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2015 SuperCoupe Design Shootout – Lexus RC F vs. BMW M4 vs. Audi RS5

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Executive supercoupes are hot as f*** right now. A duo of new entrants from BMW and Lexus really up the ante on Audi’s 2014 RS5 and the forthcoming C63 AMG Coupe that is expected relatively soon on the horizon. Other competitors are plenty in this segment, including the 2014 CTS-V Coupe from Cadillac, the Infiniti Q60 IPL and even the Camaro ZL1 — but these three are ripe for a design shootout because their performance and target markets are so completely mirrored — even more so than performance, the case may be. The M4 and RC F are not even …

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White Dynamite – 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 4Matic S-Model

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What is it about white cars lately? Perhaps because white was previously the cheapest paint known the man, it got a rough reputation for being about as classy as a burned-out Econoline van. But the new white is indeed new. It is deeper, richer, whiter and ultimately a slinky color that even looks good dirty and at night. It is The Color. The Car? The new E63 AMG 4Matic S-Model.   The BMW M5 might claim a faster Nurburgring lap time, but lags a full half-second behind this bad-ass Benz in 60-mph sprints: 3.7s plays 4.2s. That is a big …

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Road Test Review w/ Pricing and Specs – 2014 Mazda3 Grand Touring

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We were amazed with the all-new 2014 Mazda3 from the moment we laid eyes on it – especially the slinky and low-slung sedan variant that just arrived this Spring to Mazda dealers nationwide. After some joyful driving of the loaded 2014 Mazda3 s Grand Touring model, it is clear that the praise we shared in the “2014’s Smartest Compact” article was not sufficient. This might be the best car on the market in general, with no caveats for size or price. It is that good. I am struggling to convey how outstanding a machine it is in all regards — …

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Bowler Defender 90 Packs Challenge Rally Kit and Extra Power into Streetable Trucks Too!

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How hardcore is Bowler Motorsport? The firm is just entering the booming off-road parts and accessories business after more than two decades of a laser focus on endurance rally racing across the globe. The upgrades to the Bowler Defender Challenge entries are also offered in a road truck version that is complete and ready-to-roll based on a new Defender 90. There are a handful of individual parts available as well — with more coming soon. This is handy to for guys who already have a Defender and are looking for a little customization and Bowler rally magic… Pricing for the …

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Gone in 3.7s – 30th Anniversary BMW M5 Adds 25 Horsepower, New Steering and New Active M Rear Diff

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Well this is interesting! The ’30 Jahre M5′ edition is actually a bit more than a run-out special ahead of an expected revamp and the long-rumored addition of xDrive to the next M5. Adding power, a new steering setup and a new controller for the Active M Differential not only improves sprint times down to 3.7-seconds to 60MPH — it is also promised to improve the overall handling balance of the ultimate super saloon car. Worth noting is that the current M5 is not exactly lacking in dynamic poise or power. But the game is moving forward on BMW’s M5 …

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The Mitty 2014 at Road Atlanta – Monoposto Classic – Group 4A and 4B Brabham, Lotus, Lola…

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 The Mitty is really a grab-bag of racers in every group, making it hard to know what is even zooming past. That was certainly the case for this group! Here are the cars in Group 4A – The Monoposto Classic 1969 Lotus 61 1969 Bragham BT-29 1970 Chevron B17B 1969 March 693 1972 Crossle 25 1972 Ensign FB 1067 Brabham BT21   Group 4B Monoposto Formula 1975 Lola T332 1976 March 762 F2 1971 McRae GM1 1979 March 79 SV 1973 Lola T330 1980 March 80A 1980 March 80A 1972 GRD 372 1975 March Fm. Atlantic 7      

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NASCAR Meets Road Course?! Video of Stock Cars at Mitty 2014 + 100 Track Photos

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One cannot really escape NASCAR if you are outside of a New York-LA-Chicago type of city, and especially if you are a Yankee who wakes up one day in the South. Stock Car racing is everywhere, and I am climbing down into the abyss. Overall, the cars are pretty fun to watch being driven at max attack around Road Atlanta’s challenging road course. For one, it has numerous tight corners. Second, the cars in this Stock Car class include everything from Impalas and relatively recent Charger NASCARS … all the way back in time to the Chevy Monte Carolo and …

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VIDEO and Photos – Bailey Ferrari P-4 Replica Running 400i V12 + Flat-6 917 Porsche Replica Too!

