Just a bit of fun today on New Year’s Eve: a fantasy visualizer showing the incredibly macho and modern FENYR SuperSport from W Motors. Please enjoy these 75 renders of this stellar new hypercar, plus a few scrolling animations. 2016 W Motors FENYR SuperSport COLORS
The Lykan HyperSport is the proud (adopted) son of the UAE as a great new business with global appeal. All run from within a sparkling white palace of a factory. Where? Right in the center of Dubai’s skyscrapers. The firm has made the Emirates its home since just after being founded in Lebanon. Not to be outshone, Abu DHabi’s Ekin Patrol has added a customized 2015 W Motors Lykan HyperSport to the fleet. Not to issue parking tickets, but to revel in the glory of the Emirati royal family! The customization includes a special carbon-fiber mount for the lightbar unit to attach …
A harborside revival of many beach cars, the Up! Azzurra Sailing Team concept for the 2011 show circuit was the most whimsical part of a five-pack of custom Up! variants. The vehicle features exquisite wood and brass detailing for its doorlets and seatbacks, and a totally bespoke solid sill and rear window. The entire roof is just blue sky. And while this type of cabrio is questionable from all perspectives, it is exceptionally well-executed as a showpiece for the standard Up! Even with that million-dollar four-seat cabin, the nose, bumpers and even mini steel wheels are all exactly what Euro …
Wow. There is a reason you have not seen or heard many of these killer McLaren racecars. The original McLaren origin story as a driver who starts his own race shop, and sells a few chips of genius to other enthusiasts and race crews. Refined and stiffened over the M1A, the B is one of the most sought-after of its era. Just 28 of these M1B Can-Am cars were sold to be raced in the Can-Am racing series. The North American market was obviously the focus of these races, so the fact that just 28 were ever sold makes this …
N-Largo is like a special passcode behind the velvet rope of the supercar universe. Since falling HARD for the sister-company Novitec Rosso’s California N-Largo, the name has sent a tingly shiver up my trousers. The new Novitec Torado Huracan N-Largo therefore is a very welcome new-year’s surprise. Gorgeous aggression and new-ly scultped panels take the Huracan shape to new levels of aggression from all angles. And unlike many widebodies accomplished via manually-extended metal fenders, or tacked-on flares, Novitec goes a much more thorough route. Those wild new front fenders with trailing vent slash? All-new. The giant lower and upper intake scoops behind …
The new Lexus RX is already flying off showroom floors — with its devoted owner-base loving its all-new cabin inside, design outside and eight model variants. With F Sports and Hybrids all available with or without AWD, the RX350 and RX450h are looking at a huge sales year in 2016. One thing Lexus mentioned at the launch of the new RX is that owners did not want the next-gen model to grow. To that end, the new RX and its chopped roofline adds second row legroom over the 2015 models (plus powerfold and recline controls). But the new RX is …
To bump the twin-turbo V6 of the new C63-S up to its max output of 680HP so far, the outlay for buyers is about $10k. A jump of at least 170 horsepower via only a half-dozen mechanical upgrades, an ECU reflash and big brake kit? The 2016 makes it look so easy. But the previous-generation CLK63 AMG Black Series? That machine was already cranked up to race-baiting for its 517 horsepower. Adding a giant supercharger takes the CLK63 Black by VATH up to 756 ponies and a scary-fast Vmax of 217-mph. Also a scary-spice price of about $70k …
VAETH is quickly becoming a favorite among the German customs scene. Why? The umlaut dots, of course in the name! VÄTH = VATH = VAETH, by the way. All the same powermad crew. For the new C63 AMG sedan and coupe, Vaeth has a $5k stage one mod focused on the engine programming and oil system tweaks. THe result is a bump from the 4.0-liter V6TT’s stock outputs of 477HP and 510HP (for the C63-S) up to a very potent 609 ponies. All to the back wheels via the latest sportshift automatic and active vectoring differential, this will make sideways …
Uh oh. Pretty unusual to see such a new hypercar going across the auction block. Picking a more desirable spec would be hard, though. A painted-to-sample white metallic, the 2015 918 Spyder wears the hot and functional Weissach Pack over dark grey RS Spyder alloys. Will it top its price when new, 1500-miles ago? We’ll see in Scottsdale at the end of January 2016! 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Pack
This is the real deal folks! One of just 75 factory-made 550 Spyders, the premier race-winner of a generation and a timeless icon still today. As such, there is a healthy business in replica models. None will exude the raw genius of this 550 Spyder’s endurance fuel-tank wrapping the entire nose, nor its single-piece frame with strategic lightweighting to the monocoque. The 550 Spyder is the supreme Porsche, and this one will fetch quite a bit. The pre-sale estimate is about $4-million, but we can see double that from someone in love with its delicate curves and blue topaz contrast …
This Giulia TZ is sublime. The car is delightfully compact yet fearsome in its aggressive motorsport details. That applies well below the featherlight alloy body panels: the chassis with a tubular space-frame formed an exceptionally brilliant way to make a racecar exceptionally strong, yet also super-light. 155 ponies mean you will work hard to squeeze every last drop of power from up front — but that is all part of the Giulia Tubolare Zagato’s authenticity. 1965 Alfa Romeo GIULIA Tubolare ZAGATO RM Sotheby’s Paris 2016 Feb 3, 2016 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato Chassis no. AR10511 750087 Engine no. AR0511 …
Nothing evokes images of wealth and affluence quite like the sight of a Rolls Royce rolling down the street. That may have been the thought that crossed UFC champion Conor McGregor’s mind when he splurged on an early Christmas gift: a Phantom Drophead Rolls Royce Coupe. McGregor is no stranger to high-end luxury cars and is currently working on building a fleet of his own. His current lineup includes three BMWs – a 4 series, a 5 series and an i8 – a Range Rover, a Cadillac Escalade and a Mercedes S500 AMG Coupe. The Rolls Royce that is making …
