The next generation: on the road with Nicolas Geerts

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We all know that classic cars exist to be driven, and perhaps the best way to enjoy that is to book a place on a classic tour. Many people go touring regularly, while others may be found ogling the advertisements for scenic driving holidays through emerald valleys and dramatic mountain passes, but haven't yet taken the plunge for themselves. Whatever your level of experience, whether as a seasoned veteran of many tours or a newcomer, you should consider booking a place on an excursion with the Grand Touring Company, founded in 2020 by young enthusiast Nicolas Geerts. The simple purpose of it all, Nicolas says, is to discover driving pleasure.

As one of the most enthusiastic and active young personalities in our hobby, we caught up with him to find out what he does, and what it is that he loves so much about owning and driving old cars.

Nicolas, who are you and what is it you do?
I organize rallies and road trips for my own clients, other organizers and even companies. Currently, I do about 15 events a year. I also write and sell itineraries. These can range from a ball-arrow roadbook with a number of routes available from my online shop, to a fully tailor-made trip. Since 2021, I have also been selling a weekend rally package under the name Coupe de Belgique. This allows you to go on a weekend drive with whatever you choose in the way of an entourage. The package also includes suggestions for hotels and restaurants to complement the weekend. There is a competitive element, too; each participant will be included in a ranking, and the top-scorers will receive €5,000 at the end of the summer.

It doesn't necessarily have to be done in a classic car - everyone drives whatever they want - but it adds an extra dimension to do it in an old car, so to encourage people I also have a 1969 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1300ti for hire. In this way, I try to offer the most accessible driving pleasure possible, from A to Z. All the fun, but without the burdens. With my events, I aim to involve a broad and younger audience, because the hobby could use a breath of fresh air.

How did you get into the old-car business?
My father passed on his passion to me. Partly because of this, I have more affinity with cars from the 1950s and 1960s. The two cars I own are at least 10 years older than I am, and I was born in 1984. My father is just a lover of old cars, whereas I look more for the experiences they can create. I bought my first car when I was 32 years old and actually rolled into the world of classic car rallies from my experience as an event organizer.

What appeals to you most about your old-car activities?
In day-to-day traffic, you just sit on the road from A to B along with thousands of others. When I'm behind the wheel of my classic car, I devise my own routes, so I don't just go the quick way. There is so much beauty to see on the road when you leave the highways, it amazes me every time. Then when I'm plotting a roadbook and find that sublime little road that gives such wonderful enjoyment, it makes me as happy as a child. When you are then on the road with your trusty old-timer, it makes the moment even more special, just you and the car.

How do you see the collector-car world in the future?
Well, if only I had a crystal ball... It's hard to predict, but I do believe that some people see it as more gloomy than it is. In the current climate, everything and everyone is being scrutinized, rightly so, by the way. A lot has to happen to address the changing climate, and everyone is trying to decide how this will have to happen. That extreme positions are taken by politicians is par for the course, I'm afraid.

Of course, we show ourselves in a remarkable and highly visible form which of course makes us easier targets for criticism, but the Dutch saying goes 'tall trees catch a lot of wind'. In this case, ours are remarkable cars. With regard to the historic element of combustion-engined vehicles, once again, there is little to be done about that, and I think the combustion engine is both a blessing and a curse. After all, there is also something to be said about that history. People think Teslas are innovative because they have an electric motor at each wheel, but the Lohner-Porsche of 1900 already had that. In the 1920s, there were more electrically powered cars in New York than cars with internal combustion engines. Just to show that the tide of opinion can always turn, there is now no affordable technology to hand that can run combustion engines in a green way, but that too can change. History is a pendulum that strikes from one side to the other; that will happen here, too.

Besides, the emotional aspect of the subject plays in its favour. There are different dimensions to a vintage car that make it collectable or desirable. For instance, some go in search of nostalgia and buy what they used to see driving around or liked as children, etc. Others admire certain marques or models for their looks. Still others are fascinated by the mechanics of certain cars, and others by the handling, the body style or builder, and so on. For many, the car is still an emotionally-charged object that has given people incredible freedom. Road trips, for instance, still capture the imagination, so there is an appetite for it. Witness the many thumbs-ups you get when you're driving. But for non-owners, the current uproar is an extra barrier they have to overcome.

The car is increasingly becoming an object of use, not overly cosseted or kept under wraps. EVs are more sterile; sound as a part of the experience falls away. Everything sounds like Casper the Ghost. Sound is a dimension of experience that cannot be underestimated. It excites our senses and is, of cours,e very characteristic of a particular make or engine. The gurgling of an American V8 or the singing of an Italian inline-four, for example, does something to a person. As an inspiring factor, this falls away, so the current generation will see the car even more as a means of getting from A to B. Combined with the current punitive taxation, I fear that fleets of cars will have a shorter lifespan.

So, my opinion is that we certainly face a lot of challenges, but it is up to the current generation of classic car enthusiasts to pass on our incurable, but wonderful, disease. Frankly, it doesn't take much to do that. Going for a spin with a friend or acquaintance is sometimes enough to get them excited. I regularly put a child behind the wheel of my oldie (when parked, admittedly) or go for a tour with them to plant the seed. And it works - they still talk about it months afterwards.

How do you see your own future and what is your biggest challenge to overcome?
I try to promote driving and make it as accessible as possible. Of course, you fight a lot of prejudices every day: 'classic cars are polluting... it's an expensive hobby... something like that consumes a lot of fuel, surely?' You know, the classics. I don't even try to refute them and prefer to focus on the things I can counter them with, like the feeling of driving around in a time capsule, the thumbs-ups on the road, the beauty of the small roads, the thrill of driving, etc. So promoting driving in a good and approachable way remains a challenge.

Besides, when it comes to my own collection, 'less is more' should be my motto. However, I catch myself saying that sometimes my eyes are bigger than my belly. My wishlist is still so long and you only have 24 hours in a day. Being a young father is not always easy to combine with it, either. I'm incredibly glad I bought my classic car before I became a dad, though, otherwise the plan would still be on the shelf.

Of all the cars ever made, what is your dream car?
Hmm, it's always difficult to choose just one car. I would cheat and take something really expensive and then sell it and buy several other cars. My list is really incredibly long, but I am mainly interested in cars with nice lines, and I like to have nippy handling. For instance, I am very happy with my BMW 2002 Touring which I drive on most rallies, and the Giulia is also excellent in that respect, although it's not fast.

The wishlist includes a Lotus Elan S1, a Frogeye Sprite, a Honda S600, a Simca 1200S, and so on. And, of course, a Ferrari F40, so that poster can finally come off the wall in my bedroom. I also want to have a pre-war car one day. I have a separate list for motorcycles...

Do you come into contact with other young enthusiasts in the industry a lot?
Yes, and these are always friendly contacts. Some end up in the industry through their family business, others just follow their passion. It's a motley crew, but there should always be more of them.

What is the most spectacular experience you have had in the classic car world?
I obviously do some travelling by car to put together the various trips and roadbooks. For example, last year I drove back and forth to Tuscany twice with my 1969 Giulia. On one particular morning, I got up at 5.00 am to experience a typical Tuscan sunrise. The mist hangs in the valley and everywhere you can see villages on top of the hills poking through the cloud cover. That was a truly magical moment!

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