NY Topic Hub

2018 Bugatti CHIRON Headlines RM Sotheby’s 2017 New York Icons [33 Photos]

Imagine having a Chiron. Not in 18 months. Or even three months. Now. This week! That is how the new owner of this never-register Bugatti Chiron will feel in NYC at Rm Sotheby’s 2017 Icons auction. No word on who this original orderer was. The Chiron’s exact color shades are not shared, but it is black on black with red accents. The red stripe wraps the C-shaped door intake and then sweeps around the nose. The vehicle comes with an extra rear bumper in crate that meets US road specs. Fitted is the slightly slimmer world-export-spec rear bumper. Pricing is …

Nov 26, 2017 Read more

2017 Genesis GV80 SUV Concept Makes Surprise NY Debut

Genesis is engineering a fleet of SUVs to rival the best in the world. This is our first look at their vision for a $50k midsize SUV about the size of an X5. The GV80 is mostly a design study and showcase of what is coming to the realworld. For that purpose, its design outside … needs further study. We can’t get a sense of its details in these preview renderings. What is clear is that the truck has an awesome, F-Pace-ish stance and low roofline. The bodysides show interesting firmness and strong lines. This also shows up in …

Apr 12, 2017 Read more

2017 Audi R8 Spyder V10 – World Debut in NYC

The new R8 Spyder is here and packing even more potent performance, luxury and a huge leap in chassis rigidity. The strength of the new R8 means there will be virtually no difference between the softtop and the hardtop in terms of sheer pace and drive feel. The cabin is all-new, of course, with some of the most advanced design and user-experience technology of any make worldwide. These changes are all more-than-welcome, of course. But they will have to really deliver a great first impression in Audi showrooms. Why? Because the design outside is even more subtle than the coupe’s …

Mar 23, 2016 Read more

2016 Porsche Boxster SPYDER – First USA Photos! 100-Shot Animated Flyaround

Incredible intro to the 380HP Porsche Boxster Spyder today! The car is absolutely gorgeous, with upgrades dripping in aggression and hypercar hints of the top 918 Spyder. The sound on startup is suitably aggressive, with a deep baritone thrummmm after the initial startup bark. Smoked finishes all around and a liquid silver paintjob are only half the battle. The giant double bubble tonneau cover with mid-mounted brake light reminds many of the Carrera GT, or especially the Carrera GT by Zagato. What really makes the Boxster Spyder so impressive in the flesh? It is almost a total redesign. By our count, …

Jan 02, 2016 Read more

Group B Debrief – 1986 Ford RS200 – Road-Legal Rally Legend Up For Sale

Imagine if suddenly all the power-cap rules for a major racing series were abolished overnight. A mad rush of skunkworks projects would be fast-tracked, with racecars zinging out their red-hot turbochargers through the World Rally Championship stages just 18-months later. Porsche, Ferrari, Lancia, Ford, and Audi all dove into the Group B program with both feet. The results on track were mixed for many of these cars: the lack of power cap rules meant that intagibles like chassis control, visibility and reliability were paramount for winning rallies in the short Group B time on the global stage. The excitement of …

Nov 11, 2015 Read more

RM NY 2015 Preview – 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta by Ghia Is Flawless in Sunburst Orange

DeTomaso was one of a very talented group of ex-Ferrari men who broke out and founded their own dream supercar companies in the early 1960s. Like ISO, Siata, Bizzarrini and Lamborghini, the mid-1960s were sweet to all these new marques. Export markets to the US and elsewhere were all-new possibilities for the firms, and increases in sales were achieved for almost all the brands. Only a few really made it past the tumult of the early 1970s Arab Oil Embargo and new crash/emissions rules coming into force in America, by now dwarfing Europe in overall sales volumes for supercars. Lamborghini …

Oct 24, 2015 Read more

RM NY 2015 Preview – 1956 Ferrari 290MM Racecar Piloted by Fangio and Phil Hill

Not just a surviving Ferrari racecar from the golden era of the 1950s, but one that looks as fresh today as it did 60 years ago! This Ferrari 290MM is headed for sale at the RM Sotheby’s New York gala on December 10th, where it is expected to be among the high earners in a growing and mighty impressive list of classic-car icons. Ballpark beyond “buku-bucks” for the estimate? Well, let’s assume a bare skeleton of this car after a burnedout wreck would be worth $5-million. Then we have actuality: it is near-perfect (+$5M) — was driven in numerous famous …

