While she joked she needed a glass of wine' to get into the 2005 Lamborghini Gallardo, the Farrer resident was thrilled with the surprise, which came after a round of golf at the Federal Golf Club at Red Hill.

She was "a little startled" to see the $260,000 vehicle stop out the front of the club for her to get in.

"I thought, 'What the heck is going on?','' she said. "I didn't have a clue. I'm just an old lady but I was thrilled to see it there.''

Hardly "just an old lady'', Mrs Hurt is made of feisty stuff. She migrated to Canberra from Boston, USA, as a 22-year-old computer whiz to teach defence personnel in the national capital how to use the new technology.

She met her husband Robert Hurt in Canberra and they had two sons, Eric, who works for the ANU, and Robert, who works for the United Nations in Kenya. A keen golfer, she had a handicap of 7 and was the first female appointed to the board of the Federal Golf Club. She celebrated her 60th birthday by skydiving.

Mrs Hurt had also confided in her friend, Julie Rattenbury, that she wanted to fulfil her dream of a ride in a Lamborghini.

"Ever since I saw my first one about 40 years ago, I always wanted one, knowing it was impossible,'' Mrs Hurt said. "Every time I got a raise, I'd tell my boss, 'I'm going to get a Lamborghini'.''

So last Tuesday, turned into more than just golf day after Ms Rattenbury put an appeal for a Lamborghini on the Canberra Notice Board Group on Facebook.

Kyle Willmington, who owns a new Fyshwick company, Ki Advertising, specialising in selling unique and modified cars,  rang a contact, 30-year-old Martin Tanti, who owns one of the Italian speed machines and was more than willing to volunteer it for the joyride.

Mr Tanti then drove Mrs Hurt around the city centre for half an hour. She quickly did away with the ear muffs, preferring to hear the roar of the engine. A video of the ride done by Ki Advertising had 25,000 views in just one day.

Mr Tanti was pleased to pay it forward. He was 13 when he begged an acquaintance for his first ride in a Lamborghini.

"From then on, it was tunnel vision, I was going to work like crazy to buy my own,'' Mr Tanti said. "And, now, it's kind of come full circle.''

Mr Tanti said it was exciting to take Mrs Hurt out for a spin.

"It reinvigorated the excitement I had felt on my first ride. It inspired me."

It was a lovely diversion for Mrs Hurt whose husband died three months ago.

"It was so generous of everybody,'' she said. "They all knew about it but nobody told me about it.

"It was just out of this world. It's one of the most lovely, generous things that has ever happened to me and I will remember it for a long time.''

Mrs Rattenbury, 46, said the ride in a sports car was just a hint at the adventurous spirit of Mrs Hurt. The pair met about five years ago, walking their dogs on Farrer Ridge.

"She's one of a kind,'' Ms Rattenbury said. "She's shown me that friendship has no age limits.''

Mr Willmington, meanwhile, said he was hoping to organise more once-in-a-lifetime experiences with cars through his new business.

"We will film and photograph everything, it's pretty cool,'' he said.