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Journalist Hits Cyclist in McLaren She Was Test Driving, is Charged

In May this year, journalists from several automotive and luxury publications were invited to a press event that also included test driving several McLaren Sports Series cars, including the 540C, 570S and 570GT.
McLaren 540C, which starts at $250,000 5 photos
Photo: CarMagazine.co.uk
650 HP McLaren 540C 0 to 211 MPH/300 KM/H acceleration650 HP McLaren 540C 0 to 211 MPH/300 KM/H acceleration650 HP McLaren 540C 0 to 211 MPH/300 KM/H acceleration650 HP McLaren 540C 0 to 211 MPH/300 KM/H acceleration
The joyrides took place at the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in Sydney, but one ended badly when the journalist behind the wheel lost control and hit a cyclist. The driver, Amelia Hungerford, has just been charged in connection to the accident, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Hungerford writes for the magazine Signature Luxury Travel and Style and has experience with test driving powerful sportscar. However, it turned out that this was not a good day for her, as she hit the biker – quite badly, too. After the crash, the cyclist was taken to the hospital with serious facial and leg injuries, and the journalist is now getting ready to face the music.

According to the publication, she’s been charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving and negligent driving causing bodily harm by misconduct in charge of motor vehicle. She is due in court on October 24 and could face a fine and some jail time if she’s found guilty on all charges.

She will also have to pay McLaren for the damage done to the car, if she is found responsible for the accident. McLaren usually charges in excess of $2,500 if damage is done to the vehicle during a test drive, so she’s liable to pay.

The cheapest car in the McLaren Sports Series is the 540C, with pricing starting at around GPB 130,000 and about $150,000 in the U.S. The 570S is even more expensive and so is the GT. No word yet on which model Hungerford was driving at the time of the crash.

Further details and / or comments from Hungerford on the accident have not been made available yet. One would assume the journalist had some sort of cover for this type of situations, especially since McLaren delivers some of the most powerful sportscars on the market.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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