Thousands of visitors flock to Madrid each year to stroll through its gorgeous parks and world-renowned art museums. What travelers may not know though, is seeing Madrid by car provides a new dimension of authentic sight-seeing that isn’t possible on foot. One of Buzziler’s hosts, Jacobo, offers guests the opportunity to ride through Madrid in classic cars. A lifelong collector and admirer, Jacobo’s insights into Madrid and the rich automobile industry offers one of the best experiences on four wheels. Learn about Jacobo and his classic car obsession below!
Buzziler: When did you start to develop a passion for Classic Cars?
Jacobo: This passion runs in the family. My grandfather loved classic cars, and during my childhood, he had accumulated a striking collection. Growing up around this influence as a child is what makes me live around classic cars today.
Buzziler: How did you start your own collection of Classic Cars?
Jacobo: The collection started at the age of 17, before I had a driver’s license. My first car was a Jeep CJ-7, and could not even drive it around the city.
Back then, I used to ask my friends to give me a ride with it, and I still have it after 43 years. I continue to maintain it and hope to have it for many years to come.
Additionally, when my grandfather sadly passed away, he gave his grandchildren his collection, some of which he’s been collecting since 1943 or older.
I think the same thing happens to many fans of motor, vintage, or classic cars– storing cars is like a drug or disease, the more the better. After a while, the time comes when you have a problem with space, and it becomes time to restore all of them.
When most people might spend their savings on a trip or a house, we spend it on cars or car-related trips. It is a way of life. I don’t know if it is the right one, but it is a fun one …
Buzziler: We heard that some of the cars may have been used for movie sets, how did this start?
Jacobo: Yeah, that’s right. A business of my little brother, Israel. He had a car store and production companies started calling him to rent cars for movie scenes. Without us really planning it this way, we became one of the go-to companies in the movie and film car rental industry, filling a significant gap that existed in the market.
An example is our Rolls Royce Corniche used for a DIA supermarket TV advertising campaign, a leading proximity food retailer network with 6000+ franchise stores in Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Argentina.
And many of our other cars were used in Spanish TV series, the fashion industry, or even in American movies filmed in Spain.
Buzziler: When did you decide to provide a Classic Car tour in Madrid?
Jacobo: During our travels to Havana, Paris and Rome, we saw tour agencies offer tours in classic cars. This made us realize that in Madrid there are no companies that provide this service, and especially none with cars as exclusive as ours.
For all motor enthusiasts, it truly is a magical way to get to know the city, especially while learning the history on a guided tour.
Buzziler: I’m sure you’ve had some fun times cruising around Madrid– any standout moments with clients that you love to retell?
Jacobo: Each tour is a new experience, and we tend to meet people like us who admire cars as a hobby. In a team building event that we did for a group of managers from Nissan Mexico, each one of them told us their favorite car as a child. One of them was the Ferrari GT Dino, which is part of our collection, so we were able to take him on a tour in his favorite childhood car. Needless to say, he did not want to get out of the car– he wanted to take it with him to Mexico!
Feeling those emotions and sharing them is the most beautiful thing about our tours.
Buzziler: As a car enthusiast yourself, do you have a favorite model?
Jacobo: That is a very complicated question to answer, since each car has its own charm, especially now because of age, I guess, hehe … The Rolls Royces are a pleasure to drive, especially the Rolls Royce Corniche, since it is a convertible. Although the car is from ‘79, it is actually very comfortable.
But, I also like sports cars. I go out with my friends on the roads of Madrid or on the Jarama circuit, the first permanent race circuit built in Spain, where I attend classic car races whenever possible.
Buzziler: Why should someone tour Madrid by car?
Jacobo: In Madrid, you have many alternatives to move around, but traveling around the city in a car that you possibly know the history of, adds value to your new experience in Madrid. For example, with the Rolls Royce Corniche, this model was the favorite of Frank Sinatra. And with our Ferrari Dino. it was Elvis Presley’s only model of Ferrari that he ever owned. Each car we offer has charm and history, and in two hours, it gives us time to explore areas that surely by metro or bike, you would never see. And obviously, the experience of doing something exclusive– I think we all like that.
Buzziler: Any advice for those looking to rent a car on their own instead, and drive around Spain?
Jacobo: For those considering renting a car, I always recommend renting a car that has always caught your attention, and you should treat yourself to driving a car that you like, since it will give you a great memory of your trip and a lived experience.
I apply this rule when traveling since I still want to drive a big list of cars …. hehe.
Buzziler: If someone is looking to tour certain areas of the city by car or day-trips around Madrid, are you able to provide a curated tour for them?
Jacobo: Yes, we often do private requests and take visitors to great day-trips in the Madrid surrounding areas. We have a lot of flexibility to adapt to the tastes of the clients, being able to make excursions to places like the Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Aranjuez, Alcalá de Henares, all cities near the center of Madrid that have incredible gastronomy, and corners with a lot of history.
Buzziler: So, the Classic Car tour around Madrid sounds pretty fun, Please tell us how the rest of our tour would look!
Jacobo: We pick you up at your accommodation and get to know a bit about your taste in culture. Once we know this, we take you around the city, where you will visit monuments, museums, art exhibitions, and music. During the journey, we make stops to take photos, or have a wine or beer with Spanish cuisine, making the tour a bit more fun.
We also take you to the fashion district of the city. It is a tour in high demand by those who love fashion. By the end, you will get to know the whole city, while enjoying a nice ride in a classic, vintage, car.
Thinking of taking a ride in a Classic Car with Jacobo? Check out our Drive Through Madrid in a Classic Car experience to learn more and read reviews from other travelers. Happy Driving!