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A day that fires up with GT40 V8s and ends with Ferrari P4 V12’s? What could be better? Sure, both the cars in question are recreations – replicas of these arch-rival racecars that are remade in 2014 just a bit better (we would argue)  than was possible in the 1960s. But even so, they are a wonderful time-capsules and even time machines for many – these cars were in their racing prime when color photography was rare enough to not know the difference between Rosso Corsa and Gulf Blue. This was racing at modern speeds — with decidedly vintage technology. …

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Affordable Rewards – All-Original 1965 Porsche 356C in Togo Brown

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It is hard to believe the 356 was still rumbling around in 1965, one year after the first 911 models started arriving to the United States. The 356 was carried into 1965 primarily to serve as a more-affordable entry into the Porsche brand versus the 911 and its six-cylinder layout. The 356C was also a hedge against the chance – albeit a very rare one  – that buyers would not like the new Butzi-penned shape of the 911. Togo Brown is a period color that still screams vintage today. This paint is so thick and pure, it looks like it …

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2014 Superformance GT40 Mark I – MEGA Photo Shoot and Ride-Along Videos

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While editing these photos just now, I am trying to think of the right description for the beauty shown by the Superformance GT40 Mark I. (And its humble photographer…!) All I keep thinking is: “These Photos Are Wet-Your-Pants Gorgeous.” The 100-plus photos below hopefully make up for the very disappointing camerawork in my GT40 ride-along. Yes, for most of it, I am narrating into an iPhone that was not actually, ahem, recording… VIDEO PART ONE VIDEO PART TWO Overall, owning a Superformance GT40 is now near the top of my long list of life goals. Enjoy.     OUTDOOR PHOTOS …

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VIDEO: Touring the Olthoff Racing Dream Factory – Superformance GT40s and Cobras Galore

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Tucked beside a country highway in North Carolina, impossible dreams come to life in the form of howling racecar replicas from Superformance. The model year says 2014, but the dream of piloting a Le Mans car on the street generally share a birthday with a 196* starting point. Authorized and licensed by Safir Spares and Shelby American, Superformance is not a fly-by-night organization. Badges and paperwork are a sure thing with every model they sell from the dozen or so assembly and retail outlets like Olthoff Racing all over the world. But the one thing with racecar assembly versus mass-market …

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McLaren M8F meets M8B Go-Kart! Seeks Posh New Home; McLaren Owner Strongly Preferred

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How awesome is this (homage) McLaren M8B High Wing Go-Kart? The detail-work is remarkably accurate (for a toy…), down to that desirable McLaren Orange paintwork and the white tire stencils to match period racing rubber. The kart is not intended as a racer — which makes sense considering it was created only for kid-sized individuals. It is more of piece of art, a conversation starter, or a piece of wall decor to crave. Originally built for an owner of many, many original McLarens, the M8B (M8K?) kart is now in transition and is for sale to the highest bidder. Located …

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1937 Shafer 8 BUICK Indy RaceCar at The Mitty – Road Atlanta 2014

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Pretty shameless not to write much about this amazing machine!  But the photos really tell most of the story of this handsome and streamlined Buick-powered racer. Streamlined? Yes and no. The long-tail acted to improve stability, but those silver bars along the sides? That is the full ladder chassis, with the cabin and mechanical shrouds all in-board. Coker Tire sells the best vintage tires around, with the exact Firestones seen here available today from about $475 – which is not a bad deal overall! Adjusted for inflation, that would be barely $2 per tire in the 1930s…! http://blog.cokertire.com/shafer-eight/  

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Porsche, BMW and Aston Beware: Nissan GT-R GT3 Poised to Dominate Nurburgring 24H Race

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Nissan GT-R GT3 Nurburgring 24H Race When the Nissan GT-R goes racing, it typically does so to win. This is not a flight of fancy – the latest GT3 version of the mighty GT-R must know something we do not about speed and stamina around the Green Hell. Either the car knows something, or the Nismo.tv YouTube channel, or perhaps the GT Academy drivers for this year’s online reality competition show? Someone must be very confident that this GT-R GT3 can beat everything else on the grid.   With this GT3-spec GT-R, perhaps Nissan is delivering such fast testing laps …

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McLaren Special Ops Reveals Upgrades for 650S via Production-Ready Concept

