How Car Culture Grew to Become a Global Lifestyle

Alright, let’s talk about the growth of car culture. Man, where do I even start? Born in the early 90s, right when the E30 M3 was the king of the road. That boxy (red obviously) beast was my childhood dream car, well, at least until they released the E39 M5 a couple of years later. Anyway from that moment on, BMW wasn’t just a car brand; it was an obsession, and a goal for me when growing up.

Still, even as a bimmer fan, I liked other awesome cars from that time such as the legendary Mercedes 190E Evo II, the Yakuza famous W140, and let’s not forget the Supra – that twin-turbo inline-six was the stuff of legends, oh and the R34 GTR… and the RX-7, and so many that I can’t write them all here or else this article will never end.

The point is that in the 90s the Japanese and German engineering teams were going head-to-head, and we car nuts were the real winners.

The NFS Effect

Speaking of winning, anyone remember Need for Speed: Most Wanted? That game changed everything for me.

The E46 M3 GTR with its distinctive howl… I must’ve spent hundreds of hours virtually driving that car. It’s funny how a video game can shape your real-life passions, but that’s exactly what happened to a whole generation of us.

Even though only 3 M3 GTRs are available today (all 3 of them owned by BMW AG), fans have built their own replicas and customized regular E46s to a GTR-looking “spec”, some even went with the full color scheme from NFS. I gotta say, I’m still inclined to do this myself one day. But we’ll see.

The Legendary Trio

I cant really write an article about car culture without mention the 3 blokes from the UK that shaped our youth with their shenanigans and adventures all over the world. Yup, I’m talking about Top Gear. The UK one, the REAL one.

The banter between Clarkson, Hammond, and May combined with their choice of cars, road trips and review style created something unseen on television before.

It’s no wonder then that the show had many international variations in countries such as:

• United States
• China
• Australia
• France
• Italy
• South Korea
• Russia

This helped grow the car scene even more, with people all over the world now consuming a this content like cupcakes.

To the three blokes who now quit after 20 years of doing this: I thank you for your amazing content chaps, you have inspired generations of motor journalists and fueled the passion for cars even more.

First Love, First Ride

When I finally saved up enough to buy my first car, there was no question – it had to be a BMW 3 Series. Was it an M3? Well, of course not, I wasn’t made of money.

But a BMW with rear-wheel drive? Pure joy. Ok sometimes it made funny noises, but yeah if you throw enough money and sweat at it, in the end, it’s worth it. I think.

The Ring: Where Legends Are Made

These days, it seems like every car enthusiast’s bucket list has one item in bold: Lap the Nürburgring. It’s not just a track; it’s the ultimate proving ground. Manufacturers use it to test their latest sports cars, and weekend warriors fly from all over the world just to turn a lap.

I remember my first time watching onboard footage of a lap around the ‘Ring. The Carousel, Flugplatz, Brünnchen – these corners are something else. One day, I’ll have to go and try it out for real. Until then, I’ll keep watching Misha Charoudin scaring newbies in their cars. Fantastik.

Cars & Coffee: The New Car Culture Meetup

Remember when car meets used to be shady affairs in empty parking lots? Now we’ve got Cars & Coffee. It’s like the car community grew up, got a job, and developed a caffeine addiction.

You’ve can find everything there, from clapped-out project cars to the latest hypercars, all parked next to each other. Where else can you see a ratty E30 parked next to a Bugatti Chiron? The best part? Everyone’s just there to geek out over cars. No racing, no burnouts (well, mostly), just pure automotive appreciation.

It’s not that spread out in too many countries, but I’m sure many local car guys have their own spots and places to hang out, even if it’s not really over coffee.

The Social Media Shift

Instagram and YouTube have revolutionized car culture. Now, you can follow builds from all over the world in real-time. I’ve learned more about wrenching from YouTube tutorials than I ever did from factory service manuals.

And let’s talk about car photography. Remember when we used to struggle with point-and-shoot cameras at car shows? Now everyone’s a pro photographer with their smartphones. The “I know a good spot” for car photos has become a universal language among car enthusiasts.

Oh and not to mention all the awesome channels doing Top Gear style content (I know I know, but look, everyone is comparing any road trip video or car challenge to the OG Top Gear show, so yeah).

Track Days: The New Sunday Drive

Track days have exploded in popularity. It’s not just for hardcore racers anymore. More and more people are taking their daily drivers to the track.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a country or city close to one, of course. In my country there are very few and far between so it’s not that widespread here. But you guys from other places are spoilt when it comes to tracks. So go out there and enjoy it, and have fun… until a Miata blows past you leaving you in the dust, but even so, you had fun so it doesn’t matter right?

The Future: Electric Boogaloo?

Now we’re in the age of electric cars, and honestly? I don’t know what to think about it, I mean for starters we don’t have the infrastructure, and secondly, the cars are just well… a bit lame and not built properly.

Ok, sure, some electric cars can be exciting, especially with the instant torque of an electric motor.

Tesla’s Plaid mode, Porsche’s Taycan, even electric conversions of classic cars – the performance is mind-blowing. And don’t get me started on the Rimac Nevera.

But not many people will be able to afford those, and if you want to have some fun then yeah you will have to spend a ton to get some excitement out of it. When in the past you could just as well enjoy driving even a more entry-level car, especially if it had rear-wheel drive.

All I know is that we’re not quite there yet, I don’t want to wait 20-30 minutes to charge on a 1000km trip (dunno how much that is in miles, sorry ‘Merica).

Also it seems that some manufacturers have stopped focusing on full electric for now, I know Toyota’s CEO is against an electric future for cars, and there has been some push-back from Porsche focusing on synthetic fuels, to keep the spark alive (pun intended).

Ah, and Aston Martin just released info of their latest Vanquish model with… a newly engineered V12 engine, producing no less than 835 HP and 1,000 NM torque. Thank you Aston Martin, from all of us car nerds.

Wrapping Up

Car culture has come a long way since I fell in love with that E30 M3. From video games to real-world road trips, meetups and all the new digital content focused on cars, the way we experience and share our passion has evolved.

But the core of it all – the passion for machines that do more than just take us from A to B – that hasn’t changed a bit.

Whether you’re into classic German engineering, high-revving Japanese imports, American muscle, or the latest electric hypercars, there’s never been a better time to be a car enthusiast. The community is more accessible than ever, the technology is mind-blowing, and the future? Well, I guess we’ll see, but I think there’s still hope.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a date with my BMW.