force of acceleration pressing him firmly into the driver’s seat.
The savage growl of the engine rumbled like a wild beast, and his heartbeat quickened in sync with its furious rhythm.
The straightaway ended fast, and as the next curve approached, he hit the brakes and downshifted.
As the car neared the apex of the corner, he swiftly lifted off the brakes and pressed down on the accelerator again.
With perfect timing, the car regained momentum, sliding from the inside of the turn outward in a flawless exit.
"Yes! This is it!"
After taking the corners faster and more smoothly than usual, following the perfect racing line, Seok-won let out a loud cheer, his face flushed with excitement.
Feeling an even greater rush, he shifted gears up and pressed harder on the accelerator.
With no distractions—only pure focus on the drive—he pushed both the car and himself to their absolute limits, flooring the gas pedal despite the lingering fear. The sheer exhilaration of racing around the track at full throttle was unlike anything else.
Having first experienced this thrill by chance on a circuit, Seok-won now fully understood why people were drawn to extreme sports despite the risks.
With the entire track rented out for himself, he continued to tear through the course, the roar of the engine echoing loudly.
Fueled by adrenaline, he lapped the circuit multiple times, savoring every moment. Only when exhaustion finally started creeping in did he begin to ease off the throttle, gradually slowing down before pulling into the pit area.
After coming to a complete stop in front of the pit, he pushed open the scissor doors and stepped out of the driver’s seat.
"Phew."
As he exhaled and removed his helmet, his hair was soaked with sweat.
The strong scent of burning rubber filled the air, and as he glanced down, he noticed that the brand-new tires he had put on today had already been shredded by the asphalt.
"Well, those are completely done for."
Seok-won chuckled and shook his head.
He had pushed the speed so hard that he had completely worn out a fresh set of tires in just a few hours.
As he stood there, helmet tucked under one arm, peeling off his racing gloves, a sharply dressed Han Ji-sung approached him in a brisk stride—his formal suit looking out of place in the circuit environment.
Ji-sung handed him a towel and a small bottle of cold water.
Seok-won, parched, uncapped the bottle and took large gulps, drinking nearly half of it in one go.
"What was my lap time?"
Finally feeling some relief from his thirst, he wiped the moisture from his lips with the back of his hand and asked.
"Two minutes and fifteen seconds."
"Four seconds faster than last time."
Seok-won nodded in satisfaction, prompting Ji-sung to respond in a serious tone.
"At this rate, you might as well enter a professional race."
"Haha, I’m not that good."
Seok-won chuckled, handing his helmet over to Ji-sung before wiping the sweat from his face with the towel.
As he finished the rest of the water, Ji-sung spoke up.
"While you were on the track, Mr. Landon from New York called."
"Oh? Really?"
As Seok-won extended his hand and gave a slight nod, Han Ji-sung retrieved Seok-won’s phone from his inner jacket pocket and handed it to him with both hands.
Taking the phone, Seok-won effortlessly dialed Landon’s number on speed dial.
[Hello?]
Walking over to a parasol-shaded table, he sat down and spoke.
"It’s me. I heard you called?"
[Yes. I was told you were at the circuit. How was your lap time?]
"Not bad."
Seok-won chuckled lightly as he pulled out a pair of black Ray-Ban sunglasses and put them on.
The sunlight was so intense that sitting there without them was nearly impossible.
[I’m calling to report on the Lamborghini inquiry you asked me to look into.]
Leaning back against the chair, Seok-won gazed at the sleek and aggressive silhouette of the Diablo SE30 Jota parked in front of the pit.
"I thought it would take a bit longer, but you wrapped it up pretty fast."
[Well, when the boss gives an order, it has to be the top priority.]
Landon’s lighthearted remark made Seok-won smirk.
[As you know, despite re-entering Formula One and launching the hit model Diablo, Chrysler was struggling with accumulating losses. That’s why they sold Lamborghini two years ago for $40 million.]
"Yeah, I remember. It made headlines at the time because the buyer was the youngest son of the Indonesian president."
[That’s right. Megatech, owned by President Suharto’s son, Hutomo ‘Tommy’ Mandala Putra, initially acquired 100% of the shares. But last year, the ownership shifted again—Malaysia’s Mycom took a 40% stake, while Indonesia’s V-Power acquired the remaining 60%.]
Seok-won furrowed his brows slightly and asked,
"So, Lamborghini’s ownership changed hands again?"
[Not exactly. Those two companies are also owned by Fuad Sudarman, so it’s essentially just a change in name on paper.]
"Ah, I see."
It was ironic that Lamborghini, once considered one of the most prestigious sports car brands alongside Porsche and Ferrari, had been passed around like an unwanted burden after leaving the hands of its founding family.
‘With the cars priced in the billions of won, but produced in such small numbers due to the handcrafted process, it’s no surprise that they struggle with deficits.’