It is very, very challenging to read (and write) about VW’s eco mobility ideas in light of the company’s current emissions scandals. The “diesel issue” — as it is known in German — really puts all the last ten years of innovative, visionary concept cars in the shameful, punishment corner of the automotive universe. What about the “C02 issue”? Oh, that has resolved itself. Not a pattern of lies and systemic fraud. Hooray! Super, super trustworthy company, obviously. Beyond that obligatory caveat… This NILS concept shows how seriously the VAG once took its mission to mass-produce zero-emissions automobiles. VW was actually …
Image a gorgeous Italian speedboat with not one Ferrari V8 screaming out 400-horsepower, but a pair of them! Derestricted and barely muffled, these growling engines form a very enticing basis for famed ski and surf boatmaker Riva. The collabo was between Riva and Ferrari Engineering, as close to the F1 and Groupe B skunkworks as it got in Maranello and the greater Emilia-Romagna home base of Ferrari. Vmax is said to be around 60 knots, or about 75-mph at full chat across the marble-like Lake Cuomo surface? LIke a dream come true, really, with a dashing design and carbon-fiber racing …
This Riviera had to be a very curious sight thrumming around France, and its namesake golden coastline. 1963 Buick Riviera RM Sotheby’s Paris 3 February 2016 1963 Buick Riviera Without Reserve Chassis no. 7J1105700 Engine no. 7J1105700
Ahh, the Bora. Giugiaro’s dream wedge was approaching production from various marques by the mid-1970s, and for Maserati, represented a swing for the fences. Big leagues. Long story short? It ended badly. But the car? Still quite a fetching design icon from the past — yet lively today and ready for the future. 1974 Maserati Bora 4.9 RM Sotheby’s Paris 3 February 2016 1974 Maserati Bora 4.9 Chassis no. AM117/49-US 0720 Engine no. 2132 Body no. 300 482 320 bhp, 4,930 cc mid-mounted V-8 engine with four Weber 42 DCNF twin-choke carburettors, five-speed ZF manual transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension with unequal-length …
RM Sotheby’s is on a major roll lately — establishing classic cars as a true luxury auction staple, along with fine art of all kinds. The 2016 calendar is filling up fast. Some very exciting recent additions to the Paris auction on February 3rd, 2016…. 1997 Ferrari F50 RM Sotheby’s Paris 3 February 2016 1997 Ferrari F50 Chassis no. ZFFTA46B000106825 Engine no. 45134 Body no. 210 Gearbox no. 380 520 bhp, 4,698 cc V-12 engine with Bosch Motronic 2.7 engine management, six-speed manual transmission, four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs and unequal-length wishbones, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Wheelbase: …
RM Sotheby’s is on a major roll lately — establishing classic cars as a true luxury auction staple, along with fine art of all kinds. The 2016 calendar is filling up fast — with some exciting new additions to the Paris auction on February 3rd, 2016. To kick off the preview, let’s feature this stunningly original and fabulous Kaiser-Darrin Roadster. Brave and innovative, the car was a massive super-GT car with power and prestige unlike its contemporaries. 1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster RM Sotheby’s Paris 3 February 2016 1954 Kaiser-Darrin Roadster Chassis no. 161-001031 Body no. 161-1031
Nobody will preach the virtues of a black pack like ThisGuy! A properly de-chromed and blacked-out look can make even the most awful Jetta SportWagen a little bit stylish… so clearly the potential to improve already-modern and stylish rides? HUGE! And the more popular a car is on the roads, the more appealing it is for some buyers to stand up and stand out from the crowd. DIY black packs work wonders in photoshop — and real life — on GM models in particular. We’ve shared many with you here… an ATS black pack coupe dream, CT6 Black Tie limo …
Excellent new special MINI for the USA in 2016: the very fresh and flash Carbon Edition of the hardtop 4-door. The upgrades and special tweaks versus the Cooper S basis are visible and very audible! A new JCW Pro Tuning Kit package bundles in special programming for the intake and a remote-operated sport exhaust. This valve-operated setup will make the Carbon a real screamer! Along with its GTI-large cabin and pace, the MINI 4-Door Carbon is definitely a viable WRX competitor — from 1000-yards! 2016 MINI 4-Door CARBON EDITION Introducing the MINI Carbon Edition: The fastest, loudest, and …
Wheel time in the 2016 LR4 with its sexy new Black Package has turned my frown upside down. We really thought the car was outflanked in 2016 by the exploding market for seven seat crossovers, let alone the new three-row varieties of Range Rover Sport and Discovery Sport also in the American lineup. The LR4’s familiar silhouette hides an all-new — and SUPERB — standard powertrain, all-new LEDs all around and even the dripping-wet hotness of dark 20s and a full blackout of every exterior detail. All this is either new since 2015 or fresh for the new model …
2016 Toyota Avalon Touring Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman We recently tested a 2015 Toyota Avalon, the first Avalon we had tested in quite a few years. And the full size car impressed us with its roominess, performance, and its luxury look and feel. But before I had a chance to write the review, the 2016 model became available, so I decided to wait a little bit, and write about that one, to also report on the subtle changes for the 2016 model year. This year, the Avalon’s grill gets a bit larger, and sports a little downturn at the …
BMW Technik was really up to some clever stuff in the mid-1990s. This concept is chock full of interesting and production-bound ideas — even set far apart from the kooky nature of a rally roadster. A convertible crossover… as we might call it today. But still unlike anything this side of the Ariel Nomad in terms of purity of purpose. And the Z18 would actually be a pretty fun off-roader. Check out the nonexistent front bumper, fantastic ride height and river-ready wading depth. There is interesting ‘flame’ surfacing on the Z18, as a matter of fact, far before Bangle made …
This is a pretty cool one from the RINSPEED back catalog: the Rone, or R-one. Racing One is the name, and also the ethos of the single-seater with origins in the Audi TT. Ultra-low and lean is the name of the game for this sporty vision: the Rone is is just 38-inches off the ground at its highest point. This is a cool 15-inches below the roof of the Audi TT — and it gets even better. The single-seat layout in the center of the Rone is part of a very innovative Dynamic Cockpit Control Concept — a flying center …
