The annual Meguiar’s BBQ meet is an occasion I’ve always read about year-on-year, whether it be online or in magazines. I’ve always appreciated the wide array of cars that have been in attendance, with there being no real focus on a particular scene. When word got out that they wanted a few drift cars to be present at Meguiars HQ for this year’s BBQ, I couldn’t resist taking my C33 Laurel with the hope of seeing some fantastic cars (while also secretly hoping it wouldn’t get laughed at by the JDM-sceptics!)
Upon arrival I parked up next to my fellow drift car ambassadors before chatting about the sudden feeling that our cars were ever-so-slightly out of place! Connor’s NB Mx-5, however, is a clean and well-presented car that was a great representation of a nicely styled yet hard driven drift and street car.
Parked up alongside Connor was Daniel Bridle’s NB. As above, Bridle’s NB is a fantastic combination of style, usability and performance and is no stranger to the drift track. I took plenty more photos of this Mx-5 which I’ll post as part of a full feature in the near future (along with the slammed IS200 you see in the opening shot – yes, it was static!).
Speaking of Bridle, it was great to see him back behind the camera lens (while also busting some fantastic squats to achieve those low-down shots).
After talking amongst ourselves we eventually decided to make a few laps of the car park and see who else had turned up. There was no denying it, the array of cars was certainly eclectic and fascinating. Whether it be aired out and on the floor…
…a retro VW…
…an American classic…
…another drift car (hi Ryan!)…
…or an all-out track car, there was something for everyone. The whole purpose of the meet as a whole though, was to celebrate and enjoy all aspects of car culture in the UK, with no snobbery towards any particular scene or style.
The SS Autowerks MkIV Golf certainly fell into the track car category, with an array of purposeful aero and carbon fibre panels. I couldn’t help but feel that this car would look utterly fantastic on a set of Rays TE37s to complete the track look and really challenge peoples preconceptions as to how a circuit-spec Volkswagen should look.
Fitting squarely within the aired out category was this stunning BMW M4.
I’m not too clued up on Rotiform’s wheel range but this set looked fantastic and filled the M’s pumped-up arches while still retaining a certain amount of class.
While some may argue about the car no longer being suitable for hurtling around a track with its current air suspension setup on, I’m sure the owner doesn’t really care and would much rather their car looks the way it does rather than trying to chase lap times.
Moving back to the retro VW side of things and Andrew Carter’s Golf was a sight to behold if you appreciate meticulous attention to detail.
Funnily enough, the last time I saw Carter before the meet was back in 2008 when he had just bought this Golf as a standard road car. It soon came off the road to undergo a complete overhaul (inside, outside and underneath!) and has only recently seen the road again after a truly extensive rebuild.
It was also great to see the Liberty Walk Europe Mini, a car I’ve seen plenty of photos of over the past few months.
It was cool that the traditional Liberty Walk style of plenty of stickers on the bodywork had been strictly adhered to, remaining true to the Japanese company’s routes.
Another car I’ve seen a lot of on the internet recently is Ash’s Z20 Soarer. I love everything about this car, from the period-correct exterior styling and wheels to the lace-covered rear seats. I took a few more photos so I’ll get these posted up in the near future, too.
This MkIV Golf-fronted Passat definitely got me thinking about making some changes to my current trusty backup car, a B5.5 Estate.
Adam from StyleCase also came and checked out the day’s proceedings in his faithful Clio, although how he came to be parked among a collection of Porsches I’ll never know. I guess it was all part of the charm of the show and a great example that cars from all corners of the modifying world were welcome.
Speaking of Porsches…
I couldn’t get enough of this Mk1 Golf either, especially the impeccable wheel choice.
A top tip from the weekend: if you want to make friends quickly, bring a dog with you!
I’d like to thank Meguiars for inviting us down for a chilled morning and afternoon of brilliant cars twinned with great people and a BBQ. I appreciate that some of the cars in this feature aren’t exactly what some of you might be used to seeing on the pages of Street Track Life but, I feel that in the spirit of the Meguiars BBQ event, a true enthusiast will be able to appreciate a good car no matter what its marque, history or status.
