Think of a task. Think of a system. Think of a method. Think of any one thing. Intelligence is perhaps our most powerful characteristic as human beings, and there are always new ways being introduced to achieve the same end product. Candles have turned to portable lighters. ‘Three stones and a pot’ became what we know as stoves. Hand written letters have almost entirely been eradicated by electronic communication systems, and the list can go on.
Now, think automotive. Take a moment to ponder on the variety of vehicles on offer these days. Surely, the average car enthusiast must know what he prefers in a vehicle. It’s almost rare that he wouldn’t! In that same light though, many in this culture tend to cling to certain vehicles and disregard many others. Do I dare say how detrimental that is? It creates unnecessary tension in our small community. There’s no shame in proudly declaring an affinity towards one make or model but the way in which this is done is crucial.
Enter Kendal Joseph. At 22 years old he’s quite literally “living the dream”, having gone through two sports-oriented vehicles and now being on his third. He is the personification of hard work and optimism, not willing to stick with any one thing and working his way into positions to attain others. It’s with great caution though, that I mention what these cars are because of their local reputation.
He’ll tell you himself, he just loves cars. He won’t claim to be a technical genius but the man knows what he wants. I imagine, saving money to buy himself an AE111 Toyota Levin BZ-G at 18 years old must have been quite the experience. Still, he did not let that add any unneeded sentimental value to the car. He did, however, drive that car with such enjoyment and had a fair bit of money invested into it with items such as an upgraded clutch and all new suspension parts. But when it was time to move on, he did. It was a good start though!
Onto another set of wheels with somewhat of a tarnished reputation he went, and this time the task was much harder. Buying a Toyota Altezza as a second car is one thing, but buying one which needed to be rebuilt down to the wiring is another thing altogether. He persevered and took his time. He let the income bless his wallet and he approached the task at hand with the kind of patience I can’t see myself having. Again, I would imagine that building a car from the ground up would add so much sentimental value to it, and who’s to say it didn’t? Like he says to us repeatedly, he’s had his best driving experiences in that 3S-GE equipped automobile but when he got an offer he deemed just right, the Altezza seemed to vanish in thin air leaving nothing behind but a wad of cash. He himself admitted that he was a bit hesitant to part ways with the car he had bonded with but such is his nature that he wanted to move on to something else: something turbocharged.
His nomadic nature saw him choose another “skettel” (if I’m to be blunt) as his ride. A 2007 Subaru Legacy B4 2.0 GT was something that none of us expected but as he relayed some visual evidence to us, we understood immediately why he bought that particular example. Clean, beautiful and premium was exactly what he was looking for this time around and he hit his mark perfectly. Naturally, he was beyond excited about his new vehicle and that emotion trickled down to me. So when we got the chance to feature him and his machine I decided to pay close attention to the car to see why that one grabbed the attention of such an open-minded fellow as Kendal Joseph.
The first thing anyone would notice about this 2007 Legacy is the colour of the rims. Pink is a bold choice, but he assures me that he bought the car as-is. Still, he says they can remain unchanged for now and I certainly agree. The silver paint job still looks pristine and the added body parts set this car apart from other Legacies on our roads. The stance that this car has simply cannot be a thing from the Subaru manufacturing plant, and to my surprise, the car was sitting on Tein lowering springs. I needed time to take this all in: how simple modifications can really personalize a car. It’s amazing, really. At that point I could have just left and called it a day, but I needed to experience it on the road.
Sure, it’s just another Legacy B4 2.0 GT by technical standards unless you consider the rare STi Genome mufflers, drilled and slotted rotors up front and HKS turbo timer the car was bought with. With this in mind, I wasn’t expecting anything more than what a Legacy is capable of delivering in OEM form except a classy exhaust tone. The journey to our photo shoot location was informative, as Kendal made it a point to toggle through the SI Drive settings as we went along. The ‘Sport’ mode brings about noticeable changes in the car’s power delivery as compared to the ‘Intelligent’ setting, and it’s quite a feeling to know that the car’s performance can be altered with a simple turn of a knob. ‘Sport Sharp’ is on another level. The car simply wakes up. Throttle response is the most obvious change and we both welcomed it as Kendal discreetly let the car “stretch its legs”. All wheel drive is quite something where grip is concerned, and that car handled corners like only AWD can. His rims are wrapped in low profile rubber, measuring at 225/40R/18 at all four corners. The car is scary fast to a novice, and it’s deceiving based on the premium ambience of the interior. It seems more of a luxury cruiser than the quick, nimble machine that it is. Of course, this wasn’t my first time in a Legacy but I was still impressed at the understanding between car and driver.
