Can you source this? I tried looking it up, and I found this

https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-209188

and

https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-01102

Which seem more concerned about how far away you can hear a vehicle from, rather than a specified decibel rating (But maybe that's just a simpler way to measure decibel?)

I don't know if this is well known, but Lamborghini has a track record of loud exhaust, period. Regardless of valve state. Huracan Performante owners requested that Lamborghini make the next special edition a little quieter. Reason being the Performante was too loud even on race tracks. Track day drivers know there are noise limits that vary by track. You're asked to leave immediately if you exceed the limit. You may also receive a temporary ban and/or fine.

What did Lamborghini do? Make the Huracan STO even louder across all driving modes. The company demonstrates it believes noise limits themselves are annoying. While I do like loud cars myself, sometimes a noise compliant normal or comfort mode doesn't exist.

Well, luckily for you it’s not legal!

Every single car you and I have ever owned, are presumably street legal, yet they can reach speeds that are illegal almost everywhere.

Similarly, every knife I have ever owned has the necessary sharpness to cut meat... yet I am not supposed to cut human meat. I am pretty certain the car would not reach undesirable noise levels if he were not speeding or revving the engine, etc. So it is more on him for HOW he is using the car and not how the car was built

So his reasoning sounds legit, but it really is not.

Lambos aren't quiet, but if you drive them gently then they aren't loud enough to set off the noise camera.

So this is a bit like arguing someone should be allowed to blast their music at midnight just because the speakers were legal to buy and own. If a city implements noise restrictions to protect the health and well-being of their residents then people have a legal and moral obligation to do their best to comply even if that means driving your lambo slowly through residential areas.

Just because it's stock doesn't mean the driver can't rev the engine way too hard and loud like a crazy person, engine braking loud at shit down the street in the middle of the night, yeah could be annoying

Some others have mentioned there may be a distinction between levels of noise when the car is in some sort of "street" mode. I have zero sympathy if there is a street legal mode that he turned off while on public roads.

The car can do 200 miles per hour, and yet there are speed limits. Should he be exempt?

Whats the noise level if the car is driving at a reasonable speed in the city?

I imagine it's only excessively noisy if they are showing off, revving the engine, and/or streeet racing

Street legal doesn't mean incapable of violating noise regulations if misused just like speed laws or any other traffic laws. Most gas engine cars can produce extreme amounts of noise just not when used as intended for driving on streets.

This is still a goofy line of reasoning. If you, for example, are driving a truck equipped with engine retarder brakes, in quite a lot of municipalities you literally aren't allowed to use them because they are too loud for neighbourhoods. You risk getting a fine.

Revving a lambo is exactly the same.

Nor can most drivers

Or at all? Because he wasn't doing anything unusual. He wasn't racing, or speeding even. Just driving normally.

Agreed. But again its a question of scale. Its reasonable for one larger city. But what about 20 small towns?

That could be the case, making the car no longer street legal to buy and register in NY. That's a reasonable solution.

Not all. And not just cities. But small towns, villages, even HOAs. You'd have to check them all.

Both can be true