Oh, to be a billionaire car enthusiast. Not only are super-rich car enthusiasts able to buy any vehicle they want without a care in the world, they’re storing them in places that developers aren’t even referring to as garages anymore — Places that in most instances are nicer than most people’s homes and wouldn’t look out of place as an elaborate auto show setup.
CNN reports that billionaire car enthusiasts are now storing their prized vehicles in places that are no longer garages; they’re being called “gallery spaces” now. Essentially, dens, man caves and garages have meshed to create spaces that can be chilled in as well as store the car. Take billionaire real estate developer Gill Dezer, who lives in a 60-story tower in Miami that has a central elevator for cars.
Dezer said his own Mona Lisa is one of his three exotic supercars: a McLaren Speedtail, a Porsche 918 and a Bugatti Chiron, each of which is worth more than a million dollars. It’s why, when he commissioned the tower, he helped design a central elevator that whisks vehicles up to personal, glass-walled sky garages.
The stuff that these galleries come with are wild. Graham Harris of London’s SHH Architecture and Interior Design told CNN about some of the features that they’ve been designing for clients.
In merging the garage and the traditional American basement den, these super-luxe “man caves” can include advanced car racing simulators with wraparound screens or virtual-reality headsets, as well as elaborate bars, full-length bowling alleys, golf simulators and giant screens for watching sport.
“A lot of clients are ordering the Samsung ‘Wall’ (a bespoke LED display), which can be any size you want, with a starting price of £300,000 ($385,000). It creates an incredible backdrop for any scene you want in your garage,” Harris added.
There are other interesting features and materials being used as well. Stuff like floors made of hand-poured resin that protect vehicle tires and are oil and dirt-resistant, unique lighting setups that can highlight certain parts of the car or make them appear to float. Even special hydraulic systems for easy accessibility for owners and mechanics.
Even automakers that have gotten in on the real estate game — like Bentley who Dezer is currently developing a 62-floor tower for in Miami — are going for outrageous features for these galleries. “Bentley wants (the development) to be a continuation of the automobile experience. We’re working on a system where the music playing in your car will continue when you step into your apartment,” Dezer said.