Highball 16: Hello Yellow?

Can you believe that I’ve attended the last 10 Highball Cars And Coffee events at Bosch HQ in Clayton? When I first showed up, I had absolutely no idea what would come of it. I didn’t think I’d be able to build a following off the back of some photos posted sparsely on Instagram. The first year of the blog was a huge learning experience for me, but this third year has been one of continual growth. I’ve placed less emphasis on blog posts and more on Instagram posts to ensure that my platform remains active week in, week out. Doing this means that more people can connect with my work and follow me. However, it would be rude of me to not cover another fantastic Highball event right here in writing. The theme for today was yellow but there weren’t actually that many yellow cars when I showed up, so I guess that was a letdown. Anyway, there was still a bunch of fun stuff in this edition of Highball Cars And Coffee.

The first thing that took my (and probably a lot of other people’s) attention was this lineup of original Honda NSXs. The V6 powered mid-engine sports car went toe to toe with the Ferrari 348 and won with it’s superior chassis, reliability and usability. Unfortunately for Honda, Ferrari landed a devastating blow with the iconic 355 that came out in 1994. Whilst Ferrari pushed on with their small mid-engined recipe, releasing the 360 in 1999, the first gen NSX only received a few tweaks until production was cancelled in 2002. Today, it sits alongside the JDM greats of the period.

Skoda is an interesting brand. It started as a very small company in Czechoslovakia before it was purchased by VW shortly after the country was dissolved. Since then, VW has been responsible for all the mechanical underpinnings, and one particular favourite for enthusiasts is the Octavia VRS – based on the Golf GTi. This one, owned by my good friend Carter (@850visuals), is based on the MK7 and in wagon guise it’s a great mix of performance, practicality and, perhaps most surprisingly, efficiency. Skoda may not have the same notoriety as VW but those who know understand that they’re buying a quality product.

Here are 2 cats snuggling up to each other. OK, maybe not but these 2 Jaguar XJs are from the same bloodline and the evolution from the first gen to the third is evident. Despite changing technology, Jaguar made sure to keep the most important design features of their flagship luxury sedan. As we know, the fate of Jaguar hangs in the balance, so these 2 cars have become a lot cooler – and in turn more valuable – as a result. Nice of Tom to bring a friend along.

This is the Audi RS6 GT: a limited edition model of Ingolstadt’s flagship wagon. The livery pays tribute to Audi racing cars of the past – most notably the 90 IMSA GTO car that invaded the US racing scene. I don’t think there’s any serious performance upgrades compared to the “standard” car, but it’s still a very capable machine with over 600 HP being generated from it’s twin turbo V8. Linked up to the trademark Quattro 4WD system, it’s an absolute weapon on the pavement. Aside from the livery, the thing that really sets this car off are the white wheels.

If I’m not mistaken this is the 2008 Renault Megane RS Renault F1 Team Edition. This Megane was famous for it’s quirky styling featuring a big bottom at the rear. Jokes aside, this is yet another cracking Frenchie that set the hot hatch scene alight. Whilst Ford went mad with the Focus RS, shoving a lot of power through the front wheels, Renault focused more on handling and that’s what made the Megane special. It’s for that reason I prefer it more compared to Ford’s 5 cylinder menace.

I honestly feel like I’ve neglected a lot of the local offerings with this blog, so here’s one of the finest HSVs ever built: the Gen F GTS-R. No, it’s not the full fat W1 edition but it still packs a massive punch from the GM-sourced LSA V8. Even if you didn’t know a thing about cars, you just know that this car is all business and won’t take any prisoners. It’s a proper hairy-chested Aussie muscle car that serves as a tribute to the dedication and spirit of our car industry.

What’s better than an E46 M3? An E46 M3 CSL. This may not look too different from the normal car but the single intake hole on the left side of the front bumper indicates that there is in fact something more going on. The car has extra power as a result of the better airflow, but more importantly, the car carries a lot less weight – 110 KG less to be exact. A number of things had to occur in order to achieve such an outcome: the rear seats were removed, the radio was removed, the roof was changed to carbon fibre, the exhaust system was reworked and all the leather was tossed in favour of alcantara. A more contentious removal was that of a manual gearbox, but even still, this car is everything great about BMW.

Is the SLS a favourite of mine? Not really, but I couldn’t go past this one without taking some photos. Created as a living tribute to the 300SL Gullwing, the SLS AMG was a bespoke car with it’s own chassis and a 6.3 (well, 6.2) litre V8 placed between the front wheels and the driver’s compartment. No, that long bonnet is not for style. This car is remembered by people like myself as the cover car for Gran Turismo 5 and the special event it appeared in on the Nurburgring. I must admit, driving the car in game was truly special as it had come out just months before GT5 went on sale for the PlayStation 3.

To most people, this is just a regular Mercedes sedan that’s been kept clean by it’s owner. However, for car enthusiasts, this is something remarkable: an E55 AMG. After serving as the aftermarket tuners for Mercedes, AMG was taken in house in 1998 and one of the first things they did was create a high-performance version of the E Class. This whale of a thing got a 5.5 litre V8, some subtle styling tweaks, monoblock wheels and an AMG badge on the back. Compared to today’s AMGs, this thing is very understated yet it still has presence because of the boxy styling. The slab-sided rear quarter is a sight to behold.

Highball Cars And Coffee is Melbourne’s premier car meet and without the members of the Highball Motor Club, it simply couldn’t happen. One of these members is Martin and he owns this blue Toyota GR 86, which in my opinion, is all the sports car you’ll ever need. No, it’s not the fastest thing in the world but that’s besides the point. This car is made for driving pleasure and can be enjoyed without breaking the law… or your back… or even the bank for that matter. Toyota seem to have a good understanding of what makes a car fun these days.

I think it’s time I showcased the old police cars that show up for Police Legacy. I don’t know the specifics of each car but what I do know is that the car on the left is a VK Commodore and the one on the right is a VL Commodore. I do find it strange that they were painted yellow like taxis and not blue like the uniforms. Guess things were different back then.

I shouldn’t be surprised but this event is the gift that keeps on giving. I’m always excited to see what’s in store the night before, so I push the PlayStation aside earlier than normal to get to bed sooner. I want to make the most of each event and getting a good sleep helps me do that. Thank you again to Kyle for coming along with me and the Highball Motor Club for putting on another memorable show.