Adelaide supercar industry booms as South Australians can buy new luxury motor vehicles for the first time

It is vroom time in Adelaide as South Australia’s supercar market booms — driven, in part, by the state’s motorsport revival, according to new figures. So just how many Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Aston Martins are on our roads? We find out.

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Adelaide has a booming supercars market driven by the state’s motorsport revival, Transport Department figures show.

And for the first time, the city’s rich listers have two $1.5 million-plus models they can buy from local dealers.

On the back of Adelaide’s registered McLaren fleet increasing from a lone vehicle in 2014 to 20 road registered models this year, the marque’s Melbourne dealership owners Zagame Automotive have opened twin McLaren and Lamborghini showrooms on Glen Osmond Rd at Frewville.

McLaren’s presence in Adelaide — marketing models from the mid-$300,000 price tag to the top of the range McLaren Senna at $1.5 million — adds to Adelaide becoming home of the Brabham BT62 supercar which is also now being marketed from its Edinburgh Park base.

The two top-of-the-range track-only models are expected to become fierce rivals in motorsport circles, with Brabham keen to use its $1.8 million BT62 break into a category of Le Mans endurance racing with the built-in-Adelaide vehicle.

Transport Department figures released to The Advertiser show that high-end marques manufacturing mainly — or exclusively — supercars have experienced 50 per cent growth on small sales in SA over the last five years.

Zagame Automotive Group are setting up two new showrooms for McLaren and Lamborghini in SA. Picture: Dean Martin

Lamborghini — which has also set up a showroom adjacent to the McLaren rooms under the same ownership — has increased registrations from 36 to 59.

Aston Martin registrations are up from 101 to 139 while Maserati rose to 147 from 100.

Zagame Automotive chief executive Michael Winkler said the company had sold $20 million worth of McLaren and Lamborghini cars into South Australia from Melbourne over several years, prompting the opening of local showrooms for each marque this month.

“The Adelaide market has absorbed up to 30 vehicles per annum from dealers around Australia, Zagame servicing the bulk of those sales from their Victorian Dealership,” he said.

“South Australia as a whole, and greater Adelaide in particular, has a burgeoning supercar market, so to have official local headquarters for both Lamborghini and McLaren is exciting news.’’

Director Adrian Zagame in the workshop. Picture Dean Martin

Zagame already sells Ferrari supercars in Adelaide, a marque which has experienced more modest growth in recent years but from a higher based.

In 2014 the Transport Department had 229 of the cars registered in SA.

There are now 245.

SA Motorsport enthusiasts are in for another treat next week when The Bend Motorsport Park near Tailem Bend launches its “Driver Experience” packages in which drivers can experience eight high performance vehicles on tracks ranging from four-wheel-drive to V8 supercars and open-wheelers.

South Australia’s Vroom Time

Supercars on SA roads in 2014 vs. 2018

McLaren — 1 | 20

Lamborghini — 36 | 69

Aston Martin — 101 | 139

Maserati — 100 | 147

Ferrari — 229 | 245

Luxury car brands on SA roads in 2014 vs. 2018

Porsche — 1784 | 2453

Audi — 6019 | 8883

BMW — 17,601 | 24,641 (estimate)

Mercedes — 14,901 | 20,861 (estimate)

Bentley — 158 | 180

Rolls Royce — 223 | 230

Jaguar — 2171 | 2483

Lotus — 124 | 118

Bugatti — 0 | 0

Source: Transport Department.