2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport Ultra White 34

HD Road Test Review – 2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport – Ultra White in 2 Videos + 200 Photos!

  INTRO These are hot times in the sports coupe business, my friends! Buyers have never had more choices for high-performance, rear-drive vehicles with racy rooflines and track-ready platforms. Diving head-first into the fray of BMW 4 series, Cadillac ATS, Audi A5 and Infiniti Q60 is the 2015 Lexus RC – a hot new design with five major models starting from $43,000 and hitting $64,000 in the RC-F. HD Drive Review Video Part One With standard and F Sport trim levels both offering rear or AWD, the RC350 comes in hot with a standard quad-cam V6 making 306-horsepower through a DirectShift …

Keep reading

2015 Honda S660 31

2015 Honda S660 Is JDM Mid-Engine Targa With Turbo Triple Engine + 6-Speed Manual

Honda’s renaissance in sporty cars might be topped by the NSX supercar, but the effects of a sporty focus runs up and down the range. This K-car is a very positive step forward for Honda, even if it is primarily aimed at the Japanese Domestic Market. With style and LEDs like much pricier and more powerful sports cars, the S660 is the most affordable way into a mid-engine, open-top thrills. Weight distribution is 45-percent front, 55-percent rear, promising much of the light nose and nimble thrills of the Porsche Boxster for perhaps a quarter of the price. Power comes from …

Keep reading

2016 Chevrolet Spark 44

2016 Chevrolet Spark Brings New Turbo Engine + Lower, Sportier Style and Handling

Chevrolet is not likely to admit this, but the Spark’s success in the US market has been a huge surprise. 2014 Calendar Year sales topped 39,000, making the Spark the best-selling subcompact in the US. It dominates the Mitsubishi Mirage, Mazda2 and Kia Rio easily. Combined with its Sonic big brother, the Spark has made Chevy the main player in minicar sales since its launch in 2012. The latest Spark will continue this trend with a more refined and tech-infused cabin, a new turbo 1.4-liter engine, and a sportier driving position. This lower feel from the drivers seat comes with …

Keep reading

1961 Jaguar E-Type Series I Lightweight Replica 6

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series I Lightweight Replica

Among the hundreds of fantastic cars up for sale at the 2015 Gooding & Company auction in Amelia Island this year, Jaguar E-Types were proudly represented. Most sold for pricing in the range of $150,000 to $300,000. As such, this Series I Lightweight’s estimated price of $400,000-plus was always an ambitious total, with a possibility that it would not meet its reserve price. Without crossing that threshold, the car would be a no-sale and any bids below that rate would be canceled. Finally, this Jag has one trait that collectors tend to avoid at almost all costs: replica. Despite being …

Keep reading

2009 MANSORY Chopster 19

Custom Flashback – 2009 MANSORY Chopster Was Carbon Widebody Cayenne Turbo S

Mansory Switzerland was the proud owner of this fantastic Porsche Cayenne upgrade, which was built just in time for the Frankfurt motor show in 2009. But first things first: yes, there was a Chopster before — from Rinspeed in 2005. As discussed in this other article, there are major issues with actually chopping the roof of a production car: the doors, glass and everything else is suddenly not OEM-safe or secure for true high-performance driving. The Mansory technique maintains the Porsche glasshouse and structural elements, but swaps its steel exterior for carbon-fiber all around. A width stretch of around four …

Keep reading

MANSORY Lamborghini Huracan  2-tile

MANSORY Huracan Now Available in Brutal 838HP Turbo + Extreme 1250HP Twin-Turbo Varieties!

  As one-off customs chosen by someone else, naturally most of Mansory’s fully customized machines are shocking to the eye at first. The colors, the insane carbon-fiber, the cabins — all truly insane at times. But what about the POWERRRR! Taking the performance of an all-new supercar like the Lamborghini Huracan to the same level on a track as Mansory does aesthetically!? What will the results be? The firm’s latest duo is a pair of upgraded Huracan with all the usual flash all around, but real bang under the carbon-louvred engine covers. A single turbo for the 5.2-liter V10 now …

Keep reading

??????????????????????

#NYIAS 2015 – Day Two Showfloor Gallery + Best and Worst Debuts!

Press preview days are wrapped on a very eventful New York International Auto Show – with big reveals from Cadillac, Chevy, Lincoln, Nissan, Kia, Lexus, , Porsche, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi and McLaren. Best in show? We’d vote for the Honda Civic Coupe Concept. The new Chevy Malibu is also mighty impressive, while the Cadillac CT6 requires closer inspection than is possible in just a brief glimpse. Mercedes-Benz dominated the World Car Awards (whatever those are) with wins for the C-Class, S-Class Coupe and AMG GT. BMW and Audi did not even bother to hold press conferences, oddly. Worst is show …

Keep reading

P90175733-highRes

Fool Me Once… 2015 MINI Hardtop Chrome Line Is Chortle-Proof Custom Gag

As we prepped this article, the headline going around was “MINI Officially Out Of Ideas.” We thought they were serious about this silly chrome wrap going on sale or being offered to customers. This would be a strange offering for any OEM manufacturer. For one, foil wraps will not last 1 year on the roads without starting to peel off or otherwise deteriorate visibly. Definitely not strong enough for a 3-year warranty period. Secondly, chrome wraps are so out. Elton John arguably popularized the trend with his R8 from around 2008 — which he sold at a charity auction more than …

Keep reading

2015 Hyundai HND-12 Enduro Concept 30

Hyundai ENDURO and RM15 Concepts for Seoul Show Rally Style + Race Pace

Hyundai’s home motor show is going on right now, and the firm has brought a pair of cool concepts to showcase the potential for future racing Veloster models. The Veloster is already the prime chassis focus for the Nurburgring 24H crew at Hyundai’s German R&D and design center. This is because the car is a fairly wide and low hatchback with style to battle the VW Scirocco. To date, the powertrains have been led by the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine delivering around 200 horsepower yet still needing work to get sprint times below 6.5 seconds. The 2015 Veloster is fairly heavily …

Keep reading

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander GT 10

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Redesign Vastly Improves Style and Ride of $24k 7-Seater

Mitsubishi is adamant that this 2016 Outlander revamp is deeper than a simple facelift. They have a point: the new Outlander is virtually unrecognizable as the current model! There is a really chic and butch feel to the new nose, with its wide swath of chrome flowing down around the new LED DRLs and LED lowbeams. This chrome frames a gloss-black central grille and intake area in a fresh, unique and semi-premium way. Mitsu calls this the Dynamic Shield look for the nose, and it is likely to feature on future crossovers and SUVs from the fast-growing brand. The Outlander …

Keep reading

New York debut for Toyota's new RAV4 Hybrid-65061

Refreshed 2016 Toyota RAV4 and New RAV4 Hybrid Make NY Debut

  Toyota is rolling out an update for the 2016 RAV4 that includes a new design for the nose and tail, LED lighting all around and some very cool new cabin tech. The Hybrid is a perfect demo platform for these new features because it will come in two loaded flavors, with the ‘trifecta’ of LEDs up front and LED brake lights as standard. These are likely optional on the cheaper, gas-powered trim lines. In this new and far more appealing nose, the RAV4 runs LED foglamps, LED DRL’s forming a sharp accent line across the top of the headlamps, …

Keep reading

2015-Kia-Novo-Concept-1ds

2015 Kia Novo Concept Is Surprise 4-Door Coupe for Seoul Motor Show

  Some impressive design coming from the latest Kia studio! This concept shows the potential look of a Forte replacement in the coming years. We love the nose best, as the profile and tail are near clones of the just-revealed Optima for 2016. But unfortunately for the production Optima, the Novo is far cleaner and more appealing. Part of what makes the Novo feel cool are its heavily rear-drive proportions and long dash-to-axle ratio in front. But there are more subtle things, too, like the fairly steep windshield angle and the way the hood’s leading edge becomes the grille below. …

Keep reading

2016-Nissan-Maxima-Front-03a

4DSC Returns! 2016 Nissan MAXIMA Bringing Hot Style, Tech and Paddle-Shifted 300HP From $32k!