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McLaren Special Ops 650S McLaren Special Operations is fantastic – easily and safely turning any 12C into more graceful beauties via new bumpers, sills, spats and diffusers outside. Inside, your taste and modesty are the only restrictions on colors and customizations. All the MSO upgrades adhere to the same McLaren fanatical obsession with racing performance enhancement at every step – meaning they are far more than just cosmetic. They are also OEM-quality, which is less-than-a-sure-thing for other body kits. Such bodywork flying off the car at McLaren-level speeds would be a concern for me when personalizing my supercar. Bruce McLaren, …

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Mustang 50th Anniversary – Stragglers Gallery Shows 150+ Great Photos of Your Dream Mustangs

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What to do? As a junior media outlet, I really hate to let any good photos fall by the wayside and not publish them. But in order to create one of my big articles (they are all pretty Big & Tall, but I am trying to slim the text and photos down…), I need at least 40 photos. These amazing Mustangs were either too fast or too loud to stand by for the full photo shoot — and I am left without full batches. But if you were at the Mustang 50th Anniversary event in Charlotte – and especially if …

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HD GoPro Video + Track Action Photography: Top 3 Mustang GT350s of Charlotte Motor Speedway

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In the 1960s, almost all American cars came equipped with an 85-mph speedometer. Only the wildest exotics of the time dared go to 100-mph on the speedo – which was usually the ‘hoped for’ rather than ‘verified’ top speed…. So for this 65 GT350 to be so, so fast (and loud!) when howling around Charlotte Motor Speedway was really something to see, hear and feel resonating in your lungs — and brain — long after it has gone past.   Days later, I was still feeling the high-def bellow of these race-prepped GT350 Mustangs – in a good way. Every …

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Mustang 50th Favorites – 1968 Ford Drag Team – Mustang 428 Cobra Jet in Wimbledon White

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It is impossible to very the authenticity of this car as a 428 Cobra Jet model without a thorough VIN inspection in multiple places, but we are leaning toward “Homage” versus “Original.” That is no bad thing when considering the care and exhaustive effort to bring this Mustang up to ‘Winternationals 1968’ spec – where eight Cobra Jet Mustangs joined the drag racing pit area, for a combined 3000-plus Mustang horsepower from each car’s FE engine making 390-horsepower. This was a real shock to the shock the competing teams, generally equipped with one car (total) plus one backup engine. The …

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Exclusive World Debut – 2014 Superlite SLC Le Mans Spyder – $70k, 430HP V8, Porsche Trans and 2200 Pounds Total!

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Unless I am in Chicago traffic from O’Hare to Wrigleyville, I rarely like to toot my own horn. But the Superlite SLC Le Mans world debut might be a seriously exclusive piece of supercar news – seen only by readers of Car-Revs-Daily.com, so far. Why? The Spyder (or Roadster) SLC Le Mans is absolutely brand new and has never before been shown in public. This is the first complete prototype of the full Le Mans Spyder bodystyle of the Superlite SLC Coupe, an it is magnificent. Completed with a Chevrolet LS3 V8 engine and Porsche transaxle by H Craft Customs …

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1966 Shelby Mustang GT350 Racecar Awaits Engine Buildout at Charlotte Motor Speedway

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  A few issues in the video above, namely that when I am in the engine compartment noting the steering components. I refer to the “rack” of the typical modern rack-and-pinion steering setup. The original Mustang ran a worm-gear setup, which goes a long way toward explaining the factory car’s waywardness on the road (versus a modern car.) This recreated and not-original Shelby GT350 racecar build is just about the ideal starting point for most people. Almost any engine, transmission and interior setup are feasible with such a clean example like this. 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350 Racecar  

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SHOCK! Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Banned NASCAR Mustang Prototype… Actually Looks Like a Mustang

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Confession time: I have not been an active NASCAR fan in more than 20 years. But I am definitely a fan of the cars’ outright speed, power and the bravery needed to take one to victory over near-identical others on the grid. This extremely homogenized approach to racing rules is epitomized outside by what NASCAR calls the “Car of Tomorrow” bodyshell. It makes all the cars the exact same shape, excluding stickers. This seems like a huge error in judgment versus what fans want to see: actual rivalries among not just drivers, but the car manufacturers’ racing technology and expertise. …

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Speculative Renderings – 2014 Superformance GT40 Can-Am Spyder or Street-Able Convertible

