Driven

Just because you can't afford to buy an exotic car doesn't mean you can't take one for a spin.

You don't have to be fabulously wealthy to drive some of the most exclusive rides on the road.

EXPERIENCE THE EXOTIC

The only way most auto aficionados can pilot the world's most exclusive cars is in their dreams. But there are real-world ways those who are determined to go fast-and look good doing it-can avail themselves of six-figure Bentleys and Lamborghinis without having a trust fund or CEO's salary.

One route is to join a club that provides access to various upscale cars. It works like a vacation-home timeshare: You buy the right to drive one or more vehicles for select periods of time over the course of a year. You don't have to tie up large sums of money to own a car that might just sit in a garage depreciating, and maintenance, insurance and pickup/delivery are usually included, which makes "owning" an exotic car even easier.

One of the largest car ownership clubs, Curvy Road (www.curvyroad.com) maintains cars in LA, Chicago, New York and Miami. Annual fees start at $12,000 for four weeks' use (in one-week increments), in addition to a $5,000 onetime initiation fee. Models include the Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

The Atlanta Driving Club (www.atlantadrivingclub.com) uses a slightly different model. The initiation fee is $1,500, with annual membership running between $6,000 and $16,000 according to the number of "points" purchased. The number of points necessary to secure a given model- which include some of the world's costliest sports cars-are computed based on the car, day of the week and month of the year, as well as the number of days requested.

If you just want to drive the most exclusive autos for a day, World Class Driving (www.worldclassdriving.com) holds events year-round in or near major cities that allow you to do just that. The half-day tours give you access to five top-shelf sports cars, including the Lamborghini Gallardo, Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet, Audi R8 and Ferrari 599GTB, allowing you to compare exotic rides one after another. It costs $1,495. Bring a passenger for $300.

Another approach is to rent an exotic auto when you want to indulge your automotive fantasies one day or weekend at a time, increasingly popular, particularly for those who want to vacation like high rollers. With six locations in and around LA-including Beverly Hills, of course-Midway Car Rental (www.midwaycarrental. stocks ultra-luxury rides like the Bentley Continental GT coupe. Renting one will set you back $2,800 and up for a two-day joyride-still a savings of more than $170,000 over buying one to impress your high school crush at the reunion.

Head to Seattle on Aug. 23 and 24 for a World Class Driving experience, when you can get behind the wheel of a Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and more. Visit www.worldclassdriving.com for more details.