SSVI GT-R Exclusive | 4.1 Cars & Cafe

[Tekknikal]

Written by Duttyman.

Minutes after 7, Saturday morning...

If you are familiar with Orlando Florida, you know that in the summer time it rains just about everyday. No, let me expand on that, it thunderstorms. Think: A baby hurricane with God of War style lightning and enough water to make a Jeep owner rethink the definition of off road. After the baby hurricanes beat up on us all summer, they go away and return a few months later as adult Hurricanes. Now imagine you have an adult Hurricane bearing down on you. Let's call it Hannah. You just bought a car that you desperately want to keep clean and safe. Now imagine that car is a brand, spanking, fresh off the lot, no more than 2000 miles on the O-meter Nissan GT-R. Can we say thank God for sunshine!



At this juncture I have to resonate a sentiment that is already common consensus across the web. Pictures simply cannot translate the presence of this car. A camera, lens and flash simply have not been invented to help the human mind make the mental leap. It's as if the machine's morning face is multitudes better than most Playboy centerfolds after the Photoshop and airbrush adjustments have been made. Yes, that good.

So also when I say an early morning wash did her body good, you all should know that I am understating. It is also important to know that the GT-R in this story is black on black, a color combination that is best observed under the more gentle early morning sun light especially if you want to really see what the Engineers accomplished. Every line is functional. The lines dip, bend and slash at sharp angles giving the car a Transformish element. You almost half expect it to jump up and unfold into a ten foot robot.



However, despite my suspicions, the GT-R is really a car. A very special car. As a passenger, you feel a sense of respect, an obligation to pay attention. I don't know, maybe in my case I was waiting for the safety briefing. I'll put it this way. In my Lexus when you do not put on the seat belt, she beeps until you comply. In the GT-R, starting the engine acts as a subliminal prompt. Your hands just slide upward and pull the belt across your body. It just plain makes sense. I watched as Tekk programmed the onboard computer with the ease of logging onto an email account. It all took minutes. At this point, Aimee, our electronic, sweet voiced guide handled the small details like how to get to our final destination, Sanford Florida. My neighbor was outside bustling in preparation to cut his already immaculate lawn. I usually envy the cat because I hate cutting grass like little kids hate Broccoli. But not on that morning. I was on a whole other level of cool. I was strapped to an ice cold black on black torpedo. My neighbor, who is well into his forties, froze as we rolled by. I felt sorry for him because the look on his face and the Minivan in his driveway told the sad tale of his defeat in the family transportation wars. I chuckled and chucked him a deuce. It was the least I could do. I looked at Tekk and asked, did you see that? See what? He replied clearly focused on something else. I can see why. The GT-R is a lot of car. She ain't one of those anorexic types. She has meat on her bones. One of the designers also has to be an aviation fan. In the cabin, the seats feel fighterish, you can hear her doing her work, the turbos sing, the tranny clicks, and somehow it all blends beautifully with the Ipod pounding across the diesel BOSE system. Awesome! We emerged from the maze that is my neighborhood a little after eight a.m. The GT-R snorted, seemingly grateful to shake the 35mph limitations. We pull up to a traffic light and the surrounding machines are filled with slacked jawed expressions. A kid in the car on the right rolled down his window and pumped his fist hard. That happened a lot. Tekknikal is still concentrating; falling behind this thing will be bad for both of us he assures me. That makes sense I think. We make the left onto Highway 50 and Tekk takes advantage of the early morning traffic. He abuses the left lane with the beefy run flats. The funny thing is, I only know that we were hauling tail because the environment outside my window looked like God took his massive thumb and smudged the world. Inside, the ride felt like an aircraft in cruise, steady and surprisingly quiet. I think we passed some other cars but I can't confirm that. The 417 ramp was ahead. Did I mention at this point, the last time I was able to sit forward was when Aimee said turn left onto main road Highway 50.

