Highline Autos Cars & Coffee brings serious horsepower to High Street

On the first Saturday morning of every month, High Street sounds a little different.

Engines roll in early. Hoods go up. People gather around cars they may have only seen online, in magazines or, in some cases, not at all.

Highline Autos Cars & Coffee returns Nov. 7, from 7:30 to 10 a.m., bringing more than 400 vehicles and thousands of spectators of all ages to the north Phoenix shopping district.

“The atmosphere is electric,” said Brian Graff, founder and CEO of Highline Autos. “It is a cross between a car show and a lifestyle event.”

That mix is part of what keeps the crowd coming back. One month might bring vintage classics and rare Japanese imports. Another could include multimillion-dollar hypercars, luxury models or something completely unexpected.

“The display cars range from multimillion-dollar hypercars to a 1930 Ford Model A,” Graff said.

Over the years, Cars & Coffee has welcomed plenty of memorable vehicles, including the Batmobile and a Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione that won its class at the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans. Then there was the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. The Wienermobile team happened to be in town one summer and called Highline Autos to ask if it could stop by.

“Kids loved seeing the Wienermobile, and they would even let people go inside and check it out,” Graff said.

A Gordon Murray T.50 has become another crowd favorite. Graff said the locally owned hypercar regularly makes the drive from Cave Creek to High Street.

Examples of the limited-production T.50 have traded for more than $8 million on the secondary market, making a close-up look something most car fans do not get every day.

Cars are not always the only machines on display, either. Previous events have featured helicopters and boats.

“There are always new cars and sponsors at each show,” Graff said. “There is always something new to see, which keeps people coming back every month.”

Highline Autos has been part of the automotive world for 21 years, and Graff said the company had years of event experience before establishing the monthly High Street gathering. The show now runs year-round, even through the hottest Arizona mornings.

“We hold the Cars & Coffee at High Street on the first Saturday of each month all year round, and even on summer mornings when it is 100-plus degrees out, the show is packed,” he said.

Graff sees Arizona itself as part of the reason the event works. Without snow, ice and winter road salt, collector cars can be driven throughout the year. The dry climate is easier on vehicles, and the Valley has built a wider car culture around that advantage.

Major collector-car auctions such as Barrett-Jackson draw enthusiasts from around the country, while large home garages, specialty storage facilities and car condominium developments give collectors room to keep what they buy.

Still, Graff said the monthly gathering is about more than what is parked in the lot.

“Both the spectators and the show car owners get to know each other,” he said. “They share a common bond over the cars, which brings together all kinds of people who might not otherwise connect outside of the show.”

For some, that means finally seeing a dream car in person. For others, it is a chance to talk shop with people who understand exactly why a certain engine, body style or badge matters.

Then, a month later, they do it all again.

Highline Autos Cars & Coffee takes place at High Street, 5415 E. High St., in Phoenix.

Visit Highline-Autos.com.