Is this an alternative to a concours?

by Wallace Wyss –

What a difference a few months makes. The Sunset Plaza Cars ‘n Coffee has grown exponentially in size.

Oh, there is roughly the same number of cars – 100 maximum – but it’s the crowd that’s really grown, a lot of them from all different age groups and walks of life, such as young people who might be tourists in West Hollywood or car fanatics or people who want to see expensive cars in their “natural” environment. There’s even a group of wanna-be car photographers straining mightily to capture that elusive shot.

There’s more couples at this event, guys and gals going out for breakfast but stopping to take in the car show first.

The environment is a large parking lot about 50 feet below Sunset strip. The view Northward is first the back of the restaurants lining that part of Sunset and then, as you look up, the Hollywood Hills, home to many celebrities both film folk and musicians.

The event is sponsored by O’Gara, a huge megabrand car dealer, and has some of their dealerships practically emptying their showrooms to bring their cars here to show. But there’s plenty of civilian-owned vehicles too. The split is between Italian cars, and Porsches with only the occasional muscle car like a Viper or Camaro SS from the ‘60s. I even saw a ’67 Caddy Eldorado amongst the cars on display.

I would say this is the only Cars ‘n Coffee that I know of that features Bugatti, with always one or two of the recent models, but it also features Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Ferrari.

It is also the only regularly scheduled show that gives Rolls Royce and Bentley owners somewhere to come to and talk cars.

There’s only one coffee machine and it’s labored, but more important, I think they need a Hollywood film studio type bathroom on wheels.

ALTERNATIVE TO CONCOURS

You have to wonder if the popularity of Cars ‘N Coffee events is chipping away at the traditional concours. After all, some concours cost over $300 to attend (and I think The Quail holds the record at over $700). Here you can appreciate the cars, talk to the owners and enjoy the scenery at zero cost.

Of course, there has to be some curation to make it worth going and at Sunset Plaza, as you pull in off Sunset, there is a young man who decides on the spot if your car makes the main display lot or is uninteresting so therefore relegated to the lot further down the hill, where nobody goes except to park.

The fact that O’Gara has had one “rollout/unveiling” here after another, each one progressively fancier, might catch the attention of automakers, who are always looking for a way to get a crowd but without spending much money. I for one am curious which way Cars ‘N Coffees will do–will there be booths? Actual dining? Those we find at Concours but I predict they will also be a part of Cars ‘N Coffee events soon as well.

Sunset Plaza’s location is perfect, after viewing the cars you can go to lunch on the strip, or go down to Melrose a popular shopping street only 10 minutes drive to the South.

To find out when the next Sunset Plaza show is clivk here Sunset Plaza Cars and Coffee.

The next show, according to that website, is December 10th, 2017. The shows run officially from 9 to 11 a.m.

Let us know what you think in the Comments.

 
THE AUTHOR: Wallace Wyss is often covering this event. You can recognize him by wearing of one of his denim jackets, featuring images of his commissioned oil portraits of exotics. For information on commissioning a painting, write Photojournalistpro2@gmail.com.

 
 
 

THE PHOTOGRAPHER: Richard Bartholomew is a fine artist in Riverside,CA. His work is to be found in the Downtowne Bookstore, Riverside.