September 22nd, 2023 will be remembered as the day that the organizers of The Bridge made the impossible possible, made a miracle happen, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat…I think you get what I’m trying to say.
Under the threat of severe weather due to tropical storm Ophelia, the team at The Bridge made the difficult decision to cancel Saturday’s main event. Within hours, the team mobilized all their assets to turn what was supposed to be Friday’s Collectors Reception, into a wonderfully executed event that will prove to be one of the most memorable editions of The Bridge for years to come.
I’ll start by saying that I’ve known about The Bridge for years. I’ve seen the posts on Instagram, the stories, the videos, everything, but none of that ever conveyed just how big the event truly is.
As I walked through the lawn for the first time, there were cars as far as the eye could see. As a seasoned automotive photojournalist who has covered Pebble, Quail, Amelia, Cavallino and other major shows, let me tell you that the curation of cars and location of this show is astonishing.
Below are a few of my favorite shots from this year’s show. I tend to focus on cars that move me, so if classic sports cars and new exotics are your thing, you will enjoy this gallery.
One of the coolest areas of the event is the “Porsche side”, with an amalgamation of cars ranging from a 912 and Safari examples, all the way to the newest offerings from Stuttgart. Even a Gemballa Extremo Biturbo was on the lawn.
If you are a Porsche connoisseur, you will enjoy the series of images below. I have to say that the Safari cars are some of my favorites, and some of the most fun cars to drive. Nevertheless, the various years of Porsche cars represented here were a delight to observe. Where else would you see a Singer DLS Turbo next to an immaculate 356 Spyder?
As has been the case every year, The Bridge hosts a number of small manufacturers that are making waves and breakthroughs in technology and design. This year, two manufacturers stood out to me, Czinger and Eccentrica. I won’t go into detail as to why these two manufacturers are leading the way in their respective fields, but what I will say is that they both bring a novel approach to building the next generation of hypercars.
Czinger 21C V MAX:
Eccentrica Restomod Diablo:
Whether you are a fan of these two cars or not, there is no denying that the automotive world will change in the next decade, and the landscape for The Bridge XVII may look wildly different than it does today. Whether the world moves toward the electric or hybrid route, there is no denying that the sounds and smells of the combustion engine have left indelible memories on us “car folks”.
Speaking of memories, the gallery below contains cars that I used to dream of when I was a child. Even to this day, the emotion I feel every time I see these works of art brings me great joy and makes me feel like a kid all over again. I can only hope that my soon-to-be-born daughter will catch the same bug for cars as I did when I was a child. Will I buy her Hot Wheels over Barbies?…time will tell!
Before I sign off, I would like to extend a BIG thank you to Shamin Abas for her personal invitation to attend The Bridge VII, and of course to the entire team for their warm hospitality. You guys saved the day and produced an amazing event under very challenging circumstances! You deserve all the recognition in the world on a job well done. BRAVO!
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