Canary Island Car Culture: Reporting from Tenerife

Before we begin, I want to thank the entire Turnpike team for creating this – a place where both the founders and we, the contributors, can share our great automotive passion. A passion that goes beyond just cars, engines, and gasoline; it brings people together, telling stories through the lens, immortalizing moments and capturing them in these articles that we’ll read forever.

Let me introduce myself – I’m Héctor, a petrolhead since childhood. I live on Tenerife, a volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, watched over by a mountain called Teide (similar to Mount Fuji). My passion for the automotive world comes partly from my father. He owned some classic car gems, including an AE92 Toyota Corolla GTI, famous for its small but fierce engine, the four-cylinder 4A-GE (Red Top).

That’s where my obsession with Japanese cars began. I was always in the back seat (in a car that didn’t even have rear seat belts), watching my father drive and staring at those iconic ’90s analog gauges.

I remember spending hours and hours playing Gran Turismo – learning about cars and engines. I never got tired of it, and I couldn’t help but admire the engines and design of each car. Maybe it was that, back then, cars had soul –  something that’s rare nowadays. 

I didn’t own a camera until less than a year ago, in fact. I went to Japan in 2023 on a 33-day trip, and all of my photos were taken on my phone, but honestly, I was happy with the results. It’s not about the camera – it’s about the  photographer, right?

On that trip, someone told me I had a good eye for photography, and that I should pursue it – so here I am. My life is starting to revolve around the world  of photography and visual storytelling. 

It was after that when I decided to buy my first camera: a Sony ZV-E10 II, along with two lenses and a bunch of accessories. I haven’t even had the camera for a full year, and there’s still so much to learn.

Let’s talk a bit about my island – and the car scene here. Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands. We belong to Spain, and there are eight islands in total. Recently, the world-famous World Rally Championship event was held here for the first time – specifically in Gran Canaria, back in April.

This was a long-awaited event for all fans and motorsport enthusiasts, united by gasoline and the strong automotive culture of the Canaries.

The island – or rather, the islands – are made up of microclimates. That means you can be at the summit of a mountain with rain, wind, or even snow, while people are sunbathing on the coast.

It’s incredible, and it’s partly down to the islands’ topography; giving us drastic elevation changes and mountain roads worthy of Initial D, with endless curves and breathtaking landscapes.

European cars dominate the scene here, with a strong presence from the VWG Group; Peugeot and Citroen cars too. Here the Citroën Saxo is like the AE86 Toyota in Japan. 

But we also see many cars that stand out from the norm – JDM and even USDM vehicles, with unique modifications and aftermarket parts. Exclusive, different, eye-catching… full of personality – like this Mitsubishi Eclipse (2G) GS-T or Nissan Silvia S14 (Zenki).

Among the many car events and organized drives, you can sometimes find underground-style car meets, like this one back in March, organized by a group called Vanished.es.

There we saw many wild cars, breaking our necks trying to watch them until they were out of sight. The smell of gasoline was in the air, along with the soul and essence of each car – so reminiscent of those Japanese parking lots.

I leave you with this Italian marvel in the landscape of the great Teide National Park, a Lamborghini Huracán EVO by NOVITEC. A RWD supercar, powered by the strength of a bull and a screaming heavenly sound with every gear shift. 

Thank you for reading, and thanks to the entire team for sharing a little piece of my story and what I’m passionate about. There are some things that will never change: my enthusiasm for cars, the smell of gasoline, analog motors, and the essence of each brand at its peak – back in a different era… one that, for many of us, was better than today. I hope you also continue doing and sharing what you love – and never stop pursuing your passion. Because in the end, that’s what unites us all – in this case, the roar of  the engines. 

Thank you, Turnpike. If you dream big, this is your place.