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So, if the Ford GT40 and the LOLA T70 Mk II Spyder share so much under the skin, and if the Lola is already available from Superformance — why bother with a meld of both these ideas?   Three reasons: – The Lola cars have a far smaller following among the world’s enthusiasts, and therefore are a very niche machine – If Ford had continued racing the GT40 concept after its four LeMans victories from 1966 to 1969, it is likely that the car would have adopted this style to match FIA’s rule changes. Can-Am was much closer to home …

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2014 Superformance LOLA Mk III and MkII Can-Am Spyder at Olthoff Racing – Chevy-Friendly Racing Speedster?

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Lola racecars are extremely special for their value-for-money today, racing pedigree, and also their incredibly timeless grace and beauty. This was a racing team directly formed in the late 1950s with one goal: build a car from scratch to win LeMans. The resulting semi-monocoque chassis design – now known as a unibody – was revolutionary at the time of frame-based racers from nearly every other racing company and nearly every single road car. A semi-monocoque? Oh yes. The other part is also pretty advanced for the time: a steel spaceframe for the engine and rear suspension cradle. In fact, the …

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Mustang 50th Anniversary Showcase – 1972 Ford Mustang Convertible – Driven 1600 Miles From Colorado!

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I have done many, many huge roadtrips in my life – and hope to do many more! (Starting this Thursday, actually… on way to The Mitty vintage race at Road Atlanta…) But overall, I have about a 1200-mile cap before my eyes start bleeding and have to stop driving for a few days. 1,000 miles typically is two 12-hour days behind the wheel. 1,600 miles is more like three 12-hour days – despite the official Google Map estimate that the journey is only 23 hours. This discounts and stops for fuel, restrooms, or tourist attractions – without which most roadtrips …

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Mustang 50th Anniverary Showcase – $150,000 Race-Prepped 1986 Mustang GT Convertible!

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An unlikely hero?  Here it is!  The 1986, Fox-body Mustang GT Convertible. Proof that being feeling young and hip and bad-ass will never go out of style. Like all cyclical trends, the 1980s, 1990s and pre-2005 Mustangs were all firmly out-of-favor at the Mustang 50th Anniversary extravaganza in Charlotte. But even while the public moslty fawns over most-popular first and latest-gen cars, these 80s and 90s Mustangs are still the epitome of fast and brash youth culture to their owners. This was my key take-away from meeting hundreds of Mustang guys: The Mustang of all years and styles embodies being …

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Race-Prepped 1967 Mustang Hardtop in SB Yellow

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Learned a great deal about Mustang culture and Mustangs themselves last week in Charlotte, but the identity and owner of this amazing race-prepped coupe escaped me. I assumed these were Steeda Autosport‘s cars – based on proximity to their giant trailer – until they explained that their cars were elsewhere in the main display areas. But these pit-garage beauties certainly did not go unnoticed by us! The School-Bus Yellow example was an instant favorite. It is intense in the flesh, and based on the less-popular Notchback Coupe versus the fastback that was preferred by Shelby and most other go-fast teams …

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

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      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 …

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SHELBY COBRA – How These Two Words Ultimately Killed the Ford Takeover of Ferrari in 1963

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No series of articles about the GT40 can begin without a look at how the car came to exist. A battle of spite between Ferrari and Ford? Yes. But also a battle to establish Ford as a racing powerhouse – which was a new opportunity to regain face as Chevrolet and General Motors dominated the coolest car news via Motorama shows and Corvettes in the 1950s. FROM DE-FACTO BANS ON BOTH RACING CARS AND RACY MOVIES… Racing was also heavily discouraged by the United States government of the time – until the case was made that racing improved the breed. …

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VIDEO: Olthoff Racing Factory – Superformance GT40 Mark II – Specs, History + High-Res Photo Comparison Vs. GT40 Mark I

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Is there beauty in functionality? That is the question to ask when debating a GT40 Mark I versus its successor, the GT40 Mark II. Is authenticity of the actual 1-2-3 1966 7.0-liter Mark II race win better than the clean lines and simple aesthetic of the Mark I — which was actually a trouble-prone testing bed for the losing 1964 and 1965 seasons? The 24 Hours of LeMans is widely known as the most grueling durability and endurance test ever fathomed, let alone run annually with a field of more than sixty cars across four racing categories: LMP1, LMP2, GT2 …

