New York Post

ROAD SHOWOFFS

Locals rev up their fast and fabulous cars for auto expo

- By KIRSTEN FLEMING

Calling all New Yorkers with the need for speed. On Sunday, the Big Apple’s inaugural AutoCon — an automotive extravagan­za that showcases some of the most tricked out, fastest and flashiest wheels on the road — is at Pier 94.

The daylong event is hosted by automotive journalist­turned-“The Fast and the Furious” actor RJ de Vera and is expected to draw nearly 300 vehicles, as well as YouTube stars such as TJ Hunt and car-world pinup Dannie Riel. Tickets are $25 at the door. Meet some of the local speed demons who will be show

casing their coveted chariots.

Getting his kicks

As a former sergeant in the US Marine Corps, Martin Cabrera became interested in modified cars while stationed in Japan.

“I caught the ‘mod bug,’ ” Cabrera told The Post. The 39-year-old, who owns SXE Autoworx in Elizabeth, NJ, has souped up many cars in his time, but it wasn’t until 2012 when he found his diamond in the rough: a 2002 Lexus IS300 SportCross wagon. He bought the rare Lexus for $6,300 and poured $40,000 and five years into rebuilding his ride from the inside out. He turned the engine into a showpiece, converted it from an automatic to a stick and installed parts such as a carbonfibe­r hood from the Dominican Republic. Cabrera really got his kicks in the trunk, where he designed a special compartmen­t (inset) just for a pair of shoes. Initially, he put a neverworn pair of Air Jordans Retro 6 “Cigar” sneakers in the box. “They [are] the same color scheme as my car,” he said.

In the family

His family has the largest collection of Lamborghin­is in North America, so it’s no surprise that Andrew Magsino has become a collector himself.

“I became obsessed with cars when I was 5,” said the Manhattan native.

The 32-year-old is a partner in PCNY, an agency th that manages hip artists and YouTube stars, but it’s his 2017 McLaren 570S (top) that is the real piece of a art. by The artist $320,000 King Saladeen, British sports whose car is works hand-painted start at $ $60,000.

“I like to take it out in the city and drive it every d day,” he said of the splashy car, which can reach s speeds upward of 200 mph. He runs errands with his less expensive but still eye-catching 2016 BMW i8 hybrid (inset), wh which costs a mere $165,000.

He explained: “It’s wrapped in custom Bathing Ape design, which is my favorite clothing brand from when I was growing up.”

Flying high

You won’t see Manpaul Singh, 32, lining up behind you at the local Sunoco station. That’s because his 2017 Nissan GT-R Nismo can run on ethanol, so he fuels up at Newark ark Libery Airport.

“My car is 600 horsepower, but whenhen I put in ethanol, it automatica­lly goes up to 800 horsepower with the change in fuel,” Singh told The Post. And at under $3 a gallon, it’s cheaper than filling up his $188,000 car with regular gas.

“Sometimes we joke that we get more horsepower and we’re paying less,” he said of the car, that boasts a top speed of around 190 mph.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States