  The all-new Nissan Maxima made its global debut this morning at the NY auto show with a standard 300-horsepower V6, premium cabin design and details, and a special offer for first adopters! Almost as important — it looks phenomenal inside and out!  From the pure nose and tail views, the Maxima just shot to the top of the full-size sedan desirability charts with its low, wide stance and memorable details. How does the nose look so cool? Let’s look at the DRL’s at night and as an X-ray, via some photoshop. What do you get out of that? We …

Keep reading

#NYIAS 2015 Showfloor Gallery 49

#NYIAS 2015 Showfloor Gallery – Day One in 122 HIgh-Res Photos!

Big day today in the Big Apple! Enjoy this photo fly-through of the first press preview day of #NYIAS =] #NYIAS 2015 Showfloor Gallery Ford GT Ford Shelby Mustang GT350R   Subaru BRZ STI Concept + Rally Cars Range Rover SVAutobiography VW Golf SportWagen AllTrack Aston Martin McLaren Koenigsegg, Bugatti + Lamborghini BMW Z4 GTLM + 1975 Sebring-Winning 3.0 CSL Jaguar XF Scion iA Scion iM BMW Alpina Kia Optima Mazda MX-5 Club

??????????????????

Update1 – Truth Time – 2016 INFINITI QX50 Is A Bad Joke?

Updated 4.1.15 Ummmmmm… if you wanted conclusive proof that Infiniti is becoming an embarrassing joke, it would be this “new” QX50 for 2016. Based on the LWB foreign-market model with absolutely hideous bumper detailing, the QX50 for 2016 is now roomier in the back seat than before. But its styling and interior are still direct throw-backs to 2009. So odd that instead of just canceling this unloved machine, they would trot out a tackier version and call it a new car. We really hope for Infiniti’s sake that the upcoming Q60 coupe is a world-beater. Fingers crossed it is not just …

Keep reading

?????????????

Holy ****Balls!! Gen-10 Honda Civic Coupe Concept Is INCREDIBLE

  By the tenth generation of something, you should be an expert at just about anything. Honda is indeed finalizing the Gen-10 Honda Civic for a launch next year as a 2017 model-year, and shows that it has found the plot once again. Surely, they have realized now that something dreadful happened somewhere in the Gen-7 phase of around 2004. Purists might tell you it was when the independent rear suspension was swapped for a cheap and dirrrty torsion bar. But whenever it happened, the Civic — and especially the Civic Coupe — have veered much to close to humdrum, slow-as-**** …

Keep reading

2016 Jaguar XF 20

2016 Jaguar XF Thinks It Is a Porsche 911; We Break The Bad News To Bad Mr. Kitty

Updated 4.1.15 With 99 New Images We stand corrected – the 2016 XF is actually an all-new design, with no panels carrying over from the existing car. The chassis improvements are fairly dramatic as the XF shifts from its steel structure toward the aluminum of the XJ and F-Type. But why oh why must the styling be so dry? This trend of carmakers ever-so-lightly refreshing models makes no sense at all to me – especially if the panels are, in fact, all new. What is the point?! Chrysler 300, Kia Optima, Audi A6, Bentley Continental…. and now Jaguar XF. Every …

Keep reading

??????????????????

2016 Kia Optima Brings New, Wider Style With Dramatically Better Handling and Refinement

  The 2016 Kia Optima refresh has a very familiar feel to it, does it not! We were surprised with how much sheetmetal appears to be carry-over on first glance. In fact, the car has a half-inch longer wheelbase and is an inch wider overall. Only the doors appear to be carry-over from the existing car, with a new shape to the front and rear fenders, nose, tail and rear glasshouse. The design is similar to the SportSpace concept from Geneva, but highly toned down for production. A new shape to the hood leads into a painted top part of …

Keep reading

P4016708-copydfgsv

2015 Subaru BRZ STi Concept Widebody Packs 400HP Super GT Turbo!

The most important question with this stunning new BRZ STi concept is: have they finally added a turbo!? Yes and no. Yes it is a turbocharged racing engine from the Super GT race series, but no it is not a turbo version of the standard BRZ boxer engine. Grrrr! But do not fret — the below info pack from Subaru promises more STi products and models in the US market in the future, which is very promising. In the short term, this likely means a broader catalog of upgrades as  the aftermarket accessories. But in the medium and long term, it …

Keep reading

DB2014AL03321_large-tile

Volkswagen Reveals USA-Bound 2017 Golf SportWagen Alltrack in NY + 4 Beetle Concepts

  VW is rolling into the New York show with some exciting vehicles!  The most interesting is the Golf SportWagen Alltrack, which is confirmed for US showrooms next year as a 2017 model-year. This AWD variant is similar in theory to the Audi allroad or Subaru Outback formula, building on the platform of the new Golf SportWagen. Three of the Beetle concepts are pretty silly, with names like Denim, Pink and Wave, mostly just wheel and trim upgrades to the standard model. The most thrilling for performance fans is a Beetle R-Line, which is damn close to a SuperBeetle proper and may …

Keep reading

2016 CHevy Malibu Hybrid 12

Wow! 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Is Sexy Redesign With LWB Back-Seat Comfort + Hybrid Option

  Is there a 2016 Malibu LWB!? That back seat was our main reservation in recommending the current car to anyone, even the 5.9-second turbo. The current cabin is unbelievably small and uncomfortable compared with Camry, Legacy, Accord and Mazda6. The materials and exterior style are also fairly blah for the current model. Chevy knows all this by heart. They have heard it exhaustively from shoppers over the last few years. Well, they have listened and taken action! Outside, the Malibu is all-new with a design that is a cool and fresh blend of Camaro and Impala. There is a dash …

Keep reading

2016 Lexus RX 2

2016 Lexus RX350 and RX450h Are All-New Inside and Out in 84 Images!

The all-new Lexus RX is here and stunning! As Lexus’ all-star sales champ, the RX redesign for 2016 is an all-important step in keeping the Big L’s sales and market share near the top of the luxury brand ranks. To fend of new competition from all sides in this five-seat crossover segment, the RX is dramatically redone in almost every way. First off, the style. DESIGN ANALYSIS Wearing Lexus’s new design brief and its interesting, unique and captivating creases and angles, the RX is far more exciting to look at than it has been in years. The noses are characterized …

Keep reading

2016 Mazda MX-5 Club 3

2016 Mazda MX-5 Club Tops Range With LSD, Black Aero Accents, BBS Wheels, Bilsteins and Brembos!

This new MX-5 Club is looking incredible! With gunmetal grey wheels, black mirror caps and aero extras all around, the MX-5 Club will be the most stylish and sporty of the full MX-5 range. The order books are open now with pricing from $25,000 — so we’d pencil in around $29,000 for the loaded Club with its sweet additions. The BBS forged wheels and front Brembo brakes will be optional, but well worth their extra strength and performance chops! You might be wondering about those sweet LEDs in the lower front flanks of the MX-5 Club — they are special …

Keep reading

Boxster Spyder 43

375HP 2016 Porsche Boxster Spyder Makes NY Debut With 3.8L Engine and Bikini Top

Porsche is getting serious about the flagging sales of the Boxster and Cayman. The fact of the matter is that Porsche is selling every 911, Macan, Panamera and Cayenne it can make — and usually selling those models with a hefty $30,000 in options per car. That is a profit-machine extraordinaire. But the Boxster and Cayman are really not hitting the right notes with shoppers. The average days for these cars on Porsche dealer lots in the US is a shocking five months on average. To make matters worse, those who are buying Boxsters and Cocksters are ordering them with custom …

Keep reading

?????????????????

