either. Again, we do as good as we can with the
DGR and we’re getting the message out there that
it’s not a finger up the backside, rather a blood
test, so lets get talking about this more. But the
issue we’ve got is we’re targetting the motorcycle
community and their friends that are getting the
messaging from the DGR. I think the Distinguished
Gentleman’s Drive will have a way broader spread
for the message and the classic car market is one
which hasn’t had this message drilled home and
what better way is there to connect with men than
classic cars?”
However, instead of rolling on a variety of classic-
styled motorcycles, as its name suggests the
Distinguished Gentleman’s Drive will instead focus
on pre-1980 classic and exotic cars.
“We’re really after the goal of classic vehicles
which is why we’ve gone for the rule of pre-80s
vehicles. It would have been a little different if I
had gone pre-90s or even a rolling 30-year rule
because obviously that would mean in a few years
time you’d have WRXs and that era of car showing
up, again we’re really after those conventionally
classic vehicles.
The first outing for the Distinguished Gentleman’s “The only other thing we need to do is put
Drive is planned for the last Sunday in May
additional guidelines around is working out
2020 in order to try and catch the best weather
a proper definition for what makes an exotic
internationally.
car. For me, it would be fantastic to see some
“It’s something you’ve got to hit between seasons of the bigger marques like McLaren, Ferrari or
Lamborghini jump on board and support this and
globally”, Hawwa says. “You don’t want to be too
much into the peak of summer in some regions or come on board with some of their classic cars and
supporting it with owners of their more recent
the dead of winter in others.”
vehicles.”
“In its first year, the Distinguished Gentleman’s
Ride was 64 cities and 15 countries with 2500
riders attending so, putting my ego aside, we’re
expecting 100 to 200 individual DGD drives. In
terms of the format, we’re still in the planning
process as there are two ways we see the event
can go forward. “
With the event still in its infancy, if you’d like to
get on board and help organise the Kiwi side of
the fundraising effort you can contact Hawwa
directly via email at mark@gentlemansdrive.com
or head to gentlemansdrive.com for more details.
“The issue is you don’t want to take these
cars into the heart of a city as we do with the
Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride – they tend to
overheat – so the format has to be a little bit
different. It could be a nice Sunday leisurely cruise
or some nice twisty roads finishing up at a winery
or brewery. I think it will be too successful to be
one big drive per city and will likely be multiple
drives per city.”
With the DGR rallying behind the motto of
“ride dapper”, after the inspiration for the ride
came from Hawwa seeing a photo of Mad Men
character Don Draper astride a classic Matchless,
the Distinguished Gentleman’s Drive will take a
similar approach.
While Hawwa doesn’t have a particular image in
mind, people dressing up as James Bond with his
Aston Martin DB5 could be a form of inspiration
people will ultimately take for the Distinguished
Gentleman’s Drive.
“It is about people dressing sharp, driving classic
cars and doing their part for men’s health. I think
there will definitely be a couple of those people in
308 Ferraris with people wearing that Miami Vice
or Magnum PI suit.”
KIWI RIDER 87