WHat happens when two of the most skilled talents in bespoke supercars come together? Fusing design vision, carbon-fiber production and a bit of marketing magic? The JD1 from Jannarelly Design! This is a fantastic bit of absolutely breaking news: Anthony Jannarelly is a clear favorite of ours since obsessing over his crisp, layered aesthetic as seen on the W Motors Lykan and Fenyr, plus the recently-revealed Zarooq SandRacer. This new venture pairs Jannarelly with Frederic Juillot, lead at Equation Composite, to make their own supercar vision a reality. A look behind the curtain of the two Frenchmen’s lives shows that their …
Just a single teaser sketch so far of the upcoming Acura Precision Concept, but it is a promising one! The design overtly previews upcoming sports sedan models from the resurgent luxury arm of Honda, with a design direction expected to diverge from the current Acura design direction. Not much to learn from the teaser image about that look, but we can see impressively enhanced proportions. The long-hood and short front overhang is unlike current RL sedans or even the new TLX, as is the plunging roofline and curt tail — evoking a bit of Audi A7 or BMW 650i …
Gorgeous needs no introduction… Some delicious visions from the talented Bengala Automotive Design in Madrid today, with the LF-A, P1 and Huracan widebodies particularly stunning. BENGALA Auto Design – Widebody Boutique Prelaunch Gallery Bengala Automotive Design S.L. is a privately owned Company dedicated to the Design & Customization of High-end Luxury Vehicles. Our market is currently segmented in two different areas, Luxury and Semi-Luxury. Brands which compose this first segment include Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche. While our Semi-Luxury Projects cover brands such as Mercedes-AMG,Audi and BMW. Today we work with customers in Europe and Middle East. Our expansion …
World premiere of a screaming new hypercar: the Fenyr Supersport from W Motors! Following the incredible LYKAN in production form, the new FENYR is more compact, more wicked and even more exotic. Power comes in mid-engine RUF boxer form; the FENYR runs a 900-horsepower, 1100-foot-pound 4.0-liter twin turbo. Porsche basis, but remade by RUF to an extreme degree. That giant-killing motor is mounted inches above the ground in the mid-rear of the full carbon monocoque. The FENYR drives the rear wheels alone through a new 7-speed PDK and limited-slip differential. Quoted performance figures so far are 2.7-seconds to 100-kph, …
How about an awesome Rinspeed concept to help forget the X-Trem from 1999? Flash forward ten years later, and we have the 2009 iChange — an ultra-low, sleek and sexy single-seat sports car — with a twist. At the touch of a button, the track-attack looks and functionality of the iChange into a chic three-seater with bubble glass canopy. How? The entire glasshouse shifts upward and forward, with its rear section base extending a few inches upward to give more headroom in back. (It is subtle) Very subtle. So the name is iChange, but might be better billed as the …
Flashbacks can be good…. and they can be bad. The one thing both have in common: a livid, full-color reminder of something you otherwise never think about. Livid and vivid certainly describes the Rinspeed X-Trem MUV from 1999. The firm was embracing a bit of Americana in the late 90s, and this monstrosity was the ultimate expression of the bright, loud and obnoxious USA, at least as seen from new Geneva. Less an expression of actual American wants/needs for trucks, and much more a reflection of SoCal life as seen on tv and movies. The whole machine attempts to embrace …
This post brought to you by Escort Radar + Laser Detectors. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Car-Revs-Daily.com. HD Review – ESCORT Max360 Radar Detector Escort 360 Welcome to the future of driving! After spending a few weeks with the MAX360 radar detector, we are deeply sold on its features and benefits for all drivers. To the point where normal driving without the Max360 now feels strangely brazen and risky?! And that is the surprising theme throughout the Max360: intelligent tech and features give Max360 drivers a trove of otherwise nonexistent situational data on highways and city …
XJ. Not XF or XE. This is the big daddy superlimo, the XJR, in rare form! Jaguar has really upped its content-creation budget, and we are all the beneficiaries! The new XJR driven by F1 legend Martin Brundle races aginst Yves Rossy in a 1.75-mile matchup. The four rockets of the ‘jetman’ are all fired and pushing hard as the new XJR stomps the gas, with the winner declared at a finish line deep in the sandy horizon. The XJR is showcasing its latest rear-drive power and launch traction, courtesy of a new ASPC (all surface progress control) that …
The previous Bentley R-Type 1952 meetup with the 2016 GT Speed started a snowballing effort in photoshop. While Bentley certainly focuses on selling their current W12 Speed — especially versus its incredibly good V8S sibling — we are focused on the future! The Panamera basis for the next Continental GT platform is well-known and virtually confirmed in the car business, and has been for years. But will it be a Panamera clone? Absolutely not. Not one bit of cabin, engines or design anywhere will be in common among the two. Key changes versus the current Conti range are expected to …
Bentley is bringing out the big icons in its back catalog recently for side-by-sides with the current 2016 Continental lineup. Last week, we saw the GT3 and GT3-R road models rendezvous with their iconic 1930 forebearer: the Birkin Blower Le Mans racecar. This week, we trot forward in time to the R-Type Continental of 1952 — the closest direct link to the current car in spirit and execution. This fastback stunner is a magnificent machine for defining its buyer wants and needs, and exceeding all expectations with the eventual product. What were these goals? True sit-up luxury and generous space …
Here’s a welcome update on one of the smoothest seven-seaters around: the 2016 QX60! With a new dark mesh grille, defined jawline and sleek new LEDs front and rear, the 2016 QX60 is almost a bit of a looker now! The larger wheels with dark inner spokes set the tone for upgraded handling, and the new QX60 is said to deliver. A smoother ride but also much more body control around corners. As before, front or AWD is available for both the V6 engine and the Hybrid model. 2016 INFINITI QX60 Infiniti QX60 premium crossover offers enhanced design, dynamics, …
