The Bell St Mall in Heidelberg is a place that some may describe as “odd” because it’s looks like it’s stuck in a time warp. Fortunately, it hasn’t completely collapsed in on itself so I suppose it’s ripe for a motoring takeover like very few in town. OK, perhaps takeover is the wrong word considering what it means now but trust me, there’s no unruly behaviour here. Highball events don’t take place as frequently nowadays but they’re always worth the wait and the 6th “Highball In The Mall” was no exception with a solid lineup of vehicles from the 1930’s to the present day. Yes, almost 100 years worth of motoring was represented from the Ford Model A to the new BMW M5 and everything in between.
We’re starting off strong today with a very orange Lamborghini Murcielago and I honestly can’t think of something to say which hasn’t been said before. The thing that really distinguishes this model over the Diablo is the overall fit and finish under the ownership of the VW Audi Group. They really made the big Lambo a lot easier to live with and the design still feels fresh today. It’s soo good to see one coming out of the woodwork and stealing the show 23 years after it was released.
Alright it’s time to talk about one of the most controversial cars in recent history: the new M5. A big fuss has been kicked up due to the weight of the car, which is substantially more than the outgoing model – more than half a tonne in fact to a hefty 2.4. Why? The car is a hybrid with a heavy battery pack for the electric motors. A lot of enthusiasts have complained that it’s too big and too far detached from the “old” M5’s, but based on what I was told, the people complaining can’t afford one anyway. Most buyers are executives who want something fast but comfortable from a usability standpoint, and the Touring version offers that in spades. The practicality and efficiency of the hybrid system is unmatched compared to the competition from Audi. Even so, this behemoth produces a combined 727 HP (although independent dyno tests have quoted more!) which is insane for a wagon.
I’ve featured the wild Plymouth Prowler before on this blog but I only took one photo of it, which just isn’t enough to showcase the hot-rod inspired design. Seeing a modern car with exposed front suspension is quite rare with only the most extreme tracks cars having it. Unless you count the Morgan 3 Wheeler which isn’t exactly built for the track.
This is the Audi Quattro – the first all-wheel-drive rally car. Now, this specific car is not prepared for competition as it’s the road version, but the package underneath provided the base for a revolutionary machine that changed the face of rallying. If it wasn’t for this, you wouldn’t have legends such as the Peugeot 205 T16, Lancia Delta Integrale, Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru Impreza WRX STi and GR Yaris. Respect your elders, kids.
Now for a car the size of a shoe – the original Lotus Elise. I’ve known about this car my whole life and have always adored it for the way it looks and the way it handles. I had 2 Matchbox Elises when I was younger and they were some of my favourite toy cars. I suppose the name helped me to personify the car at a young age, which is no surprise because the car was named after Romano Artioli’s granddaughter: Elisa. Artioli commissioned the Elise when he worked for Lotus after his failed bid to revive Bugatti with the EB110. Fun fact: Elisa ended up buying a 3rd gen Elise!
Oh look it’s a C5 Corvette with a rear diffuser and 2 big exhausts similar to the modification you can make to the car in Gran Turismo 7. However that game has the notchback Z06 variant so it’s not the exact same as the fastback shown here. Anyway the C5 Corvette is a favourite of mine and a lot of other people if my song called “C Five” is anything to go by. Listen to my music on SoundCloud if you haven’t done so already.
This car always manages to catch my attention whenever I see one. The Ferrari 550 Maranello is a proper V12 sports car that still gets praise today for it’s performance. James Martin, or JayEmm On Cars on YouTube, owns one of these and despite the drawbacks with servicing, he loves driving it. It’s the right size, has plenty of power and a communicative chassis that can rival some of the best GT cars today. Moreover, this car was turned into an extremely competitive race car by the boffins at Prodrive WITHOUT Ferrari backing. A true classic.
Remember the Audi RS2 I showcased a little while back? Well this is the follow up: the RS4 Avant. At this point in time, Audi was changing it’s brand identity to rival BMW and Mercedes and this V6 powered 4WD wagon definitely caught their attention. The “Quattro” 4WD system was Audi’s trump card in the German heavyweight bout, giving it a fighting chance against some truly formidable opponents.
Here are 2 early Impreza WRXs that haven’t been modified to excess. They almost look factory fresh and the matching gold wheels are very neat. It’s not often that the same wheels work on 2 different coloured cars.
My brother laughed when I showed him this car because it has a goofy face. It’s an Alfa Romeo GTV Spider and they aren’t common sights on Australian roads. Only the most hardcore Alfa people will seek out something like this because it’s an acquired taste. The “telephone” style wheels add some distinctive Italian flair to this curious convertible.
The Jaguar brand is currently stuck in an awkward place right now with it’s immediate future hanging in the balance, so I’ve been looking back to the past to remember what we’ve lost. These two XJs are exquisitely presented and I’m sure they’d get attention whilst being parked on Saville Row. This car has soo much British swagger.
This Highball In The Mall had a really solid collection of cars ranging from the inspirational to the quirky with many eras and brands represented. From a quality standpoint it really doesn’t get much better than this. Enjoy some more photos below if you’ve come this far and I’ll be back with more fun stuff very soon.
DevMacCars 