Cape Town – To define a supercar is almost impossible; some, like the Rolls-Royce Phantom, are not particularly fast. Others, such as the McLaren MP4-12C, are surprisingly small. But each has a presence, almost a self-awareness, that leaves you in no doubt you are looking at a very special car.
Perhaps it’s because these cars are, without exception, hand-built by craftsmen who take immense pride in their creations, and who give about as much of a damn what they cost as do the enthusiasts who buy them.
Which explains the sense of occasion when more than 50 automotive aristocrats and their owners gathered at the Table Bay Hotel in the Waterfront on Sunday for the inaugural run of the Cape Town Supercar Club.
They ranged from a tiny Lotus Exige (“You don’t so much get in as put it on”) to a monolithic long-wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantom with almost enough rear legroom to park the Exige in.
Led by TV personality Marius Roberts in a Jaguar F-Type Coupé and including a brand-new Lamborghini Huracan, the supercar convoy literally stopped the traffic when they growled, howled, snarled or – in the case of the Rolls-Royce sweep car – wafted out of the Waterfront to stretch their legs down the N1 and over Du Toit’s Kloof before adjourning to the Val de Vie wine and polo estate in the Franschhoek valley for a decadently late breakfast.
A Passion For Fine Cars
The Supercar Club was started by Durban businessman Ashok Sewnarain, founder of IBV International Vaults, who discovered that many of his safety-deposit customers shared his passion for fine cars of all brands. So he went beyond the concept of a ‘car club’ to form an association of supercar owners that’s as much about the lifestyle as it is about the machinery.
Sewnarain said the Supercar Clubs were already up and running in Durban and Sandton, with more planned for London, Dubai and Singapore, targeting membership of more than 1000 in South Africa alone.
He explained that members – in addition to social events such as this – would be invited to take part in track days and advanced driving courses on some of the world’s iconic circuits. They would also be offered special discounts on accessories, tyres and insurance for their cars, while their partners received automatic membership of the Partners Club, with a host of lifestyle benefits.
In addition, members would be able to download a special mobile app, which will hook them into the Supercar Club network worldwide and a ‘virtual showroom’ where they would be able to buy and sell exclusive vehicles with confidence.