How to rent a Lamborghini Urus for £40

The Wraith is perfect for client meetings, he says, while the Aventador is great for trips to Harrods or Selfridges for treats like new shoes. The Urus or G63 are the pick for nights out with friends in, say, Berkeley Square. The ‘convoy’ feature on the HYPR app lets customers book the two Lambos, for example, for maximum impact.

Aside from the thrill of arriving in something like an Aventador, Imran considers the HYPR experience to be value for money. “I could hire a Toyota Prius from Uber, but I’d only save myself around £20,” he says. “Each well-connected contact I refer earns me a discount on my next ride, too.”

HYPR is the brainchild of Matt Blanchard, a 35-year-old entrepreneur who built the firm’s cool-looking app that mimics Uber’s in its features and functionality. He’s a down-to-earth Liverpudlian who was inspired to create the supercar-hailing service by his father.

Blanchard says: “He was a car enthusiast and, shortly before he died, told me that in the future people won’t own, they’ll rent. I thought about that and how car companies are eager to be seen as lifestyle brands. The idea of renting a supercar on the spur of the moment took shape, but not renting to anyone; instead, to a certain young user who is active in the world of music, film, sport, fashion and so on. These people are a gateway to the young people car brands are hungry to connect with.

“The benefit for members is that, with rates starting at just £35, HYPR makes it possible for young influencers to experience a supercar and the culture surrounding it. That said, if he’s 20, from Saudi and buys a lot of Palm Angel from Harrods, he’s also probably a HYPR kind of guy…”

This vision of HYPR as a lifestyle brand is why Blanchard and his small team (Downham and chief product officer Humza Rajput) have also created a range of HYPR merchandise including hoodies, laptop and phone cases and key fobs now available in Harrods.

Blanchard first had the idea for a supercar-hailing service in 2018. He went to Downham, then running a supercar rental company while at weekends also racing and tutoring others on track, to book a Lamborghini Huracán for an investor video he planned to shoot. Downham liked the business idea but, better still, reckoned that he knew the perfect investor: a young UK-based pharmaceuticals billionaire and racing buddy. They showed him the film and the company’s business plan.

“The film touched him at an emotional level,” says Blanchard. “He was hooked and has since proved to be a very patient and generous backer.”

He has had to be. It took just three months to create HYPR’s hailing app but 12 to get the business and the cars approved by Transport for London. Its five drivers each hold a private-hire driver licence. The delay allowed HYPR the time to build its presence among young influencers by offering free rides to, among others, Virgil Abloh (artistic director of Louis Vuitton), Alec Monopoly (street artist and car nut), The Martinez Brothers (DJs and producers) and rappers French Montana and Saint Jhn.

Downham sourced the cars – all brand new and in black. “We were just in time,” he says, “because under new rules introduced by TfL in January 2020, public-hire vehicles under 18 months old must be zero-emissions capable, while those over 18 months must meet the Euro 6 standard. Fortunately, there are 18-month-old Uruses and G63s we can source in the future.

HYPR is a million miles from the traditional chauffeur service. Drivers dress down in a black top and jeans, while the comments box in the app allows customers to specify services such as the music they want, how loud they want it and no door-opening assistance. On this last point, drivers are encouraged to be approachable and friendly and to give the impression, at least to outsiders, that they and their passenger are mates.

As for that final flourish, revving the engine, Downham says it’s banned: “We’d lose our TfL licence. The most we rev to is 3500rpm.” Imran will just have to turn up the music.

Other ways to make a big first impression

With its Lamborghinis and Mercedes-AMGs, HYPR is unique in the ride-hailing sector. A ride from Selfridges to Harrods in a Urus costs around £40 (in addition to the £100 monthly subscription). Meanwhile, if you don’t mind slumming it in an S-Class or a Rolls-Royce, there are other app-based alternatives that don’t require a membership…

Addison Lee: The popular cab firm has added ride-hailing to its services, with a chauffeured lift in an E-Class from Selfridges to Harrods roughly one mile away costing £27.50.