2016 Cadillac CT6 – $75k Flagship World Premiere 60 Images From Brooklyn

  The new Cadillac CT6 is official! As the top-flight limo in the newly invigorated Cadillac range, the CT6 has some huge shoes to fill. The hype and fish-eye lense videos proclaim to Dare Greatly, so how does the car live up to all this scene-setting? To convince BMW and Mercedes drivers to consider Cadillac, the CT6 needs to be far, far more than a stretched CTS. Far more than a modern STS. Based on the initial information provided by Cadillac, we are highly skeptical. Granted, the car does feel significantly wider and longer than any Caddy in years — …

Keep reading

Scion iA 16

All-New 2016 Scion iA Poised to be Best Subcompact 4-Door With Sporty Chassis and Upscale Cabin

Scion’s littlest car in history is also set to be one of its most chuckable and sporty handlers!  This new four-door compact sedan will be priced around $16,000 with just one well-speced trim level and choice between six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. The 106-horsepower four-cylinder sedan is closely related to the new 2016 Mazda2, but offers a sedan bodystyle not available on the Mazda. The style is quite fresh from nose and profile angles, with shapely creases and an overall lean and sporty look. The roof is fairly low, which is refreshing versus the too-tall Ford Fiesta and Chevy Spark. …

Keep reading

Scion iM 11 copy

2016 Scion iM Debuts in NY With Focus Size But Fiesta Pricing

  Scion just rolled out two brand-new 2016 models for the subcompact and compact segments — with this iM hatchback being the firm’s shot against the Kia Forte5, Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic. The single-trim entry price of below $20,000 is set to be fairly well-equipped and roomy versus the rivals mentioned; the iM is almost the exact same size as the Ford Focus and VW Golf. But those expecting a credible threat to those car’s performance might be underwhelmed. The chassis seems fairly promising with a double-wishbone independent rear suspension paired with sport-tuned electronic power steering. Big rubber and a standard …

Keep reading

2015 Rolls-Royce WRAITH Inspired by Film Special Edition 4-tile

2015 Rolls-Royce WRAITH Inspired by Film Edition Celebrates Frozen Moment BFI Inductee

    When a 2-minute launch movie for a car is inducted into the British Film Institute National Archive, you know it must be something special. Both the car and those magical two minutes of cinema are indeed quite special, breathtaking and goose-bump-inducing. The premise of the film ‘And the World Stood Still’ is a man piloting his Wraith through an enchanted, steaming forest when he comes across the living incarnation of the Spirit of Ecstasy badge. For one fleeting, frozen moment, the two have an ethereal bond that is at once serene, lust-filled and slightly fraught with danger. Thematically, the film shows …

Keep reading

2015-03-31_131645d

Update1 – 2016 GMC Terrain and Terrain Denali Refreshed With LEDs

  A midsize crossover so bland that we regularly forget it exists? Oh, that would be GMC’s second-best-seller: the Terrain. Paired with the Chevrolet Equinox, the new Terrain and Terrain Denali are right on the pulse of many buyers size, price and style needs even six years since their launch in 2009. The Terrain and Equinox have actually increased their sales performance fairly dramatically in recent years, which may explain why they are so updated so slightly for 2016. A new look for the nose comes from a fresh lower fascia design, revised grille detailing and a new hood shape …

Keep reading

570s doors

3.1s, 204MPH 2016 McLaren 570S Is Official! 60-Image Reveal With Tech Specs

The new McLaren 570S is official!  This most-affordable model is based on the same carbon-fiber chassis and twin-turbo engine as the P1 and 650S — yet promises to be priced below $200,000. Massive power and pace comes from a 570-horsepower, 3.8-liter V6TT with 30 percent original parts versus the 650S. The 62-mph sprint is quoted as 3.2-seconds, which makes this new Macca down just 80 ponies and less than half a second from its big brothers in the 650 range. Big news! The design is clearly from the same family gene pool, but with enough fresh details to be exciting …

Keep reading

Gooding Amelia 2015 - 1951 Lotus Mk IIIB Was First-Ever Customer Lotus 7

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1951 Lotus Mk IIIB Was First-Ever Customer Lotus

The first car Lotus ever sold, and the first car to wear the revered yellow crest of the brand?! Yessir! Colin Chapman’s stylized initials formed the basis of the emblem, but it was the most designed piece of the machine. The rest of the car is ruthlessly functional — with giant bulges in the hood exploding from the metal like some giant hematomas. Along with the twin lamps forming nostrils at the tip of the narrow hood, the ONK license plate is more than a little tongue-in-cheeck. Oink, oink… like a pig…. But this car sung at auction. The sale …

Keep reading

1973 Lamborghini Espada III 21

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1973 Lamborghini Espada Series III Earns $99k

Lamborghini has its roots in front-engine GT cars — but they are consistently some of the least-loved V12 Italian exotics in history. One look at the profile of this long 1970s timecapsule does most of the explaining — it is ungainly and alarmingly awkward in its proportions. This might have to do with its supercar designers — Marcello Gandini and Bertone were more well-versed in mid-engine hypercar wedges than they were in practical, roomy cruisers. The Espada III is the best of the line, with these models packing air conditioning and wood-rimmed cabin details, but not the jumbo bumpers that …

Keep reading

McChip DKR Porsche 991 Turbo S 6

McChip DKR Porsche 991 Turbo S Shows Off Stage-3 Performance Tune

McChip DKR’s custom engine tunes are some of the best-executed and best-priced in the car business. The German firm’s 991 Turbo S has benefited from all three stages of available upgrades — to this ridiculously fast, exciting and sexy dream Porsche. McChip DKR Porsche 991 Turbo S   “Three-stage” Nine-eleven by MCCHIP-DKR The mcchip-dkr company at Mechernich, south-west of Euskirchen, is renowned in Germany and abroad for its state-of-art chip tuning research and development center and the inextricably linked to it absolutely professional software tuning and further development for cars, lorries, agricultural and several other special vehicles. A company own …

Keep reading

2015 Subaru Outback Limited 4

Road Test Review – 2015 Subaru Outback Limited By Ken Glassman

  2015 Subaru Outback Limited By Ken Glassman Since nearly 25% of Subaru’s total vehicle sales, or around 120,000 copies, comes from the Outback model, Subaru understood that radical changes would be a risky proposition. Outback buyers are a fiercely loyal group, and that’s because they have been happy with the package that Subaru has been offering for many years. So while the 2015 model is based off the new Legacy sedan, the Outback changes have been evolutionary, not revolutionary. The result is a better vehicle, with mild styling changes, and improvements. PERFORMANCE Two engine options are available, and while …

Keep reading

2008 Mazda Kazamai 26

Concept Flashback – 2008 Mazda Kazamai Was Crossover Coupe With Rear-Drive Stance

As a small and independent manufacturer, Mazda cannot really afford to flub the design of one of its main production models. Careful design feedback was solicited on a global scale between 2005 and 2010, when the firm rolled out almost a dozen wild concept cars. As sort of a focus-group-by-fire, these concepts showed some good ideas, some bad ideas, and overall the results informed the latest generation of gorgeous Mazda6, fairly cool Mazda3 and very stylish upcoming MX-5 and CX-3. As a crossover coupe with two massive doors, this Kazamai concept proved two things: that rear-drive proportions are always stunning …

Keep reading

2016 Range Rover SVAutobiography 1

550HP 2016 Range Rover SVAutobiography Headlines Updated RR Lineup

Are you sensing a theme for this year’s New York auto show? Yes, it is all about massive flagship luxury. The Cadillac CT6 will be attending after a heavy-up of “Dare Greatly” TV and online video spots lately, plus a viral outdoor marketing campaign in lower Manhattan near the brand’s new HQ. These loaded flagships are not just for the important NYC market for luxury cars, but because it is a global show that can draw headlines from business and Wall Street watchers around the world. This latest Range Rover special edition is called the SV Autobiography — blending the …

