17-year-old Guild member, Rahil Hashmi, shocked students and teachers with a fleet of unique cars during a routine school day. The surprise event, supported by Ferrari North Europe, was organised by Rahil to showcase the incredible possibilities that arise from pursuing one’s passion.
The event unfolded at two schools, including Beechview Academy and Rahil’s own school, Sir William Borlase, where he is currently pursuing his A Levels. Ferrari North Europe, eager to support Rahil and his initiative, participated by bringing a striking Ferrari 296 GTB press car finished in Rosso Corso and baby blue.
Rahil, a devoted member of The Sporting Bears Motor Club and Ambassador for StarterMotor, also enlisted the support of his contacts from these organisations. The result was a gathering of over 10 unique cars, ranging from an 800-horsepower Nissan GTR to a Series 1 Lotus Elise.
All the cars were unlocked, allowing students to immerse themselves in the experience. From revving engines to sitting behind the wheel, the interactive event aimed to inspire and ignite the spark of passion in the younger generation.
Rahil made history in 2022 by becoming the youngest-ever member of The Guild of Motoring Writers. He continues to hold the record as the youngest active member, having joined at 16 and now being 17 years old. Rahil has contributed to prestigious titles such as Autocar and Practical Classics and has worked with renowned brands like Automobili Pininfarina and Bugatti.
Rahil Hashmi: “I started as a blogger at the age of 13. Four years later, I find myself among journalism’s elite as a member of The Guild of Motoring Writers. When I started blogging, I had no industry connections or expertise in automotive journalism. What got me to where I am today is my passion. I wanted to showcase the transformative power that passion holds, regardless of the field—whether it’s gardening, cooking, or football. In my case, it’s cars, and I wanted to share that with others. What better way to do that by bringing 12 of them?”
Ed Goodall, Headmaster of Sir William Borlase: “It was a fantastic initiative that created huge excitement for students across all year groups who were able to chat with the car owners and even get behind the wheel of some wonderful cars – a great way to showcase what is possible, at whatever age, when you apply creativity and hard work to your passion.”
Laura Parry-Woolner, Headmistress of Beechview Academy: “This was such a wonderful experience for everyone at Beechview and Rahil was an exceptional speaker, who shared his passion for cars and his writing so eloquently. We had many pupils talking about the cars for days, with some writing about them in stories and in articles, following in Rahil’s footsteps.”
Year 4 Pupil from Beechview Academy: “Break time was so cool as we got to see so many different types of cars. I got to sit in a Ferrari and revved it – it was so loud! Best break ever!”