Revving engines, spotless paint jobs and high speeds. Who is the behind the wheel and what fuels the passion for the artform?
The volume of the engines takes me by surprise as they ascend the ramps of the parkade. The convoy arrives. The roar vibrates the cement below my feet, one particular rev startles me, I miss a breath.
Robert Hartley-Robinson: 20
Car: 2008 Subaru STI
Top Speed: 260 km/h
The deep blue tint blends into the blackening skyline. The deep red headlights illuminate my vision. Robert Hartley-Robinson grew up with a fascination with cars. Forever adding more toy models to his Hot Wheels collection which had already reached the hundreds.
While he admits his view sounds cheesy he feels his car is a blank canvas that allows him to delve into another non-traditional art form. “You have a platform and you can do whatever you want with it. It’s my canvas for showing my own creativity.”
“And going fast is obviously fun,” he playfully reminds me.
To date, Hartley-Robinson has spent around $35,000. It’s a number he seems to cringe at. He purchased the car for $25,000 and put $10,000 worth of upgrades into his masterpiece. His upgrades include swapping out the factory suspension for aftermarket coil overs, upgrading the clutch, aftermarket wheels, a carbon fibre hood, spoiler, front splitter for aerodynamics. A 4-point racing harness for the driver along with an aftermarket steering wheel. Finally, the car has a Pro Tune done by Vex Performance in Calgary.
Hartley-Robinson currently works as a high-performance snowboard coach. He also landscapes and multi-media jobs on his own time.
“It’s everything to me. It’s important to me because of all the time effort and money that has gone into it,” he laughs.
Hartley-Robinson's dream car: New Model Subaru STI​
“I would honestly buy a brand new version of this car a Subaru STI and put 100k into it, over any sort of Ferrari or some stupid car like that. Because if I bought a Lamborghini or something I would just be scared to drive it,” he says when it comes to rock chips and general wear and tear from the environment.
Nick Barely: 19
Car: Nissan 1990 300 ZX 2+2
Top speed: 260 km/h
The florescent lights bounce off the orange paint job. Nick Barely opens his door hesitantly, stealing a glance from his friend, a smirk escapes his lips, the stamp of approval.
Barely has been fascinated with cars since he sat his driver's license at 14. “It’s kind of like growing up,” he says. He has spent countless hours in the summer heat fixing up cars with his friend Aaron Smith.
‘It’s kind of my life. It’s my baby. I don’t have a kid obviously, I hope not at least,” he chuckles at the thought. “ I’ve put all my money into it and it’s my hobby and my passion.” Barely is a student in Automotive Service Technology at SAIT. He works at Country Hills Toyota and a Recreational Facility in Airdrie.
Barely has spent around $8,000 in total on his car. $5,000 of that went towards purchasing the car. He says he hasn’t put much into upgrades aside from general maintenance so far.
Barely’s Dream car: Koenigsegg One:1
This Swedish built mega car has a 1 to 1 power ratio. It is the first of its kind and can reach speeds up to 300km/h in just under 18 seconds.
Aaron Smith: 19
Car: 1997 Subaru Impreza STI Type R
Top Speed: 260 km/h
His car sports a bright blue colour, complementing the descending blue sky. He leans lightly against his door, both hands submerged in his jean pockets.
“There is unlimited potential with your vehicle,” Smith says. His passion began when he purchased his first car and began tinkering with different engine systems.
When asked about how much money he has put into his car, he laughs, unsure or unwilling to remind himself.
In total Smith has spent $16,000 on his masterpiece. $9,500 of that purchase the car while the remaining $6,500 was spent on upgrades including two brand new sets of wheels, new intake, new brakes, tweaked suspension, aftermarket exhaust, and a new blow off valve as part of his turbo setup.
“For some reason, I like to put a lot of money into my hobbies and this was another expensive thing I could do.”
Smith works as an alpine racing ski coach at Nakiska. He is currently upgrading at Mount Royal University as he works towards joining the Canadian Airforce as a pilot.
His hobby has become his passion “In the summer time me and Nick (Nick Barely)spent pretty much every weekend working on it and just hanging out in the garage. It’s a good thing to have a [common passion about cars] with your friends because you can spend a lot of time together just working on it and, they’re fun to drive,” he adds with a warm smile.
Smith's dream car:
“That’s a tough question,” He contemplates for a minute. After what feels like an eternity he also responds with a Koenigsegg One:1.