The ingredients are simple; cars, coffee, an open car park, early AM start and lots of automotive enthusiasm. Welcome to Cars and Coffee. What started out in Huntington Beach, California in 1983 as a simple get together for car enthusiast to congregate and talk all things automotive over a coffee and doughnut has conceived a world wide phenomenon with offspring the world over.
South Australia was immune to the Cars and Coffee phenomenon for quite some time until 2015. Thanks to some judicious organisers, Coffee and Cars Blackwood was born. Assembling from 8am to 10am on the last Sunday of each month in the Woolworths Blackwood car park, owners proudly have their cars parked on display for all to admire. The vibe at these events are nothing short of pure passion for all things automotive. Owners are regularly observed conversing with strangers about their pride and joy and sharing different thoughts and ideas.
A key point to note about the Cars and Coffee formula is that it is not biased to any one particular manufacture or model of cars. The diversity in what shows up as well as the desultory in vehicles keep regular and new fans coming back each month. Anything between a 30’s hot rod to the latest Italian exotica are often present. The notion of a true car enthusiasts being appreciative of all cars regardless of their designation or badge is very apparent at Cars and Coffee events.
Coffee and Cars Blackwood July 2016 validated the successful formula again.
Japanese sports cars were plentiful. RX-7, RX-3, Lancer Evolution, GT-R, STI, Skyline and 200SXs to name a few.
The NSX below was the highlight for the land of the rising sun camp. Peeping through the Yokohama Connoisseur No 151C rims reveals larger slotted rotors and StopTech brake calipers. The Acura badges, NSX-R door seals and 02+ NSX-R rear wing were a nice finishing touch.
A Mitsubishi station wagon but not just any old wagon, this is a Evolution IX CT9W. The CT9W chassis could only be imported into Australia via the (complicated) personal import scheme. This requires one to have lived in a different country for a year and prove complete ownership of the car during that period.
Interestingly, this hybrid Honda Insight was also brought into the country via the personal import scheme. Although the styling is somewhat controversial, Honda intended for the car to be the world’s first hybrid sports car. It was even built at the Honda Tochigi factory alongside the NSX and S2000. This Insight rides on a clean set of white Volk CE28N rims and has a single red drivers side Recaro SR4 (from an Integra Type R DC5) bucket seat installed.
A delightful pair of 80’s Toyota sports cars, the MA70 Supra and cult classic AE86 Sprinter Trueno. This particular AE86 is the GT-Apex model with various electronic upgrades such as a digital rev counter, power windows and power steering. The owner has also fitted a TRD rear wing as well as lowered suspension.
Numerous Euro’s were out and about including some gorgeous air-cooled Porker’s and a BMW i8 in Protonic Blue. The hybird i8 was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motorshow in 2013 and is powered by a combined 1.5 litre, 3-cylinder turbo petrol motor and electric motor situated at the front, producing a total of 266 all-wheel kilowatts/570nm of torque. A $400,000 2016 Audi R8 V10 Plus drew a steady crowd for the greater part of the morning as most long, low and wide supercars do.
A classic and modern Ford Falcon 351 GT, Lancer Evolution X, Dodge Viper RT/10, Lotus Evora, Honda Civic EG, Suzuki Carry pick-up truck, Skyline GT-R BNR32, HK Monaro GTS and a certain DMC model from an undoubtedly popular movie starring Michael J. Fox, all parked in the same complex. Diversity served on a silver platter for all.
So long as the recipe is not altered the delicious platter that is Coffee and Cars Blackwood will continue to flourish. In four weeks time it will all happen again in the same place and at the same time.
