What kind of car is the one that will enrich your car life?
Even if you are not a particular car fan, cars are now essential to our lifestyles. Which one you choose is an indicator of a person's sensibilities, and may even be said to reflect their outlook on life.
A new series on cars from a unique perspective by motor journalist Tatsuya Kushima, who travels all over the world to meet new cars. We hope this will give you some hints on how to find a car life that suits you.

A privilege for the wealthy: driving their favorite cars in a members-only driving club

What do you think of when you hear the words “membership only” and “MENBERS ONLY”? The same goes for sports clubs, restaurants, marinas, and even the clubhouses of prestigious golf courses. This is the entrance to the locker room, where members and guests are separated. As long as it is a prestigious club, member lockers are a coveted place. Members form an important membership organization in managing club operations.

THE MAGARIGAWA CLUB, which is managed by Cornes & Limited Company, which we recently opened, is also built on such a system. However, this is not a golf course or sports club. It is still one of the few members-only driving clubs in Japan.
The reason I say there are only a few in Japan is because there are many in Europe and America, where car culture is advanced. There, the members shake down their racing cars (for the first time) and set up their cars before a big competition. This is also one of the hobbies of the wealthy.

The term "gentleman's racer" refers to such people. I'm talking about people who do everything themselves, rather than being sponsored by a manufacturer and hiring professional racers. That's why there is a "gentleman's class" race category. Since it's a fairly expensive hobby, a fair number of celebrities gather to enjoy driving cars.
The Ascari Race Resort, located on the outskirts of Malaga, Spain, is a typical example of this circuit. It's not just a place to run, it has been created to have the atmosphere of a resort, including a restaurant. I've been there several times as a venue for international test ride events, and the view overlooking the circuit from the terrace seats was amazing.

Thoroughly focused on “driving”
Pursuing hospitality that satisfies the wealthy

Let's get back to THE MAGARIGAWA CLUB.
This place was inspired by the Askari Race Resort. Corn's, a long-established luxury import car sales company, provided a place where wealthy car enthusiasts could enjoy driving their cars. Their ideas are wide-ranging, and they don't stop there once they sell a car. We even take care of places where they can run and where they can be stored. What's more, if you want to participate in races overseas, they will also support you.

The main course is 3.5km long with 800m straights. So, once you get used to it, you can press the accelerator fully for quite some time. Also, because it was designed to be cut into the mountain, there is a height difference of 80m, and the maximum slope is 20%. It feels like you're driving through the successive corners as you climb towards the final corner. It's an uphill corner, so it's nice to be able to enjoy handling with confidence.

I heard that the course was designed by Tilke Engineers & Architects. The company is led by German architect Hermann Tilke, and has a track record of designing numerous F1 circuits. Therefore, the layout is designed to bring out the car's performance. At the pre-opening press preview, we got to drive a Lamborghini, and it was more fun than I expected. Safety seems to be guaranteed unless you drive extremely recklessly.

The storage location is a garage where room temperature and humidity are completely controlled. I'm grateful that the owner keeps the car in a comfortable riding condition at all times, and will even check the battery and tire pressure if you let me know in advance.

There are two types of members at THE MAGARIGAWA CLUB: regular members and associate members, and although restrictions are placed on the latter, there are plenty of facilities in addition to courses and storage space. Restaurant, bar, kids room, 25m infinity pool, spa, driving simulator, karaoke room, Japanese garden, dog run, tennis court, hot springs, etc. It seems that the hot spring was excavated and found a natural hot spring.

The grand opening is scheduled for July this year, but we have already received many applications for membership even before the opening. When you hear that, you can see that many people in Japan wanted a members-only driving club like this. The location is Minamiboso, Chiba. If you use the Aqua Line, you can get there in about an hour from the city center. Since it is easily accessible from Haneda Airport, it seems that they are also anticipating inbound tourists. I see, there are no borders for car guys. THE MAGARIGAWA CLUB is a full-fledged membership circuit that is likely to become a hot topic among wealthy people in Asia.

Text by Tatsuya Kushima

Tatsuya Kushima

Motor journalist and columnist. Currently, he is the media site editor-in-chief and media business producer for the surfing magazine ``NALU''. He became a freelancer after serving as a member of the 2020-2021 Japan Car of the Year selection committee, deputy editor-in-chief of ``Car Ex'' (Sekai Bunkasha), editor-in-chief of ``American SUV'' and ``European SUV & WAGON'' (Ki Publishing). After that, he became deputy editor of men's magazine ``LEON'' (Shufu to Seikatsusha), editor-in-chief of free newspaper ``Go! Gol.'' (Par Golf), and publisher of men's magazine ``MADURO'' (RR). Experienced as editor-in-chief. He has a deep knowledge of fashion, travel, golf, cigars, and boats. His hobbies are surfing and golf (surf and turf).