After meeting with three local NSXers just a few blocks away, we arrive together at the so-called 'exotic car gathering'. Though only a few exotics catch my eye upon arriving, I am immediately overwhelmed by the sheer size and scope of the event. Sports cars of all makes and models are well represented, like models often parked together (as our group chose to do in the above picture). I feel as though I have stepped into the car selection screen of Gran Turismo.

Though we Westside/South Bay NSXers have breakfast plans following the gathering, a pair of NSXs belonging to owners we have not previously met sit among the many cars participating in the spirited drive. As my wife and I walk around capturing the event on film and video, a seemingly endless stream of cars pours into the lot. Unfortunately, the infamous SoCal marine layer remains overhead throughout the morning.

Three of Japan's finest sports cars gather side-by-side before going on the drive. Though the R33 Nissan Skyline GT-R cannot compete with the NSX's visual beauty, GT-R's have been known to outperform NSXs on the track. Though hardly an exotic, the Skyline is even more rare than the NSX in North America...because Nissan has yet to officially ship a left-hand drive model to our continent (all GT-R's at this event are right-hand drive imports purchased through Torrance-based MotoRex).

NSX's younger brother and an older R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R get ready for the drive. Though Nissan has considerably refined the GT-R's design over the past decade, even the most recent model (R34) fails to excite me. I'd much rather have a small sporty roadster like Honda's S2000 than a high-performance sedan-ish coupe.

Speaking of roadsters, Lexus' recently introduced SC430 is even uglier in person. Few car designs get under my skin more than recent models introduced by Toyota, most notably the current Celica and this pictured four-seat Lexus convertible. Why can't every car look as good as the NSX and S2000?

Though BMW's Z8 looks far too retro (and costs way too much) to truly excite me, I can't deny that I find this roadster somewhat appealing. Of course, I am a bit disappointed to learn that not all Z8s feature factory installed rocket launchers (as depicted in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough).

Something old and something older? With a classic car show being staged upon the parking lot of the adjacent Santa Monica Museum of Flying, attendees of our gathering are treated to an unexpected parade of classic and even vintage vehicles. I am fortunate to be at the right spot to capture the arrival of a mid-1920's Ford Model T Roadster as it passes behind a mid-1950's Porsche 550 Spyder.

From dainty speedsters to hulking American muscle, a wide range of convertible sports cars are well represented at the meet. This Dodge Viper, the first I've ever seen with its soft-top up, pulls in ahead of an Acura Integra. Though this monstrous snake is powered by an impressively powerful engine, I'd never consider owning one.

A pair of snakes: a Shelby Cobra 427 (I have no idea if this is a genuine model or a replica) and a Dodge Viper (the one from the previous photo).

Another of the three or four Vipers present at the meet.

Vettes...not a fan. A prime example of mainstream American muscle, Chevy's sportscar often upstages the NSX due to its unbeatable price-performance ratio...but the Corvette lacks the NSX's build quality, fit and finish, reliability, and exotic lines. Supposedly recent Vettes have improved dramatically and the new Z06 model is quite a beast, but I just don't care.

Many BMW sedans and coupes (including M3s) congregate before the drive. A brand new 2002 Acura RSX Type S (the Integra's replacement) squeezes into the foreground, a design that I still haven't warmed up to. I hope that the next-generation NSX adopts nothing from this coupe's design...not the Acura family grill, not the creased hood, and especially not those damned headlights.

A few fine examples of rotary engine technology. Though Mazda no longer sells the RX7, a replacement is on the way for model year 2003. Unfortunately, Mazda succumbed to the same disease that has plagued new models from Toyota, Acura, and Nissan...the RX8 is an ugly mutation of the marquee sports car that preceeds it.

Japanese and German sports cars and sedans significantly outnumber the American muscle. The silver 550 Maranello (in the middle of the shot) is the only Ferrari at the event.

Without question, the lone Ferrari is the most expensive car on display. Painted in a stunning shade of silver, this 550 Maranello is, by far, the most beautiful exotic in attendance (aside from the NSXs, of course). Though I would probably regret owning a Ferrari in a color other than red, I could seriously see myself in one of these sleak silver beauties...if only I could afford one!

Toyota's Turbo Supra is the Japanese equivalent of an American muscle car...a lot of power packed into an affordable but not so elegant package. Supras sporting a wide variety of body kits and other mods appear throughout the gathering.

(photo by Valerie Iwasaki)

(photo by Valerie Iwasaki)

(photo by Valerie Iwasaki)

(photo by Valerie Iwasaki)

(photo by Valerie Iwasaki)

(photo by Valerie Iwasaki)