Keep reading

Lincoln Continental Concept 65

2015 Lincoln Continental Concept Paves Way for SuperLux 2017 MKS Variant

Lincoln is re-earning its stripes car by car these days — with excellence but a bit of inconsistency. One segment it still owns almost completely even after the Town Car bowed out in 2012 is the livery market. The MKS and MKT are still the default choice for limo companies across the US. How to springboard this luxury reputation into continued US comfort plus the brand’s biggest opportunity in decades: China. The Chinese love the Town Car and feel affinity toward the Lincoln brand in general. It has deep roots, back-seat panache and classiness of a premium brand. To hit …

Keep reading

2015 Nissan Rogue 009

Road Test Review – 2015 Nissan Rogue SV AWD By Ken Glassman

  2015 Nissan Rogue SV AWD Review By Ken Glassman Nissan’s sales growth has been aggressive over the last several years, and one of the main reasons for that is the popularity of the Rogue, now their second leading volume model, trailing only the mid-size Altima sedan. And like the Altima, the rogue swims in a large pond of competitors. But steady improvements over the years has added up to a fine small SUV that combines strong fuel economy with a right-size vehicle that can span the spectrum from entry level to near luxury with a broad range of option …

Keep reading

DSC_2544 copy

Best of Awards – 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack in B5 Blue Is Goliath Giant-Killer

The 2015 Dodge Charger is a focused update and improvement — maintaining the giant cabin, huge power options and enhancing it up and down the nine-model range. The SRT Hellcat and its 707HP supercharged HEMI is hoovering up most of the headlines so far, buttwo questions before lusting after just the Hellcat: — Is that engine the biggest upgrade in creating such a comfortable and tech-savvy new full-size car? — And more importantly, is the Hellcat and its $64,000 base price, 204-mph Vmax and 3.7-second sprint to 60-mph the true sweet spot of the range? First, the biggest advantage of …

Keep reading

2015 Subaru BRZ Series

First Drive Review – 2015 Subaru BRZ Series.Blue on Video in Crystal White

How fantastic does this BRZ look! Despite the pouring rain, the pearlescent Crystal White paint of this Series.Blue BRZ really pops with its LED accents glowing inside Texas Motor Speedway. The nose feels pointer on this recalibrated suspension with its STI wheels, body kit and underbody aero fascias — but the rear-drive all-star is still a joy to drift. A perfect driving position, steering and shift linkage are delightful as ever, while the blue lather and suede of the seats offer a bit of premium appeal to this 500-unit special edition. 2015 Subaru BRZ Series.Blue   2015 Subaru BRZ Series …

Keep reading

First Drive Review - 2015 Mercedes-AMG GLA45 80

First Drive Review – 2015 Mercedes-AMG GLA45 Is Tiny, Fugly and Massively Overpriced

Lots of excellent cars driven and reviewed lately. Even if they are not a match for my personal budget or priorities, they almost all have true redeeming qualities for their intended target markets. The happy train really stops on this GLA45 AMG. This is very unusual. We have been huge Merc fans since their latest brand renaissance starting from around 2012. The cars are incredibly sexy, comfortable, fast and cool. If any machine should epitomize the new young-and-fun Mercedes appeal, it should be this GLA45 AMG. After all, this is the brand’s smallest and most-affordable new platform, paired with an …

Keep reading

DSC_1517fsgd

First Drive Review – 2015 Volkswagen Golf R Feels Like 400HP Heaven

  What makes a so-called “cult classic” ? Without looking up any textbook definitions, we can easily define it by a photo of the 2015 VW Golf R. How? It is a car that will appeal to only a single-digit percentage of car shoppers seeing a 4.9-second sports-car for around $40,000. For the other 95-percent of car shoppers, the VW Golf R’s very demure exterior makeover, similar turbo four engine to all other USA Golfs and fairly dull curb appeal will rule it out of the consideration set. After all, a BMW 235i, 4 series or Lexus IS350 are all …

Keep reading

1956 Arnolt-Bristol Deluxe Roadster by Bertone 4

Update1 – RM Amelia 2015 – 1956 Arnolt-Bristol Deluxe Roadster by Bertone Brings $484k

Updated with 26 Photos + Sale Price of $484,000 A few photos of the auction car inside the RM Auctions room at the Amelia Island Rita Carlton, plus a different Arnolt-Bristol of the same variety entering the concours field.   1956 Arnolt-Bristol Deluxe Roadster by Bertone As ever, these high-dollar auctions are a rare chance to see priceless classics out and about in the real world. This Arnolt-Bristol by Bertone certainly applies — a run of 143 total rebodies of the Bristol 404 completed to order by Bertone in Italy. The design shows how an odd chassis package can actually …

Keep reading

First Drive Review - 2015 Bentley Continental GT V8S - White Satin 34

First Drive VIDEO Review – 2015 Bentley Continental GT V8S Convertible – Mulliner Spec in White Satin

The Bentley Continental GT V8S is the real sweet-spot of the range – with monster power in the form of 528-horsepower to an optimized and sportified chassis re-engineer. There are just no words to describe the nimble, light and resolutely rear-drive feel of this twin-turbo V8. Yet there is grip for days and the ability to drive hard, rain or shine, with pace to make supercars blush. Nothing else with 502-pound-feet of torque is this race-able in a complete downpour, including the Continental’s new nemesis: the Mercedes-Benz S550 4Matic. The Bentley somehow feels small and accurate in its typical size …

Keep reading

2015 Ford Expedition Platinum EL 43

HD Road Test Review – 2015 Ford Expedition Platinum EL

Test drives are so instantly illuminating. Writing (and reading!) car reviews, you can think you know all about a machine from afar. Then you slide behind the wheel and buckle in, tap the start button and are surprised beyond belief. In some cases, the car or truck you think you will love is not quite all you hoped. In other scenarios, a full-size SUV that looks pretty mature and dull outside can actually be the best-driving, most-satisfying and best-value truck you’ve ever driven! This 2015 Expedition EL Platinum falls into the latter category. So incredibly amazed was this driver that …

Keep reading

Amelia 2015 Highlights - 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ 8

Amelia 2015 Highlights – 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Coda Tronca and 1960 SZ Berlinetta

Not one Alfa Sprint Zagato, but two!? Rare barely begins to describe these two. Fewer of these hand-shaped bodies were made than Ferrari 250s in 1962, with every one unique and showing slight variations. The Coda Tronca ‘long tail’ SZ in silver shows strong hints of Aston Martin in the shape of that rear end, while the yellow Berlinetta is pert and smooth in back. The beauty of these two SZ’s is greatly enhanced by the lack of any external bumpers on either end — helping the design look as delightful and smooth as little teacups. 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta …

Keep reading

2016 Ford Focus RS - Digital Colorizer 27_001-horz

2016 Ford Focus RS – Digital Colorizer and Tallpapers

Just a bit of fun in Photoshop to celebrate the 2016 Focus RS coming to the USA for the first time. AWD, a promise of “well more than 310 horsepower” and even a new torque-vectoring rear end to deliver on-demand power slides — just three of the incredible reasons the Focus RS is set to be Spring 2016’s hottest hatch. A red-hot hatch, perhaps!? The color lineup so far is promised to include four exclusive colors, headlined by the new signature Nitrous Blue. But what about some wild shades on the aftermarket/customs market?  We really fell hard for the new …

Keep reading

???????????????????????????????????

