A Day at the Races
ELITE CARS. PRIVATE TRACKS. DRIVING TO THE LIMIT.
A while back, I was watching Motorweek, a magazine-style show about cars on PBS, when they did a segment about Supercar Life. This company offers clients an entire day of driving supercars such as the Lamborghini Gallardo at a racetrack.
Their simple mission statement: “Having fun with supercars.”
Now in this case, it isn’t the car manufacturers letting you have this Experience. It’s a private company, who owns the cars and leases the racetrack for the day (like the racecar scene in The Bucket List, without all the damage). It’s expensive, it’s exclusive, and for some, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime fantasy.
Recommendation to Lamborghini, Aston Martin, et al.: I think the car companies should be looking to glean information from Supercar Life’s customers, maybe offering a rebate for a survey at the end of the day or the like, as this is, in essence, a one day test-drive for true Propheteers who prove their loyalty by ponying up nearly 5,000 USD for the day.
In fact, when I first watched the segment, I was a little surprised that a supercar manufacturer hadn’t thought of the whole thing. This could be a great way to extend a brand!
So let’s turn it on its ear:
Can you make the Experience of your company’s offerings fun?
Would your customers pay to test-drive your product or service?
How can you encourage Propheteers to show off their love of your company?
Grow and be well,
Kelly Erickson
If you enjoyed this post, please Subscribe (it's free!) 
Comment 
Share
Trackback 
19 August 2008, 9:14 am
Hi Kelly,
I would think that in this case, the people spending $5,000 for one day at the track are not the target market for the actual car companies. These are most likely guys turning 40 who have a bit of money to spend on “living their dream” without (a) actually buying the car and (b) getting too old before they do it.
That being said, I do think that they can glean information by perhaps sponsoring a survey. Let me revise my above statement — the guys driving those cars are exactly the target market except for one key ingredient: money.
Of course I could be completely wrong here. But the survey should clear that up…
~Graham
19 August 2008, 9:56 am
Graham,
LOL is there something wrong with turning 40? Tell me quick, I’ve only got a few months to turn back!
Yes, I agree that most are probably not their target market as far as sales go. However, wannabes who are big fans probably could tell them a lot about what folks with the same gleam in their eye and more brass in pocket come to them for, and if it were conducted afterwards, maybe some wonderful insights about what the experience was like.
On the other hand, like Tapas, this could be used as a way to extend what a company offers. I was surprised because it did seem like a small offering of a car, but with a lot more fun than just a rental would be. If it were done by the car company it wouldn’t have to be with the aim of a later sale. This could simply be another revenue stream. That’s what I like about it as a small business idea.
It also has the potential to be a huge creator of desire. I’d love to see a follow-up, to find out if any of the ladies and gentlemen actually dug into their retirement funds and bought a car like these at some time after their track day.
Regards,
Kelly
19 August 2008, 11:03 am
Kind of like the guy who is going through the mid-life crisis who can only afford to have the car for one day just to get it out of his system?
It’s an interesting concept. Other companies could run with that thought. there are a lot of mid-life crisis people out there right now short on funds or who won’t buy because of the economy.
How about products and services that could cash in on the concept of “Rent/do/try *this* for your mid-life crisis” hmmmm…
I wouldn’t word it quite like that…but you have to know the need you are working with.
Wendi Kelly’s last blog post…For the Love of Words
19 August 2008, 11:33 am
@Wendi
I’m smack dad in the middle of a mid-life crisis myself, yet I have no desire to get a fancy car, nor to get a trophy girlfriend.
I don’t even know what I want.
What’s a poor Friar to do?
Friar’s last blog post…Friar’s Random Olympic Thoughts
19 August 2008, 11:57 am
*Groans*
Oh Friar…
If you were writing the lead charactor in a novel about a funny, smart, artistic talented guy in his forties who had never been married, had no kids, was all alone out in a small po-dunk town disatisfied with everything in life but his fishing…bordering on a mid-life crisis…..
what do you think would happen to him next?
Maybe you should write it down.
See what comes up.