Oct 24, 2015 Read more

RM New York 2015 Preview – 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante

1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante RM Sotheby’s New York – Driven By Disruption 10 December 2015 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Oct 14, 2015 Read more

1962 Aston Martin DB4GT by Zagato May Fetch $20M at RM NY 2015 Auction

1962 Aston Martin DB4GT by Zagato RM Sotheby’s NEW YORK, NEW YORK | An exclusive exhibition and sale located on Sotheby’s 10th floor gallery 10 December 2015 1962 Aston Martin DB4GT by Zagato Chassis no. DB4GT/0186/R Engine no. 370/0186/GT Photo Credit: Patrick Ernzen ©2015 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s In the early 1960s, Aston Martin and Ferrari were in a heated battle for supremacy in the World Sports Car Championship. It seemed as if every season brought about a new, race-ready vehicle to ensure each company’s victory, and the teams were consistently fighting each other for first place. Competition was just …

Oct 14, 2015 Read more

Janis Joplin’s Winky 1964 Porsche 356C Heading to Auction for First Time at RM New York 2015

Never-before sold at auction, Janis Joplin’s acid-trip Porsche 356C is headed to the RM Sotheby’s 2015 sale in NYC this December. Janis was a consummate scene-ster and party girl — living and defining the Haight/Ashbury scene in San Francisco throughout the 1960s while performing at tiny coffee-shop type venues. The tiny gigs often paid not in cash, but just free drinks. The bay area 1960s ideals of peace and love went national and eventually global by the end of the decade, by which time Janis was finally enjoying commercial success for her unhinged and anti-establishment sound. That success came fast …

Sep 23, 2015 Read more

2017 Cadillac XT5 in NY Fashion Week Fly-By! First Photos of SRX Crossover Replacement

Cadillac has taken its high-culture ambitions to new heights! A partnership launch gala with fashion-focused Public School in New York was topped off last night by a helicopter-assisted fly-by of the 2017 XT5 SUV. Replacing the unloved by most — but driven by General Motors CEO Mary Barra — SRX crossover, the XT5 is sorely needed in the Cadillac range. Battling the Lexus RX350 and BMW X5, the XT5 is a critical missing addition to the next-gen Cadillac range. Despite the proliferation of mini SUVs, Cadillac has largely missed the boat. So it took a helicopter instead? Perhaps. This …

Sep 10, 2015 Read more

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, …

Apr 02, 2015 Read more

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 …

Mar 31, 2015 Read more

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 …

Mar 31, 2015 Read more

Concept Flashback – 2002 Cadillac Cien XV12 – Halo Hypercar Back in Product Plans?

Cadillac in 2002 was just, just starting to reclaim its place in the luxury car ranks. Long blighted by horribly-engineered boats that failed every objective and subjective comparison with any true luxury brand, Cadillac was finally committing to rear-drive and actual merits as a corporate philoshophy. The new Art & Science tagline for the brand’s style — coined by Leo Burnett Chicago — needed an exemplar. People were thrilled by the Catera-replacing CTS but the brand needed a real shove upmarket. And fast. Enter stage left: the 2002 Cadillac Ciel concept running a mid-engine XV12 Northstar of 7.5-liters. It was …

Dec 06, 2014 Read more

1964 1/2 Ford Mustang Convertible — NY Worlds Fair Magic Skyway Car Number One

Ford definitely knew they had a major hit on their hands leading up to the Mustang’s original launch – even before the World’s Fair opened in Queens, New York City on April 17th of 1964. This car, serial #5F08F100004 — the 100004 part is the clue to its early-days provenance — was built as one of the very first pilot cars off the line, before March 5th of that same year. The build dates are a real pride point among Mustang owners of this period – and this 1964 1/2 Convertible was definitely, definitely one of the …

Apr 21, 2014 Read more

Rendered Speculation — 2015 INFINITI Q70L Coming to New York Show with Revised Q70 and QX80

Update: My own errors never cease to amaze me. The Q70 Sedan will debut tomorrow with a Q70L version. Big news this week from Infiniti, which will debut revised versions of the QX70 Q70 and QX80 SUVs, formerly known as the FX M and QX. The look is highly likely to reflect the latest QX60 and Q50 styles — but there is a nugget of interesting info here as well. The new QX70 Q70 will debut a LWB version promising five extra inches of legroom in back! This will make it very commodious versus the pinched-glass version today. So, in …

