Supercar Membership Clubs: The Smart New Economy or Ultimate Poser Fail?
Ah, the sharing economy, it has improved our lives in so many ways. From staying with strangers on AirBnb, to hiring strangers to do stuff on Taskrabbit, to flying a stranger’s private plane on Netjets, we’re relying less on owning stuff and more on just borrowing stuff for a little while. And sometimes, that’s just awesome.
Enter the exotic car...
We all want one. Hell, if you’re like me, you want them all. The only problem is which one, where to put it, and those pesky seven digits missing from the bank balance. Now, thanks to the new crop of supercar membership clubs, one can enjoy a bunch of vehicles north of 500 bhp without the headaches associated with actually owning them.
Fast Toys is a supercar membership club in Los Angeles that specializes in just this type of outrageous ride sharing. Starting at $667/month, members get access to over 13 high performance cars—including several that are track ready. Also included in the basic membership is one track day, free delivery and a full tank of gas. Pony up for the Platinum and even Diamond levels and the perks pile up like 365 days of driving and an annual 15,000 mileage allowance. That means for just $10,000/month one could drive a 458 Italia Spider from LA to New York, eat a pizza and then drive back to Fast Toys, toss them the keys and say, “Thanks. Now I think I’ll try the Huracán.” And they’d just say, “Yes, ma’am.” This, my friends, are what dreams are made of.
Even dreamier is the line up. Of course, there’s the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Huracán, but there’s also a Ferrari California T and the Ford GT. Speaking of American muscle, the Dodge SRT Viper GTS and Corvette Z06 are also in the fleet. If you’re looking for a more luxurious experience, you can grab the Rolls Royce Ghost or S550 Mercedes. Or of course, if you’ve got a Costco run, you can take the G-wagon, the G63 AMG to be exact. For track days, there’s a Pescarolo 01 LMP1 and a Mustang Boss 302S. The club is constantly adding new vehicles, so your valet envy will always be in check.
Members can drive daily, weekly, participate in a track day or join a club tour. Track time includes laps at the Auto Club Speedway, Buttonwillow, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca. While you’re cruising around the raceway, remember that the tires and brake pads may be burning up your nostrils today but replacing them won’t be your problem tomorrow. The group even does some fun stuff like trips to F1 and Indycar. During driving tours, you can bring a passenger for no extra fee—but whether they charge extra to stop at your ex’s house and make out in their driveway is unclear.
There are plenty of good reasons to be in a club like this. No crazy insurance fees, no worries about depreciation, maintenance costs, extra garages or fear that your teenage kid will take a day off of school and trash your Ferrari with his friends. But does supercar ownership loose its appeal when someone else sweats on your steering wheel? Is witnessing every paint scratch and crease in the leather a critical part of the experience? I’m not sure. But I am sure that if anyone’s got an extra $700/month, I’d be more than willing to find out.