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2015 FORD F-150 Trims, Colors and Tech Features – LED vs Halogen Headlights

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LED TECH DETAILS The LED low and high-beam headlights of this Platinum model are quite refreshing, especially when parked next to the also-new 2015 Expedition and its projector beams. The latest lighting of the F-150 instantly makes everything else seem very outmoded — when when the lights are not switched on. When they are, forget-about-it… Competing for style or energy efficiency via halogen or even HID lamps will be impossible. The LED theme continues in the blinker setup as well, with that subtle outline illuminating for turn indicators. In an ultra-cool touch, the amber portion is only colored when the …

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2015 Ford F-150 Platinum Is Disruptively Attractive in Real Life at Mustang 50th Event

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The 2015 F-150 looks as incredibly new, high-tech and desirable in the flesh as it did on the auto show stands! It is set up to be a major sales disruption in a market segment it already owns with a 2:1 sales advantage over any other brand. The new F-150 is not a sure thing, but it appears to have it all via such a perfect storm of new equipment, new efficiency, new comfort and new style. Why upset a market that already earns, we reported in January, a cool $14-billion in revenue every single year based on slice/dicing of …

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GT40 vs Cobra Track Battle VIDEOS! Superformance Brings American Racecar Glory Global via Shelby Asia

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Superformance Ford GT40 – in-car track cam Editor’s Intro: Can you tell I am getting excited to visit Olthoff Racing tomorrow in Charlotte, NC?   Have you ever wished you could just wake up tomorrow day inside Gran Turismo?  Or even better, in the pit lane of Daytona circa 1965 ? Well beyond 3D — and into 4D of not just SSM (sight, sound and motion) but SSMTSFG — Sight, Sound, Motion, Touch, Smell, Fear and Glory? Well, for a modest amount of cash and enough skill – Superformance racecar recreations can do just that. These two videos demonstrate the …

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VIDEOS – Charleston Cars & Coffee – 1967 Chevy Nova, Drag-Prepped Hudson, Hemi Cuda and 2002 Superformance Cobra

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Okay! Trying to plow through all these Cars and Coffee photos before heading up to Charlotte tomorrow for the Mustang 50th Anniversary Celebrations — three days of playful work in the infield of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Hoping to come back with some track videos and driving impressions to share — but one thing is certain: I will have more photos than most car magazines publish in a full calendar year! My Amelia adventure? More than 3000 photos, 99-percent of which are in-focus and use-able. But still 600 that I am too fatigued to write about (so far). Rainy day… …

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Bentley Boys, Roller Gents – Building My #RollsRoyceinColour Ghost SWB V-Specification

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Orig Published on: Jan 8, 2014 @ 22:21 The Rolls-Royce Ghost is absolutely spectacular on all levels, in all colors and even considering the cost. Experiencing Ghost up close only makes the configuration options of the new V-Spec even more enticing.   The new-for-2014 Ghost V-Specification is welcome because even though a Ghost could be made to look like this in the aftermarket, it is nice to see some of the wild old spirit of the founding gentlemen back in action. Before we dive in: Rolls-Royce refers to their vehicles as simply Ghost and Wraith, not The Ghost and the …

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The NSX Effect — Own One, And You Will Never Sell It — Black NSX Series I and Red NSX-R Series II

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I have met more than a few NSX guys recently — and they all have two things in common: — undying devotion to the machine — unwillingness to even consider parting ways with it This is exceptionally rare for supercars — or any car, for that matter. But as the years pass, the NSX’s charms grow stronger for almost every owner. It is a captivating machine in the flesh even today, to be sure. Our investigation continues on the NSX’s chokehold over its owners — wish updates as soon as we know more this summer with the next car’s (expected) …

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VIDEO: 1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT at Charleston Cars & Coffee — Still Crazy After All These Years

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Crazy cool… but also crazy compromised? It took a three-point-turn for this “FARM” license-plated thoroughbred to squeeze its way into this generous parking space…! The FARM plate might be a tongue-in-cheek reference to Lambo’s origins making giant tractor engines… but the car is from Lake Forrest, Illinois!  My old stomping ground… As far as curb appeal and stopping power to draw stares, little can compete with the Diablo VT.

