Miami's Exotic Car Club Makes Bling (Relatively) More Affordable
Javier Martin Riva was speeding down a Florida highway in a Range Rover as he talked to me, but he might just as easily have been driving the Ferrari 430 or the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder. That doesn't mean he's a pop star, just that he's managing partner of a new car club, Miami Drive, that lets you strut around the city like you just made a big score -- or your lottery number came up.
I've written about other exotic car clubs, including New Jersey's Vulcan. and the concept is catching on in New York, California, and in Europe, too. As a proposition, it fits into recessionary times: Even if your hedge fund has crashed, you can still keep up appearances. And Miami Drive offers some new regional twists on the formula, with a Latin accent.
I was no huge fan of Miami Vice, but I seem to remember it featured a lot of guys with expensive haircuts, Hawaiian shirts, and sunglasses driving fancy cars. The spirit of the show can live on through Miami Drive, especially since the car fleet is complemented by a Robinson 44 helicopter that can pick you up at the airport and whisk you to the waiting Bentley GT-C. Now that's livin' large!
Riva said the club has just 17 members now, but targets 80 around the end of the year. Exotic car clubs need to add members quickly, or the big investment in the cars (which are often bought lightly used, and require constant maintenance) isn't going to pay off. One way they attract people is by offering various membership tiers, so it can fit into different budgets. At Miami Drive, after a $6,000 "initiation, annual dues start at $7,500 and go up to $29,000. It's hardly cheap, but it's much easier on the wallet than actually buying, maintaining and insuring an exotic.
"I got the idea because I lived in London for several years, and exotic car clubs are very popular in Europe," he said. Martin, whose day job is with financial and real estate companies that target "high net worth individuals and businesses," knows his rich people. He sees the ideal Miami Drive member as an out-of-towner (from Mexico, Canada, Colombia or maybe the Northeast) who spends a few weeks a year in South Florida and wants to squire around town in high style. It might be an easy way to impress clients, who are unlikely to see the registration papers.
"You can come down here and enjoy these kind of toys for a few days," Riva said. "What is the point of buying a $200,000 car and leaving it in Miami for eight months at a time? When you come down, the tires will be flat and the battery will be dead. These are very delicate cars, and we are taking care of all the maintenance so that they're in perfect condition when you pick them up."
The helicopter is a nice touch, and so is the racing option. Miami Drive has signed on as official spokesman the Brazilian Helio Castroneves, a three-time Indy 500 winner, Penske Racing veteran, and Dancing With the Stars champ. He's going to lead driving sessions for members at local race tracks, including Sebring, Daytona, and Homestead.
The club has access to four Porsche GT-3s, which should be just the thing for driving lessons with a master teacher. "You can get tips about driving these monsters on the track and learn from the professionals," Riva said.
This rather raucous video gets the point across:
You can take the family to Disney attractions in the Range Rover, then come back and take your wife out to dinner in the red Ferrari. You'll definitely get a good table.
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Photo: Miami Drive