It’s widely believed that the NFL, NBA and NASCAR are experiencing a decline in attendance at their games and races. According to Baseball Reference.com even teams like the New York Yankees are seeing a decline in the numbers of fans attending games. Several lower-level NBA teams experienced major drops in attendance and while the NFL still has the highest total revenue, it’s losing attendance every year.

Recently Mary and I attended two different car shows that, in the past, had huge fields of cars as well as large number of attendees. One show has a high ticket price and we were accosted by scammers on the parking lot pushing an obviously fake charity, certainly not an auspicious way to start a car show experience. The other show was free but both had two major characteristics in common: A lack of cars and a lack of attendees both of which added to my lack on interest.

Yet I find it interesting that my local Cars & Coffee at The Vehicle Vault in Parker CO and the First Saturday Cars & Coffee in Colorado Springs  are full of interested spectators and lots of interesting cars. In fact. I see far more interesting cars at Cars & Coffee than I’ve seen lately at traditional car shows.

Mary believes this is because of two factors:

Car owners increasingly have rejected the “sit around all day in the sun” car shows and like the low key, show up when you want and stay as long as you like feel of Cars & Coffee. They also seem to like what seems, to both of us, the more social aspects of these events.

Those same factors, I think, appeals to spectators along with the fact that the events are free. We also see more young people at Cars & Coffee events than at traditional ”sit in the sun” car shows and I think this appeals to the social media aspects of these shows too, producing lots of tweets and Instagram posts about the show. For a great example of this, please check out Ken Nelson’s Instagram feed.

What do you think? First, do you agree that the number of attendees and well as cars exhibiting at traditional shows has gone down in recent years or is my perception limited to the shows that Mary and I attend. Second, if you have an opinion—either way—on this, let me know by clicking the Contact button above and tell me about it. I’ll compile some of the responses in a future post and the best response will win a nice prize.

If you enjoyed today’s blog post and would like to treat me to a cup of Earl Grey tea ($2.50), please click here. And if you do, thanks so much.

Mini Remastered by David Brown Automotive is the second model to be produced by the low-volume, British coachbuilder. Based on a classic Mini, it combines the iconic Sixties car’s looks with modern technology and luxury hand-finished materials.

Each car is built by hand using brand new body panels to create smooth and accurate surfaces with perfect shut lines. The exterior shape has been refined, visually softened and ‘cleaned’ by de-seaming the silhouette and welding in structural beams, with additional support struts for rigidity. Each car also undergoes a soundproofing process.

The car’s is infotainment and navigation system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a four-speaker sound system, keyless-go, USB connectivity and charging, as well as push-button start and remote central locking. The interior has sculpted seats with a hand-trimmed interior and a combination of paint, leather and fabric finishes to the dash. There’s retro Smiths dials, a Moto-Lita steering wheel, and—surprise, surprise—a cup holder.

David Brown completely rebuild each classic 1275cc engine Mini engine and power is increased by up to 50% more than the original unit. Teamed with a fully reconditioned four-speed gearbox, upgraded suspension and brakes, emphasis has been placed on reliability—not my Clubman’s bets features—and driving dynamics.

Prices are still to be announced, but you can be sure it will be expensive, even more so that whatever the highest new Mini prices are.

I’m still car-less. If you haven’t followed my exploits, you can get up to date here and then here.

If you read my first post about my current car search you know that I’m an Anglophile and my last two cars were more or less British. So on a recent snowy Sunday (car dealers in Colorado are not open on Sundays) my wife and I drove to the closest MINI dealer to take a look at the 2016 Clubman. It was just the small station wagon I’ve looking for and Mary didn’t hate it. And that’s when I ran headlong into dealer math.

Let me digress a bit: Before Mary purchased her 2006 SLK but way before Diesel-gate, she really want to own a new Beetle convertible. And why not? Beetle coupes were leasing for $199/month. But after a much too long conversation at the VW dealership, the salesman said the Convertible lease would be $420/month.

And so with MINI USA advertising MINI hardtops for $199/month, how much would a Clubman lease for? The answer turned out to be $374. I know the VW convertible was more expensive than the coupe and a Clubman costs more than a hardtop, but that much more? Apologists (and dealer salespeople) will say that’s because those $199 rates were incentive deals for specific models and they may be partially right. But I have another theory: The car you want always costs more.

If I had wanted a red MINI hardtop, the sales dude would say that lower rate was only good for a black hardtops, the red model is $374. That’s dealer math for you…

And no, I still haven’t found a replacement for my Range Rover. The search goes on.

