SouthBay AutoClub
Spencer Alvin & Muhammad Rao Racing Toward Success at a Young Age
Written By Melani Morose Edelstein | Photographed by Erik Jay
Growing up in Palos Verdes, Spencer Alvin had a passing interest in cars. The Palos Verdes Peninsula High School senior and founder of the exclusive car event company SouthBay AutoClub, loved going to local cars and coffee events to check out the cool vehicles. Alvin did not have wheels of his own or any significant family connections to the car world at that time.
What he did have and what he’s always had was an entrepreneurial spirit and drive and to create his own business.
Spencer says that he created a group chat with friends, arranged some meets with small groups and used Instagram. He had about ten cars at the beginning, BMWs, Mercedes’ Alpha Romeos’ and we even had two McLarens show up. “After the first event, we did four more and then on the fourth one we added more supercars to it and it was great. Super successful,” Alvin says.
It was at that point that he decided to bring on his partner, Muhammad Rao. Rao is a 20-year-old student at Loyola Marymount University and an outstanding like-minded business partner. The company now has a sleek website and Instagram page and they are growing their following. With so many sold-out events to their name, they’re also growing their exclusivity.
“Mo was a friend of my brother’s and he was coming out to the meets, so it seemed like a good idea. Right after that we did a supercar event and it was during COVID but it was great. Neither one of us genuinely had any car history or any connections in the car world but I know how to network and that’s been the key to success,” Alvin explains.
The SouthBay AutoClub is one of the most exclusive car event companies in Southern California and the only one based on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. By bringing together car enthusiasts and the right people, Alvin says the company is able to host incredible events all year long.
“In 2019 I started taking photos at these coffee and car events. Then I started posting pictures to my Instagram page. I have always had an entrepreneurial mind and I decided I wanted to create my own events.”
—Spencer Alvin
“When I first created this business I wasn’t sure how it would work. It was based on cars and coffees at first we would gather then we would all drive to another destination. Now it’s more of a high-end private curated event by invitation only. The 2022 opening event at La Venta Inn featured supercars and hypercars set amongst a beautiful view and location with brunch, drinks, art and watches on display, with exclusive gifts for all members.
“For each event, depending upon the venue, we select very specific cars to participate. At the La Venta event we had 55 cars scheduled and ended up squeezing in 62 cars and around 200 people total,” says Alvin proudly. “We have been able to build relationships with our members so they pay to attend each event and they know the value and the exclusiveness that we bring and I think that’s what is attractive.”
The SouthBay AutoClub boasts a very unique and limited list of members, and cars that are hand-selected for each event. “We only host events with the rarest of the rare supercars, and we invite them to participate,” Alvin says.
Alvin and Rao work hard to keep growing their business and they are grateful.
“I have always loved business,” Alvin says. “I used to make lemonade stands and thought a lot about being an entrepreneur but I never thought or imagined this. The opportunities I have had have been truly amazing. Honestly, I started with nothing I was always a passenger, and it was always so cool to be around this community,”
Now 18-year-old Alvin and 20-year-old Rao and their SouthBay AutoClub are in the driver’s seat, decidedly racing towards success and the next supercar rally at top speed.
