Special Feature
Life in the fast lane
It felt like I was in a microcosm of the parking garage scene from "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" when I pulled into a parking spot behind a row of Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, Subaru Impreza WRX STIs and Lexus ISs, all with carbon fiber wings and rising sun decals. In that moment, it was unmistakable that I was at Hot Import Nights.
HIN is a showcase of import sport compact cars, largely Japanese imports; affectionately branded as JDM, an acronym for Japanese domestic market, by enthusiasts. It's common for a handful of European imports to be on display at these events as well. HIN tours nationwide year-round, making stops in metropolitan cities, and on April 4, it rolled into San Mateo, literally.
I heard that over 500 cars were unloaded onto the grounds of the San Mateo County Event Center for HIN. Given the number, I didn't think that each car could be unique but in fact, many were one-of-a-kinds at the show.
For example, I spotted one Ferrari F430, one Nissan GT-R, one car in my favorite color (a pink Evo), one of my favorite forms of kitsch (a small plush toy affixed to the tow hook of a Nissan 240SX), a Honda S2000 with Hello Kitty decals, and a Subie with pink wheels. Am I a girl or what?
I guess with all of the variables, like engine tuning for improved performance, after-market body kits for better aerodynamics and custom paint jobs to personalize a car, I should have expected that amount of originality. And, another surprise! The automobile aficionados in attendance were as diverse as the cars.
I dislike generalizing, but for lack of better definitions and for the sake of making a point, I overheard a boy from "the skater culture" ask his friend, "Remember the LED kit I got?" and saw men from "the hip-hop culture" excitedly cheer on the drivers in the drift pit. I'll explain what that is in a bit.
Anyway, despite coming from different backgrounds, everyone seemed to appreciate the import car culture and embrace its lifestyle. I love it when a common interest unites people from all walks of life, especially when it's tastefully-tweaked cars.
But the show isn't just about motors. It's about models, music and movements too. People often use the phrase, "There's something for everyone," and at HIN, it couldn't be more true.
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