Lachlan is at home with the piano.
A musical vessel not easily mastered; his hands find solace in the exploration of the keys as they attune to jazz pieces such as Misty or Autumn Leaves. We learn that Deference for Darkness, a gorgeous film noir inspired track from the Xbox game Halo 3: ODST, is on his radar and only if to satisfy a stroke of luck in speaking with the game’s composer last year.
“It’s a big part of my life. Music’s always been a huge part of my life. I play piano. There’s a certain type of clarity that you feel when you play. You feel like one with the piano”
The same can be said of Mazda’s recent innovation in design thinking with the Kodo methodology; that the driver is one with the car in everything from the body to the mind. Where music may course through the hands of Lachlan’s creative spirit in an outlet of relaxation and peace, so too does the knowledge of being in control of his 2018 Mazda 3 SP25 GT.
Lachlan is one of those genuine people some are lucky to call a mate. Ever sincere and always humble, he’s currently in study as an Officer for the Royal Australian Air Force in Canberra. Far from his original home, his childhood and youth was spent in the Rockingham region south of Perth, Western Australia. Growing up with a love of musical theatre and dancing (and the piano), his journey into car ownership was one of maturing and that first step to adulthood.
“As a teenager, when you get your license and you start looking for cars, it’s all you really start thinking about. There were two sides to my friends driving. One was driving his Mum’s Mazda CX-5 and there was a mate with a straight-piped Hyundai Tiburon. There was not really an average – it was just kind of two sides of a spectrum”
Striving to find that middle ground, Lachlan and his parents visited a John Hughes dealership in Perth. Looking at several cars that weekend, there were some considerations toward a Hyundai Veloster, Subaru BRZ and Lexus IS250. But at the back of the lot shining in the late model deep blue crystal colour scheme was the Mazda 3 SP25, offered for a fair price and capturing his attention in the knowledge that Mazda had applied all the modern touches a first car owner could want. Minus some gutter rash on the shadow chrome 18-inch rims from the former owner, the car was perfect.
Lachlan’s first driving experience was delayed by his return to school to sit his ATAR exams. His Mum and Grandad would drive the car back south from Perth, where they quickly learned of the then new I-stop feature; the battery of the car shuts off when stationary at traffic lights to conserve power and has since gone on to cause mixed feelings for owners.
“I remember my Grandad saying he thought the car had broken because they were sitting at the traffic lights, and he’s used to older cars mind you, and the car cut out and he went, shit! We bought a lemon!”
Far from a Lemon, the journey with the vehicle has been in leaps and bounds. The interior has seen the steering wheel wrapped with real leather, some gauges and minor carbon fibre overlays. The exterior carries the popular aftermarket MPS-style rear wing, but it’s under the bonnet where something not common to this series of vehicle has occurred.
Not that there is an official count, but Lachlan is the ninth person in Australia to supercharge their Mazda 3 SP25. A small twin-screw supercharger, an increase in displacement from 2.5 to 3.5 litres has seen a dyno result of about 210 kilowatts at the wheels. The addition of forced induction was assisted by forum supporters, followed by the oil catch can and cooler for the supercharger. The colder spark plugs are the same as those from an R35 Nissan Skyline. These are supplemented by an upgraded fuel pump and stickier tyres to match the power and handling of his modifications.
“You see so many Mazda 3’s on the road, whether it’s the older generations or the newer variants. I thought, why not make it more unique? I’ve always wanted to stand out. So, I thought, why not make this car different? You see so many of them. When someone sees this one, they’re going to remember it”
At the time of writing, there are some remaining adjustments he wishes to make. Lachlan has purchased lowering springs to gain a small drop for the car which will be complemented by BC Racing coil overs featuring a custom spring rate of 5 kilograms in the front and 7 kilograms in the rear. He’s also ordered solid slot rotors and braided brake lines from HEL, coupled with EBC brake pads from America and new end links and rear sway-bar. These will be useful for when he takes the vehicle to the track, as he did with the MazdACT Day Out at Pheasant Wood Circuit in 2024.
The mechanical component is but one sign of growth for the boy from Rockingham. The car has seen Lachlan’s first big step into adulthood and independent decisions related to income and life choices. His freedom has come with a firm direction in career and a reminder that the values and teachings of his parents are very much with him in his journey.
“There are things where it’s a representation of me maturing, me growing up. The car and I are from WA and now I live here. I kind of think of it as the main thing that I have from home. It’s my connection both to Canberra, because of all my memories that I’ve made with it are here, and the excitement and build-up and connection to home. I haven’t forgotten the help from my parents and grandparents to obviously purchase the car with no finance or anything”
While the SP25 GT is his embodiment of the Kodo way, Lachlan’s appreciation of the brand extends beyond his vehicle to a larger piece of the car culture puzzle. Since childhood and playing racing game emulators such as Forza Horizon, watching his favorite YouTubers buy and repair their dream cars; Mazda always stuck out. Now a regular in the local car scene, he is living the dream of having a nice car, being able to craft it to his delight, have fun and meet like-minded people with whom he can share his passion and how much it means to him. It’s his escape from work and his studies when required.
“When you look at the car community looking in on Mazda, people respect Mazda. I think there’s certainly a reason for that, and I’m a part of that”
In closing the parallels between piano and car collide; be it the keys of musical reward or the supercharged rhythm of the engine, Lachlan gains the same feeling from both. Whether he’s just on the road in a regular driving pose or focused intently with a helmet affixed on the track, there’s a sense of peace. He uses the phrase man and machine; that you feel connected to something external to yourself.
“It’s a magical thing…”
Photographed at the Kingston Foreshore by Tyler Parrott of Tyler P Media featuring Lachlan Goffage and the 2018 Mazda 3 SP25 GT. Article hosted by Kevin Ha at StreetScene. Words, research and story by Justin Bush for MazdACT Stories, July 2024.