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Revealed – Six Engines + New Style and Tech To Replace ML-Class SUV

   Meet the next Mercedes ML-Class SUV — which is packing an all-new style up front, a six-pack of new engines and vastly improved technology in the cabin. The most striking change might be the badge itself, however. Called the GLE-Class, this change reflects the new naming strategy across the board for Merc SUVs. GLA, GLK, GLE, GLE Coupe and GLS at the top of the range. The hardy G-Class SUV sticks to its single-letter nomenclature, but its AMG models are now ‘Mercedes-AMG G63’ versus the ‘G63 AMG.’ The nose is a fantastic upgrade to the fairly tired style of …

Keep reading

2016 Ford Focus RS 22

Nitrous Blue 2016 Ford Focus RS Coming to NYC Next Week! USA Showrooms Next Year

Ford Performance is rolling deep into Manhattan next week – with a broad range of high-performance models. A threatening gang indeed — with the Nitrous Blue signature color atop the 2017 Ford GT concept, the 2017 Ford Raptor and the 2016 Ford Mustang GT350R. But one of the most exciting vehicles to wear this scorching blue hue? One of the first to arrive in showrooms, too — the 340-horsepower 2016 Ford Focus RS. With all-wheel-drive and dynamic torque vectoring at the back for a drift-mode plaything, the Focus RS is set to be the hottest Ford hatch ever made. Competing …

Keep reading

Future-Classics---1993-1995-Mazda-RX-7-5tbags

Future Classics – 1993-1995 Mazda RX-7 Now Within Reach For Around $18k

The timeless beauty of the third-gen Mazda RX-7 is instantly visible even today, a full 20 years since the car was last sold in the United States. See one on the road and you will instantly be in love again. Low, lithe, curvy but sleek, pure and organic — there is a real star quality to this 1.3-liter Wankel twin turbo. Comparing the car back to back with the Supra Turbo, Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 or Nissan 300ZX in 2015 makes it instantly clear: this Mazda is the future classic of the bunch. The Supra Turbo might have packed more heat …

Keep reading

2007 Mazda TAIKI Concept 32

Concept Flashback – 2007 Mazda TAIKI Explores HyperLight Supercar Back-Channels

Let’s imagine you want to make a supercar. The normal way to achieve massive performance is a giant engine. But is there an alternative route to supercar speed? The TAIKI concept believes there is. The little ticks down the aerodynamics chart are actually really giant leaps forward in aero slipperiness. Dropping a coefficient of drag from 0.30 cD to a 0.29 cD is actually a 10X improvement in how smoothly the car can pass through the air. This change continues its exponential level of change as you approach 0.01 — so the benefits of drag reduction are quite powerful. More …

Keep reading

1965 Maserati Sebring Red 19

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1965 Maserati Sebring in Red Brings $300k

Can’t get enough of the very-rare and very chic Maserati Sebring? How about another in bright red? This Gooding & Co. auction car brought upwards of $300,000 – making it a well-priced entry into the club of 1960s Italian exotica.   ORIGINAL Tastemaker? With headlamps that look straight off of the Chevrolet Corvette C1 facelift in 1960? Not so much, guy! But look past the twin chrome-rimmed circles on light on this Maserati Sebring and you have the basis for some seriously futuristic sports coupes. The long hood and sunken grille and delicious, while the flat surfacing and boxy glasshouse …

Keep reading

1965 Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi Series I 19

Amelia Island 2015 – 1965 Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi Was Avant-Garde Luxury Tastemaker

Tastemaker!? With headlamps that look straight off of the Chevrolet Corvette C1 facelift in 1960? Not so much, guy! But look past the twin chrome-rimmed circles on light on this Maserati Sebring and you have the basis for some seriously futuristic sports coupes. The long hood and sunken grille and delicious, while the flat surfacing and boxy glasshouse would become mainstream and popular a full 20 years later in the 1980s. Beating a trend by two decades definitely counts as innovative, taste-making design in our book! 1965 Maserati Sebring 3500 GTi Series I      

1967 Ferrari 275 GTB4 24

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB4 Is All-Original Blue Beauty For $3.3M

This Bleu Chiaro 275 GTB is rare, but the color is only part of what makes this V12 icon so cool and unique. Most unlike almost all other Ferrari 250’s and 275’s these days, this one is fantastically original. The patina of 33 years spent garaged is actually delightful to see up close. For unlike most Ferrari’s of this era restored to almost-unreal levels of finish, this car shows its glory years proudly. Yes, this means that there is a bit of corrosion visible under the car near the front subframe, and it means that the oil-based paint is cracking …

Keep reading

1958 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe 33

RM Amelia Island 2015 – 1958 Pontiac Bonneville Sport Coupe Is Rocket-Brick Icon

  For someone who loves cars as much as I do, meeting a rare and special machine can have unintended consequences. No one would blink if you were so emotionally affected by an opera or fresco, but to be weak-kneed by a car? A Pontiac from the 1950s? Like most art, the effect on the viewer is one of the many mysteries of the world. Reviewing this Bonneville Sport Coupe today is quite an emotional affair. Pontiac was trying desperately to spring-board their brand from obscurity into the greats of automobiledom. They needed a flagship — something to draw the …

Keep reading

2015 Galpin-Fisker ROCKET Mustang 20

2015 Galpin-Fisker ROCKET Mustang Production Debut + Startup Video

The Galpin Auto Sports and Henrik Fisker ROCKET Mustang is official and headed to its first owners within the next few weeks! This jet-black example at Amelia Island is the first production model — which we snapped rumbling around Amelia Island Concours last week. Also included here is a brief exhaust snippet from startup — at least two octaves deeper than the factory exhaust, that is for sure!  The 725HP puts out a ridiculous amount of heat from those quad pipes as well….! 2015 Galpin-Fisker ROCKET Mustang PREVIOUS A huge number of incredible photos to share from Amelia Island Concours …

Keep reading

jag_new_xf_location_image_240315_10_(105889)

2016 Jaguar XF Reveals Fresh Nose and Tail + All-New Cabin

800-feet above the water in a high-wire London river crossing!? Yessir – the 2016 XF is trying to make a splash by… not making a splash. The subtle nose and tail are all-new for the upcoming model-year, with new LED tech for the low and high-beams plus new F-Type-shaped LED optics for the brake lights. It is not a truly splashy makeover, but a subtle update to better fit the new design of the all-new XE compact and upcoming XJ refresh. The biggest news, arguably, happens inside the cabin. All-new Jaguar touch-screen and 12-inch TFT display bring the XF up …

Keep reading

2015-Mustang-S302-By-SALEEN-37

2015 Mustang S302 By SALEEN Offers Up To 730HP Via Three Package Choices

SALEEN is returning to its core expertise in upgraded Mustangs – with a three-pack of 2015 S302 models now available to order. The choices are dubbed White Label, Yellow Label and Black Label — with the latter two offering supercharged engine options through the standard stick-shift or automatic transmissions. The pricing for the supercharged cars starts from $54,000 with the V8 putting out 730 horsepower. The top-flight Black Label S302 adds a significant $20,000 to the pricing, largely thanks to an extensive carbon-fiber exterior makeover, as seen below. The style changes are a mix of cool — like the giant …

Keep reading

2015 Ram ProMaster City SLT Cargo 46

Road Test Review – 2015 Ram ProMaster City SLT Cargo

2015 Ram ProMaster City ReviewTools are the main thing that sets man apart from animals. Many beasts rival and even exceed man’s ability in instinctive intelligence or physical strength. But no animal has mastered using tools to accomplish tasks their paws, flippers or arms cannot complete. On that note, the right tool for the job can be the difference between hours of back-breaking labor vs minutes of snap-complete solutions. In a similar way, using a full-size truck all the time can feel a bit like using a sledge-hammer to fix a pair of eyeglasses. To do the job right, you …

Keep reading

2015 Lexus NX200t F Sport Review 8

Road Test Review – 2015 Lexus NX200t F Sport Is Best New Crossover

2015 Lexus NX200t F Sport Review INTRO The all-new Lexus NX is one of the best-looking new crossovers in the segment, and we’ve been big fans of its edgy and cool design since it was first shown as a concept last year. As the sportiest F Sport turbo model arrived for a week-long test, the excitement was writ large across my face. The F Sport styling upgrade makes the NX feel like a year 2020 concept sketch. Its hypercar creases across the entire bodyside of the truck makes this the most advanced, futuristic SUV ever made — yet it is …