We certainly appreciate your confusion if we praise the new SLC’s style, while hating the new SL proper for 2017. But that is how it goes! The SLC wears familiar proportions but truly light and sporty detailing for the name-change update. The grilles and styles up front are classy and masculine, aggressive but also deeply premium. We’re seeing the SLC300 Sport here as well as the 367HP SLC43, which tops the line for now. The new SLC is set for a March arrival to first clients, who will love its newly-available AirScarf and Magic Sky roof, much-loved tech from …
HUGE news on the Infiniti front today: An all-new pair of twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6s join the new 2.0-liter turbo four and 360HP hybrid. Dubbed the VR-series engines, the top output is the headline 400HP and 350-pound-feet of torque unit. This stump-puller will be offered in rear or AWD, with its torque starting a long plateau from just 1600-rpm. Kicking things off right is a limited-run model with giant alloys and sport cabin under the guise of Red Sport 400. This badge steps in for Eau Rouge nicely! No word on sprint pace, but the time should be comfortably in the …
Pretty cool news today from Jaguar! The firm has officially signed on to race in FIA Formula E for the 2017 season. This means the team will have almost a full year to perfect their car and study the second season of the series for competitive insights. The Formula E teams all share a dedicated power unit supplied by McLaren, so the effort here is about power management, smart charging and overall racing strategy. Jaguar hopes to transfer much of their new EV track learnings back onto the road — but in a manner that matches the firm’s new Art …
The RINSPEED concept for 2016 is out, with highly advanced digital-car tech of the future taking a front seat for nearly every technical element of the machine. And if there were a back seat in the Etos, the two occupants could both chill back there while the self-driving tech takes over, sinks the steering wheel into the dashboard, and performs fully autonomous self-driving. A basis on the BMW i8 platform means that style, to some extent, has taken a back seat to tech this year. This means the BMW kidney grilles are replaced up front by ultralight plastics and 3D-effect …
The new S65 Cabrio is official! Mercedes-AMG just revealed the top of the S-Class convertible range with this V12TT — with unique styling, ridiculous power levels and a super-plush cabin to take on the Bentley GTC in the $250k price bracket. The big benefit of the S65 is of course prestige, along with outright speed. But with just rear-drive versus the USA-standard 4MATIC AWD on the S63 and S550 ragtops, the S63 will only leave its siblings in the dust from about 50-mph upwards. Before that point, a full-throttle launch will be a smokey festival of wheelspin from out back. …
So many musclecars! How to get an ultra-modern mood back? The P1 on HRE P101 alloys, of course! The finish chosen is called Dark Brushed Clear, and is a great complement to the somewhat reserved silver paint finish of this car. Photographed ahead of a Pacific sunset… it is impossible not to love this P1 by TAG Motorsports on HRE wheels. Photos by TAG c/o HRE. 2015 McLaren P1 on HRE P101 Forged Alloys in Brushed Dark Finish
Update: Or maybe THIS is the car? This is the car. The one. Perhaps the pinnacle of muscle-car design and culture… a forever car. 1969 BOSS 429. Candyapple Red. http://www.nvsaac.com/Details/1969_ford_mustang_paint_colors.htm Get ready for a rapid-fire of awesome musclecars on their way to auction! The Mecum Kissimmee, Florida auction is billed as the largest in the world — and we believe them wholeheartedly after a visit to the event last year. Wish we could preview them all… But there are just too many special beauties to handle individually. Even so, we pulled out a dozen or so very unique icons …
This is the car. The one. Perhaps the pinnacle of muscle-car design and culture… a forever car. BOSS 429. Is it Wimbledon White or Polo White? The Wimbledon shade was a bit creamier, and we think that is the color code of this rolling erotica. Update: yes, it is Wimbledon White. Get ready for a rapid-fire of awesome musclecars on their way to auction! The Mecum Kissimmee, Florida auction is billed as the largest in the world — and we believe them wholeheartedly after a visit to the event last year. Wish we could preview them all… But …
Olds 442 W-30! They might not seem like it, but all were very desirable codes in their day… Cruise over to Mecum.com for the full auction details, list of lots for sale, and info on how to bid online or in the flesh. The event is a 9-day extravaganza starting January 15th, 2016. Each of the cars featured has their auction lot numbers in the header section, which may be helpful when tracking them down in advance or on their auction days. Mecum 2016 Auctions Kissimmee, January 15-24, 2016 F156_R235_1971 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Photos by John Hollansworth Jr., …
The L88 Corvette is one of the rarest and meanest supercars ever produced by Detroit. It gives new meaning to the Big Block descriptor, and made all other Camaro’s or Mustang’s into distant specs in your Corvette’s rear-view mirrors. Even so, we pulled out a dozen or so very unique icons to showcase in a series of posts today. Forgive the lack of writeups, please, and cruise over to Mecum.com for the full auction details, list of lots for sale, and info on how to bid online or in the flesh. The event is a 9-day extravaganza starting January …
Get ready for a rapid-fire of awesome musclecars on their way to auction! The Mecum Kissimmee, Florida auction is billed as the largest in the world — and we believe them wholeheartedly after a visit to the event last year. Wish we could preview them all… But there are just too many special beauties to handle individually. Even so, we pulled out a dozen or so very unique icons to showcase in a series of posts today. Forgive the lack of writeups, please, and cruise over to Mecum.com for the full auction details, list of lots for sale, and info …
The Mecum Kissimmee, Florida auction is billed as the largest in the world — and we believe them wholeheartedly after a visit to the event last year. Wish we could preview them all… But there are just too many special beauties to handle individually. Even so, we pulled out a dozen or so very unique icons to showcase in a series of posts today. Forgive the lack of writeups, please, and cruise over to Mecum.com for the full auction details, list of lots for sale, and info on how to bid online or in the flesh. The event is a …
