Saturday Night Fever In Moorabbin

After a few weeks of relatively little activity in Melbourne’s car scene, things have returned to normal and I’m ready to get back to what I love most: photographing cars. To kick off 2025, I went to Kingston Plaza in Moorabbin for a night meet that I found out about through a friend of mine. The last night meet I went to a few years ago wasn’t very good so I did feel a bit apprehensive and probably a little anxious going across town for this one. Seriously. I was struggling to relax on the way there but after relieving myself and scoping the place out, I felt a whole better and got down to business. This meet had it all – from an electric sports car to some tiny kei cars and massive land barges.

This is the MG Cyberster: an electric sports car from China. Yes, China. For all those people whinging about their horrible build quality, just take a look at this thing and tell me that they’re crap. I bet you won’t. Anyway, MG was a British car brand famous for making little sports cars, but in it’s later years it didn’t fare too well and in 2005, it shut down. However in 2007, SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) bought the rights to the company and name, promising a new era for the embattled badge. Since then, they’ve put the MG name back on the map but the Cyberster is by far the most ambitious project yet. This all-electric sports car with scissor doors is something of a halo car, taking an old concept from the original MG’s and putting a brand new twist on it. For China, this is a landmark car and I think it’s fantastic. Don’t sleep on the Chinese auto industry because if this is sort of stuff they’re producing, we must pay attention.

I have featured a Crown Majesta here before but I must talk about this one specifically because it hits different in white. Despite having owned it for only a year and a half, James has seen his car being featured by a bunch of fellow photographers. After spending a few minutes around it, it’s easy to see why. The understated class, the chrome wheels and the ride height really make this car stand out amongst the rest. It very much reminds me of the Lexus GS – another V8 powered luxury car with 4 doors. This car is all about cruising and with the superb Toyota reliability, you don’t have to worry about a thing. What more could you possibly ask for? I may not be able to drive but if I could, I’d seriously consider buying one – and painting it red of course.

It’s very clear to me that the M2 has become a popular car. They’re popping up like mushrooms but I’m not complaining. With rear drive, a straight six engine, an optional manual gearbox and smaller dimensions than the M4, there’s a lot to like about this car. BMW can still make some fantastic cars despite the constantly-changing automotive landscape. Let’s face it: we’ll never get something like the E46 again but the M2 is as close as BMW will ever come to emulating that. In fact, it might even be better all things considered. Savour the experience while it lasts.

Enough has been said about the R34 GT-R but even so, I still love them. I don’t like black cars that much but the paint finish on this one caught my eye. It’s like a piano that’s just been cleaned. I couldn’t believe how reflective it was. Usually with black cars, a lot of the line work is hidden, making it harder to make out the true form of the vehicle. Not here. You can very clearly see the intricacies of the metal work, so hats off to the painter of this car. They clearly knew what they were doing.

Check out this pint-sized sports car. The Suzuki Cappuccino was built during the first half of the nineties in Japan, complying with the strict kei car size class. Despite it’s sporting intentions and compact dimensions, the car did not go that fast with the regulatory 660cc engine producing a measly 63HP. Fortunately, people have modified them but this example looks factory fresh. I’m pretty sure the fun part of owning such a small car is making other people smile and wave with it’s cuteness.

I don’t know how anyone can hate the original Mazda MX-5/Miata/Eunos Roadster, and this fantastic trio proves that there’s still a lot of love for the world’s most popular sports car. Nothing about these cars shock me or make me cringe, unlike some which look totally ridiculous and go against the ethos of the car completely. A clean MX-5 with the right wheels and modifications help to improve an already joyous package. The novelty clearly hasn’t worn off in the 35 years since it’s debut.

No matter which car meet I go to, I always see a bunch of Toyota Chasers and I always take photos of them. There’s something about the JZX100 Chaser that has allowed it to remain relevant more than 20 years after the chassis line was discontinued. The 2JZ engine definitely helps this car’s cause as it has a massive amount of aftermarket support. That makes it easier to keep the car on the road for longer, and all I’m for it because the Chaser is the perfect boosted barge. No, that’s not me buying into the hype because I found out about this car way before Adam C did.

This is Harry’s E39 BMW 5 Series. Long before the days of hybrids and crossovers, the executive sedan had a much bigger slice of the market pie and the BMW 5 Series was at the top of it. For many, the E39 generation is the best 5 Series ever made with excellent build quality, wonderful engineering and handsome styling. From the bottom trim level all the way up to the M5, each car that rolled off the production line was crafted with care and precision – right down to the buttons on the dashboard. It really has stood the test of time.

Holden may be dead but the love for them is not. Take this HK Monaro for example. Released in 1969, the car became highly desirable amongst the blue-collar workers of Australia, combining power and style like nothing else before it. My dad is old enough to remember when this was new and the stir that it created when one ended up on his street. The Monaro instantly became a part of Australian motoring folklore and I’m sure it’s legacy will be kept alive for a long time.

When I talk about massive barges, what I’m really talking about are massive American luxury cars like this Cadillac. It’s absolutely gigantic for a vehicle with only 2 doors and the chrome bumper at the front says that you should get of the way. The car is totally inappropriate for tight city driving but when you want to cover large distances in the searing heat of Nevada, it will make the ride a breeze. It’s also appropriate for cruising down the Vegas Strip a couple times.

Notice something off about the engine in this Subaru Impreza? Well, instead of the normal flat-4 that you’d usually find in one of these, there’s an LS V8 from an SS Commodore. The LS family of engines have found their way into all sorts of GM products, from the Corvette to the Tahoe and Camaro. Putting one into a Subaru is sure to piss off the purists but I don’t think it’s sacrilege because the LS is a fantastic engine with a proven track record. I’d be curious to know how the handling differs from the regular car.

So this meet up was most definitely worth my time. A truly excellent selection of machinery turned up, and the amount of JDM goodness was nothing to sneeze at. I know muscle cars aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but there were a few nice ones that came through. The entirety of Kingston Plaza was filled up and the van inadvertently became part of the show as it sat between a GT-R and an Impala. Thanks to Kyle for driving me down in the comfort of the VW Caravelle. All in all, it was a great evening that proved to be extremely satisfying.