Even the Diablo, a hit model, had only 2,884 units produced between its launch in 1990 and its discontinuation in 2001, which made it clear how unprofitable the business was.
In fact, Lamborghini had even gone bankrupt once before Chrysler acquired it.
[Despite its chronic deficits, Lamborghini has significantly reduced its losses after the acquisition by cutting high production costs and implementing aggressive restructuring, including workforce reductions. If things continue like this, they are expected to turn a profit as early as next year.]
In the meantime, Han Ji-sung placed a glass of lemonade with ice on the table.
Considering the scorching weather and the sweat Seok-won had worked up, Ji-sung had thoughtfully prepared it for him to rehydrate.
Seok-won gave him a slight nod in appreciation and then looked intrigued.
"So, Fuad Sudarman isn’t just relying on his powerful connections—he seems to have some real management skills."
[Judging by the results, that seems to be the case.]
Landon knew that Seok-won wouldn’t have asked about Lamborghini just out of curiosity, so he lowered his voice slightly and asked:
[Shall I discreetly gauge whether Sudarman has any interest in selling Lamborghini?]
Seok-won stirred the ice in his lemonade with his straw and responded,
"If we were to buy it, what do you think the expected price would be?"
[Hard to say exactly. We’d have to negotiate, but if they successfully turn a profit this year, considering the brand’s value, I’d estimate at least $150 million.]
"That would mean a more than threefold return on investment in just two years."
[It also shows how well they streamlined operations and completed restructuring.]
"True. Even Chrysler, one of the Big Three American automakers, gave up on them, but they pulled it off. That’s impressive."
[Exactly.]
With the deficits eliminated, which had been significantly devaluing the company, its market value was bound to rise.
[Should I send a letter of intent to Sudarman to inquire about their selling price?]
Seok-won gazed at the Diablo SE30 Jota, its gleaming body reflecting the sunlight, and contemplated for a moment before replying.
"No. Let’s leave it for now."
[If you’re considering acquiring Lamborghini, it would be advantageous to start negotiations before they turn a profit.]
"I know. But soon, there will be a hot deal, so why rush in and pay a premium now?"
While South Korea suffered greatly during the Asian financial crisis, Indonesia, where Sudarman was based, was also hit hard—taking IMF emergency bailout loans and losing 13% of its total GDP.
‘When the economic crisis fully unfolds, Sudarman will have no choice but to sell off non-core assets like Lamborghini to ease his financial strain—even without me making the first move.’
Of course, waiting for the seller to put the company on the market rather than approaching them first would make it far easier to acquire at a lower price.
‘If that’s the case, I should just add it to my shopping cart and wait. In the meantime, I can grow the acquisition funds by reinvesting them, which would be far more profitable.’
A massive financial crisis was about to sweep through Korea and the rest of Asia like a tsunami. If he played his cards right amid the chaos, he could easily multiply the $150 million acquisition fund three or four times over.
[A hot deal? What do you mean by that?]
Landon was baffled. It wasn’t like they were talking about some home shopping discount—what was this "hot deal" supposed to be?
Seeing Landon’s confusion, Seok-won simply grinned, as he held his phone.
"You’ll find out soon enough."
* * *
Westchester County, New York, USA
Nestled along the Hudson River, Westchester County was a highly sought-after luxury residential area, particularly for Wall Street professionals looking for an easy commute to Manhattan’s financial district.
Even George Soros, a legendary hedge fund manager, owned a vacation home here.
A black Rolls-Royce passed through the iron gates and entered the grand estate, surrounded by tall walls.
The car circled around a meticulously maintained garden with a fountain before coming to a stop in front of the main house.
As if anticipating his arrival, a middle-aged butler in a tailored suit stepped out and greeted Rodney as he exited the Rolls-Royce.
"Welcome, Mr. Rodney."
Rodney gave him a small nod of acknowledgment and followed the butler inside.
They walked through a long hallway lined with plush carpeting before entering a reception room at the end.
Seated on an antique-designed sofa, dressed in casual attire, George Soros was reading a stack of documents. As Rodney entered, Soros looked up.
"There you are. Come, have a seat."
Rodney removed his coat and handed it to the butler before settling into the empty sofa across from him.
"Would you like a drink?"
Soros gestured toward the whiskey glass on the table with a tilt of his chin.
"Sure."
At Rodney’s response, the butler brought over a fresh glass, placed a large round ice cube inside, and poured whiskey halfway up before excusing himself and leaving the room.
As the door clicked shut, Rodney was the first to speak.
"So, what is it you wanted to discuss?"
Soros’s eyes narrowed slightly at the unexpected question.
"Still as impatient as ever, I see."
George Soros let out a quiet chuckle as he set the documents aside.
But his expression soon turned serious as he leaned forward and asked,
"What are your thoughts on the Thai baht?"
"……!"
Rodney’s face remained unreadable, but his fingers lightly tapped against the whiskey glass, betraying his intrigue.