So massive we merge onto Toll Road 417. 417 is not Highway 50. By that I mean, 50 is a two lane road with traffic lights every four or so miles. 417 on the other hand is one of those mega wide three lane toll roads that stretches flat and long for miles. Trust me, if we did not have a windshield, I would never have to pay for a haircut again. Fast, quick, incredible. All wrong. I am working on the appropriate adjective and when I invent it, I will post it. Tekk had been driving the car for a while before he stopped by my crib in Orlando so he probably had more of an acclamation. But I was beyond impressed. Not to mention, it was the first morning of sunshine since Hannah decided to move onto another land mass. The sunshine let us see the road ahead and the other predators lurking on the early morning streets. A Lotus Exige was on the prowl. Tekk saw it first. You don't see those on the road he said. We laughed, a GT-R and an Exige headed in the same direction together! How convenient. Somebody should take a picture I said. The cat was probably like us, driving off the oppression of a Hurricane. We made our way North, following one of Lotus' masterwork in high cruise. In such situations people in Florida just move out the way and we were grateful. So what do we have here: A bright Orange and Black Exige followed by a new GT-R Nice! Many would call that a music video. So what do you call a GT-R, 2 Lotus and a fully modified BMW 3 series? I swear, that is what happened! About halfway to our destination another Lotus and a highly modified Beamer joined the formation. We are definitely on the right track! Tekknikal said and smiled. He was referring to our final destination. So lets recap. A GT-R, 2 of Lotus' finest and an ill slice of BMW are punishing one of Florida's longest roads. Is there is better recipe? Well yes. See there are limits on motoring prowess in Florida with only a few exceptions. One of those exceptions is the bridge on 417. No median, no enforcement, no limits. We smiled. Tekk had two miles to do his thing and he did not waste time. I heard him click the left paddle once then two more times, the GT-R immediately dropped down into 4th gear...

What a transmission! Tekk calls it, nothing short of a mechanical masterpiece. It's so good its excellence cannot be overstated. Comparable even to the box found in Ferrari's Scuderia! Not only does it shift insanely fast, it also never interrupts the torque delivery. This means that when you floor it in automatic mode, you're acceleration is uninterrupted while it downshifts for you or while you upshift. Tekk says the only down side stems from the fuel economy . He says, by default, in automatic mode, the transmission is programmed to save fuel. Me, I'm still a fan of rowing the gears myself. That's where the paddles come in. Each paddle is massive, and the trigger sensitivity is good, so there can be no accidental shifts or mis-shifts. The trigger travel is good as well. It doesn't feel like a long throw. It's easy to pull the left one three times VERY quickly and stay on top of things, says Tekknikal.

I have done this bridge many times but to watch Tekk and the GT-R, the Lotus crew and the BMW was a whole other thing. Pushing through the bridge at speeds on the far side of legal, we emerged in Sanford, a few miles from our final destination. Like most of Orlando at eight thirty five on a Saturday morning, the luxurious streets of Lake Mary/ Sanford were relatively empty and the latter Lotus seized the opportunity to go wide open. You could hear its engine screaming at the sleeping residents. Tekk followed. The GT-R fought to stay away from the Canary yellow machine's hind quarters.

The destination matched our traveling partners. Swanky and edgy is what I would call it. We followed the Lotus through a series of modern, elegant store fronts and restaurants. It all ended in one large parking lot which already had some fine company. A Carrera GT and a hood raised Ford GT to be specific. We were definitely in the right place. Now all we had to do was deal with the pesky humans, I thought. We had arrived at Cars & Cafe Orlando.



According to Tekknikal, Cars & Coffee started in the west- California and Vegas. Early on Saturday mornings, before everyone started their busy days, all the enthusiasts would meet up to show off their rides, chat, enjoy some coffee, and just have a good time. Against a sea of generic motoring, it was a place where those whose blood moved at the sound of a high strung Japanese motor, or rumbling Detroit muscle, could go to meet others like them, and to be in a place where they belonged. It also offered a chance for people to meet others they wouldn't have otherwise met.

Although you can typically find high line cars at C&C meets, that's not what it's really about. C&C is about bringing enthusiasts together, and sharing a common love for all things motoring. It's a truly great environment to be in for anyone who's into cars.

Cars & Coffee, or Cars & Cafe Orlando, is put on once a month by a Puerto Rican playa who simply goes by the handle, Ricky. When we rolled up, a tall fella in a ball cap, black under armor shirt, basketball shorts and a pair of worn sneaks casually stepped in and greeted Tekk. Nice to meet you in person he said to Tekknikal. I surmise that they know each other from one of Tekk's many online endeavors. He then backed away and guided Tekk backwards into a parking sport next to the crispy, blood red Porsche Carrera GT. It was an honor.

