by Hannah Elliott, 06.18.10, 06:00 PM EDT

Here’s some advice from a racing pro: “Think of driving like dancing with a good-looking girl: Be nice, be gentle, and she’s going to reward you. If not, she’ll kick you.”

It may sound smarmy coming from anyone else, but when Roland Linder offered that advice to drivers at a recent World Class Driving (WCD) U.S. Supercar Tour, it made perfect sense. (The fact that he’s a dashing 60-year-old Frenchman didn’t hurt, either.)

It certainly paid to take the tip to heart as I jumped into (what I like to think of as) my Ferrari F430 Spider, a $220,000, 503-horsepower Lipizzano of a car. World Class Driving hosts 125 drive events nationwide each year, and at mine, a 140-mile meander by the banks of the Delaware River, the convertible supercar was just the first of six cars slotted for the day’s drive.

It turns out the scarlet stunner was the least of my worries. Afterward came a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, Maybach 62 and Audi R8 V10–each of which packs more than 520 horsepower and (excepting the Maybach) can hit 60 miles per hour in 4.1 seconds or less.
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When people get serious about business they read Forbes. The magazine offers in-depth coverage that examines the personalities and issues that shape the business world today and explores the trends of tomorrow.

And, when automotive enthusiasts get serious about supercars, they join Vulcan Motor Club.

Fox Report Live LIVE! drops by the Vulcan Motor Club.

We’re pleased to to announce the acquisition of certain assets of World Class Driving. World Class Driving is an industry leader in supercar entertainment driving events. Launched in 2006 by Jean Paul Libert, World Class Driving has operated 350 supercar driving events for more than 8,000 driving participants in 45 cities across the United States. Major partners include Pirelli, Automobile Magazine, and MotorTrend Magazine.

World Class Driving operates a variety of supercar driving experiences, including:

THE US SUPERCAR TOUR: Offers private drivetime in a selection of late-model exotic supercars on a 120 mile public road tour. The event starts at a designated location, where drivers receive an overview of each vehicle from our instructors, and a review of the tour route. Then, drivers pilot each vehicle through some of the most scenic and demanding roads in the region, rotating cars at designated checkpoints. There simply is no better way to experience the most thrilling exotic cars on the planet in one day.

200MPH Challenge Event: This exclusive event gives drivers the opportunity to break the magical 200MPH barrier in a safe, controlled environment on select locations and dates across the United States. Covered extensively by Bloomberg, Automobile Magazine, Wired, and more.

ROAD & RACING: This two-part event includes a half-day on-road supercar experience tour. Drivers get behind the wheel of some of the world’s best supercars on the most scenic back-roads available. Then, drivers spend the remainder of the day in 36 on-track lapping sessions at select racetracks across America. This combined event offers the best of both on-track and public road touring, and gets drivers on the most challenging and exclusive tracks in the U.S. This experience of a lifetime includes catered trackside meals, end-of-day champagne podium reception, exclusive World Class Driving gear & a trophy.

With this acquisition, Vulcan Motor Club acquired several additional supercars (including a Mercedes SLR Mclaren, Ferrari 599GTB, Maserati GranTurismo, and Lamborghini Superleggera). Over the next several months, we expect offer a wider selection of supercars to both Vulcan Motor Club members and World Class Driving participants.

Our Wind & Fire Tours are now rebranded and offered under the World Class Driving brand, and the dates, staff, fleet choice, starting location, and route remain unchanged. We also expect to offer access to the rich portfolio of World Class Driving events to Vulcan Motor Club members.

Both Tom and I remain fully engaged and committed to growing the organization and providing a world-class club experience.

Warm Regards,

Aaron Fessler
Chief Executive Officer

The concept of shared usage of supercars — from $150,000 Ferraris to $500,000 Mercedes SLR McLarens — is based on a rarefied version of austerity. After all, paying $30,000 or more for an annual club membership is certainly more financially prudent than actually buying one of these cars, which for the most part depreciate drastically as soon as they leave the showroom.

The Vulcan Motor Club, based in New Jersey, owns a dozen supercars, including a Tesla Roadster and a Ford GT40. Vulcan has about 100 members and annual memberships that cost up to $35,000. The founders, Aaron Fessler and Tom Mizzone, are serial entrepreneurs rather than hard-core car enthusiasts, and they began the business in 2007 because they saw an opportunity. Despite the economy, Vulcan has opened a second outlet in Glen Cove, N.Y.

Mr. Fessler said he noticed that the high price of exotics was followed by a precipitous drop of $50,000 to $60,000 once they had 100 miles on them. “For many people, and especially in this climate, it’s hard to justify that expense,” he said. “And people are time-sharing everything else, from yachts to watches, so why not cars?”

[Excerpted from Fractional Life, July 2008]

Jim Motavalli, New York Times contributor, blogs about green transportation

Ever wondered what it was like to drive a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Aston-Martin? Me too. I was able to find out as I got access to an exclusive country club for cars. They only allow 100 members. And they let me in for the day.

CHESTER, NEW JERSEY—I am at the wheel of a $495,000 Mercedes SLR McLaren Coupe, which offers sick acceleration and probably the most conspicuous automotive consumption this side of Koenigsegg (which makes $1 million supercars and just bought Saab).
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TIMESHARING SUPERCARS: FERRARIS AND LAMBORGHINIS FOR THE DAY
By Jim Motavalli | June 19th, 2009 @ 7:38 am

When Aaron Fessler goes to work, he walks into a garage that is wish fulfillment for the world’s dreamers and Car and Driver subscribers. An Audi R8, polished and gleaming, sits next to an all-business Ford GT-40, which is blocking the exit of a V-12 Aston-Martin DB9, Mercedes SLR McLaren and Lamborghini LP560-4. Did I mention the British Racing Green Tesla Roadster?

Welcome to Vulcan Motor Club, a timeshare for supercars that Fessler—a serial entrepreneur—started in New Jersey circa 2007 with his friend Tom Mizzone. Sign up for a $35,000 one-year membership and you get 40 days of access to a dozen supercars. They’ll even deliver them to you, full of gas (and given their thirst, you’ll need it). This is not the only entry in the field: Club Sportiva has the same basic idea.
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(Reprinted from the Observer Tribune)

CHESTER ‑ Sometimes fantasy can be reality, as with a local car club that allows regular people to take a daylong ride in a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Ford GT and an Audi R9.
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Garmany Magazine – a fashion and luxury lifestyle magazine produced in partnership with the celebrated luxury clothing retailer in Red Bank, New Jersey recently reviewed the club.  Read more »