Fast and Ferrarious

Gautam Singhania brings home the Supercar Club of India say hello to lavish and super fast cars

Last week, the owners of some of the most flamboyant cars in Mumbai got together to form their own club, an exclusive 40-member unit with one common calling they are all owners of super cars. Heads peeked out of small windows from neighbouring shanties, people stood over broken walls and cameras went flashing as if they could not wait to capture this rare sight in the city over half-a-dozen gleaming models of rare creations.

Proud owners reveled in the attention, sweated in the heat and stressed over the possibility of a leaf landing on the hood and leaving a scratch.

The brainchild of business tycoon Gautam Singhania and Editor of Autocar India Hormazd Sorabjee, the Supercar Club of India will bring together owners of some of the most expensive, lavish, fast and technologically superior cars, to share their interest and showcase their collection. The strictly by invitation only club, will exhibit these cars in rallies across the country for people to line up and admire. One such rally was held in April in Mumbai and the overwhelming response gave birth to the club.

So what makes a car, super? Different owners came up with different criteria. For some it was the brand Lamborghinis, Porches, Aston Martins, Ferraris are automatically super cars. For some, it is the styling and design. Others say it is speed and performance few can argue with a car that goes 0-60 kph in under four seconds. Technology and aura also form a part of the same definition.

Some of the most exclusive cars made it to the venue a Porsche 911 Turbo parked next to Lamborghini Gallardo which stood near a flaming Ferrari F355, a car that carries the colour red better than any other inanimate object in the world. Owners flicked off unseen dust from the top, posed for pictures and answered questions that ranged from petrol consumption to bad roads. While it can be safely assumed that someone with such a car would not worry about a Rs 2 increase in petrol price, the question that begs answers is: What would one do, for example, with the lightweight Ariel Atom 3, whose base is barely inches off the ground, on Mumbai city roads, where human beings feel a jar up their spine while simply walking?

All the owners agreed that they drive for the "aura that surrounds these cars" and for their performance, not necessarily speed. One of the owners, who did not wish to be identified, said "speed comes between one red light and the next". Singhania said that just "seeing the car puts a smile on my face". Speed, everyone agreed, did not reflect wisdom in India.

"These cars respond so quickly to the slightest touch that you need maturity to drive them and not get carried away," said Dinesh Lal, owner of a Porsche 911 Carrera. "All five senses have to be alert because these cars are designed to extract maximum performance," warned Sorabjee.

Benoit Tiers, Managing Director of Audi India who brought an Audi R8 to the club launch, had a progressive take to the road query. "Development will come. Cars came before roads did. The roads here too will improve," said Tiers, whose employers design cars with higher, adjustable suspensions especially for India.

While security guards kept a watchful eye as bystanders crowded around the cars, the passionate owners were emphatic in their opinion: they would be the only ones driving the car. No teenage son would be given the chance of nicking the keys and zooming off to an impressive date. "It's a destination A-to-destination-A car. It cannot be left anywhere without supervision. It would be sinful to leave it on the street. I don't even let anyone move it," said the publicity-shy owner whose son is still a few years from getting a valid license.

Super car clubs are not new to the world though some clubs across the world are exclusive to brands, like one in France specifically for Audi owners. Dedicated and varied websites provide stunning information on super cars. One site mentioned the Bugatti Veyron, naming it the world's most expensive automobile at $1,700,000 (about Rs 82,339,630) and capable of achieving 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds with a maximum speed of over 250 mph.

The reason for the Indian version of the club is not to show off but for people to enjoy the beauty of these machines, said the proud super owners. Singhania added that during the April rally, "the cars put a smile of everyone's face children and adults. We will have more rallies and more people can enjoy looking at these cars."

But people's attention too comes at a price. Dinesh Lal recalled how a passing biker just could not take his eyes off the car and ran into another vehicle in front of him. Super cars need super concentration: Both inside and outside the vehicle.

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