Apr 14, 2014 Read more

2015 Nissan Versa Sedan Debuts Ahead of NY Show — Priced from $12k And On Sale April 16th — Same Day As Debut!

Well, this is innovative! Very rarely can an auto show launch be synced with the availability of the actual road cars. The rare exception is when deposits are taken by executives — and even then, usually only in cases where the public floods the auto show stands with checks in hand. Even these cash buyers have to wait months to actually take delivery. And even in the deposit or cash-sale scenario, it is exceptionally rare. The Citroen DS in 1955. The Ford Mustang in Queens, New York at the World’s Fair 50 years ago exactly. A few Ferrari and Lamborghini …

Apr 12, 2014 Read more

New Supercar or Vintage Racecar: The Case for Recreations + Quiz: Which is the Fake?

Here is the case for exotic, hand-crafted replica vintage racecars: They Exist. They did not hit the walls, or churn tires through bodywork, or reek of urine. They start the first time, and can be titled and driven on the roads. At Motor Classic & Competition in Westchester County, New York — the all-time best hero racecars come back to life, rumble onto 2014 streets, and perhaps even find a home in your garage. Most race-winning examples of anything need to be treasured and preserved; maintained and respected. To put it in plain language: the GT40s in this article are …

Jan 02, 2014 Read more

Voracious 12C Spider Demand Propels McLaren to Add 5 New Dealerships

Updates for the 2014 McLaren 12C Spider include a wider variety of Special Ops customization choices, a new Android operating system for infotainment, and dealerships a bit closer to home. McLaren is hot on the heels of Ferrari in the battle to monetize their racing pedigree with high-dollar sports car purchases. This track battle is much less about lap times – and more about huge cash flow. McLaren recently announced the addition of five more official retailers, taking the total to 20 dealers across Canada and the U.S. by mid 2014. This is still much less than Ferrari’s 49 total …

Jan 02, 2014 Read more

RM Auctions and Sotheby’s Triple Pre-Sale Estimates at NY Gala

The landmark collaboration between auto experts RM Auctions and artful Sotheby’s set new heights with November 2013’s “Art of the Automobile.” The week-long extravaganza sounds like it went perfectly, at least in terms of the pricing delivered to sellers and the variety of exceptional cars on display. This might have been one of those weeks in a city like Manhattan. Where millions of people walk by a dark building without a clue how much majesty is just a few feet away through the bricks. The cars were on display for pre-sale viewings, making this a bit of a secret garden …

Nov 24, 2013 Read more

RM Auctions and Sotheby's Triple Pre-Sale Estimates at NY Gala

The landmark collaboration between auto experts RM Auctions and artful Sotheby’s set new heights with November 2013’s “Art of the Automobile.” The week-long extravaganza sounds like it went perfectly, at least in terms of the pricing delivered to sellers and the variety of exceptional cars on display. This might have been one of those weeks in a city like Manhattan. Where millions of people walk by a dark building without a clue how much majesty is just a few feet away through the bricks. The cars were on display for pre-sale viewings, making this a bit of a secret garden …

Nov 24, 2013 Read more

Record Prices Expected at This Week’s 2013 RM Auctions and Sotheby’s NY Gala

Record Prices Expected at This Week’s 2013 RM Auctions/Sotheby’s NY Gala The art world is in a frenzy. From Gurlitt to Rothko to Warhol, checks are being cut in denominations so large they might need an official escort. This certainly extends to cars. Beautiful dry weather brought out the big spenders all spring an summer. Even versus a three-pack of masters, the $50-million-plus recent Ferrari total is unbelievably huge. It is particularly interesting that such a sale was so public, in some regards. Typically, buyers in that type of market are not browsing the night of the auction. Closed-doors deals …

Nov 16, 2013 Read more

Record Prices Expected at This Week’s 2013 RM Auctions and Sotheby’s NY Gala

Record Prices Expected at This Week’s 2013 RM Auctions/Sotheby’s NY Gala The art world is in a frenzy. From Gurlitt to Rothko to Warhol, checks are being cut in denominations so large they might need an official escort. This certainly extends to cars. Beautiful dry weather brought out the big spenders all spring an summer. Even versus a three-pack of masters, the $50-million-plus recent Ferrari total is unbelievably huge. It is particularly interesting that such a sale was so public, in some regards. Typically, buyers in that type of market are not browsing the night of the auction. Closed-doors deals …

Nov 16, 2013 Read more