Seeing how this man went from a front wheel drive, naturally aspirated coupe to a rear wheel drive, naturally aspirated sedan to an all wheel drive turbocharged sedan is really inspiring to me as he is always willing to explain the differences among the three. And, when it came time for the interview segment of our feature he was very welcoming in his responses and insightful storytelling. Enjoy!
Q&A
Based on what we know your first car to be, it’s obvious that you’re a car enthusiast. What influenced you to get into the car culture?
Well, my uncles were always into the fast life, and as a result I always knew I wanted to be into the fast life too. My first car was a 20 Valve Blacktop Levin which was front-wheel drive. Honestly, I didn’t regret it. It wasn’t a bad start and I really enjoyed that car. Moving from a front-wheel drive to my second car which was a rear-wheel drive (2.0 Toyota Altezza) it was quite an experience. And now, going to all-wheel drive in my third vehicle, it’s really amazing knowing that you’re climbing the ladder while also going through the different drivetrains. I’m a big car enthusiast. I just have a love for cars.
How would you describe yourself as a car enthusiast?
I’m not really into the mechanical part of it. I’m more into seeing the nice cars, learning about them, the engine types and engine codes and being able to try different cars myself. I’m a casual car enthusiast. I don’t have any favourites. When I see something I like I research into it.
You’re a very experienced person in terms of car ownership for your age. You’re on your third car now. Out of these three, which one has been or is the most interesting?
That’s a tough question. I would say I loved the Altezza the most. The Altezza was the most fun car to drive. Things I couldn’t have done with the Levin I did with the Altezza. That includes drifting and stand-still burnouts. The Altezza was a really, really fun car: my favourite one. With my Subaru, I’m really getting to trust the all-wheel drive system. I’m not saying I should fully depend on it but being able to take a corner flat-out, it’s really amazing. But, I’ll still say that the best car for me was the Altezza. It was the most fun.
How has it been learning all these different engines and drivetrains?
It’s really something that I would advise anybody to try. Or if you’re up for it, I would advise anybody to have a car of each drivetrain: a front-wheel drive, a rear-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive, because with each car you have a different experience. I remember the first time I took my Altezza for a spin. Coming out of my yard I barely got on the throttle and the back started spinning out right away. I was not used to that because my Levin was front wheel drive.
Right now, you own a Subaru Legacy which is turbocharged. Are you satisfied with the performance of the vehicle?
I’ve always wanted a turbocharged vehicle, and this being my first turbo vehicle, compared to other turbocharged vehicles I have driven before it’s okay. It’s not bad with the twin scroll. I would say I’m satisfied for the type of car it is and the performance it gives. Probably, later down the line I will try to add in more performance parts and try to modify it to my liking, but it’s a great car and I believe anybody who jumps in it will absolutely love it.
What plans do you have for the car in terms of future modifications?
For now, it only has an STi exhaust and an HKS turbo timer. In the future, I want to upgrade my braking system. I’m thinking about putting drilled and slotted rotors right through. Currently, it has drilled and slotted rotors in the front but I also want in the back. I’m also thinking about using Brembo brakes and a bigger turbo. I’ve been speaking to my friends in AEG (Automotive Enthusiast Group) and they have been enlightening me on turbo sizes and what I should do in the meantime, but definitely, I do have a plan for the future of this car.
This is a question we ask nearly everyone we interview. Every car enthusiast has one car that they dream of owning one day. What would that car be for you?
That’s a very difficult question, because the thing is I don’t really have a favourite car. I’m very open-minded to them all. I would definitely hop on a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution or a 2JZ Toyota Altezza.
