Durban businessman Greg Parton has a new toy arriving soon. It’s big, loud and fast. Called the Lamborghini Aventador, it has a R6.5 million price tag.
Many will probably choke at the prospect of spending so much money on a car, but for Parton the thrill of driving one of the world’s most technologically advanced supercars is worth every cent.
A supercar aficionado, Parton owns a small fleet of exotics and has picked out a spot in his garage for the Aventador, between his R3m Lamborghini Gallardo and R2.4m Ferrari California.
He is not the only person driving multimillion-rand Italian sports cars in his Morningside neighbourhood. He is part of a rapidly growing premium sports car customer base in Durban.
Lamborghini believes the Durban market has grown so much in the past few years that it could match Joburg and Cape Town in buyer numbers.
“Lamborghini has seen a significant rise in sales in KZN in the past year, proving that it is becoming more popular in the area,” says Zantelle van der Linde of Lamborghini SA.
“Durban is catching up slowly but surely. This is evident, considering the number of supercars that form part of the IBV (International Bank Vaults) Super Car Club in Umhlanga.”
Van Der Linde said Lamborghini was looking into opening a Durban dealership.
“With the Gallardo the smallest in the product line-up and the most readily available, and Aventador deliveries only due to start in a few months, Gallardo is by far the front-runner now,” says Van der Linde.
Parton will be only the second to own an Aventador in SA. The first was snapped up by an Eastern Cape buyer recently.
“I’ve always loved Lamborghinis, from the era of the Countach. I love the styling of the cars,” says Parton.
“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.”
Owners need a good deal of spare cash for maintenance. Exotic brands offer service plans, but wear and tear items are not usually covered.
Parton admits maintenance can be costly. Replacing a clutch on a Lamborghini can set you back R70 000. Replacing brake pads costs about R30 000.
But it’s worth the thrill, says Parton. “There’s nothing like the feeling of a performance car… and, yes, I do get into trouble with the law.”
But owning a supercar is not all about brute power and speed, says university student, Kyle Moodley, whose machine of choice is the limited edition Aston Martin N400.
“Aston Martin has class the other brands don’t have. I used to like Ferrari, but when I sat in them it just didn't have the same feel of luxury,” he says.
Moodley says he attracts a lot of attention in his burnt-orange V8, for which his father forked out R2.4million. “If you drive a Lamborghini or Aston Martin and think you can just blend in, it’s not going to happen. People are always staring and want to take photos.
Sharing
“A lot of the owners get irritated and snub people, but I think that’s wrong, because I believe these cars aren’t just built for the owners; they are built for everyone to enjoy. They are there to be marvelled at. I often offer to take an admirer for a ride. The experience must be shared.”
Moodley says there are more supercars on Durban roads now than ever – the cars are seen by many as affordable.
“Perceptions have changed. In the past many believed it wasn’t possible to drive these cars, but they are relatively affordable when you consider a BMW M3 costs a million rand.
“People think that if they are prepared to spend a million on a BMW, why not spend a little more and get a supercar?”
Porsche CEO Toby Venter says, “The KZN market is strategically important to Porsche. We needed a ‘home’ for customers and potential customers as well as the convenience of sales and service.
“Demand for Porsche products has been strong, in line with our increased model range. Our KZN clients are loyal and passionate about Porsche.”
Thiru Reddy, who chairs the KZN Porsche Club and owns a few of the cars, says the number of sports cars, especially Porsches, on Durban roads has soared. “Sports cars and exotics are now within the reach of more people than ever. Ten years ago Porsches, for instance, were rarely seen. Now they are everywhere,” he says.
Reddy says the creation of more “usable” models by brands such as Porsche had contributed to the growth.
“Durban is replacing Cape Town as the sports car capital of SA.”
Ashok Sewnarain, who owns IBV, founded the IBV Supercar Club in 2010 when he noticed there were so many owners in the region.
“Our parking lot was filled with supercars and I thought it would be a great idea to start an association,” he says.
Sewnarain, who owns a Ferrari F430, also says Durban has caught up with Joburg and Cape Town in the supercar ownership stakes.