Wealthy drivers are having garages dug out beneath driveways

Not content with their indoor swimming pools and home cinemas, millionaire Londoners are now installing James Bond-style underground garages.

The hydraulic system allows urban homeowners to hide luxury cars beneath a normal-looking driveway – before summoning them to the surface at the touch of a button on a fob.

The car lifts, which can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, were created by Cardok. 

The car lifts, which can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, were created by Cardok

The firm said: ‘It’s only when you raise the Cardok to park that you would actually know [the lift] is there.’   

The company also offer a product called the CarTurn 360° – a turntable platform which can rotate 360 degrees so owners need never reverse in and out of their driveway.

The futuristic car lifts are operated at the touch of an electronic key fob and can be designed to hold as much as 30 tonnes.

Cardok spokeswoman Izabela Coupe said: ‘We specialise in creating intelligent, safe and unique parking solutions.

‘Our standard parking solutions are available from £35,000 but a lot of projects, especially the made to measure ones, can go over a few hundred thousand pounds.

‘Some clients live in areas with building restrictions and cannot have a traditionally closed garage. Sometimes neighbours oppose new constructions above ground and with Cardok it becomes possible.

Not content with their indoor swimming pools and home cinemas, millionaire Londoners are now installing James Bond-style underground garages

‘Sometimes clients just want to preserve the beauty of their garden or house entrance and love the idea of an invisible garage.

‘Property prices keep going up and land is more and more valuable so optimising parking solutions becomes necessary.’

Some clients even choose to sink their garage as far as 15 metres underground for maximum security and the ability to store several vehicles.

Ms Coupe added: ‘Clients can choose the size of the platforms, the colour, the lighting, for the top platform to match the surrounding area, or with integrated glass sheets to give light to the underground garage.

‘Or they want to display their luxurious car as if in a show room and so the lift shaft is finished with glass so they can admire it from a lounge located next to it.

‘The units need planning permission, but there is never any problem obtaining it from local authorities. Councils all seem to love the idea because it’s helping solve the problem of too many cars parked on residential streets. ‘ 



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