A brief summary of the 2026 Labour Day edition of Cars ‘N’ Kopi at Dempsey Hill.
Cars ‘N’ Kopi is a largely universal get-together event for yawning drivers and yearning photographers looking for the next bucket list car. There’s obviously more to just the cars – friends and strangers alike all get together for the same passion and interests, and walk around in the blistering sun looking at everything hot and cold, old and new – by year and physical appearance.
Admittedly I have yet be so willing as to approach people and have a chat with them, but its nice when it happens. Its a welcomed improvement to four years ago attending my very first Cars ‘N’ Kopi – a time when I was even more of a shut-in and acting like a NPC – though the latter hasn’t changed.
Changed is still the roster of cars appearing, and also my white balance, which has went from bluish to orange over the years. Some fresh faces show up, both human and vehicles. There is no doubt that it keeps the event fresh rather than the same few event after event, as the mundane and unexpected may turn up sometimes.
Looking back on my photos (and directing this story based on older and worse pieces), there’s one car worth fawning over which also came from the same factory in Hethel in the UK as the moneypit I have.
Its an imported Lotus Excel SE in a nice Calypso Red. Its only when you look at the fine print do you realize how crazily rare this car is in global terms. Compared to the 4-to-5 thousand Elan M100s built, this older sibling only had just over two thousand built. The Excel name is that rare, and it looks as exotic as its rarity.
In largely original and refurbished condition with a no-expenses-spared approach, this Excel SE is absolutely superb, as was the conversation with its owner. We talked a bit about both Lotuses, where I learned that he did see and was interested in a listing for a white Elan M100. Given the approximate timing mentioned, I would assume that Elanmi would have fallen into more deserving hands in a different world, heh!
But apart from the great conversation with him and a few other friends, the meet was good and decently civilized. Cars ‘N’ Kopi for Labour Day – thumbs up.
~Efini
Gallery:
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