What a way to spend a cool fall Saturday morning than sipping a hot beverage while looking over some amazing vehicles. Whether this was an official Cars & Coffee type event or just a gathering of enthusiasts, I don’t know. But when I caught word of this gathering a week or so ago, I knew it sounded like a good way to start the day.
And what a morning it was! You couldn’t have asked for much better weather, although as you can see from the photos, it was a pretty wicked, long-shadow casting, direct sun kind of morning.
Aston Martin, Monte Carlo…but no Bond in sight. 
Aston Martin grille and front close up. 
Aston Martin and a touch of carbon fiber. 
1973 Monte Carlo…styling. 
Vintage Monte Carlo engine compartment…clean, shiny, and room to move. 
Got to love a smiling Porsche. 
The unique and distinctive side profile. 
Porsche Carrera…the end I usually see.
“Car shows” come in lots of varieties. There are, of course, the big showy ones, where you buy your ticket and look at all the pristine vehicles under bright lights. And at the other end of the spectrum, there is this. A few owners gather together in a parking lot somewhere, hopefully on a nice day, and show their cars.
What makes this kind of gathering fun is that you never know what you’re going to get, and often it’s a little bit of everything. The new sitting next to the old, the tiny European convertible sitting next to the muscle car, some rare show-only specimen you’ve never seen before across from someone’s daily driver.
The prancing horse. 
Ferrari brake caliper and vented rotor. 
Ferrari…under glass. 
Fancy a look under the hood? 
Mmmmm MPowered goodness in the Z8. 
BMW Z8…still no Bond in sight. 
Who needs coffee when you have a line of Porsches to drink in? 
All that glitters is gold…or, apparently, silver. 
Smooth, clean lines. 
Truly a touring Porsche.
But what really makes these events stand out is how laid back and inviting they are. No pomp and circumstance. No velvet ropes. Just some owners and enthusiasts gathering to share an appreciation for engineering marvels.
Want to see inside? Just ask. Wondering what’s under the hood? Just ask. Want to hear some stories? Just ask or walk up and listen. Have a story of your own to share? Join in.
British nobility in the mix. 
Not your average daily driver. 
Don’t know about a prayer, but definitely some rear wing. 
Porsche Carrera. 
This one wants to run. 
Is it top down time? 
Modern Corvette styling. 
Supercar-esque styling of the Corvette. 
New lines of an old classic. 
Little red Corvette.
Unlike more formal gatherings that might span most of a day or the whole weekend, these tend to be very short at a couple of hours or so. And they might be well-publicized weeks out or pop up on the spur of the moment.
Someone call for a Caddy? 
Cadillac CTS-V wagon…caddy with room to spare. 
For those who enjoy cars without all the pretenses. 
Lady in red. 
Stacked…all the better to see you with. 
Understated to say the least. 
I’ll take one of each. 
Classic911 Porsche. 
Spoiler alert? 
A peak inside. 
Leather-wrapped interior.
Porsche was definitely in full display here, with a little old and new. As a BMW driver myself, I was happy to see a couple in the mix, including a well-loved and aged 5-series.
X-marks the spot. 
Fall driving…heat up, top down. 
All ready for a fall drive. 
Hop in. 
Old school, classic BMW…still love the dual headlights. 
Not a shark…but gettin’ its nose out! 
Classic. old school BMW kidney grille. 
Classic driving machine, aging gracefully. 
Arizona 5er sun art.
I don’t like to pick favorites, but I will confess that my eyes strayed from German to Italian this time around. While I can appreciate them, I’m not particularly awed by Lamborghinis…to each his or her own. But then, today’s Lambos are, like many cars, a completely different breed from the past.
Feast your eyes on a 1968 Lamborghini Espada and you may never look at a Lambo the same way again.
Car talk. 
A set of dual headlights, perhaps…even sexier than the bimmer’s. 
Long nose Lambo. 
No flash, all substance…with a bit of flare. 
Old school Lamborghini. 
Might be a year older than me, but I think it’s aged better! 
Forget touchscreen, hard to beat a wooden wheel and toggle switches. 
1968 Lamborghini Espada, designed by Bertone designer Marcello Gandini. 
Profile of Lamborghini Espada. 
Lines of the 1968 Lamborghini Espada. 
Clear view.
Fortunately, arriving a little before we left was the one-of-a-kind, DeLorean. Hard to say whether this car would have had the same appreciation and fandom as it does if it wasn’t for the “Back to the Future” movies.
But, fun trivia, what makes this even more special…did you know that you can buy a DeLorean right here in Crystal Lake? That’s right. Crystal Lake is actually home to the DeLorean Motor Company’s midwest sales office. Hopefully a future Spotlight Story.
Clean and understated. 
A late arrival…must have lost track of time. 
Unmistakable DeLorean. 
Timeless DeLorean, somehow still both nostalgic and futuristic. 
If it were summer, this wouldd be cars, coffee, and fried eggs. 
Ah, the days of rectangular headlights. 
Joined by a 2-wheel BMW. 
If only she could talk…bet there’s some stories there. 
Boxer twin engine of the BMW R75/5. 
Call of the open road.
Just to round it out, there was also a special guest appearance of the two-wheeled variety. Another German showing from BMW.
More trivia…this in fact, was the one beemer, as the motorcycles are nicknamed beemers, whereas the cars are actually referred to as bimmers.
A huge thanks goes out to these owners for taking their time to share their joys with anyone and everyone who stopped by. And hopefully they’ll add future events to our calendar so more can join the fun.
President and Founder of Identity Developments, LLC, the parent company of the McHenry Life website. My hope for McHenry Life is to create a resource and destination for the residents and businesses of McHenry County alike. A place where residents can discover new places to explore, fun events and ways to spend time, and then share those experiences with others. A place where businesses can connect with existing and potential customers, and not simply market their businesses, but share their own unique stories.
