New Lamborghini Unveiled

New Lamborghini is center of attention at high-octane black-tie dinner

We dare say that Rienzi, the stately museum home in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston stable of riches, has never before witnessed a more high-powered gathering than the other night when Lamborghini roared in with four of its hottest numbers.

The occasion was a black-tie evening celebrating the U.S. dealership premiere of the new Huracán, a 10-cylinder, four-wheel drive, 600 horsepower, 5.2 liter sports car. This baby starts at $240,000. Fully-loaded, it's yours for around $275,000.

"Tonight, Rienzi is celebrating Italian in every sense of the word," said Lamborghini Houston owner Todd Blue. "It's celebrating the luxury lifestyle that Lamborghini represents and celebrating everything that's great about Houston. We put all that together and said, 'What a great place to have a party on a beautiful evening like tonight.'"

Blue pulled out the stops for Lamborghini aficionados, transforming the Rienzi courtyard into an open-air showroom and dinner setting with Swift + Co. providing all the touches from floral arrangements to lavish furnishings to the impressive buffet. Indoors, the ballroom had been cleared of its antiques so that songbird Yvonne Washington and Positive State of Mind could entertain. Yes, there was dancing on the parquet floors (the antique rug removed for cleaning).

In addition to the Huracán, which was ceremoniously unveiled later in the evening, guests could inspect the $500,000 Aventador (12-cylinders, 700-plus horsepower), a vintage SUV cum desert mobile that was designed for Saudi Arabian princes and the Super Trefeo race car.

Lamborghini today is owned by the Volkswagen Group and run by Audi, Blue explained, adding, "With Lamborghini, you have the Italian design and everything great about Italy — foremost in design and excitement and sexiness and luxury. And you have German engineering behind it all. So it's the best of both worlds in sophisticated cars."

Lucky ones on this invitation list included Kelly Wolf, Elias Alyassir and Gabrielle Green, Lisa and Phil Natland, Kelly and Albert Chlouber, Angie and Paul DeWeese, Haden and Dr. Michael Yafi and Justin Hopkins.

The Gallardo race car one of several Lamborghinis on display at Rienzi.

6 Gallardo race car at the Lamborghini party September 2014

Photo by Leah Wilson

The Gallardo race car one of several Lamborghinis on display at Rienzi.

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RIP, Wally

Texan Wally Funk, oldest woman to travel into space, dies at 87

Wally Funk aboard Blue Origin New Shepard

Photo courtesy of Blue Origin

The 82-year-old Wally Funk became the oldest person to go to space on July 20, 2021.

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — Wally Funk, an aviation pioneer who was the oldest woman to launch into space, has died. She was 87.

Funk died Wednesday, July 8 at her apartment in an assisted living facility in Grapevine, Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O'Dell said Thursday. O'Dell, who described herself as Funk's caregiver, said she was by Funk's side. Funk had fallen a couple of times recently and had an infection in her leg.

“It took its toll,” O'Dell said in a phone interview.

Wally Funk became a hometown hero in Grapevine. Facebook/Wally Funk's Space for Race

Funk was one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as NASA’s all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space. In 2021, she got her chance aboard Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket. At the time, the 82-year-old was the oldest person to go into space, though the record was later broken by “Star Trek” actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, America’s first Black astronaut candidate. They were both 90.

Bezos chose Funk as an “honored guest” to ride alongside him and two others on an up-and-down hop from West Texas aboard his Blue Origin rocket.

In interviews after the 11-minute flight, Funk enthusiastically told reporters, "I loved every minute of it. I just wish it had been longer.”

Wally Funk in her '20s as a flight instructor. Facebook/Wally Funk's Space for Race

She became a hometown hero when she returned home to Dallas-Fort Worth; the city of Grapevine threw a parade for her history-making experience.

“Wally Funk never stopped believing that one day she would reach space. Her passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans. Godspeed, Wally,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted Thursday on X.

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This story contains material from CultureMap story archives.

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