Hamilton’s Ultimate Exotics gets you behind the wheel of stunning supercars
- Michael Kras
- 01 Apr 2022
Lamborghinis, Corvettes, Ferraris, and Porsches.
These are the kinds of eye-catching, luxury exotic cars that most people have seen speeding down the highway before; though only a lucky few have ever been able to drive around in one themselves.
That’s why Ultimate Exotics was originally founded back in 2013 by Dennis Williams and Steve Luangpakdy as a way for folks in Hamilton and beyond to have the rare opportunity to get behind the wheel of supercars and take them for a spin; all without needing to win the lottery or sell all of your worldly possessions to rent or purchase a vehicle yourself.
In a nutshell, visitors are able to book special supercar experiences – either 1.5 hours, 3 hours, or 6 hours in length, depending on the package – that offer access to a wide variety of exotic cars for an especially unique kind of joy-riding adventure, all at a fraction of what it would otherwise cost to rent those cars elsewhere.
Along the driving journey through Ultimate Exotics’ professional route are multiple checkpoints where those in the driver’s seat can switch around with passengers, change into different vehicles for a more dynamic experience, take photos to capture the moment, and take in the sights on some beautiful open country roads. Insurance, training, fuel, and perks like coffee and refreshments are all included in the price of admission.
It’s the kind of experience you don’t see in many other places around the Hamilton area; and as co-owner and founder Dennis Williams tells me, getting Ultimate Exotics started took a real leap of faith.
“There was a now-or-never moment and we decided to pull the trigger and do it,” explains Williams, who had quit his full-time job in HVAC services to throw himself into building Ultimate Exotics with Luangpakdy as his business partner.
“We made a lot of mistakes and learned so much across the years and took all of our experience to constantly improve our experiences, operations, and how we grow each year.”
That growth has been pretty substantial over the years, with Ultimate Exotics now anticipating sell-out seasons loaded with guests clamouring to get some time behind the wheel of some coveted supercars; something Williams says even feels like a dream come true for some of their most passionate guests.
“I think what excites people the most is that they get to drive the world’s most sought-after cars that were mostly, in the past, unattainable for most of the general population in our market,” he adds.
“All of those posters on the wall and video games that were played can become real and some of our guests are so excited they are shaking when they hop in their first car.”
The road to this intense popularity hasn’t always been so smooth, though. The COVID-19 pandemic in particular was a major blow for a company like Ultimate Exotics that deals in in-person experiences, and at times the business almost felt like it was hanging by a thread as it fought to survive.
“Not only were our operations postponed for months for the last 2 seasons, our sales dropped and our team members were concerned,” said Williams. “We had conversations on how we were able to keep the doors open and at one point almost didn’t make it. We also had to improvise and get creative to make it work or no one else was going to help or save us.”
To weather the pandemic storm, Williams and Luangpakdy worked with their team to pivot their operations into survival mode, working on aggressive campaigns that brought in some sales at a loss just to get some cash flow that could help keep the doors open until brighter days to come.
This sort of experience has hardly been uncommon for businesses of countless shapes and sizes; and going through it gave Williams a newfound, unexpected confidence that Ultimate Exotics can always find a way to survive when hit with sizable challenges.
“I think if we overcame this major curveball, we can only continue to grow moving forward,” he says.
Today, it’s safe to say that Ultimate Exotics is already bounding back stronger than ever, with bookings set to open for 2022 on April 25th and the company already forecasting a high-demand or even sold-out season.
For Williams, getting to foster Ultimate Exotics into an established business in his hometown of Hamilton is especially meaningful.
“Being born and raised in Hamilton my entire life, it’s humbling to see friends from all over visit and complete driving experiences and help bring something exciting to do for locals and tourists,” he says.
“It also feels great to be part of the community and be part of McMaster Children’s Foundation and multiple other events to give back and make a difference as much as we can.”
With such a unique concept run by passionate people, it’s not hard to see why Ultimate Exotics is on the speedway to success.
Learn more about Ultimate Exotics and how to book a supercar experience by visiting their website. Follow them on social media here.
Comments 0
There are no comments
Add comment