Dreams Come True At The 2015 Washington Automotive Press Association (WAPA) Rally

Dreams do come true. If you believe otherwise you might want to stop reading. If I could build my dream day it might look something like this: wake up, drink a large cup of delicious coffee, step outside, and every car I’ve been wanting to drive is parked in a garage waiting for me. I might even have a full race course at my disposal. These are dreams, right?

On October 22, 2015, my dream came true: I woke up, had a delicious cup of coffee and was able to drive every car that I could ever imagine.  Once a year the Washington Automotive Press Association (WAPA) puts on an event with automobile manufacturers to give thanks to all the hard work that they do over the year, and to provide journalists like me with a bunch of cars to review all in the same day.  This years event was a blow-out, over 40 different cars and 100 plus attendeesyou can imagine, this is an event that people want to attend.  The WAPA Rally has made all my boyhood dreams come true.  Don’t judge my dreams.  The event, located in a beautiful park in Rockville, Maryland, was perfectly executed by the WAPA team. The logistics of getting 40 different cars and more than 100 people together is enough to make your head hurt, please pause for a round of applause.

amg gts
2015 Mercedes AMG GTS

While the morning started off with an introduction from WAPA President Les Jackson, the focus quickly transitioned to a quick run through of safety logistics by Phil Van der Vossen, Rally Director.  Shockingly, some journalists decided to ignore these statements, local police were called to the scene within an hour, apparently the Jaguar F-Type pipe’s were loud enough to send the housewives of Rockville into a frenzy.  By 9:45 in the morning, the meeting was adjourned and everyone scrambled out the building to get first dibs on this heavenly selection of automobiles.

ftype
2016 Jaguar F-Type
wrx
2016 Subaru WRX

It was a frenzy to get to the Jaguar F-Type and Mercedes AMG GTS, cars that enthusiasts have posters of, and most people cannot afford. As a total rookie to the event, and not much knowledge of how the best way to tackle this many cars, I took the route less traveled. I wanted to drive cars that most people can afford and that peaked my interest.

I drove twelve different cars in a single day. This is the life!  A highlight of the day was the 2016 Volkswagen Golf R, 300 horsepower, all-wheel-drive, 0-60 in less than five seconds. Wow!   The two cars that surprised me the most were the 2016 Subaru WRX with the continuously variable transmission and the 2016 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker. Both cars earned a spot in my dream garage and will be featured in future RFD content.

meandsrt
2015 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker

When asked what to name my favorite car of the day, I didn’t hesitate to say the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata as I have a serious crush on that seductive roadster.  I haven’t quite mustered up the courage to figure out how I can convince my girlfriend that there’s room in the driveway for another love of mine.

I wanted to thank all the people who made the 2015 WAPA Rally a success and a huge thanks to all the manufacturer representatives for bringing all these amazing cars to the event.  I couldn’t have made the day better, if I had dreamt it myself.

 

miata
2016 Mazda Mx-5 Miata

A list of the automobiles at the event:

  • ACURA ILX
  • AUDI TT
  • CADILLAC CTS-V
  • CHEVROLET CORVETTE
  • CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • CHRYSLER 200S
  • DODGE CHALLENGER
  • FIAT 500X
  • FORD MUSTANG GT
  • FORD ESCAPE
  • FORD EXPLORER
  • GMC CANYON DIESEL
  • HONDA CIVIC
  • HONDA ACCORD
  • HYUNDAI TUCSON
  • HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID
  • INFINITI QX50
  • INFINITI QX80
  • JAGUAR F-TYPE CONVERTIBLE
  • JAGUAR F-TYPE COUPE
  • JEEP RENEGADE
  • KIA OPTIMA
  • LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT
  • LEXUS RC F
  • LEXUS RX 350 F-SPORT
  • MAZDA CX-3
  • MAZDA MX-5
  • MERCEDES-AMG GT S
  • MERCEDES-MAYBACH S600
  • MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER
  • NISSAN MAXIMA
  • NISSAN MURANO
  • RANGE ROVER SPORT SVR
  • RAM REBEL
  • SCION IA
  • SCION IM
  • SUBARU BRZ
  • SUBARU WRX
  • TOYOTA TACOMA
  • VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R
  • VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
  • VOLVO S60
  • VOLVO V60
  • VOLVO XC90

 

 

 

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