London Supercar Hire
The supercar is a part of the London scene and has a special place in the capital
Home to PB Supercars, London has a rich history full of amazing culture, bustling energy and many supercars. Iconic buildings such Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London all offer great backdrops for anyone choosing to take a spin around the capital.
What are the challenges to driving a supercar in London?
Compared to some European cities, London traffic can be quite reasonable, depending on the hour you choose to travel.
You do have to be careful when planning a route as not all roads can be suitable for supercars. Many roads are based on the old mediaeval footprint, full of twists and turns, some of which can be quite narrow. This can catch some visitors out, especially from the United States or other countries using a grid system designed around the motor car.
However, many of the affluent areas do tend to be Georgian in style which are often based on a more considered layout. Here you will find the top London hotels, all of which will have easy access for supercars and will be morte than helpful if you need them to plan you a route in the area.
While driving in London you will find a city in transition. As with many urban centres, London is trying to find the balance between responsible traffic management without demonising the motorist. London hasn’t quite got the balance right, with many struggling with Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ) and the general congestion charge. Luckily, when hiring a supercar, we can take care of all those concerns. London also has a few traffic calming measures which can catch out (literally!) supercars if they get snagged on road humps. There are also bus lanes and cycle lanes to consider. Transport for London is very quick to fine anyone using these areas, so keep an eye out for the signs. Again, this is something we can help you with when you come and collect your supercar hire.
London hotels are great for spotting supercars
Boroughs such as Belgravia and Mayfair are good for spotting supercars
Beyond the city - where should you go?
For those wanting to exit the city, London has good routes in and out of the main centre. Encompassed by the M25, the main motorway that encircles the capital, London makes it easy for you to escape by using one of the many motorways connected to the M25 that will then allow you access to the UK countryside.
From London there are a number of notable driving experiences just as you leave the city, such as through the South Downs to Winchester or Chichester. You are an hour or so from the Chiltern Hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty, or just a couple of hours from the Cotswolds with its cute pubs and picturesque villages. If you’re in search of the sea, then head up the East Anglian coast, where you will find the quirky Mersea Island with it’s amazing seafood shacks, or Aldeburgh and Southwold which are full of art and culture.
Maybe you would like to venture further north to the Peak District or Lake District where you will find sweeping roads and breathtaking views.
The South Downs are just 30 minutes from London
There are spectacular country drives just outside London
Did you know that London is the supercar capital of the world?
If you were asked where in the world supercars are most popular, then the UK might not be the first choice. However, in recent polls the United Kingdom came out top, beating Italy, the home of Ferrari and Lamborghini, Germany, the home of Porsche and Los Angeles, the home of the rich and famous.
The survey by Activity Superstore collated social media data tagging supercars, the quantity of supercar dealerships and supercar events to attempt to find how popular supercars are in major cities and discovered London is the supercar capital of the world. The survey doesn’t attempt to uncover just how many cars are on the roads, or who drives them, but gives an indication that London has a real infinity with exotic cars. As an indication, central London has over 1000 registered in the relatively small urban area of Kensington, Belgravia, Chelsea and Westminster combined.
London is one the major financial centres of the global markets so attracts many within the banking sector, both as residents and as visitors. This also helps bolster the supercar numbers with London based bankers able to access supercars through ownership, or short term supercar lease.
The data for the UK is also helped by supercars registered in Cheshire in the north of the UK. Here you will find the homes of Premier League footballers from the richest clubs in the world such as Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool. Many of the players own some of the most spectacular cars, such as Son Heung-min (Tottenham) who owns a Ferrari LaFerrari, Raheem Sterling (Chelsea) who owns a Bentley Continental GT, Kyle Walker (Manchester City) who owns a Lamborhini Huracan and Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) who owns a Mercedes AMG.
There are also some high profile supercar collectors in the UK. Tom Hartley for example has a truly jaw dropping collection, including a perfect example of a Ferrari 288 GTO, which is claimed to be the oldest Ferrari supercar in existence. UK TV and film star Rowan Atkinson boasts a phenomenal collection including a 1997 McLaren F1, a Roll Royce Drophead Phantom and a vintage 1939 BMW 328. One of the best known supercar fans is Nick Mason, the drummer from Pink Floyd, who can pop down to the shops in his 1955 Jaguar D-Type, or his 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. However, with a similar 250 GTO selling recently for over £50 million, he might not be willing to leave his in the car park at Sainsburys!
Harrods on Bromptom Road, the home of London luxury
Sloane Square and Knightsbridge are great places to spot supercars
Where to spot supercars in London
London is a great place to see the latest supercars out in the wild. It is a vibrant city with many supercar owners plus many casual visitors who have either had their cars shipped over or choose to rent a supercar to make their way around the UK. Where are the best places where you might catch sight of something incredible?
Harrods
The world famous Harrods department store in the centre of Knightbridge is renowned for exclusive and high-quality goodies and is the place to go for luxury items such as fashion and jewellery. This makes it a great place to go supercar spotting as all day as there is a steady stream of visitors making their way to visit the capital’s best loved luxury retail destination.
Situated on Brompton Road, the main thoroughfare through Knightbridge , you will never be short of passing supercars making their way to many of the other high-end London destinations.
Sloane Square
Just off the main Brompton Road you can head down Sloane Street and you will find Sloane Square. Wander down here and you are guaranteed to see something interesting.
This has long been a fashionable shopping area, plus it boasts some great hotels, so you' re likely to see some amazing supercars from residents and visitors alike. During the summer months especially, supercars can be seen parked outside stores as London is very popular with wealthy families from the Middle East who have their cars shipped over or had them in storage for the winter. Look out for the Chanel store which will invariably have a fantastic car with a unique paint finish outside.
It can also be amusing to watch the dance played out between owner and London traffic enforcement officer as the latter attempts to persuade the former to move along.
Knightsbridge Hotels
Keep an eye out when passing the Berkeley and the Park Tower Hotels. These are exclusive places to stay when in London with many of the guests choosing to hire a supercar for the duration of their stay.
Belgravia
Just a few streets away you will find the exclusive area of Belgravia. The iconic London Georgian backdrop is the perfect place to see a few choice gems. This is a quieter residential area, so through traffic is limited, but when a supercar appears, it does mean you get a long uninterrupted view.
Dorchester Hotel
Stroll the short walk across Hyde Park and you will find the Dorchester. This is one THE places to stay in London and the car park will be full of supercars. You can easily spend some serious time here watching some serious hardware make its way to the Dorchester and it never disappoints the London Supercar affinados.
Mayfair
If you’ve finished with the Dorchester, it would be worth taking a trip round Mayfair. This area is crammed with top rated restaurants and boutiques, so the chances of spotting supercars is high. Mayfair is also home to many top iconic London institutions such as Claridges, The Connaught and Park Lane where the supercar owners will be wanting to spend their time.
Notting Hill
This area of London has moved from being a slum to one of the most fashionable areas to live in Europe. As a result, many top business leaders, media moguls and foreign visitors have properties here. This means supercars can be seen, especially during the evening as the residents head out for their adventures.
However you wish to spend your time, either simply wandering the London streets looking for supercars, or by hiring one of our fleet, London is a great city which will never disappoint. We look forward to seeing you soon.