Keep reading

POSIES 1935 Aeroliner 16

Amelia Island Customs – POSIES 1935 Aeroliner Sport Is One-Off ChopTop Dragster

The photos of this custom-built Posies Aeroliner do not really do the vehicle justice. In the flesh, it is impossibly long, unbelievably low and seriously seductive. Loosely based on a 1935 Ford Roadster chassis, the Posies Aeroliner is now twice as long, runs giant exposed tires up front with no fenders, and drag-racing rubber in back under its elegant bodywork. The ultra-low roofline is a true chop-top dream come true, with almost zero daylight opening and a windshield small enough to fit in your back pocket. Overall, the impact of the car is undeniable! But the style is only half …

Keep reading

LANCIA Rally Reunion - Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037 Together for Amelia 2015 52

LANCIA Rally Reunion – Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037 Together for Amelia 2015

What else to say about this incredible quartet of rally heroes!? Please enjoy these 52 photos from one of the best rally legacies of all time.   LANCIA Rally Reunion – Stratos, Integrale, Fulvia and 037

1975 Lancia Stratos Rally Car  12

Amelia Island 2015 – 1975 Lancia Stratos Rally Car

As fantastic as the Stratos production models were, the rally car is in another league of intensity. Giant fender flares, hugely oversized tires and a raised ride height make this exotic wedge look as ready for off-roading as was possible. Considering it is essentially a hypercar, the idea of whipping through the forest, drifting so wide that the side windows look forward is almost unreal. Terrifying levels of power, extremely limited grip and flyweight dimensions mean the Stratos was a next-level machine in the world of rallying. The Stratos won the newly-formed WRC for three years in a row from …

Keep reading

Amelia Island 2015 - 1983 Lancia 037 6

Amelia Island 2015 – 1983 Lancia 037 Group B Rally Hero

The Lancia 037 is a rare standout among the four all-star Lancia rally cars reunited for the Amelia Island 2015 Concours. Rare because unlike the others, this machine ditches almost all sense of road-car in favor of an extreme supercar package. In proportions and width, this mid-engine, rear-drive turbo monster is what happened when the Lancia and Abarth racing teams start from a blank sheet of paper — engineering an all-star from the ground up. As one of the first cars anywhere to use carbon-fiber composites, the “zero-three-seven” was named after is project code in the Abarth speed labs. The …

Keep reading

1969 Lancia Fulvia 12

Amelia Island 2015 – 1969 Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Rallye Car

The Lancia Rally legends series? Not just winners in the racing arena, but also the historical influencers and taste-maker charts. If the Delta Integrale inspired the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru WRX, what did this Lancia Fulvia spur to life? None other than the also-important BMW 2002. Important groundwork was laid here for the rear-drive Stratos, which would dominate the first few years of the official WRC race series with its lightweight panels, ultra-compact design and supercar performance — optimized for the dirty, dusty and ice-covered rally race routes. 1969 Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Rallye

1988 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 8V 59

Meet The 1988 Lancia Delta HF Integrale 8V WRC-Winner in 60 High-Res Photos!

In the World Rally Championship record books, no single vehicle or manufacturer has been more dominant than the Lancia Delta. Winning the championship from 1987 through 1992, this tops every winning streak by other big hitters: Subaru, Peugeot and Citroen included. Being able to meet the actual race-winning vehicle is special in any circumstance, but to be able to photograph and document the vehicle in detail is beyond special. It is inspiring to see the Lancia Delta in its full Martini Racing livery, even today almost thirty years later. Inspiration from the Lancia Delta Integrale formula spanned the globe after …

Keep reading

2015 Maserati Quattroporte GTS 30

2015 Maserati Quattroporte GTS Wows Amelia Island With Gloss-Black Detailing

  UPDATED 3.21.15 The GTS is great to see in the flesh. Finally captures a bit of the QP panache in this new LWB chassis. Would still definitely benefit from less chrome and a blacked-out look for all the wheels and tail brightwork in addition to the grille. 2015 Maserati Quattroporte GTS   Is the Maserati Quattroporte still the sexiest limo on the market in this latest sixth-gen model? For many eyes, nothing beats Italian glamour in a leathery four-door sedan. The rarity of the idea is itself pretty tittilating versus the dry and cold German alternatives, or the lush …

Keep reading

Amelia Island 2015 Galleries - 1954 Jaguar D-Type 4

Amelia Island 2015 Galleries – 1954 Jaguar D-Type Factory Team Racecar XKD403

The Jaguar D-Type is easy to love – with its swoopy panels almost bending upside down to form a bullet-like casing for these lightweight mechanicals. The rear wing is a treat, while the provenance of this actual car is also hard to neglect. Raced with the Jaguar factory team the wing lists none other than Sir Stirling Moss as one of the brave men to pin the thottle of this dark-green beauty. One thing that is plain to see with this Jag compared with racers from after 1955 is that its nose intake appears to be quite small. This is …

Keep reading

1958 Lister-Jaguar Knobbly 6

Amelia Island 2015 Galleries – 1958 Lister-Jaguar Knobbly

Read all about the new generation of Lister Knobbly Jaguars over here… including the choice of engines and full specs. http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2015/01/09/2015-lister-jaguar-knobbly/ 1958 Lister-Jaguar Knobbly

1956 Maserati 300S -  Amelia Island 2015 18

1956 Maserati 300S Wins Amelia Island 2015 Stirling Moss Award

We find this Maserati 300S to be instantly lovable, perhaps even more-so than the Ferrari 290MM of the previous article. The nose feels lower, more shapely and more humble in the nose design. The simple drilled vent circles are delightful, as is the Maserati trident emblem sunken within the oval primary intake. Just subtle, but clearly focused on winning races versus style contests. Ironic that this very look would make it so special more than 60 years later. 1956 Maserati 300S Best in Class – Cars of Stirling Moss 1956 Maserati 300S Lawrence Auriana – Greenwich, CT

DSC_6435

1956 Ferrari 290MM Wins Amelia Island Concours 2015 Chairmans Trophy

It is easy to see why this 1956 290MM earned an award for itself on the lawn of Amelia Island Concours 2015. Deeply beautiful, powerful and wearing a few tasteful motorsport style accents: the wheel-tips and white spots for number markings reinforce how race-ready this legend still is today. 1956 Ferrari 290MM    Amelia Island Concours 2015 The Chairman’s Choice Trophy FOR THE CAR FOUND MOST APPEALING BY THE CHAIRMAN 1956 Ferrari 290MM Pierrey Collection – London, England

DSC_6444 copy

Amelia Island 2015 – 1957 Aston Martin DBR1 Animated Flyaround + 50 Photos

      The most beautiful Aston Martin of all time? Almost certainly.   1957 Aston Martin DBR1          

Amelia Island 2015 - BMW Brings 507, M1, CSL and tii To Join 2015 X5 M and 2015 650i M Sport 17

Amelia Island 2015 – BMW Brings 507, M1, CSL and Targa Tii To Join 2015 X5 M and New 650i M Sport

You might be wondering – what is with all these new cars at a classic car show like Amelia Island or Pebble Beach? It is a fantastic way to establish brand credibility, legacy loyalty and customer acquisition. After all, few of these millionaires will be tooling around in a vintage car on a day-to-day basis. They need a 2015 BMW! On that note, the 2015 X5 M joined the fun along with the very-lightly-revised 650i M Sport. Highlights also include the M1 and 507 roadster, plus the Goldeneye Z3 and a few 2002s. The orange one is a very-rare targa …

Keep reading

Amelia Island 2015 - 1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster 15

Amelia Island 2015 – 1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster Is Magnificent

PART TWO: The Roadster The BMW 328 Mille Miglia roadster seem here came before the coupe. It was a stepping-stone between the production 328 cabrio and the Touring Coupe seen in the second half of this page. The goal was as ultra-light reskin in alloy that would reduce drag, enhance stability at speed, and deliver outstanding performance to take on the best racecars in the world — and win. But the side benefit of the 328 Mille Miglia redesign? This roadster is one of the most beautiful silhouettes ever made. 1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster   Imagine a single …

