A rising trend among social media influencers shows many are renting high-end supercars not to drive but purely to pose with for content creation, reports The Metro. Luxury car rental firms reveal that vehicles like Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Rolls-Royces are now more often used as backdrops for Instagram posts than for the road, turning status symbols into props for digital clout.
In some cases, the influencers don't even know how to drive. They hire drivers to drop them off and then step out of the car as if it's theirs, creating an illusion of wealth and status for their online followers.
Many of these clients are young individuals who earned quick money through industries like crypto, gaming, or modelling. Some even request these high-end vehicles be stationed outside luxury locations like Mayfair hotels to stage their fake "arrivals".
The trend highlights how social media "clout" has become more valuable to some than actual experiences, with car engines now playing second fiddle to online engagement.
Tarr Luxury Cars boss Ike Ordor said his industry has been 'transformed' by social media.
Speaking to The Metro, he said, "A decade ago I was helping petrolheads live out their motoring fantasies. Now it's all about the perfect Instagram shot. Our customers used to love the thrill of driving cars they could never afford. Today it's photo power, not horsepower."
The rental company owner shared that one influencer changed outfits three times in the back seat between stops to make their content appear as if it was shot on different days.
Another client requested that a Ferrari be parked outside a luxury hotel in Mayfair, with the keys left behind, so they could film themselves arriving in style pretending the car was theirs.
"The illusion of luxury can be just as powerful as actually experiencing it," the owner said, adding that his customer base has shifted significantly in recent years.
"Instagram has transformed my industry," Ike Ordor said. "A decade ago, people rented supercars to experience the drive. Now, half the time, it's just to experience the moment."
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