The machine belongs to the casually dressed good guy. Ricky is one of the most down to earth Carrera GT owners you will ever meet. Welcome to death row (front row) Ricky said and smiled. Maybe the humans won't spoil this thing after all. We would also later find out that Ricky has ties to STX through marriage. Needless to say, he has mad stripes with us.

Tekk was barely stopped before the crowd began to gravitate toward the thoroughbred. It is really a weird thing to witness. People were like forget the Ford GT, I want to see that new Nissan thing! This guy rolled up on me and asked how I like it. I told him the ride was awesome but I was just a passenger. That did not seem to matter. In his mind I was just that much closer to the ultimate. Person after person. People would jump out of a kitted Porsche, slam the door and head straight for the GT-R. The reactions were all positive, even from some who admitted they weren't fans of black cars. When a Nissan can join this company and draw attention, you know they've done it right. Tekk whispered between camera snaps. On a stylistic basis alone, Nissan did it right, he continued. The machine under the metal was no secret either, and we chatted with several of the people, answering their questions on what it was like behind the wheel, what they happened to be driving, and what we thought of various cars.

As the morning progressed, more cars rolled in and took positions in accordance with make and model. It didn't take long before one dozen became two, then three.



Porsches were being directed to their row, BMWs to theirs, the Lotus to theirs and so on.












Death row, the flagship row also kept it popping. A Ferrari F430 pulled up. It's Italian motor leaking sex across the concrete.



In the passenger side sat a female occupant who completed the Italian cliché. Tekk paused and pointed his expert photographer's lens on the other dream machine. Click, click, click, his finger never stopped. Kareem, Ricky's detailer and all round home boy directed the Ferrari next to the GT-R. Wow!

Then, to everyone's surprise, another GT-R showed up, also dressed in black.



Do you know him Ricky asked Tekk. Nah. Turns out they did know each other from online interaction. The owner had been in town from Tampa to take the family to Disney world. He heard about the meet so he decided to show up. I listened as he and Tekknikal discussed their machines. Within a few minutes, it was obvious to see why the GT-R community is so tight.



But one cannot marginalize the Hot Imports ether. The Supras and Evos were collected together.



Somebody said one of the Supras was making 900 plus horses. Insane! At the far end of death row, Shelbys completed the stack. While the RX8 club of Orlando held down the rear in a major way. The sheer diversity alone speaks volumes about the type of people Ricky and his affiliates are. They were everywhere and interested in everything. These guys are true car enthusiasts.



Yes Hannah was gone and the sun was back. For three hours it blazed. But the rain was not satisfied to see us mingling, united and happy over something as simple as metal and gas. In short, the rain hated on us playas. Crack crack, the bonding had concluded. Tekk squeezed off another epic shot of his GT-R, the one from Tampa and a legendary R32 Skyline.



The Ferrari zipped out. The Cobras dipped and most of the imports and Lotus machines followed. I ducked into the GT-R and watched as Tekk, Ricky, Kareem and few others huddled under a flimsy looking tent.



I leaned back on the black leather and reflected on the morning. All that hotness in one place. Shoot, they even managed to raffle off a five hundred dollar watch. That would have been enough for me but Ricky and crew decided that it would take a whole lot more than some rain to player hate them out of playing on a Saturday...

To be continued...

[StreetRX7]

WOW sick rides... lol..

Will put my 2c in when I get back from doing some erons... lol..

[twincityfinest]

bad azz write up!!!!! thats how it's supposed to be, different cars all coming one place and just showing love to one anutha! Big up to dutty for the write-up!

[Duttyman]

Thanks dread and be sure to check out the second half. It gets better

[DomesticChiney]

Wow....... Incredible read, and incredible rides!

[StreetRX7]

Yeh dutty thats thread was wicked dutty... STX stand up (THATS Tekk saying) lol...nice to see you put STX out there ..

Alot of nice cars crazy...Imagine driven down the road an all of a sudden not 1 but 2 lotus an BMW with work alone side you ... Oh an that GT-R... wicked me boy..

[StreetRX7]

How could I FORGET damn ME.. NUFF respect to the ROTARYS representing BIG Time.. ONE LOVE... lol..

[mr.cat]

sweet looking ride