Seeing the McLaren P1 on Lebanese soil a couple of days ago made me think: Supercars in Lebanon… are they worth it? I mean sure, they’re astonishing to look at and drive, but just how much will you actually drive them on our not-so-ideal roads?
One particular Lebanese person whom I’d rather not name (you guys reading this probably know him), owns a wide variety of the world’s most expensive supercars, including a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, a Pagani Huyara (which I’m told is no longer in his collection), Ferrari Enzo, Ferrari F12berlinetta and more recently, a McLaren P1. He’s also reportedly awaiting delivery of a Porsche 918 Spyder.
I understand he’s a collector, but as a car guy who enjoys the driving experience, I can’t help but feel sad for all the supercars he has, sitting in a garage, two floors beneath the ground and hiding under a silver cover (at least that’s how I imagine them). However, Mr. Unnamed does take great care of his supercars, that’s for sure.
So, let’s get back to my original question: are supercars like those worth owning in a country like Lebanon, where potholes and traffic jams reign? Do these outstanding machines deserve to be “Lebanese”?
The answer is: Yes and No.
Yes, they are worth owning because if I had the amount of money, I would definitely buy every god damn supercar on the market and pamper every one of them like it was my firstborn child. Seriously, you’d be lying if you told me you don’t envy the aforementioned guy.
No, they’re not worth owning because they would probably be driven once a year and on select few roads in the country, and trust me, these cars need to be pushed hard to truly appreciate their unearthly performance. Unfortunately, driving them hard is not possible in Lebanon, thanks in most part to our nonexistent racetrack.
Cars like the McLaren P1 or Porsche 918 Spyder are super spectacular. They can be driven on a daily basis, on decent roads, which we rarely have, but we have. However, they cannot be driven like they should, but I don’t really care, Mr.Unnamed is our only hope of seeing these beauties on our streets, and I have to thank him for that.
I’ve seen the Veyron, the P1, the Huayra. Bring in the 918 Spyder and LaFerrari so I can die in peace, please.