There was a time when supercars were a rarity in Durban, but that’s all in the past. Today the city is the country’s fastest growing market for exotic sports cars, so much so that both Ferrari and Lamborghini are said to be eyeing spots on Umhlanga Ridge for showrooms, following in the footsteps of their rival, Porsche. It’s clear that Durban’s fabulously rich are prepared to splurge on their toys.
Durban’s 10 most awesome cars
Lamborghini Aventador
R6.5 million
Owned by: Greg Parton
There are only two in the country and one belongs to Durban businessman Greg Parton, whose supercar fleet includes a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Ferrari California.
The Aventador is considered to be an “out of this world” supercar that its makers say is at least two generations ahead of anything available on the market. The Aventador LP700-4 uses a 6.5-litre V12 engine that produces 522kw of power and reaches a top speed of 350km/h.
“I’ve always loved Lamborghinis, from the era of the Countach. I love the styling of the cars,” says Parton. “There’s nothing like the feeling of a performance car and, yes, I do get into trouble with the law.
“I enjoy going down to the race track and doing hill climbs. That’s how you really experience the car. It’s fun, but it takes skill to drive them.”
Running a Lambo isn’t cheap. If you’re lucky you’ll achieve a fuel consumption figure of 18 litres per 100km and if you drive the car hard you’ll be forking out R70 000 for a new clutch and R30 000 for a set of brake pads.
Ferrari 458 Italia
R3.2 million
Arguably the greatest Ferrari ever built, the 458 Italia is powered by a 4.5-litre V8 engine that produces 419kW of power.
It will accelerate from 0 to 100 in under three seconds and has a top speed of 325km/h.
The Durban car dealer who landed this beauty late last year says he waited almost two years for the car to arrive. Ferraris, particularly the 458s, are built to order and are handcrafted at the Ferrari factory in Maranello.
Among the extras Durban’s red 458 owner had fitted to his car is a carbon fibre roof and a lifting suspension – for navigating pothole-ridden roads in KZN, he says.
“I’ve always loved Ferraris and it’s a dream to drive this one.”
Ferrari California
R2.65 million
Owned by: Greg Parton
Another one of Parton’s toys, the California has a top speed of 310km/h and can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds. Unfortunately, Parton doesn’t get to drive this awesome machine as much as he would like to as he keeps it in Joburg as his runaround there.
Nissan GT-R
R1.4 million
Owned by: Suveer Sookoo
A fan of Fast and Furious films, getting a Nissan GT-R for his 21st birthday was a dream come true for Suveer Sookoo. Whereas others favour the Italian flair of Ferrari and Lamborghini, for Sookoo it’s all about performance. The GT-R can hit 300 km/h easily and Sookoo has proven it on occasion.
Rolls-Royce Ghost
R4 million
Owned by: Vivian Reddy
One of the more famous Rolls models, Vivian Reddy’s is equipped with every luxury you could possibly fit in a car. It has been used to chauffeur foreign dignitaries and heads of state and featured at the recent COP17 conference in Durban. Reddy’s Rolls was also seen on the ANC election campaign trail in 2009.
Bentley Continental GT
R3.4 million
Owned by: Vivian Reddy
One of the first Bentleys to be brought into the country, Reddy uses the GT as his daily runner, and it gets him from A to B really fast. With a power plant that spews out 412kw and can reach 320km/h, the only way Reddy could get to a meeting faster would be by private jet.
“I’ve always loved Bentleys; to me there is nothing like it,” Reddy says. Word is that he is ordering another. But driving a supercar does attract a lot of unwanted attention.
“The taxman will always notice you if you have a supercar. That’s why it is important to be compliant. It’s immoral to drive a supercar and not pay tax.
“It is also important that you involve yourself in social outreach programmes. It’s no good owning one of these cars if you forget about the less fortunate.”
Rolls-Royce Ghost
R4 million
Owned by: Saantha Naidu
Coastlands hotel boss Saantha Naidu has had a lifelong love affair with Rolls-Royce. In addition to the Ghost, he owns two other classic Rolls, a Shadow and a Silver Spur. They’re almost permanently parked in his private garage alongside a small fleet of other luxury vehicles, including a vintage Mercedes.
Ferrari F430
R2 million
Owned by: Ashok Sewnarain
International Bank Vaults boss Ashok Sewnarain often describes himself as a fanatical Ferrari fan, so much so that he religiously follows F1 and even spent time in the Ferrari team paddock during a trip to the Malaysian GP.
Sewnarain’s F430 can often be found parked outside the IBV headquarters at Gateway.
Rolls-Royce Phantom
R6 million
Owned by: Ashok Sewnarain
As far as cars go, you don’t get any more indulgent than the Rolls-Royce Phantom – an ultra-luxurious limousine with the performance of a supercar. What more could you ask for?
Lamborghini Performante
R4 million
Owned by: Loven Marimuthu
Loven Marimuthu’s Performante is the only one of its kind in SA. The manufacturers used carbon fibre extensively in building the lightweight supercar, a factor that influenced his decision to purchase.
But even a true Lambo fan like Marimuthu is quick to admit the Performante is not an everyday car.
“You’ve got to be crazy to drive this car everyday. You have to own a petrol station to drive it around.”
His daily runaround is a considerably more humble R800 000 Mercedes ML 4x4.
*E-mail Masood: [email protected]