The real story behind Leicester's mysterious 'cheater Porsche' revealed

A black Porsche emblazoned with "cheater" and "heart breaker" had shoppers and passersby reaching for their phones in Leicester city centre. The car, which appeared in Granby Place, carried cryptic messages including "you were my gym partner."

The vehicle, which was spotted on Saturday (November 10), quickly went viral on social media platforms, generating thousands of reactions. "Leicester men just move differently" and "don't cheat on a girl from Leicester " were among the most shared comments, while others wrote "I felt the gym partner thing over everything" and "that's crazy."

Now former Leicester Tigers player Sam Aspland-Robinson, co-owner of SYN Gym, has revealed it was a £30 marketing stunt inspired by a similar incident in London. "I saw a Range Rover with 'cheat' written across it and thought it would be a great idea to do something similar with a gym theme," the 27-year-old said.

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"We're more than just a gym, we hold parties and events. We're trying to change how people think about gyms," Sam said. "Being outspoken and unapologetic is part of who I am from my rugby days - it's now part of our brand."

The entire campaign cost just £30 - £20 for washable paint and £10 for a car wash to remove it, said Sam. "When I returned six hours later, the car was surrounded by people taking photos," he said.

Leicester City Council issued a parking fine to the vehicle during its city centre stint. This is not the first time the gym has used what Sam calls "guerrilla marketing" - previously using chalk spray paint outside Leicester gyms including PureGym and Everlast with the message "Train like a SYNNER."

If you think you have a story, get in touch by emailing dylan.hayward@reachplc.com

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