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Tanker Get ready for a rapid-fire of awesome musclecars on their way to auction! The Mecum Kissimmee, Florida auction is billed as the largest in the world — and we believe them wholeheartedly after a visit to the event last year. Wish we could preview them all… But there are just too many special beauties to handle individually. Even so, we pulled out a dozen or so very unique icons to showcase in a series of posts today. Forgive the lack of writeups, please, and cruise over to Mecum.com for the full auction details, list of …
1970 Ford Torino KING COBRA Best name on this Torino King Cobra, as well as some of the most advanced aero sleekness for any musclecar of the era. But wow. Stings like real snakebite venom when viewed from the front…! Get ready for a rapid-fire of awesome musclecars on their way to auction! The Mecum Kissimmee, Florida auction is billed as the largest in the world — and we believe them wholeheartedly after a visit to the event last year. Wish we could preview them all… But there are just too many special beauties to handle individually. Even so, …
1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Get ready for a rapid-fire of awesome musclecars on their way to auction! The Mecum Kissimmee, Florida auction is billed as the largest in the world — and we believe them wholeheartedly after a visit to the event last year. Wish we could preview them all… But there are just too many special beauties to handle individually. Even so, we pulled out a dozen or so very unique icons to showcase in a series of posts today. Forgive the lack of writeups, please, and cruise over to Mecum.com for the full auction details, list of lots …
Our previous attempts at chronicling NASCAR history and Petty racecars have been pretty shoddy — so please see the full Mecum Auctions writeup below the AMAZING photo set here. Fast facts are: — this is believed to be the only 1973 Petty-built racecar still surviving — entered circuit for the ’74 season, and was raced until the late 1980s — original driver? None other than Dale Earnhardt The most shocking detail? The price estimate of $40k to $80k! Another semi interesting tidbit? There seems to be a possible ‘special mode’ — or something — right above the gauge bezels. Some …
“Rare” does not do this Corphibian justice. Never will anyone you encounter on water or land know what they are seeing, nor are they likely to see it again! The Corphibian was the single prototype comissioned by General Motors, based on the Corvair 95 Rampside Pickup truck production model. Along with the Corvair Greenbriar van, these two rounded out a now very expansive family of rear-engined, air-cooled models from GM. These were designed largely in response to the booming success of the very-cheap VW Beetle, introduced to the US officially in the mid 1950s but well-known in engineering …
Here is a very fun roadster concept from BMW Technik in 1995: the Just 4/2. Also known as the Z21 internally, the rear-engine design was intended as a lightweight sports roadster in the mold of the Lotus/Caterham Seven — but designed to be safe and road-legal worldwide. The UK’s very forgiving road safety rules are all that allow their thriving mini track car industry — so BMW hoped to take the sheer joy of an open-cockpit, open-wheeled plaything to a global audience. Interesting details abound: the removable door panels keep their upper frame element in place for side crash protection …
This concept IAA is the best-looking among the trio of piloted-drive, alternative-propulsion concepts from big Benz this year. But how to love its active rear flange and sleek roofline, when the nose hits you like a punch in the cheek? Seeing the machine out in the wilds of natural light*, the integrated lighting up front creates a nicer glow. With so much solid white OLED in the grille slat edges, the inner portion resembles a more traditional V-shaped element. Even if it is just a matter of distance or movement, the IAA is undoubtedly stunning in these new photos —- …
A design so unfeasible, we all thought, that it didn’t matter how unviable. An SUV Coupe? Ruthlessly absurd! How wrong we were! Car enthusiasts obviously recognize this compact crossover shape from more than three dozen new or upcoming road cars. The chopped roof, the bluff face and 1-series-previewing headlamps? Z4 Coupe backlight, with the high rump of the X6? It all came true! Like a wild wet dream for gravel drifters… the X Coupe came well ahead of its time in 2001. Concept Flashback – 2001 BMW X Coupe
Product placement in movies has evolved radically since Bumblebee Camaro raced back into our hearts — and many driveways — following the 2007 Transformers remake. In the last 20 years, paid PP was all about screen time and brand impact. The challenges were to say the name of the product on film and have it be a hero type of character. Without appearing saccharine. (Bad examples include Acura and Sony in every Hollywood media program they have ever done.) For ‘good’ results, it was about showcasing the car organically throughout the film, with real-life displays of prop replicas generally involved …
By now you have definitely done a double-take on seeing the 2015 Lexus NX on the road. At first, another of the RX cavalry. Then new creases, new LED graphics and a sleek and low roofline make clear this is no RX. With the lean and chic nose look off the RC and IS, the NX is a deeply stylish crossover in all three of its trimlines: NS200t, NX F Sport and the NX300h tested here. Both the base turbo four and this uplevel Hybrid model share their appearances, with only the F Sport getting the aggressive front chin spoiler, …
Ford is making a giant hoopla over a very unexciting announcement. One mostly sans cars, by the way, excluding the 2016 Focus Electric and teased ______ Energi PHEV. The plan lacks a catchy name for now, so let’s just call it e-Ford for short. Will e-Ford be able to make a big market impact from the 4.5-billion investment over the next half-decade? And is Ford really the one to pursue this? Their tech, as many know all too well, is woeful at times. They kept paying SONY and Microsoft ridiculous licensing and tech-services fees for MyFord Touch long after the …
