Morning Coffee
Rare Sightings and Good Coffee Make for a great way to start the week
It is true that Sunday mornings are a great way to catapult yourself for the week coming ahead. Everyone has different versions of it; from sports, to outdoor activities, to lounging at home to reset your mind and body to prepare for the challenges ahead. For us car enthusiasts, we love to spend it with awesome cars, great coffee, and like-minded people. Collecting Cars — which is an online auction platform for collectible cars and motorcycles, recently launched in Canada and I can say that we are in for a great surprise. On Sunday, October 17 they hosted a cars & coffee event at one of Toronto’s affluent neighborhood with chic cafes and luxury fashion stores which did not disappoint one bit.
Prior to the event, I was made aware of what cars to expect so that obviously created an excitement. I won’t lie though, I’m never really up early in the mornings unless I really have to. What constitutes my need to wake up in the morning though is a multitude of things and I guarantee you that this is one of them.
There are many cars in my life that have been nothing but imaginations and assumptions based on photos I’ve seen, and videos I’ve watched on the internet. If there is anything that encapsulates what makes a great car, it is simply the emotions that it brings the driver. The sound, the driving experience, the drivability, and your connection to the road — it all matters… a lot. And these two incredible machines are nothing short of that.
The Lexus LFA and the Carrera GT definitely goes down as the holy grail of V10’s. As these two cars rolled up to the event, all eyes were on them and hundreds of lenses were pointed with camera shutters bursting like that of a red carpet show in Hollywood. It was truly a showstopper — with people arguing left and right asking the same questions: “what would you take?” Whether you choose the Japanese or the German automakers, you will be more than pleased with your decision regardless.
With both cars sporting a naturally aspirated V10 engine, both are known for their high-pitched F1 like sound which everyone loves. The LFA especially — is known for such a symphonic engine note that was developed by Yamaha’s musical instrument division to fine tune the engine to create the note we hear. Pair that beautiful sound coming from a naturally aspirated V10 engine with a 9,000RPM redline and you got yourself a car that directly speaks to your soul with a step on the gas pedal.
On the other end of your first world problem questions, the Carrera GT is a car that will truly put your abilities to its test. Everyone knows that the CGT is not a car you wanna toy around with carelessly. With no advanced stability control systems and no electronic driving aids, this car is not exactly the friendly type to save you from an oversteer or an understeer but would rather throw you off and humble you down very very quickly. A 6-speed transmission on a naturally aspirated V10 is an incredibly attractive feature, but one must be able to tame this monster well in order to get the full experience that Porsche has created.
For now, enjoy this photo dump of the Lexus LFA and the Carrera GT. There is a lot to take in, and a lot to admire. I don’t quite know when I will get the chance to see them again, better yet both of them together.
The event didn’t come short of rare cars at all. It was hosted by an auction platform for collectible cars and motorcycles after all. Speaking of collectible cars, here’s one that is guaranteed to go down as one, just like all of the other Black Series out there.
It was great to see the AMG GT Black Series for the first time. Painted in AMG Magma Beam, it was difficult to miss this one at the lot. While Mercedes is known to make amazing big engines through their AMG platforms, the Black Series is known to turn something crazy into something ludicrous.
It’s not very hard to miss the changes from the exterior as compared to the AMG GTR Pro. The big carbon fiber wing is the first takeaway with the size of it being more than double of the GTR Pro. The vented hood and louvered front fenders help in both downforce and the car’s cooling system for a hard beating around the 20km Nurburgring track.
The Black Series did not hold back on stopping power with carbon ceramic brakes and Michelin Cup 2 Rs to ensure plenty of grip around the ring.
At an event like this, it was to no surprise to see a handful of Porsches — specifically 911s from different eras. The Porsche 911 is such a timeless car with many years to age like fine wine. With over 50 years of history, the 911 platform has consistently remained as a benchmark for sports cars. The rear engine layout has opened up an infinite number of possibilities for Porsche to further innovate the car and continuously evolve together with the fast moving pace of technology.
What I love about Porsches so much is their rich heritage in motorsports that has helped them remain on top for many years and in my opinion, many more years to come. The iconic bug eye with a slick back like appearance for the rear end is such an iconic silhouette that anyone can instantly recognize as a Porsche 911.
When I was younger, Porsches were actually one of the last on my list. I didn’t quite understand why so many people appreciated them no matter what era they came from. I used to always say that the exterior design was what I hated. It had round eyes that did not look intimidating to me at all, and body lines that I found to be unsophisticated. Like many other kids, I’ve always loved the Ferrari F40… I still do up to this day, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve also learned to fall in love with the 911 platform for the very reason I used to hate it for.
The first time I’ve come to realize just how beautifully made these cars are was the first time I saw a GT3RS lap the track. As I heard the naturally aspirated flat 6 engine rip through 9,000RPM, I instantly fell in love. After that, I had the opportunity to briefly drive a 911 Turbo S which gave me the understanding as to what it is exactly that entrances people with the Porsche driving experience. I also understood what the entire Porsche brand was about. They give you exactly just what you need — no more, no less, no gimmicks. It’s only between you, the car, and the tarmac you’re on. While there’s still a lot for me to experience, my love for the brand has officially grown and I can’t help but appreciate Porsches both old and new.
I am not an expert when it comes to collectible cars just yet. I’m not one to recognize each model and what chassis it is, nor what years they were produced, but upon writing more articles, meeting more owners, and attending more events, I am slowly learning more and more about the origins of these beautiful machines we all appreciate. What is evident to the eye though — even to a person like me is how loyal Porsche is to their own heritage and how well they have stuck to their design ethos.
One car that might be unfamiliar for many including myself are the Alfa Romeos. I am aware of the brand simply because I played a lot of Gran Turismo when I was young, but I definitely did not see these a lot growing up as these were never big in Asia.
No matter what your preferences are, it’s hard to ignore a car of this age in this condition.
There were a handful of other rare cars that made an appearance at the event. Some familiar chassis, yet versions that are hard to come by due to low demand or low production numbers, a hefty price tag, or simply a car that is incredibly hard to find especially in good condition.
The event ran from 8:00am - 12:00pm with free and unlimited coffee to keep everyone warm during the cold morning. I even skipped the line to ask the barista if they took credit card as a form of payment since I didn’t have any cash on me and he looked at me with a grin and said, “it’s free man.” I lined up and took my cup and dispensed it from container. He asked me once again, “you don’t want fancy coffee?” At this point I realized how clueless I was of what the organizers had prepared for the attendees. I think it was a nice touch.
The overall event turned out amazing despite the cold morning I did not prepare for. With so many other photographers on scene, there were a lot of other new people to interact with and possibly collaborate with in the future. The owners of the cars were warm and extremely friendly; it was an absolute pleasure to be able to speak with them about the ownership of their cars, and also some stories they were willing to share about their lives. Once again, this was an event where everyone’s shared passion brought together a warm community that was welcoming for people from different places.
