How did you get started? Have you always done anything with cars?
I've always been interested in cars. I graduated from the Czech Technical University, majoring in internal combustion engines. Since I was about 12 years old I was racing, first on a motorcycle and then in a car. I have a really good relationship with everything with an engine. So it started with the fact that in 2010 I thought it would be great to bring the feeling of going for a ride in a proper car closer to ordinary people. Because the standard bail was several hundred thousand plus high rent... and not many people could or could afford that. The goal was clear - to allow normal everyday people to take a ride in, say, a Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc., to fulfill a dream and not leave a few paychecks behind.
Great! And what was the first car?
Being a real fan, I always had a sports car at home and that's where our fleet started. Some of the first cars were a Ferrari, a Lamborghini, a Nissan GTR and an Audi R8. To go with them we got a BMW M6 in Hamann trim, also a beautiful car. Then we added a 1966 Ford Mustang GT to the fleet. We just wanted to appeal to everyone - both young and old. And I think we've done that. We have an incredibly diverse range of cars here. Unprecedented for our country, I think. Not everyone likes Ferraris or Lamborghinis.
In the Czech Republic, for example, there's a huge community of American car fans, and the Mustang is probably the thing that gets people here the most. So we 've got the most powerful one on offer - the Ford Mustang GT500 SHELBY You've driven it yourself, just a wonderful ride, 683 horsepower... just a fairy tale.
When you say you included your car in the range, were you worried about it? What about the care of rental cars like that?
Well, it's clear that you are a bit worried, after all, these are specific cars and every part, every component is extremely expensive for them. We do the rides with an instructor who always trains the customer and tells them what to look out for. All the instructors are cool guys who have done a lot of mileage and know how our cars behave on the road. I know they're pros, so I'm a lot less scared. Because each car is specific, whether it's a Shelby or a Lambo, each one handles and drives differently.
You can see how Petr Koukal enjoyed the Lambo in the video:
Supersports are unique compared to standard cars. The Superb or Passat and others are similarly designed, so the ride is more or less the same. Super sports and driving them is just an art. Personally, I love how Lamborghinis have the engine in the middle behind the rear seats, Ferraris do too, whereas Mercedes have the engine in front of the driver and the gearbox in the back. The Mustang has the gearbox and the engine in the front... so the weight is concentrated in the front, and that makes the Mustang jittery to drive. Each car is just unique, and that's what I love about it.
What about the care?
Cars in general need to be looked after. It may not seem like it, but if you don't give these cars the proper care and time, you might as well shut it down. Each person is taught to drive differently, so those cars wear out quite a lot.
It happens that people rub it off. That's why we also offer the option of waiving the deductible as an additional service. The cars just go fast and they're wide, so it happens that people don't feel or are afraid. This will help them relax, not have the stress of driving an expensive car. It's only a few hundred bucks and it's
You've got over 15 cars in the range already, what do you choose them on?
We choose based on what we think people might be interested in and also so that it's always the best in class. That means there's a basic Mustang, then a 300, and we chose the most powerful one. The market will always choose. I still want to push the company forward and keep innovating. I'd hate for us to rest on our laurels. As long as the competition copies us, that's good. That's how I know I'm going in the right direction.
Do you still ride your supercars in your spare time?
Not usually. They're for clients. When we're not driving, the cars are in the workshop (that's Monday, Tuesday). In short, we always want them to be professionally prepared.
So we don't drive them very much at all.
And you don't feel like driving them when they're in the garage?
When we're driving while the company is running, we're completely exhausted, and somehow you don't even want to. We often have children as clients, or others that we drive. So we give them a ride, or the instructor does. Now we've also focused on disabled clients, we've had a lot of them here. Either they're in a wheelchair or they have some kind of mental disability. They can be very happy about it. That's absolutely amazing!
Even for a normal person it's quite difficult to get into a car like that, so we always help them in and out of the car. We also had a visually impaired person and he was incredibly enjoying the adrenaline, the sound. It's beautiful to see the emotion that comes out of these people when they leave us. You can see them walking, smiling, and they're completely over it.
What's your dream car?
The ones in the garage.:-)
I'm really into driving Subarus these days. It's a 2003, but it's got Ferrari brakes and a brand new 2017 two and a half litre engine, racing chassis and racing steering. This Subaru may be older, but it cost twice as much as our new one.
What about your hobbies, cars?
We don't have any free time, I' m here till like 10 to 11 o'clock at night. And in my spare time, I'm into cars. It's not just a job, it's fun, a hobby and a love. The adventure driving comes with the fact that we're all big car fans. Which I hope you can tell from our approach.
Now that you're in a car like this, do you still get that goosebumps?
Yeah, always! Some of them I can even just start, but at the airport I always get it! It's just when you see that straight long straight, it's like Road 66, just perfect.
It's interesting that you often refer to cars in the feminine - the Porsche, the Shelby.
Well... it's like a woman's car. Except I always say it's like a woman, but like an angel bitch. Because if you treat her badly, she'll punish you... she always does, doesn't she?