The first official Genesis model is out! Dubbed the G90, this giant limo will replace the EQUUS in the US market, above the current Hyundai Genesis lineup in pricing and size. First things first: — the car is huge! — the looks are unique, if derivative of very-recent global superlux cars like the Mercedes-Maybach S600. — do not prejudge its looks too much: these are Korean-market trims and details, with changes probable for US cars (trims, wheels, etc.) — tech and cabin luxury take a huge leap forward from the already-impressive Genesis sedans — powertrains and pricing are finalized for …
Shocking speed from this new Elise 220 from Lotus! Just 4.2-seconds to 60-mph for its estimated $60k US price makes it one of the most rapid machines for the money. And that is just in a straight line! Put some curves in the road course, and the Elise will walk away from most American metal — regardless of price or power ratings. The new Elise Sport is the base model below the 220, but is down about 80 ponies from the 217 of the top road-legal Elise in 2016. Even so, the Elise Sport’s 6-second blast to 60-mph will …
McLaren just announced the conclusion of P1 production. Just 375 units were promised in total, and those are now all built and on their way to eager owners! For the final P1, McLaren has flipped many of the bare-carbon surfaces to body color– in an interesting twist on the look of the hypercar hero. The nose plate, side intakes and rear diffuser element are fully painted on this orange beauty, and we love the results. You may or may not recall a set of renderings in an article titled “Unpainted CF Robbing Hypercars of their Beauty.” As a counterpoint, MSO …
A two-pack of exciting news from Lotus today: the new Exige Sport 350 drops nearly 100 pounds from the Exige S via an extensive lightweighting program. Along with its 345-horsepower supercharged 3.5-liter V6, the new Exige Sport 350 is an absolute rocketship! Consider that the total weight of the Exige is barely 2500-pounds, and you can instantly know how fast the car is. That weight is up just 200 versus the front-engine MX5 for 2016… a car with only 160-ponies in its most potent guise. Interestingly, the new Exige Sport 350 is now even more rapid as a paddle-shifted automatic: …
The new E-Class from Mercedes-Benz is pretty huge news for all luxury car shoppers. Despite our obsession with the E63 and E550 range-topping models, and their delicious LEDs and black-chrome trims all around, the latest E-Class is not selling well. Its current iteration is a heavy facelift of the car first seen in the mid-2000s, and really needs this deep revamp to take on the 535i in USA sales. A big part of the E-Class’s issues stem from its current cabin. This is generally loveable and very liveable, but the tech is confusing and the overall experience is dark and …
ESCORT Max360 This post brought to you by Escort Radar + Laser Detectors. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Car-Revs-Daily.com. Traffic tickets lately are going from an annoying nuisance to a serious problem in 2015 — especially for safe drivers. While the days of aircraft-based highway speed monitoring are long gone with huge jet fuel prices, every highway and urban area these days is swamped with a new menace: Automated ticket writers for speed cameras, red-light cameras and even congestion-zone tracking. Mass data collection on any driver the system flags These two new threats make even the dreaded …
It has been quite a while since a new Volvo stirred as much excitement as the 2016 XC90. The truck is absolutely miraculous, and an exciting new corporate re-alignment will see most of the XC90’s style and PHEV tech filter down throughout the range. The new S90 limo kicks things off, followed by (we predict) a lightly facelifted XC60 mid-size crossover. Beyond that, we have new S60/S70 models on the mid-term horizon — with the first Charleston, SC-built sedans set for a summer 2017 arrival as 2018 model-years. But if we were Volvo… what is the first possible thing to …
Think of the original 1950-1980s MEHARI Citroen like a French Volkswagen Thing. Mostly open bodywork in corrugated panels increase the monocoque strength dramatically, allowing both cars to haul much more than their car-shaped siblings. Some of the first continental pickup trucks, if you will. The 2016 model shares some of the silly and playful beach spirit of the original MEHARI, but with more focus on stressfree driving than do-it-all utility. The E-MEHARI is not a concept, and is headed for sale in France in Spring 2016. It is a full EV with (we believe) front-drive for its advanced lithium metal …
This is much more than just a set of fantasy closed-cockpit renderings, as we first thought. This is a deeply interesting revision of the F1 racecar theme — so advanced that it might not just replace the current open-wheeled racers. It might be even more fascinating to watch run alongside them in an alternative race class! Call it FX1? Whatever the case, this official MP4-X concept car from McLaren Applied Technologies is a chock full of applicable design elements that could be racing tomorrow, if the circumstances allowed. The most noticeable change right off the bat is the closed and …
Update: Reports indicate TAG Heuer and Renault will be the title sponsors of the TAG-Red Bull Racing effort in 2016. Woooowww…. This is pretty intense news wrapped in mature, civilized corporate speech. Infiniti and Red Bull have broken up their world-beating Formula One partnership — effective immediately. Who ended it? That remains confidential, but it is safe to say both firms were unhappy to have their four-year winning streak so violently nabbed by Mercedes-AMG since 2013. The original INFINITI sponsorship agreement was actually a huge marketing coup at the time. INFINITI was going global and spreading its wings far …
On the heels of Ferrari’s very promising design challenge for 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles just launched its multi-playform FCA Drive for Design contest. The objective for all entries is to envision a 2025 Dodge SRT Hellcat — and is limited to high school students in grades 10-12, sophomores to seniors. The goal is to see what tomorrow’s design talent would do with the 2025 Hellcat in a no-limits world of the future. Will it be an open-wheeled racecar with tandem double cockpit? Or a mid-engine exotic like the SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo? 2015 SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo Or …
The RM Sotheby’s auction this week is actually a pretty select group. The total list of items is barely 100 pieces, with actual cars about a third of that! But what a group of cars. Some trading carports locally, and some coming and going from abroad. This duo is most likely to head home to Germany. An exceptional 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SC Coupe, plus its roadster sister from 1956. The pre-sale estimates for these two could not be further apart. Care to guess which will earn double? $1.2M vs $600K? It is the roadster. De facto classic car auction rules definitely …
