Feature: The Spice of Life
August 1, 2007
"We appreciate the passion many of our
members have for vintage cars, but we’re also trying to offer them unlimited
access to the best of modern technology without the hassles associated with
owning those cars," says Ron Van Horssen, founder of the Van Horssen Group.
While based in Scottsdale, the company also serves members in Southern
California and Las Vegas, and has plans to expand across the country.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Collexium claims it will house 100 automobiles when the club is fully subscribed. Members can also advise the club on new acquisitions. (Click image to enlarge)
With a focus on state-of-the-art vehicles, Van Horssen asks for
$2,000 for a lifetime membership fee, which then gives way to four levels of
annual dues—from $8,000 to $40,000. The higher the dues, the greater the
discount on a given car; an $8,000 member will pay $675 to blast around in a new
911 GT3 for 24 hours, while the upper tier member will pay 25 percent less.
"A decade or more ago, a $100,000 car was really a rarity, but
now it’s commonplace," says Van Horssen, a car fanatic who made his fortune in
shared medical services. "You don’t want your assets owning you, and that can
easily happen if you start collecting modern exotics."; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
In addition to constantly shifting between the finest from
Aston Martin, Bentley and Ferrari, Van Horssen members can avail themselves of
driving school programs as well as custom trips that combine supercars with
fly-fishing, golf and other recreational activities in the northern Rockies. "It
might seem like an odd mix, but people love it," says Van Horssen. (Click image to enlarge)
But offering a mix—of cars and experiences—is indeed key when
trying to seduce car lovers whose universes tend to orbit around their own
garage beauties.
"Pushing variety is absolutely crucial in this business," says
Blas Garcia Moros, a former Microsoft executive who runs Collexium, a Fort
Lauderdale-based car-share club that capitalizes on both the area’s car-friendly
weather and its well-heeled residents. "What we like to say is, you wouldn’t
drink the same bottle of wine all year, no matter how good it is, right?"
Collexium stocks cars with the lofty average price of $200,000,
and membership runs $10,000 plus another $10,000 in annual dues. That gets you
about 30 days behind anything from a Ferrari F430 to a Bentley Continental
Flying Spur, depending on the type of evening you’ve planned.
"Who we attract is no different from who a high-end country
club attracts," says Moros, "it’s really an exclusive driver’s club." Join and
you might find yourself sipping rare scotch with the likes of racing legend
Derek Bell, just one of the special events coordinated by Moros for members.
"We want to offer the kinds of experiences that you simply
cannot buy," he adds.
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