Melbourne’s premier cars and coffee event is back again for it’s 13th edition, the first of 2024 and my 7th in a row somehow. I don’t know what it is about this event but the weather is hardly ever bad and someone has always been available to take me, which is funny because not everyone can be relied upon. The biggest concern of all was the hot weather, but I didn’t really care because I’ve honestly felt worse before. As long as you kept moving and didn’t sit in the one spot underneath the sunshine, you were fine but even then you had a decent amount of people sitting in the shade. The heat definitely had an impact on the overall attendance, with a lot of cars and their owners electing to leave earlier than normal. By the time I got over to the car park on the far side of the Bosch building, it was almost empty and I missed a massive line up of Honda NSX’s. I also missed a Ferrari 812 Competizione but we won’t get bogged down with that because I still managed to find some hot stuff that I’d never seen at the show before.
Here are a few Lamborghini Huracans in a few different flavours – 3 STO’s in white, yellow and green alongside a Technica in a colour called SE30 Viola. The SE30 part of the name is a reference to the SE30 Diablo, which was a special edition designed to commemorate 30 years of Lamborghini. The dazzling metallic purple ensures that car can never be missed on the street – that’s if you don’t hear it first somehow. That would be strange because the Technica has an upgraded exhaust system compared to the older versions. The sound has become such an iconic part of the Huracan’s identity that even my mum can recognise it. Drama is a part of this car’s persona, and Sonny Nyugen has pounced on this with his recently acquired green STO. It was a natural step up for the guy who previously owned a “standard” 2015 spec car.
This is a Mazda 121, but it isn’t just any Mazda 121 – it’s Declan’s. Why would this little box be the choice of personal transport for a young man on his P’s you ask? Well it’s simple: reliability. Declan wanted a cheap, reliable car that he could count on for daily driving duties and making the hour and 45 minute trip from his home in the Yarra Valley to Clayton. The mighty 121 may not have a lot of sporting prowess, but what it does have is good fuel economy, a decently sized boot and a manual gearbox. No, this car was not handed down by a family member as Declan bought it himself for $2,200. I unironically like this car a lot because it’s rare enough to be interesting and innocent enough to make you smile.
At Highball 12, Ford wheeled out the new Mustang GT that’s set to hit Australian showrooms very soon. This time, they’ve brought the Dark Horse out of the stable for us. Whoever came up with the name deserves a raise because I think it’s great in an era where trim levels are becoming more and more convoluted. The term “dark horse” is used in motorsport to describe a driver who you can’t count out when the going gets tough. They may not be the most successful or be in the best team, but when a tense pressure situation arises, they can punch above their weight and pose a serious challenge in a race like the Bathurst 1000. Some people still see the Mustang as a muscle car and not a sports car, so the Dark Horse was created to dispel the notion once and for all. It’s not as hardcore as the GTD, but you can tell that Ford is taking things very seriously with this model. They’re also serious about the continued production of an affordable, V8 sports car as others change to smaller engines. It’s great news for us.
I’ve photographed a lot of cars over the last 11 years, but strangely enough, I don’t have a photo of a Subaru SVX – until now. This is not the car you think of when you hear Subaru name, so when they came out with this 2 door coupe more than 30 years ago, no one knew what to make of it. At the time, the company was known for making trusty, utilitarian 4WD cars for the masses with highly conservative styling and robust engines that were simple but dead reliable. The SVX was none of that and it confused people, resulting in poor sales and a significant financial loss for the brand. This oddity quickly slipped into obscurity as other Japanese sports cars built up huge fanbases all over the world. Subaru tried and failed to capture a new audience with this model, so they never built anything like it again. The car may not be the most sought after by collectors, but enthusiasts will appreciate the funky styling and it’s curious tale.