Ferrari has been crowd-sourcing design ideas and talent since at least 2005 — with many of the ideas for the eventual LaFerrari sharing at least something with the design-student scale models and renders. This was after Ferrari pulled the marquee hypercar design contract back in-house from Pininfarina. ‘Crowd-sourcing’ is not really a fair description of this Design Challenge effort, though. Why? These entries are not ‘loser-generated-content’ from the public — but near-finished and highly thought-through prototypes. So more of a creative shootout than simply hive-mind idea cultivation. For the 2015 contest, Ferrari switched the script in a few ways. Ferrari …
2015 Dodge Challenger RT Scat Pack Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman The Dodge Challenger RT Scat Pack is an outstanding car. It competes with the Mustang and Camaro in the marketplace, but in my mind, it stands apart on a few points. They’re all retro sport cars, but while the Mustang and Camaro are much porkier than their 60’s and 70’s versions, the Challenger seems to be a much more svelte looking and feeling car. Both the Ford and Chevy cars can be equipped with powerful engines, but the Challenger is a bit more boisterous and raucous. The driver gets …
Touring Superleggera is one of the most iconic names in the history of Italian design boutiques. A resurgence of late has been hard-earned — many smaller projects during the financial crisis left the studio in gorgeous form, only to be let down by the realities of the market. The business of small-volume supercars is exceptionally precarious, and swallowed the AC Cars rebirth as well as Gumpert two years after this Tornante made its world debut in 2011. Gumpert is on life-support now — their Apollo hypercar was meant to be joined by a smaller and cheaper siblings: the Tornante and …
McLaren just set the configurator of the new 675LT Spider live on the web! The builder is tweaked versus previous McLaren visualizers — simplified and tailored for the small batch of 500 LT Spiders to be produced. Six custom configurations of exterior and interior design are grouped into themes for the launch, but eight wheel styles and three dozen other colors are on the list for standard pricing. Favorites do not include the new 675LT Spider exclusive color: Solis. This is definitely a rich golden metallic in the sun, but seen online and in low light it appears to fade …
PART TWO: The Aspid bubble hardtop. This Aztec is the first of two from the design studio’s 1988 releases — and is a huge piece of automotive coolness that might otherwise be lost to the ages. It is hard to get psyched about 80s concepts sometimes, but this Aztec’s influence on SO MANY CARS of the 1990s is clear as day. Camaro, Corvette, Probe, RX-7, MX-5, 300ZX… the list goes on and on. The mid-engine concept car runs a 250-horsepower Audi-sourced engine, but its most memorable part is the glasshouse. Twin mini windshields wrap around both passenger compartments, and open …
This Aztec is the first of two from the design studio’s 1988 releases — and is a huge piece of automotive coolness that might otherwise be lost to the ages. It is hard to get psyched about 80s concepts sometimes, but this Aztec’s influence on SO MANY CARS of the 1990s is clear as day. Camaro, Corvette, Probe, RX-7, MX-5… the list goes on and on. The mid-engine concept car runs a 250-horsepower Audi-sourced engine, but its most memorable part is the glasshouse. Twin mini windshields wrap around both passenger compartments, and open upward in butterfly arcs as the …
The wedge. This design mantra took over the minds of the world’s top stylists collectively around 1970 – as the Ferrari 512 S Module and the Lancia Stratos HF Zero concepts swept everyone to accept the shape. The design was the ultimate expression of mid-engine hypercar engineering of the time. In wind tunnels of the day, the goal was to have as little front surface area as possible. Something like a rocket for the road. Ferrari 512 S Modulo at Atlanta Dream Cars exhibit http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/06/10/dream-cars-1970-ferrari-512s-modulo-pininfarina/ Lancia Stratos HF Zero at Atlanta Dream Cars exhibit http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/06/10/dream-cars-1970-lancia-stratos-hf-zero-by-bertone/ Wind …
What. The. Hell. Is. This. Seriously flummoxed by this Mercedes fashion campaign featuring the new SL. High fashion model, photographer and car meet up for a romp in a giant latex playroom. But it is not a playroom. It is a giant condom, which then wraps every curve of the car and model alike. WTF!? The entire goal of life is to stop needing latex protection when inside beautiful people, places and things. The look is hideous, the concept is bone-headed, and the results are visually nauseating. Hiding the fug SL under a pile of cinderblocks would be preferable to …
After the G-Class Crazy Colors Edition, Mercedes is pulling back a bit and going more tasteful for its latest factory-customized SUV flagships. EVEN among this color-mad photochopper… the G63 Crazy Colors are OTT. We would need much deeper tints for the windows to venture out in Raspberry Beret Purple or Psychotic Break Green. And it appears buyers are suddenly shy and demure too. Those deep-thinking G-Class fans apparently want to class it up a bit for 2016. Suggested names for these new colors? Casket bronze, Arabian Racing Pyrite, Rivercorpse Blue and Dirty Diaper Brown. Just snarking… The new shades are …
Here is a trend that looks set to expand bigtime in the next few years: race-branded tire sidewalls! This trend is really in the early stages of the curve — like dark wheels were in 2007 or 2008. The only production car we can think of featuring loud tire letters and colors so far is the Lamborghini Aventador Pirelli Edition, but more are surely on the way from OEM supercar brands and tire companies alike. Until then, the real tastemakers are taking matters into their own hands. These two stunning white exotics are extensively customized by GT Auto Concepts of …
