The holidays center around selflessness and giving, so one Phoenix-based event gave import car owners and enthusiasts a chance to give back to the community via a charitable toy drive.
The Kyusha Club – dedicated to the appreciation and preservation of European and Japanese cars from 2005 and older – has become one of the highest-attended events in the region. There is no registration process, and parking is first-come, first-served, so people appreciate the laid-back atmosphere.
The group also operates with a community-oriented mindset, and in December, attendees were invited to bring toys for a drive to benefit the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The turnout was strong, to say the very least. Below were a few specific cars that caught my eye.
1983 Toyota Cressida sedan
Positioned as Toyota’s luxury offering, this four-door sedan (also available as a five-door station wagon) came standard with a 2.8-liter inline-six mated to a four-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. In some markets, the Cressida was called the Mark II. This car set the stage for the upmarket Lexus brand that would debut in the late 1980s.
1991 BMW 325i coupe
The classic “E30” generation for BMW’s compact executive car lasted from 1984 through 1991. This clean final-year example in red was extremely well kept. Power came from an M20B25 2.5-liter inline-six that was rated at 168 horsepower and 164 lb-ft of torque. An “iX” all-wheel drive variant was offered, too.
1992 Isuzu Amigo XS 4WD
The fun-loving Amigo was a versatile SUV, known for its removable soft-top and decent off-road capability. Power came from a 2.6-liter inline-four mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The XS trim was one of the higher trim levels, and it included things like a tilt steering wheel. The Amigo nameplate was dropped in the U.S. market after model year 1995.
1992 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL
When it came to Grand Touring, the German-built SL-class was hard to beat in the 1980s and 1990s. The car went by the “R129” code name and came standard as a two-door roadster with a hydraulic roof. Power for this luxury roadster came from a 5.0-liter V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. I thought this particular white-on-blue SL was striking.
1994 Mazda RX-7
The FD-generation RX-7, built between 1993 and 1995 for North America, developed an incredibly strong enthusiast following and remains collectible. Its unique powertrain included a 1,308cc twin-turbo, twin-rotor Wankel engine. The RX-7 had a lightweight chassis and a 50/50 weight distribution, making it a competent handler. This white RX at Kyusha Club was a Japanese-market, right-hand-drive example.
1994 Toyota Supra Turbo
Another twin-turbo favorite from the mid-1990s was the fourth-generation (MKIV) Supra, which was powered by a 3.0-liter 2JZ-GTE engine. Among tuners, it’s an incredibly popular car – and finding one that hasn’t already been modified is incredibly tough.
1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R
Twin-turbochargers were the name of the game for Japanese automakers when it came to sports cars. The R33-generation GT-R featured a 2.6-liter inline-six mated to a five-speed manual transmission. One of its other noteworthy features was an ATTESA all-wheel-drive system.
1999 Honda Civic Si
The classic Honda two-door compact got a dose of performance, courtesy of a high-revving 1.6-liter “B16” inline-four that produced 160 horsepower. Despite its value-oriented underpinnings, the Civic Si was still an engaging car to drive. A quarter-century later, almost all of them have been modified, so seeing this Electron Blue Pearl one looking mostly original was a treat.
1999 Lexus LS400
The LS400 was one of Lexus’ pioneering models when the brand launched in September 1989, and for years it went head-to-head with the premier luxury cars of Germany. It was powered by a 4.0-liter V8 mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. Many of these cars are still on the road today – a testament to their exceptional build quality.
2003 Porsche 911 Turbo
Finished in eye-catching red, this sexy 911 was from the “996” generation and came with a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six “Mezger” engine. It was a performance powerhouse, offering 415 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual transmission.
The Kyusha Club event was a memorable occasion – and a strong reminder for all of us that car clubs are much more than a venue for talking about horsepower specs. They are opportunities to bring people together for a common good. Follow the group on Instagram for announcements about future program dates and locations.
