Motors & Me: Melissa Butler and her Toyota Soarer GZ20

Melissa Butler shows us around her 1989 Toyota Soarer GZ20

What are you currently driving?

Toyota Soarer GZ20 that was bought into the country from Japan.

Love at first sight, or just a means to get from A to B?

The very second I saw it I had to have it - didn’t matter if there was something wrong with it or not. It was so clean for a 1989 car, plus the car being so rare is an extra bonus. But sometimes it can be difficult getting parts for the car as it takes weeks to come in from Japan or Australia. However, my Mechanic Liam Keane from Kanturk sorts all that for me. I wouldn’t let anyone else touch the car as it is so rare - most mechanics don’t know that much about them.

What’s under the bonnet?

1GGTI 2-litre twin turbo.

Petrol head or Sunday driver?

A bit of both really. I do like my Sundays cruising around with the sunroof open when we actually get nice weather. But I also like going to car meets and the drifting events.

What was your first car?

Austin Mini Cooper 1994

What else do/did you own?

Toyota Levin, Subaru Impreza, Nissan Silvia S14, Nissan 180sx, AE86 Toyota Corolla (Twin Cam), Audi A4, Toyota Corolla XLI, BMW e46.

Dream drive in dream location?

Tianmenshan Mountain in Japan.

Passenger you’d most like on a long journey?

I would have to say James Deane as he is possibly the best drifter in Ireland.

Passenger you’d least like?

My mother as she would be complaining about the noise of the exhaust - it’s a shotgun exhaust system custom made by Conor Baker in Tralee.

What’s on your playlist?

Micar ‘This Time It’s My Life’; The Proclaimers ‘500 Miles’; ‘Tonight Belongs to You’ Flo Rida.