This is Martin’s new Toyota GR 86. If you don’t know him, don’t worry because he’s the president of the Highball Motor Club and one of the people responsible for putting this event on. The new 86 is a proper step up over the old one with more power, more performance and more rubber. It addresses many of the concerns people had with the old car, making it a better standard package which doesn’t feel under powered or under equipped to deal with some spirited driving. The old chassis was good but dogged by crappy tires that made it a bit of a joke unless you upgraded them. Toyota heard the criticism and changes made are just right to ensure that the philosophy of the car remains intact, much like Mazda has done with the MX-5. It’s not much bigger, it maintains the rear drive layout and you can get a manual for the proper sports car experience. Well done Toyota.
Here is the brawny “Rambo Lambo” – otherwise known as the Lamborghini LM002. This was a failed military project that never saw service anywhere, not even in the Italian military, but Lamborghini was soo far into it that they ended up selling them to “regular” folk. The most insane thing? It’s powered by the same V12 as the Countach, producing about 450 HP. Unfortunately, it also had some serious reliability issues and the fuel consumption was like that of a binge drinker’s alcohol consumption, making it a total disaster of a vehicle. Do you care though? This car is bonkers, with the only curves being that of the gigantic tyres and headlights. It’s as if this car was designed with a ruler and precisely zero concern for aerodynamics, contributing to it’s non-existent fuel economy. Doesn’t matter where you go, this car evokes presence, power and masculinity akin to that of a heavyweight boxer.
This car isn’t a Jaguar, it’s a JAAAAAAG. That’s all I think of when I see an XJ like this thanks to Top Gear and then Alex Kersten. The context of the quote is hilarious because it basically suggests that you can get away with anything when you own a JAAAAAG. It’s also made for people who make a noise when they sit down, but I don’t know how true this is. Seeing a clean XJ with the unpretentious styling and chrome accents in a stately green colour is cool. I’m not sure if this has the supercharged V8 or the supercharged inline 6, but either way, it’s a proper old-school brute that combines elegance and power like a real big cat.
One of my favourite cars from the 80’s is the BMW 635 CSI, and 2 of them showed up this time round. This sports tourer was the flagship for a number of years, combining supreme technical engineering with handsome styling that still turns heads today. In terms of competition, it was a key player for a number of years in the Australian Touring Car Championship before the M3 came in for the Group A ruleset. The inline 6 engine used in this car is based on the same unit that was put into the M1, and the sound it made on track was very distinctive. As we know, the inline 6 is a cornerstone of BMW and it was this car that truly brought it to the fore.
I’ve shown this Diablo before but I want to make a bit of a point about why these events have succeeded compared to others: the cars that show up actually get used. Showcars are nice and all but they aren’t made to be driven very often, so I ask – what’s the point? You’ve wasted all that money for what? An art project? I don’t get it. Maybe I’m too young to understand but seeing a Diablo with duct tape on the front bumper and windshield wipers with dust on the rear end makes me very happy. The owner clearly doesn’t mind getting the car a little dirty and it’s these examples that I love to see being brought out to Highball. This is what it’s all about.
How do you make an already insane muscle car even more extreme? You give it a widebody kit from the factory. The Dodge Challenger Hellcat is already wide enough, so why the hell would they make it even wider by installing a widebody kit? Because they CAN. Dodge is no stranger to making bonafide muscle cars, ever since they debuted the famous Hemi V8 more than 60 years ago. The modern Challenger has been a smash hit, remaining largely unchanged for 15 years until it’s demise just a few months ago. Dodge didn’t want to go quietly and offered this factory widebody kit as a parting gift for the legions of fans who’ve grown to love this unapologetic American muscle car.
This is a BMW 7 Series. It’s not a car that I think about much but when I do see one like this, I have to stop and take a look. The styling may not be the most extravagant but that’s a good thing for a big German sedan. A lot of cars in this segment are quite unattractive now with oversized front grilles and strange design elements that leave you asking, where did it all go wrong? It’s no wonder that the older BMW sedans are getting attention nowadays. The understated styling and fantastic build quality are two massive positives in this throwaway society where mass-produced items are designed to become redundant. With the right maintenance, you can keep this car on the road for a long time.
That’s all we have time for today, but this is just the start of what’s looking to be a big month here on the Dev Mac Cars blog. Don’t miss out on all the fun because some more hot stuff is coming your way very shortly.
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