The new 675LT is not sold out. Yet. Let me explain…. The 500-unit 675LT Coupe made fast friends with existing McLaren lovers — to the point where its full run of yearly production was sold out in just a few weeks time. Pre-sold-out. Sight unseen, of course, for bespoke orders. So for the sake of this article’s online legacy… just assume that the 675LT Spider will be fully spoken-for by January of 2016 at the latest. =] Pricing is pretty steep for this high-ranking model in the McLaren range — pounds 285k is the price at home in England. The …
Holy cow, how incredibly fun and intense does this new S-FR Racing Concept look! With a cleanly integrated widybody, Supra-sexy sills and air dams, plus a huge wing in back atop a giant GT3 diffuser?! LOVE! Imagine this car with 300-horsepower. Suddenly its insane grip package and centerlock alloys start to make sense. This is all mainly concept-car bluster ahead of the Tokyo Auto Salon event in January of 2016, when this upgraded S-FR will meet the public. The latest rumor is that the S-FR may run a turbo triple versus the 1.5-liter MX-5 four-cylinder we speculated previously. We still …
Trading paint on a racetrack has always been precarious for all involved. But for open-wheeled racecars like today’s F1 or Indy cars, any contact is almost instantly catastrophic. First you lose grip, then if the car goes sideways or airborn even a tiny bit, you lose all downforce. The results of a track clash were even more stark in the early days of Le Mans racing. Racing back in the day was 1000X more dangerous than today — so just imagine the balls it would take to pass a race-leading Mercedes-Benz on the side grass of the Mulsanne straight! That …
THe BMW eDrive X5 is officially in the USA! This huge advance in AWD tech for BMW is being celebrating with a look back at the first 30 years of BMW four-paw models. We still remember the special body-color aero kit and special wheels from the US-market 325iX. Was just a tiny bit cooler than even the very-chic 325i sedan and coupe of the era. The honor that original look, we spec’ed out a 2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e in M Sport guise. The truck looks very, very nice on its available 20-inch alloys. Particularly so with the $1,100 adaptive LED …
Yet more all-new and exclusive photos of the 2016 Lexus RX? Yes indeed! This is the last batch: the RX350 F Sport. We have full reviews of the RX350 and RX450h over at the below links, plus drive videos of the F Sport versions of both engines. This F Sport RX350 is a nice sweet-spot in the RX range, priced between the $42k RX350 and $58k RX450h F Sport. The RX350 F Sport is also the one most enhanced by its F Sport-exclusive adaptive suspension and Sport Plus drive modes. We also really enjoyed the F Sport seats and shift …
The new R8 is big news, of course, for supercar shoppers. Three models are set for the US range: the R8, R8 V10 and R8 V10 Plus. All sport AWD as standard and curb weights of 3500- and 3600-pounds. America will miss out on the limited-release R8 E-Tron but we will definitely see the fifth family member: the nearly unbeatable 2016 R8 LMS. This factory racecar is already outselling the existing model among dozens of top-tier sportscar racing teams. The reasons are simple: it is faster than ever thanks to cunning new aero and mechanicals. The biggest changes versus the …
Stealthy? Not to our eyes! This futuristic armored personnel carrier is a really sleek bit of design, even if its radar signature is huge. The truck is a bit mysterious at the moment. It appeared online about a week ago in a few obscure spots, but has since been removed from at least one official Red Bull channel… RedBull.co.za in South Africa. Nada from LR or RB press people about it, nor even a name beyond “Armored Event Vehicle.” The only thing we know is the chassis underneath: a Land Rover Defender 130 donated its LWB rails to this …
A new dream-watch just launched! The Bell & Ross BR-X1 is named to honor the Bell X-1 supersonic test plane from 1947 — and employs tech just as advanced for 2015 watchmaking. Four initial styles of the BR-X1 are part of a very limited-release initial collection. The favorite of ours is the Carbon Forge model — as it has a very unique marbled finish, tinted sapphire crystal, and should be much lighter than the typical BR watches. Milled from single pieces of alloy, the heft of their watches makes you feel important. But does take time to get comfortable with …
Volvo is on a huge roll! The new XC90 led a 26-percent sales gain for the month of November 2015, and the momentum is just getting started. The next step is this all-new S90 luxury sedan. All-new and competing with A6 and even A8, this new Volvo limo is an exceptionally promising replacement of the aged S80. The new S90 runs all-new chassis, exterior, interior and powertrain — making it a near clean-sheet approach to the next generation of large Volvos. The powertrains and much else is shared with the exceptional new XC90: this includes the standard T6 turbo engine …
The new Lexus RX is one of the most eagerly-anticipated new SUVs for 2016. This redesign proves the RX can be a style leader even while outselling entire luxury brands like Volvo and Jaguar in the USA. So far, the RX has been so ubiquitous on the roads that any sense of chic sexiness was seriously diluted. The 2016 model wears all-new styles and new trimlines to bring variety to the efficiency, lux ride comfort and versatility its 2-million owners love so much. The upgrades for 2016 are extensive — with the entire cabin, exterior and some drivetrain parts refreshed …
Alternative headline? MONO-nucleolus outbreak in Far East! =] Yea. Too alarmist. Moving on… BAC just opened their second Asian showroom in as many months — with Hong Kong a natural follow-up to the new Japanese dealer recently established. Demand is clearly strong globally for this one-seat supercar, but showrooms nearby is the best way to really ramp up volume. Sure, there might be one or two MONO’s in Hong Kong already, but the eight just sold would likely never have happened without buyer’s knowing where to service and maintain the cars. The MONO is the perfect stepping-stone between sportscars in …
Carbon Fiber Dynamics of Germany is on the Essen showstand this week with their latest upgrades for the M4 from BMW — and will be turning some heads! CF-Dynamics has a big catalog of 3DDynamics upgrades to nearly the full BMW Group lineup — including these latest M3/M4 twins. Until now, however, the pieces have been additions to the factory bodywork — things like a CF splitter, sills, spoilers and diffuser adding ground-effect looks to the BMW M cars. This new kit is much more serious — replacing the front and rear bumpers completely with these intense, partly-unpainted cabin fiber …