Keep reading

1939 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupe 35

Amelia Island 2015 – 1939 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupe

Imagine a single racecar that won the its Nurburgring debut race, the Tourist Trophy, Mille Miglia and RAC Rally. A car so advanced and streamlined, its giant exhaust system is the only portion of the underbody that is not wrapped in lightweight alloy. Even the taillamps are integrated into the lower body with custom alloy stalks, and a license-plate housing that wraps that plate around its ultra-smooth rump. A coupe so sexy and sensual in person, we are embarassed to report that it is a clear favorite for top-ten cars of all time. Like the Mercedes-Benz 540K Streamliner shown at …

Keep reading

Amelia Island 2015 - 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6  16

Amelia Island 2015 – 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6

The journey for Porsche to LeMans glory starting in 1970 is almost a textbook case of incremental evolution. A new trait here works, so it sticks. A few things lost in the name of ultimate high-speed glory. Seeing the 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 beside a close descendent, the 1968 908K, makes clear how carefully Porsche was refining its alloy spaceframe racecar during the 1960s. They really knew they were on to something with the ultra-low boxer engine masses, mounted right behind the driver for optimal handling. The 2.0-liter six of this racecar shares much of its fundamental design with …

Keep reading

1961 Ferrari 250GT Series II Cabriolet 16

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1961 Ferrari 250GT Series II Cabriolet Brings $2.1M

This Ferrari 250 GT is a real winner. With its factory hardtop, it can be hard to know that this is one of the most desirable second-gen Ferrari 250’s to hit the blocks recently. A series II model with the standard wheelbase, this car is a real hero and is arguably far more beautiful and balanced a design than the SWB California. How classy is this car? The hardtop even has a sunroof! Well bought. 1961 Ferrari 250GT Series II Cabriolet

1968 Porsche 908K Short-Tail Coupe  9

Amelia Island 2015 – 1968 Porsche 908K Short-Tail Coupe Is One of Two Survivors

This Le Mans racer from Porsche is part of a 200-mph dream: Fast cars, evolving in hyperspeed. The 908 was an adapted version of the 907 – but altered to fit an all-new 3.0-liter boxer eight-cylinder engine. We believe this is chassis 908-019 (or perhaps 908-011) – which is thought to be one of two surviving short-tail 908 Coupes outside the Porsche Museum. The 908K stands for short-tail, which was ideal for tighter tracks versus the long-tail for the Le Sarthe LeMans track itself. This machine was a transition phase for the Porsche race crew. A rule change for 1969’s …

Keep reading

1971 Porsche 911 East African Rally Car 2

Amelia Island 2015 – 1971 Porsche 911 East African Rally Car

One of the five factory-prepped 911s that raced the 1971 East African Rally, this 911 is pretty outstanding in its creamy white paint. A thorough upgrade, as you can see, includes front and rear rhino bars that are fully integrated into the chassis of the car. But overall, aside from modest aesthetic tweaks, extra lighting, higher ground clearance and sponsor stickers — the mechanicals of this 911 appear to be completely stock. Just proof of the 911’s world-beating package? Perhaps! Our favorite detail? The grab handles on the exterior of the car — mounted on both C-pillars. Not exactly sure …

Keep reading

1970 Porsche 914 Pickup Truck 12

Amelia 2015 Customs – 1970 Porsche 914-6 GT – Rally Rescue Pickup Truck

A surprise and delight to see thrumming up the Ritz Carlton driveway for the Amelia Island Concours? This extremely cool, one-off pickup truck Porsche. Originally a 914-6 GT, the rear of the truck has been lengthened, the suspension upgraded to full safari rally specification, and the Dakar-ready racing equipment added. What might fit in this rather compact pickup truck bed? You name it!  Wheels, tires, Porsche engines, and perhaps even an injured road-warrior in a pinch. The wide-body style and fenders bring a dramatic width extension to accommodate big off-road rubber and those hardy new suspension components. With almost no …

Keep reading

Panoz DeltaWing 9

Amelia Island 2015 – Panoz DeltaWing LeMans Racer + Esperante GT

Panoz was well-placed at the Amelia Island 2015 Concours, with their first-gen DeltaWing racecar and the production Esperante GT. One is an incredible leap into the future of aerodynamics, speed and endurance racing brilliance. The other… a hopeless anachronism based on a 1995 Ford Mustang GT. Sorry for the harsh words on the Esperante. The contrast of this thing with the Garage56 racecar from LeMans and the ALMS series just feels like a car from a different planet than a 20-year-old reskin of a 20-year-old Mustang. Panoz DeltaWing Panoz Esperante GT

2015 Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid 79

Porsche E-Mobility Push Feeling Odd, Despite New Cayenne S E-Hybrid At Amelia Island

Porsche is diving head-first into the vat of battery acid these days – with the Panamera S E-Hybrid refreshed with quad-LEDs in the headlamp ring and the new Cayenne S E-Hybrid sharing the square-LED quad DRL setup of the top-line Cayenne Turbo and Cayenne Turbo S. Proudly on display alongside the 918 Spyder and a few Porsche PHEV plug-in stations on the lawns of Amelia Island Concours, the E-Mobility Porsches are promising and smoother, quieter and more serene than anything else to wear the Porsche crest. This is largely thanks to softer suspension tuning in standard drive modes, alongside a …

Keep reading

1991 Ferrari F40 31

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1991 Ferrari F40 Brings $1.6M

Despite Ferrari building triple the 399 units of the F40 initially planned, they are still pretty rare to see. Not exactly practical or comfy, the F40 and its twin-turbocharged V8 is what we think of as a point A to point A car. Much as a Corolla is a point A to point B car — you park it at work, for example, as point B. The F40 is a car you leave from home, go for a blast, and bring it safely back to its garage. In person, this F40 is surprisingly new and still striking. Most 1991 models …

Keep reading

2015 JEEP Moab Easter Safari Concepts 16

2015 JEEP Moab Concepts Are Cooler Than Ever for Annual Easter Safari

Jeep’s off-road concepts for the yearly Easter Jeep Safari are usually some of the coolest from any brand all year. They not only have to be cool and inspiring, but generally have to be up to the task of off-roading in the extreme red rocks of Moab, Utah. Mopar and Jeep Performance Parts always play a big part in the upgrades for the concepts, and the same goes this year. A veritable rolling catalog, the Jeep Performance Parts catalog is incredibly deep — from off-road mechanicals to lighting to custom interior tech — there is something for every Jeeper. This …

Keep reading

2016 Chevrolet Camaro RENDERING 3

All-New 2016 Chevrolet #CamaroSix – Spec Renderings + May Launch Event Signup

The first details on the upcoming 2016 Chevrolet Camaro are starting to trickle out of Detroit — with two teaser images today showing the new front subframe and the new 6.2-liter V8’s special Tri-Y exhaust manifold. Not too illuminating on what the car will be like — but there are a few important snippets: — the exterior and interior will be all-new with no carry-over panels — the front and rear suspensions are also claimed to be all-new versus the current 5th-generation car — there is some rumble about packaging and dimension changes for the new Camaro. Will it be …

Keep reading

2015 Dodge Charger SRT HELLCAT Review 36

First Drive Review – 2015 Dodge Charger SRT HELLCAT!

  As you can see from the photos here, the stage was set for a full-throttle day. Charger Hellcat. Texas Motor Speedway private access. Racing helmets fitted; GoPro and Nikon batteries bursting with energy. Also bursting with energy? The 6.2-liter supercharged V8 under the hood of the dramatically enhanced 2015 Charger. A lumpy cam on idle as the car warms up is joined by one of the deepest baritone exhaust notes ever put in a sedan. Eight-speed automatic and extremely comfy, quiet and refined cabin suddenly gurgling with anticipation of big throttle. The Hellcat V8 engine makes 707 horsepower, which …

Keep reading

2015 03 04 SCGGen 04 0455m1

2016 Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG003C and SCG003S – Specs, Pricing and 135 Photos!

