‘Car thieve repellent’ says owner of extremely rare Aston Martin – antiquated feature makes car difficult to steal

VINTAGE vehicles are popular among car enthusiasts for their unique features, but they also have an anti-theft advantage.

US Sun spoke exclusively with Bradford Rand, owner of Rand Luxury Vehicles, who revealed why owning older vehicles can hinder theft.

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Rand is president and CEO of Rand Luxury, a company that organizes charitable events for car enthusiasts.

He has an impressive car collection, including a 2005 Ferrari F430 and a 2012 Aston Martin DBX.

The rare Ferrari has a unique bronze-on-bronze color combination with manual transmission, making it unique in the world.

The Carbon Edition Aston Martin is one of only two in the world to have a manual transmission.

“I like old cars – old cars come with manual transmissions,” Rand admitted.

“They’re just going up in value. And they’re a great repellent for car thieves. Because car thieves don’t know how to drive stick shifts,” he continued.

“Maybe older men, older men, will do it. But little kids can’t steal it because having a gear shift is like an anti-theft device.”

DECLINE OF STICK SHIFT

Rand is right that the art of stick-shift driving has largely disappeared from American life.

A study of CarMax revealed that sales of manual transmissions have declined from nearly 30% of car sales in 1995 to less than 5% in 2020.

The study also showed that the last feature customers wanted when purchasing a new car was a manual transmission.

The number one desired feature was Bluetooth technology, with over 93% of customers including it on their wish list.

Automatics are becoming increasingly dominant among Americans, with more than 96% of the population driving them.

Many automakers are even eliminating the production of manual transmissions, with only a few brands manufacturing them.

Volkswagen, Mini and Miata are among the manufacturers that still produce vehicles with manual transmissions.

The decline of manual transmissions has made knowing how to operate these vehicles a rare skill.

This means that owning a stick shift not only makes you part of a small population, but also acts as an anti-theft measure against car thieves.

Manual (also known as stick shift)

CAR SHOW FOR A CAUSE

Rand Luxury hosts an annual charity car show called the Hamptons Concours.

This year, the event took place on Sunday in Bridgehampton, New York, and proceeds went to the South Hampton Animal Shelter.

Rand said he was excited to combine his two loves – cars and dogs into one event.

Nearly a hundred million dollars worth of rare Porsches, Ferraris and Aston Martins were displayed to guests.

The event began in 2007 as a small brunch and has now grown to encompass a polo field with 500 participants.

“It’s really just a labor of love and a passion project, it’s a lot of fun,” Rand said.

The group does not profit from the event and donates all proceeds to charity.

Rand Luxury has produced more than 2,500 events since 1993.

Rand started his business with humble beginnings and now uses car shows to give back to charities.

“I grew up poor, I worked a lot. I started a business. It went up, it went down, it almost went bankrupt,” he said.

Rand started the business with $50 and later sold it without taking out a loan from a bank.

“Just good old-fashioned hard work – the American dream,” he added.

The Hamptons Concours is sponsored by Ferrari, Aston Martin Long Island and Manhattan Motorcars, among others.

Judges fly to the event to judge pre-2014 Ferraris and Porsches.