London police have seized more than £8 million worth of luxury vehicles over a single weekend as part of a crackdown on antisocial driving during the city's annual supercar season. Between August 7 and August 9, officers detained 90 high-value cars, including a Ferrari Monza SP2 valued at £3.7 million, following a large supercar gathering. Other seized vehicles included a Lamborghini Revuelto, a Rolls-Royce Wraith, and a Porsche 911 GT3.
This influx of supercars is a recurring summer event, drawing affluent owners, many from the Middle East, who import their luxury vehicles to escape high temperatures in their home countries. These drivers are often seen in exclusive neighborhoods like Mayfair and Knightsbridge. While many visitors contribute to the city's economy, a subset engages in disruptive behavior, including excessive engine revving, speeding, and dangerous maneuvers, causing a nuisance to residents and businesses.
Special Chief Inspector Geoff Tatman stated that his team regularly receives complaints from residents about dangerous driving and modified vehicles creating disturbances. He emphasized that operations like these aim to apprehend drivers and confiscate their cars to improve road safety.
In response to the ongoing issues, Westminster City Council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have secured a High Court injunction. This legal measure prohibits engine revving, excessive acceleration, and other driving offenses, with potential for arrest for rule breakers. Westminster Council also reported issuing 419 notices for nuisance car behavior in the past year and has installed four "acoustic" cameras designed to detect and fine vehicles exceeding 90 decibels from engine noise.
During the recent operation, one Ferrari owner was found to possess only a provisional driving license and had been driving the vehicle for just an hour before being stopped. Other drivers have been caught without valid insurance, with some believed to have imported their vehicles into Britain without proper documentation.
Councillor Caroline Sargent, deputy leader of Westminster, affirmed the council's zero-tolerance approach, stating, "People who think it's acceptable to drive dangerously in Westminster are not welcome here." She highlighted that such behavior poses risks and causes significant disruption to the community.
Owners reportedly pay upwards of £20,000 to transport their cars to London. Despite potential fines for parking violations, which are often between £110 and £160 in areas like Kensington, the cost of importing the vehicles suggests owners may be unconcerned by such penalties. In past years, this supercar season has also seen instances of drivers flouting parking rules, including leaving vehicles in disabled bays or on double yellow lines, leading to the deployment of traffic wardens and tow trucks by local authorities.