The name SCG003 name might be a mouthful, but its performance will be an earful, and its design is a sumptuous eyeful! Welcome to the next chapter in hardcore performance. The ultimate in hypercar power and track pace – competing with exotica like the W Motors Lykan Hypersport, Pagani Huayra, Koenigsegg and Bugatti. The 2016 Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus SCG003 is a duo of custom-designed race-winners — both on the track and on the street. The SCG003C stands for Competizione, while the SCG003S is for the stradale — or street. Grand ambitions for this mid-engine, carbon-fiber masterpiece. A truly stunning design …

Keep reading

07-koenigsegg-regera-geneva-142

Geneva 2015 Galleries – The Scandinavians – VOLVO, Koenigsegg and ZENVO

  PART FIVE   Here is why we are revisiting this mega-show: there are 400 photos in our Geneva 2015 file folder that have not been published yet. Some of the cars are cool, some are curious, and some are normal economy hatchbacks. A dozen of the big reveals are in individual articles — viewable at the Geneva category page over here. But for whatever reason, these fine machines did not make it into solo posts. Not fair, right? All photos deserve to see the light of day! The cars could use some sun, too. The Geneva auto show generally …

Keep reading

Geneva 2015 Galleries - The FRENCH 23

Geneva 2015 Galleries – The FRENCH – Renault, Citroen, DS and Borgward!?

  PART FOUR When we found photos of this classic turd named Borgward, we naturally assumed from its hideous design, nauseating paint and unusual presence at a new-car show that it was French. It is actually German Belgian. Sarray. The Borgward design feels like a Karmann Ghia pretending to be a Buick, but less appealing than either. The Bakelite two-tone pastels are never a good idea. Only white with pink details would be worse. What is this? A white and pink Citroen van concept!  Home run, chaps. Time for a white-wine lunch? Moving on… So, why Geneva photos a week …

Keep reading

Geneva 2015 Galleries The Germans 25

Geneva 2015 Galleries – The Germans, Austrians, Swiss and Czech – ALPINA, Audi, Quant, Mansory and Skoda

PART THREE   Here is why we are revisiting this mega-show: there are 400 photos in our Geneva 2015 file folder that have not been published yet. Some of the cars are cool, some are curious, and some are normal economy hatchbacks. A dozen of the big reveals are in individual articles — viewable at the Geneva category page over here. But for whatever reason, these fine machines did not make it into solo posts. Not fair, right? All photos deserve to see the light of day! The cars could use some sun, too. The Geneva auto show generally delivers …

Keep reading

Geneva 2015 Galleries - The ITALIANS! Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo 39

Geneva 2015 Galleries – The ITALIANS! Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati and Alfa Romeo

PART TWO Geneva? Wasn’t that huge swarm of media intros and press conferences almost 10 days ago? Yes, yes it was. The Geneva Motor Show is currently open to the public and the Palexpo center is packed wall-to-wall with the world’s hottest exotica. Here is why we are revisiting this mega-show: there are 400 photos in our Geneva 2015 file folder that have not been published yet. Some of the cars are cool, some are curious, and some are normal economy hatchbacks. A dozen of the big reveals are in individual articles — viewable at the Geneva category page over …

Keep reading

2015-Aston-Martin-Vulcan-02-2015-Geneva-Motor-Showfdsa

Geneva 2015 Galleries – The ENGLISH! McLaren, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, Lotus and MINI

Geneva? Wasn’t that huge swarm of media intros and press conferences almost 10 days ago? Yes, yes it was. The Geneva Motor Show is currently open to the public and the Palexpo center is packed wall-to-wall with the world’s hottest exotica. Here is why we are revisiting this mega-show: there are 400 photos in our Geneva 2015 file folder that have not been published yet. Some of the cars are cool, some are curious, and some are normal economy hatchbacks. A dozen of the big reveals are in individual articles — viewable at the Geneva category page over here.  But …

Keep reading

2015 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Crazy Colors Edition 16

2015 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Crazy Colors Edition Makes USA Debut in Amelia Island

This G63 AMG option set took us by the eyeballs over the weekend in Amelia Island!  This dark red/blue/purple shade is a flip color — it changes from dark red to a deep indigo in different lights. This ‘Galactic Beam’ paint color is actually really cool on the G63 because there are so many hard corners and sharp panel changes. The blocky shape makes the color flip extra pronounced. The lower trims and roof are all a tasty gloss-black, which is actually surprisingly sexy on the big G-wagen. There are four other shades offered, and all bring an extra $15,000 …

Keep reading

???????????????????????????????

1958 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Honeymoon Express – Crown Opus For Freestone and Webb Coachbuilders

  Freestone & Webb was one of the most prolific coachbuilders of its time – winning dozens of awards and working with a dozen brands during its run from 1923 to around 1958. This Silver Cloud I in sporty, two-door style is an extravagant and lavish masterpiece — perhaps the defining achievement of the firm’s run in the coachbuilt car business. This 42,000-mile example in Mason’s Black is quite something in person. It is huge, first off. Secondly, the flowing trunkline sinks slowly down toward the back bumper — creating the classic ‘leaned back’ stance of many legendary Rolls-Royces. But …

Keep reading

1953 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000CM Shows Origin of 2015 4C Nose Design 25

1953 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000CM Shows Origin of 2015 4C Nose Design

Alfa Romeo has such a deep catalog of sportscars, it is natural to wonder if the 4C’s nose design pulls in some heritage cues. We suspected it did, but could not pin down exactly which car inspired the Alfa shield in oversized, vertical form — combined with twin intake jellybeans on either side. What shape are those extra grilles!? Pointed toward the edges of the nose, but rounded around the grille section. It is a fantastic look on the 4C. In person, this new Alfa is absolutely brilliant. Gorgeous. Versus the chrome treatment on these 3000CM grilles, the 4C employs …

Keep reading

DSC_5651

1956 Maserati 200SI by Fantuzzi – Longnose Factory Race Team Prototype

The first-ever Maserati 200 SI made, a works development prototype and raced by a dozen of the biggest names in 1950s racing? Yes, yes and yes! This 200 ‘Sport Internazionale’ is one of the most special cars ever to wear the Maserati trident. The one-of-a-kind works racer is most distinctive due to its unpainted exterior. The aluminum and alloy panelwork is on proud display, along with racing history from every angle. Chassis #2401 did not meet its (unknown) reserve price in the 2015 Gooding & Co. Amelia Island auction. Rumored to bring more than $5-million, it looks like the bidding …

Keep reading

Gooding Amelia 2015 - 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3

Gooding Amelia 2015 – 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR

Coming in on the low side of its pre-sale estimate of $1.2 to $1.5-million, this 911 RSR is extremely desirable, special and fascinating in person. The RSR is such an extreme makeover of the factory 911, it is almost hard to believe how many core parts the two do, in fact, share. Even so, this racecar’s on-track provenance and perfect condition makes it a stellar investment as well as supercar. On the authenticity charts, the visible fiber-glass in the front widebody wings is particularly cool to see. 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR Gooding …

Keep reading

1975 Ferrari 312T F1 Car 14

1975 Ferrari 312T and 1976 312T2 Are F1 Legends With Monster Rear Tires

  These two Ferrari F1 cars were an incredible addition to the Amelia Island Concours for 2015. Hailing from 1975-76 and 1976-77, the 312T and later 312T2 represented a game-changing redesign by Ferrari. Raced by Nikki Lauda and scoring numerous race wins, the 312T is more outrageous to modern eyes thanks to its gigantic periscope of an air intake. Both machines have the almost eye-poppingly huge staggered tire setups of the era, putting tiny front rubber with a very narrow sidewall up front, but huge drag-racer-like slicks on the back. The ratio of front to rear tires is ostensibly 1 …

Keep reading