For the sixth time supercar owners gathered for the GTspirit Tour. The 2019 Edition started at the Grandhotel Pupp in Karlsbad, Czech Republic. Famous as film location for James Bond Casino Royale this time it was our turn to take over the hotel and walk in James Bond’s footsteps.
On the grid this year saw everything from a brand new Porsche 992 Carrera S with only a few miles on the clock to an eye-catching McLaren 675 LT Spider and a Ferrari 430 Scuderia to the BMW M4 DTM Championship Edition driven by two time DTM champion Marco Wittmann. My wheels of choice this year? The stunning Mercedes-AMG S63 Convertible combining luxury with sports-car performance.
Day 1 – Karlsbad to Wroclaw
The moment I walk out of the hotel door with my luggage it stops to rain and the sun comes out. The participants have no idea where we are heading and the first route card tells them to head to the Pillnitz Castle outside of Dresden in Germany. The scenic route swirls through Czech Republic across into Germany and the closer we get to Dresden the drier to the road becomes. This part of Germany is not very densely populated and for a good part of the journey we seem to be all alone.
At lunch I ask the teams where they expect we will spend the night but nobody guesses our next stop. After lunch we continue the famous German autobahn and enjoy a few kilometers without speed limit until we cross into Poland. I have fallen in love with Germany’s Eastern neighbour the last few years and one of the goals of this year’s GTspirit Tour is sharing my positive experience and some of the great places here with all participants. The final part of the journey is not that great with showers and a lot of traffic but witnessing a stunning sunset with a cold beer in the hand at the rooftop of Hotel Monopole in the center of Wroclaw everything is soon forgotten.
Day 2 – Wroclaw to Warsaw
A dozen car spotters are already impatiently awaiting our departure outside when I make it down to breakfast. Today I swap cars briefly as a participant had to go back to Germany for a wedding, but hey I’m not complaining. The McLaren 675 LT Spider is one of the most desirable cars money can buy and today I’m piloting it from Wroclaw to Warsaw.
Planning the route for Day 2 of this year’s tour was a tricky one; the highway is smooth but boring. The secondary roads are certainly not boring but partly it a terrible state. So in the end we opted for a mix of highway and b-roads to get the best road surface without driving straight. Leaving Wroclaw is such a joy; the sun is shining and people are cheering and waving as we drive by with our group of 25 exotic cars.
We stop for lunch in a fabric factory turned design hotel in the city of Lodz. With a full stomach we continue to Poland’s capital city Warsaw. Warsaw has become one of my favorite cities in Europe with its many cool restaurants, trendy bars and amazing clubs. After meeting up with Supercar Club Poland in their secret supercar lair we get our share of Warsaw night live at Stixx restaurant and the View. French DJs Ofenbach put up a great set and make it a night to go down in the books as one of the best GTspirit Tour parties ever.
Day 3 – Warsaw to High Tatras
We were expecting things could get a bit wild in Warsaw so we planned a late start for the third day. The first part of the journey is along the highway South towards Krakow but about half way we leave the highway for what it is and navigate the hills of Southern Poland. Some amazing driving roads and my favorite part of the GTspirit Tour 2019. The Mercedes-AMG S63 Convertible is perfect for these roads; it offers the perfect combi between style, comfort and performance.
After lunch at Heron Live hotel we continue towards the Slovakian border. Being the last to leave after lunch I can see what a group of supercars triggers in this part of Europe. In every village people stop in their tracks and stare at the rare collection of cars driving through their town. Outside of town kids wait on the fence of their garden and jump and wave when they see another car of our group. Such a joy to see cars still create positives vibes and I wish I had time to stop and show them the car. But I have no time; I have to get to the Kempinski High Tatras in time for dinner. The Kempinski High Tatras is located in the Slovakian mountains and it is a bit far away but well worth a visit.
Day 4 – High Tatras to Prague
Having had an early night we leave early again today for our final destination: Prague. But before we return to the Czech Republic we have to cross Slovakia first and that is easier said than done. The traffic is dense and full of trucks. With some delay we leave the main road and cross into the Czech Republic on our way to an excellent lunch in spa resort Augustiansky Dum.
We saved another driving highlight for the last part of the GTspirit Tour 2019; from lunch to the highway near Brno is a beautiful and quiet twisty road across the hills of Eastern Czech Republic. The finish of the GTspirit Tour 2019 is at the amazing Mandarin Oriental hotel in Prague. While the participants are having dinner at Kampa Park the team sets up a temporary cinema in the hotel for the GTspirit Tour awards and premiere of the official movie. Here is a taste of what the GTspirit Tour 2019 was all about:
For more information about the GTspirit Tour 2020 and sign-up visit GTspiritTour.com!
