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ANNIVERSARY

2019 Mini Cooper S Hardtop 60th Anniversary – Review by Ben Lewis

When we talk about performance cars, the benchmark is still 0-60. Which may be outdated, but it’s easy to get your head around and compare cars of the past with cars of today. (Spoiler Alert – cars of today are much faster today.) That said, we are talking 0-60 mph. But with the 2019, we are talking something completely different. 0 – 60 Years Yep, years. Hard to believe that the original Mini first bowed in 1959. Especially since a super-small, efficient and fun vehicle seems so now. 1959 was an interesting year – The first Barbie Doll was introduced, …

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Concept Flashback – 2011 Unimog 60th Anniversary Design Concept

While we’re in the Unimog mood, here is a fun look back to the recent past for the 60 Years design concept. This sought to strip the Unimog to its core, function-required elements. Enhancing the insane wheel travel and semi-flexible chassis with showy red springs visible easily through the giant front fender/hood combination. Deconstruction and modernization are the clearest themes visible in this design. The bodywork is pared to the bare minimum, while the roll cage for the passenger cell becomes the only structural element of the open-air cabin. Similarly flowing new frame rails swoop upward around the rear suspension …

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Gallery: AC Schnitzer 30th Anniversary in 200 Photos

Anniversaries are a nice vote of confidence in any company.  But when the total years is less than 30 or so, the business is usually still pretty new.  Recordkeeping was usually poor and the products sometimes laughable in hindsight. You better believe this last bit applies to the tuned car business.  AC Schnitzer is one of the best – broadening from their first M3 and 635CSi offerings into MINI, Range Rover and every fast BMW since.  But the company did keep records, and it does celebrate its weirder achievements.  3 series X-Road wagon in 2001?  Or the 2003 Topster Z3 …

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2017 Ferrari J50 is Japan-Only Special – Launch Party in 25 Photos

  Thought the F60 America was Fezza’s only nod to its global regions?  Think again! This new J50 celebrates the marque’s 50th year in the Japanese market.  Based on the 488 GTC, the J50 has unique design touches throughout and a very fresh nose design in particular.  Horizontally-aligned headlights are a big departure from the vertically-oriented lamps Ferrari has employed for its model range in recent years. One thing is sure with these ultra-exclusive specials: resale and collectible cache second to none. Of course, those dreaming of a J50 outside of Japan should note that even an export will still …

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2016 JEEP CHEROKEE Latitude 75th Anniversary Edition – Review By Tim Esterdahl

Review: 2016 Jeep Cherokee Latitude 75th Anniversary Edition There are iconic vehicles out there and then there are Jeep vehicles. You literally can’t say the word iconic without referencing a Jeep. In fact, describing what an iconic vehicle is to someone who doesn’t know immediately brings up the example of a Jeep. And what happens when an iconic vehicle reaches a milestone like 75 years in production. Well then, you fill it with Jeep iconic badging, offer it in green, accent the exterior with bronze and orange and challenge people to find some open-air, dirt and a smile. The 75th …

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2016 Volkswagen GTI Clubsport Edition 40 – Locking Diff, Slicks and Aerokit for R-powered Front-Driver

‘Dead On Arrival’ is a better cliche than VW’s botched choice words to introduce this car: VW Says:  “””  ‘ Iconic’ is, perhaps, a word bandied around all too freely but, when applied to the mould-breaking Golf GTI, it can be used with genuine justification. “””   Forgive the slight lack of enthusiasm here.  But the GTI Clubsport Edition 40 is really not doing it for me.  A bump in power to 265 ponies, and 290 on a brief turbo overboost, is great from the Golf R-derived turbo 2.0-liter four.  The car delivers a seriously underwhelming 6.3-second sprint to 62-mph …

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455HP 1989 Lamborghini COUNTACH 25th Anniversary Edition

You know what they say… don’t meet your heroes. We say… don’t meet your hero cars unless you can also drive them! As a static piece, this very special 1989 Countach sits awkwardly among giant 60s musclecars. It is tiny in the flesh.  Much, much smaller than you would imagine.  At least two feet narrower in back than the DIablo or Murcielago, let alone the fairly gigantic Aventador. And you’ve all heard the cabin is impossible to enter or exit. This is true. We weren’t expecting to be SO, SO SMASHED inside once in though.  Butt down, then legs in… …

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2016 Volkswagen GTI Clubsport Anniversary Edition Packs New Aero Kit + 290HP Overboost

  VW just revealed one of its Frankfurt specials: the new GTI Clubsport Anniversary. This hot model bumps up the output from the previous Euro-only Clubsport by 35 horsepower. The baseline power is 265 ponies through a six-speed manual and or optional DSG. Sprint pace is down to 6.0-seconds for the stick, or 5.9 for the DSG. A massive jump in overall power comes via overboost tech in the engine programming. For around 15 seconds, the Clubsport Anniversary can deliver 290 horsepower — enough for a massive jump in acceleration forces. Outside, the Clubsport Anniversary wears a fresh set of …

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Vorsteiner GTRS4 Anniversary Edition Wears Superhero Blue over Red Wheels

Vorsteiner has swapped Austin Yellow Metallic for Yas Marina Blue on their latest GTRS4 widebody special — this car celebrating 10 years of outrageous tuning for exotic cars. Among the few colors offered by the factory on the M4, Yas Marina Blue is probably the best of the lot. They are mostly pretty boring and/or ugly colors — aside from white and black, of course. BMW Individual offers a gorgeous Fire Orange, but it is a $6k option that requires a long lead time via factory pre-order. Vorsteiner is the opposite, though. They are wasting no time shipping their full …

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