• Date: Sunday, September 20, 2015,
• Location: Oak Park, 64th Place and Oak Street, Arvada, Colorado.
• Time: Registration (for entrants) begins at 8:00 am, Voting (by spectators) ends at 12:30 pm

A gathering of over 500 English vehicles (cars, 4WDs and motorcycles) is the largest in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States.

It was first started in 1983 as a joint effort of the many English car and motorcycle clubs in the Denver area. The Austin-Healey, Jaguar, Lotus, MG Car Club, MG T Register, Morris Minor, Rolls Royce, Sunbeam, Triumph, TVR, Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing and British Motorcycle Association clubs will all take part in the planning and promotion of this annual event.

The purpose of the Colorado English Motoring Conclave is to further the operation, preservation and owner participation of the great British marques. You’ll see a wide assortment of British marques, learn of sources for specialized services, enjoy food, fun and entertainment in the park and visit local vendor.

This is a big sprawling show so there won’t be a formal or informal PhotoWalk but please say “Hi!” to Mary and I when we see you at the show.

The Colorado English Motoring Conclave celebrated its 30th anniversary of the annual event on Saturday and Sunday, October 5 & 6, 2013, at Oak Park, 64th Place and Oak Street, Arvada, Colorado.  The gathering of over 500 English vehicles (cars, motorcycles, and 4WDs) is the largest in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. But it’s more than a car show, on Saturday the cars take to the roads with a tour and there’s a show on Sunday that I photographed in 3D. Note: You can learn more about how I made these images in a previous post and will need 3D glasses to view the images in this and my other post. You can purchase inexpensive (less than two bucks) 3D glasses here.

The Colorado English Motoring Conclave was first coordinated in 1983 as a joint effort of the many English car and motorcycle clubs in the Denver metro area. The Austin-Healey, Jaguar, Lotus, MG Car Club, MG T Register, Morris Minor, Rolls Royce, Sunbeam, Triumph, TVR, Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing and British Motorcycle Association clubs all take part in the planning and promotion of this annual event. Now 30 years down the line and The Colorado English Motoring Conclave is the largest and best-known British motoring event in the Rocky Mountains. At the car show, you will see a wide assortment of British marques, learn of sources for specialized services, enjoy food, fun and entertainment in the park, visit local vendors and take advantage of some super deals. Bring the kids and share with them the fun of classic vehicles.

If you have an English car or bike you should enter in 2014 or at least attend the car show. The purpose of the Colorado English Motoring Conclave is to further the operation, preservation and owner participation of the great British marques. The condition of your bike or car is not important! This is an event for ALL British vehicles, from beaters to everyday drivers to Concours examples.  Just look at it as a giant group therapy session.

If you enjoyed today’s blog post and would like to treat Joe to a cup of Earl Grey tea ($2.50), click here.

Along with photographer Barry Staver, Joe is co-author of Better Available Light Digital Photography with new copies are available from Amazon for $21.50 with used copies selling around five bucks. For some reason, the Kindle price varies.

While I am no longer a MINI owner, the classic Mini remains close to my heart and I hope to one day actual own one—it’s on my bucket list.

Last month a centenary exhibition was opened in the new Visitor Centre at the MINI Plant Oxford by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and Harald Krueger, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, to mark this milestone. One hundred years ago to the day, the first ‘Bullnose’ Morris Oxford was built by William Morris just a few hundred meters from where the modern MINI plant stands.

With a weekly production of just 20 vehicles in 1913, the business grew rapidly and over the century 11.65 million cars were produced, bearing 13 different British brands and one Japanese. Almost 500, 000 people have worked at the plant in the past 100 years and in the early 1960s numbers peaked at 28,000. Today, Plant Oxford employs 3,700 associates who manufacture up to 900 MINIs every day.

Over the years an array of famous cars were produced including the Morris Minor, the Mini, Top Gear’s fabled Morris Marina, the Princess, the Austin Maestro and today’s MINI Cooper. At various stages in its history, the plant also built Tiger Moth aircraft, ambulances, parachutes and iron lungs. Today, Plant Oxford is the heart of MINI production with the manufacture of the MINI Hatch, Convertible, Clubman, Clubvan, Roadster and Coupé.

 The Oxford plant has a long history of export success and generated many billions of pounds in exports revenues for the UK with Morris products accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the nation’s total exports by the mid 1930s. Plant Oxford’s export record is equally impressive today with no less than 1.7 million MINIs having been exported to over 100 countries since 2001 and the plans for the future are for further expansion.

If you enjoyed today’s blog post and would like to treat me to a cup of Earl Grey tea ($2.50,) please click here. And if you do, thanks so much.