It’s been a strange summer for football, with a one-off Champions League mini-tournament in August followed by the shortest of summer breaks and a transfer window that has been extended well into the start of the new 2020/21 season.
The deadline day finally arrives on October 5th and, despite concerns that activity would be quiet and restrained following the financial impact of Covid, in fact it’s been a bustling and frenetic transfer window across the Premier League.
Of course, for football superstars, your personal brand isn’t just defined by who you play for, but what you drive. That’s why most high-end car brands run VIP schemes specifically to court prominent footballers. In return for acting as unofficial ambassadors, the brands will give them a hefty discount on their dream car to accompany their dream transfer move.
At ERS we’ve always enjoyed following the latest transfer window developments, and so this year we thought we’d look a little more closely at the car manufacturers lauded by some of the key summer signings.
Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz VIP programme is one of the most popular schemes of its type, both in the UK and worldwide, equipping everyone from well-known sports and entertainment luminaries to lower profile High Net Worth individuals with Prestige autos ranging from SUVs to sportscars.
Consequently, there are a lot of Mercedes-driving footballers to be found. Prominent Mercedes drivers amongst this year’s summer signings include new Manchester United midfielder Donny van der Beek, Arsenal’s 26 million Euro centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, former galactico James Rodríguez, who has already driven his way into the heart of Everton’s midfield, and Gareth Bale, who has presumably driven his way straight to the golf course.
BMW
BMW makes more of a song and dance about its PGA European Tour, F1 and MOTO GP connections that it does about Premier League football. However, the German auto giant did hit the headlines back in 2016 when the season’s unexpected title winners Leicester City were gifted blue BMW i8s as a reward for their success.
Ben Chilwell, who this summer made the switch from Leicester to Chelsea, was one of several players who reportedly opted for wrapping for his BMW due to the understandable carpark confusion being caused by the identical vehicles.
Audi
Audi is another auto brand with its own VIP Sales Programme guaranteeing a discreet service for its less-than-discreet vehicles. Notably, it is an official partner of Real Madrid and holds an annual giveaway for the club’s players, which is how new 21 million Euro Tottenham signing Sergio Reguilon acquired his powerful Audi Q7 50 TDI.
Away from the Spanish capital, Liverpool’s new playmaker Thiago, formerly of Bayern Munich, and Wolves’ exciting right-back Nelson Semedo, unexpectedly lured away from Barcelona, are also proud Audi drivers.
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is not necessarily a manufacturer automatically associated with Premier League football. However, the brand currently sponsors the US Women’s Football Team and boasts a globally-revered ambassador in Alex Morgan, arguably the most celebrated star in the women’s game and a landmark new signing for Tottenham Hotspur.
As women’s sport seeks to recover from the damage caused by the pandemic, bringing Volkswagen-driving Morgan to the UK might just be the most important transfer of the summer.
The best deals and the best cover
From the Mini Cooper to the Nissan Micra, the Fiat Punto to the Maserati GranTurismo, footballers are an eclectic bunch who have their own niche vehicle preferences, as illustrated by this helpful list, which also features new Chelsea signing Thiago Silva’s effervescent Nissan GT-R.
Many of our specialist Sports & Entertainment broking partners work with dealerships that have access to car brands’ VIP schemes and are able to secure favourable deals for their sporting clients. But whatever they’re driving, we make it our business to provide these sportspeople with a tailored solution for their motor insurance, getting under the hood of their risk profile and how their vehicles are being used and stored.
Of course, you don't have to be a footballing superstar to benefit from our Prestige motor insurance. Our policies are tailored to meet the specific needs of everyone who works in the sports and entertainment industries.
