9 Days, 7 countries, 2000 Miles – One Grand Tour – 3-11 September 2016
Verve Rally has recently completed its first 9-day, 7-country and 2000-mile European adventure, where Ververs combined luxury lifestyle, great conversation and luxury car driving across exciting European destinations. Sold out within days of launch, lucky participants drove their luxury cars from London to France, stopping at Reims, Lyon, Nice and Monte Carlo. Winding roads north followed to the Alps, Lake Como and Lucerne before returning to London via Frankfurt and Bruges.
The next exciting Verve Rally leaves London on September 3.
Founded by London based serial entrepreneurs Marcus and Darshana Ubl, Verve Rally is a female-friendly rally designed to excite and stimulate all the senses.
“We’ve been finding that many men want to take their partners or friends, but have been put off by traditional race-type rallies,” says Darshana. “Plus there are many women who, like me, want to follow their own pace but also share the experience with other luxury car lovers.”
“Verve Rally is about celebrating life, the spirit of adventure and gratitude. It’s about enjoying the freedom of the open road, about embracing the summer and an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of our land and revel in sensory experiences, one city at a time,” she explains.
Darshana is a successful businesswoman and champions small and medium-sized enterprises as a spokesperson on BBC News. After moving to London from Singapore, the long-time luxury car lover grew disillusioned at the lack of opportunities to enjoy high-performance car driving in England.
Europe’s mainland has the warmer weather and inspiring roads, but she struggled to find a rally that offered drivers more than just being glued to the wheel, especially if you’re taste is more Ferrari 458 Italia than vintage 250 Coupe. With many years of major events experience, including a Guinness World Record for organising the most people at a business speed-networking event, Darshana launched her own rally with co-founder Marcus Ubl.
The first-ever Verve Rally kicked off with a fancy dress theme at the Home House Summer Party in London, and the following day drivers headed from London to Reims, capital of the French Champagne region, via the stunning Château de Rilly. Surrounded by vineyards, the Château’s terrace was the perfect location for a welcome drinks reception followed by a three-course gourmet meal. Ververs also visited the region’s multi-award winning Champagne house of Roger Manceaux for some seriously fabulous tasting.
Lyon – France’s gastronomic capital – was next on the itinerary – before an extended break at the Hyatt Regency in Nice on the French Riviera. Guests hopped over to Monaco and played the Casino tables, mixing with Hollywood stars and singer Bono from U2.
The drive from Nice to Lake Como is tailor-made for luxury cars. Ververs checked into their gorgeous lakeside hotel on arrival and soaked in the atmosphere from their balcony or pool, before an unforgettable evening cruise on the lake in an iconic wooden Italian speedboat. A candlelit dinner followed, adding more spectacular memories for the Verve drivers.
Nothing beats driving a supercar in the Alps – and the Gotthard Pass into Italy proved exceptional on the drive towards Lucerne. Dinner overlooking the 14th-century Chapel Bridge was an historic end to another perfect day of leisurely drives, stunning scenery and fabulous cuisine with newfound friends.
Leaving Switzerland, Ververs put metal to the floor on the German autobahn (no speed limits) before relaxing in the spa at the 5-star Kempinski Hotel Gravenbruch, outside Frankfurt. The fitting end to the final day saw Ververs celebrate in beautiful Bruges. Once strangers, now friends, the group shared their mutual love of fun, adventure and fine dining as they savoured the sites in this delightful Belgian city.
Verve Rally has proved so popular, capacity has been increased to 25 cars for the next rally, which leaves London on 3 September. You could be one of the lucky 25 cars to take part and drive in some of Europe’s finest locations.
The nine-day event is not a challenge of speed or endurance. With the average driving time of four hours each day, punctuated by an elegant lunch of local delicacies, Ververs will be able to follow their own pace while sharing the experience and breath-taking scenery with other like-minded adventurers, ending each day with romantic dinners and exploring the wonderful destinations.
Verve Rally aims to be a carbon neutral rally that offsets its carbon footprint by planting trees across the world through a partnership with Plant a Tree (PATT) Foundation and Treedom. Verve Rally is committed to protecting the environment it enjoys. We need to “give back what we take,” says Darshana.
Drive your own luxury vehicle or hire an iconic supercar through Verve’s partnership with a prestigious car rental and invest in memories that will last a lifetime. Imagine your very own Aston Martin Vanquish elegantly traversing the Gotthard Pass through the Swiss Alps, a Lamborghini Gallardo 560-4 or Bentley Convertible sweeping along the shores of Lake Como, or opening up a Porsche 997 Turbo on the high-speed German autobahn.
Sufficiently intrigued? Then join Verve Rally for your drive of a lifetime. You’ll find information on how to apply for a coveted place at www.ververally.com