Wendi Kelly’s last blog post…For the Love of Words
19 August 2008, 2:10 pm
I don’t drive. Never have. So perhaps I don’t understand the fascination. But isn’t $5000/day for a car a
littleLOT crazy?Amy’s last blog post…Freelance Writing Success: Your Way or Mine?
19 August 2008, 2:31 pm
Hey look, I crossed myself out. Eek.
Amy’s last blog post…Freelance Writing Success: Your Way or Mine?
19 August 2008, 3:32 pm
@Wendi
Okay, I’d better start writing:
” Dear Penthouse Forum. I come from a small town in rural Ontario. I always thought your letters were made-up stories. Until this actually happened to me….”
Friar’s last blog post…Friar’s Random Olympic Thoughts
19 August 2008, 4:54 pm
Dang it all, while I was reading this all I could think of was ‘Ooooo…what a perfect gift for the Lion’. But then you got to the price tag. Sigh.
When I was car shopping, I thought I wanted a mini Clubman. However, when we got to the dealership, there was only one in the showroom, and none to test drive. The attitude of the saleman was ‘this is so hot we can only keep one in stock at any given time. And you don’t need to test drive it; it’s a BMW, that’s all you need to know’. Oh, this so backfired. We turned on our heels and walked out.
19 August 2008, 11:47 pm
Wendi,
Yes, absolutely, there should be a lot of applications right within this same target market.
Doing research for this post I did find that they have some women customers as well, but it does seem their customers are mainly men.
Friar,
Without the necessary elements, how can you properly call it a mid-life crisis, then?
(Wendi again—my thoughts exactly.)
Amy,
It’s a little or a lot crazy, unless you consider the price tag on owning one of these babies. Spending an entire day driving a selection of five of them (on a racetrack no less, so as fast as you dare) would be an amazing thrill for some.
I think if I were interested, I’d look at it as my vacation money for the year, all used up in one WOW day. I’m not that into speed so it doesn’t interest me, but oh I would like to try driving them just to see what all the fuss is about. When they roll out the slow annoying bore version, I might show up.
Panther,
That’s what I think it would be perfect for (in the clip I think there are a couple of guys who got the day as a gift from their woman). If the man isn’t having a mid-life crisis, he’s probably too responsible to spoil himself like this, so a gift from his lady may be the only way he’d get to experience it. But it’s a mighty substantial gift, for sure. What struck me most after I got over the “Oh, cool!” factor, was the lesson in the business model.
How stupid of that BMW salesperson. Spoil the customer, win the customer, maybe for life—many car buyers are very loyal. Annoy the customer, say goodbye!
Until later,
Kelly
20 August 2008, 9:31 am
@Panther,
Perhaps try a busier dealership next time, and do a little role playing?
I went to the BMW in Oakville one time, dressed in a suit, in my silver Jetta, all freshly washed and waxed. I handed them a business card, and got a test drive in a brand new M3… yeah baby!
I still need to come into Ottawa to meet Lion for lunch some time, and I want to go test drive one of the new Mitsubishi Evo’s, maybe we can go car shopping together!
20 August 2008, 9:51 am
@Brett – we ended up at the Volvo dealership and they were MUCH nicer. Got myself an extremely sexy C30. As for test driving cars with the Lion? I guess I’ll lose him for the day LOL
20 August 2008, 10:04 am
@Panther,
Nice car!!! And they are nicer at Volvo (my wife worked there for a time, at the Oakville dealership).
I always found VW and Audi to be a bit friendlier than BMW…
(which might be why I have a VW)
Don’t worry, I’ll give him back to you!
-Brett
Brett Legree’s last blog post…never lose anything again. not even waldo.
21 August 2008, 12:45 am
Kelly — When you get one to drive, see if they’ll let you drive to Chicago. Then you can pick me up and I can see what it’s like to ride in one.
Amy’s last blog post…Counting Sheep (Or, Sleepy Chick Joins Twitter)
21 August 2008, 8:47 am
Amy,
LOL!
It’s a deal. We left Chicago when I was 10, I’d love to roll back in in a Lamborghini.
Later,
Kelly