We’ve had a crazy few months at Ultimate Driving Tours (UDT), meticulously planning our luxury tours and hosting each event. So it’s been great to spend some time catching up on motoring trends, new cars and Formula 1.
I want to use this article to discuss a few of these issues and keep you updated on what we are up to here at UDT. Let’s dive straight in.
Current and emerging motoring trends
It’s pleasing to see that the luxury motoring industry continues to grow steadily. In fact, according to a recent report by McKinsey and Company, the market for all luxury vehicles priced over $80,000 is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 8% to 14% through 2031.
This is incredible growth when compared to the market for sub-$80,000 cars, which remains at around 1% annually. This largely appears to be driven by the keen Chinese market – an audience that values the technology and personalisation of luxury cars more than the style and performance typically favoured by American and European consumers.
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How we’ve evolved our supercar tours over time
Before UDT even existed, I was obsessed with the idea of bringing together friends who shared my enthusiasm for luxury supercars and gorgeous destinations and then heading off and making memories together. In 2008, I made this a reality with our first tour: we went to Germany and had an absolute blast at the Nürburgring.
Since then, I have been driven to make each tour bigger and better than the last, which may explain why we have evolved into the world’s leading operator of luxury driving holidays – something I could never have imagined back when I was first toying with ideas.
We now have around 15 tours annually in some of the most beautiful countries and a fleet of 14 epic supercars. To keep up with demand, we’ve also added extra tours for our most popular destinations, such as the Monaco Grand Prix. Progression is integral to our team, and we can’t wait to continue this evolution.
If I had to pick my favourite road to drive, it would be …
I am lucky enough to traverse thousands of miles of gorgeous roads each year, but my current favourite is Route Napoléon, which starts in Cannes and ends in Grenoble.
It’s a 314 km route that takes us along some of the most scenic driving roads in the world. We see lakes, rivers, mountains, waterfalls and castles along the way, and it never gets repetitive – I love it.
My current top 5 supercars
We have a varied fleet of latest-release supercars from the best marques, and I have genuinely fallen in love with all of them. But here are my top five in no particular order.
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Porsche 911 GT3 (992)
Porsche has built 911s for over 60 years, and the 992 is the latest and best ever from the series. It sports a legendary 4.0L flat-six capable of well over 8,000 rpm and delivers a truly unforgettable drive.
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Lamborghini Huracán EVO
This next-gen Lambo is just incredible. Who can not love that amazing V10 engine paired with a gearbox and drivetrain to die for? It’s always an intense and emotional drive.
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Mercedes AMG GTR
The current F1 safety car is certainly a handsome machine, but it’s the feeling of being behind the wheel of this agile beast that I love as it growls and barks its way around the track. Simply divine.
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Ferrari 812 Superfast
It certainly lives up to its name! The 812 Superfast features the most powerful naturally-aspirated engine ever fitted to a road car. It’s 6.5L of pure muscle, boasting 800HP, a 0-100 sprint in 2.9s, and a top speed of 340 km/h. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most intense supercar experiences you can have.
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Audi R8
Some people are surprised when I mention the R8 as one of my favourites, but it’s the most underrated sports car of the last 20 years. Combine an Audi drivetrain and sensibility with a Lambo V10 heart and you can see why it’s one of my most treasured drives.
My thoughts on the current F1 season and looking ahead
To this point, the current F1 season has been dominated by the Red Bull team, but we are already seeing upgrades and some promise from McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari. The challenge for the other teams now is that, while they look to catch-up, Red Bull are quietly building their 2024 challenger, which will be even harder to beat.
McLaren is currently the team to watch and were agonisingly close to enjoying a victory in the hands of young Oscar Piastri in the Belgian Grand Prix. With more upgrades to come after the summer break, this is the team to look out for.
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What’s next for UDT?
The near future for Ultimate Driving Tours is very exciting indeed with plenty in the pipeline. Most notably, we have our Italian events at the end of August and start of October – these are always hugely popular with our guests and the UDT team, particularly the ferocious Italian Grand Prix.
We are also working hard on our plans for the 2024 season, which is set to be our biggest and best yet – watch this space! In the meantime we have launched our 2024 Tour Calendar you can check out here.
Celebrate your love for motoring with Ultimate Driving Tours
I hope this article has given you some fresh insight into current motoring trends, as well as what we are up to at Ultimate Driving Tours this year.
If you want to join us on one of our 2024 tours, we’d love to have you along. Simply get in touch with the team to enquire and learn more.
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