Check Out the Cool Cars From the Spa-Francorchamps Parking Lots
From a Ferrari F40 to a Suzuki Vitara—and a pristine Chrysler Crossfire—Spa-Francorchamps parking lots did not disappoint.
Car spotting outside the United States is great because of all the makes and models we don't get back home. Car spotting at exotic meets or races is also pretty fun because you can see all kinds of exciting, enthusiast rides. Combine the two, and you've got a pretty good recipe for some solid vehicular sightings. That was my experience this past weekend in Belgium, where I encountered some prime sheet metal throughout the vast grounds of Spa-Francorchamps.
I hopped across the pond to join the Hertz Jota Team to debut its new Porsche 963 Hypercar at the WEC 6 Hours of Spa, and learn how it's preparing for the crown jewel of the WEC season: the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, for two days and nearly 40,000 steps across the rugged terrain of the iconic race track, I witnessed some neat cars that I thought I'd share with you.
Some of them can admittedly be bought here at home in the U.S. but still look cool enough to warrant an iPhone snap, others can only be currently bought in Europe, and others can't be bought at all because they're no longer in production. Some are a mix of all of the above. From some run-of-the-mill Peugeots to cool Ferraris, flashy VW ID Buzzes, and a darn Jaguar XJ220, there was plenty of stuff to drool over. And yes, there were wagons. Lots and lots of wagons.
The Heavyweights
It's not every day that you see a Ferrari F40. It's not every day that you see a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. And you most certainly don't see a Jaguar XJ220 every day. I saw all of these at Spa and they were chilling next to each other. While these weren't exactly parked along with other, lesser, cars (they were part of a private collection) it felt fitting to feature them. I may never see them as a trio ever again, so I might as well document it.
Big Euro Boys
The first thing that crosses my mind when I see someone driving an exotic car with a big, powerful engine in Europe is, "How do they afford the gas?" So yeah, I thought that a lot over the weekend because I saw lots of Ferraris, Porsches, Lambos, and more. I didn't snap photos of all the exotic or super-luxury cars I came across, but I thought these specs were pretty neat. Kudos to the dude who drove their Dallara Stradale to the track despite the cold and rain. Also, I can't imagine it's a comfortable car to get stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Oddballs
I saw some odd cars and some old cars, and in some cases, there were odd, old cars. Some of these Porsches may not be all that odd or old, but they're still neat—and so is that diesel G-Wagen. And how about that mint Suzuki Vitara? Regardless, who I really wanna talk to is the owner of what's likely the best-kept Chrysler Crossfire in the world.
Forbidden Fruit
Grab a tissue because you might shed a tear or two. These are some of the neat cars we don't get back at home. I really dig some of the funky designs on modern Peugeot wagons, and those wheels! Also, how much fun does that Alpine A110 look? Lots. Last but not least, the mighty Toyota GR Yaris.
Leftovers
I couldn't think of a name for these, so I'll just call them leftovers. Pictured: Iveco semi-trucks for the Ferrari factory Hypercar team, two VW ID Buzzes (one cargo and one passenger), and some cool random cars parked next to each other.
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