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2014 Camaro ZL1 Convertible Blasts Off in Wild Sprint Starts — 2 In-Car and 1 HD GoPro Hood-mounted Video

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These videos really speak for themselves, do they not? They speak in a language of burnt rubber, supercharger hum and exhaust bellow — but the message is loud and clear: the ZL1 is a huge monster of a machine and a dream muscle car without a doubt. Even with an automatic… this car is a heat-seeking missile! In-Car Video of Same Launch Above First Corner…   Bonus! the Z06 Convertible is front and center in the new Chevrolet performance lineup images released today. Our United States Navy pal’s 2014 ZL1 Convertible  

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1976 BMW 2002 – Seafoam Green with Flawless Bodywork + Updated 325i Wheels

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The BMW 2002 is such a special car. This cherished example is tastefully updated with a set of 325i rims from the 1980s and also a comfy pair of racing seats that surely provide far more support than the originals in vinyl ever could. As a previous owner of a 1975 VW SuperBeetle in this exact shade of green — I can assure you that it is one of the most love-able colors out there. But what makes this 1976 BMW so special is that is is clearly so adored by its driver. Not a spot of grime anywhere inside …

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W Motors LYKAN HyperSport Makes Production Debut in Monaco This Week – Racecar In Pipeline?

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      Since winning 2013’s Best New Exotic car award here on Car-Revs-Daily.com,  the W Motors team has been anything but idle. The Lykan HyperSport’s whirlwind tour continues this spring with its European debut in Monaco April 17th through the 20th. Despite not exactly being street-legal in Europe and the United States yet — that is not likely to be a problem for this hypercar’s ~ten total owners. Not street legal there? Here is how the buyer conversations might go… “Let’s have the Lykan as our Paul Ricard HTTT track car, or maybe we should just order it shipped …

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VIDEO: 2014 BMW M6 Coupe — Before / After M Performance Upgrades — Exhaust Roars Like A ScramJet

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      Did you watch this video!  You must!  It is 40 seconds of shrieking roar. This M6 sounds absolutely ferocious. Far rougher and meaner than a jet engine. It sounds like a solid-state rocket… The M6 is available as a two-door hard or soft-top, or my choice: for four-door Gran Coupe. The key style differences in the three cars below concerns the grille finish: from totally blacked-out on the M Performance upgraded car, to the (my prefererence) chrome vertical clats on the the indoor cars, to the standard M6 coupe bringing up the bottom set of images. All …

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Classic Sports Cars — Datsun 240Z at Cars & Coffee — Immaculate in 30 Glowing Orange Photos

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Cars and Coffee in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina was a huge success yesterday!  Over 250 cars were in attendence — with everything from Lamborghini Diablo’s to 1950s Jaguars to 2014 Camaro ZL1s — and nearly everything in between. I enjoyed my visited very much, and encourage car guys everywhere to do a five-minute look for a similar event in their areas. In general, I thought Cars & Coffee was a small phenomenon occurring in just a handful of large cities. I could not have been more wrong!  Not only is there one in my small city of Charleston, SC — …

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Coolest Vintage Hood Ornaments -- RM Auctions Amelia Island 2014 -- Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac, Stutz, Chrysler, Ford, Aston-Martin, Bentley and More 43 - Copy

Coolest Vintage Hood Ornaments – Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac, Stutz, Chrysler, Ford, Bentley and More…

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I have an odd fascination with artful hood ornaments, and took some close-ups of favorites over the big Amelia Concours weekend. But first: when did hood ornament become a dirty word? They previously epitomized the height of class and prestige — while often serving functional benefits as well. Pierce-Arrow As the top-mounted radiator cap in the early days of luxury cars, you know knew the cap was screwed on (and threaded) correctly when the symbol faced dead ahead. (Ford) One highlight you must wonder about right away is the life-sized Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstasy. She is a 1940s art deco …

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625HP 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible – SURPRISE OFFICIAL REVEAL

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Here I am, farting around and debating a nap instead of writing up the 2015 Golf Sportwagen, which will replace the hideous and hated Jetta SportWagen, and ding goes my iPhone! **VERY** fresh email. Unlike the hundreds and hundreds of firewall attack alerts I have received all day long since yesterday, this is HUGE NEWS! HUGE NEWS! Only two weeks ago, we published some disgracefully-shoddy Speedster and Spyder renderings, one of which included a Z06 drop-top. In that article, we outlined how there are “two types” of Corvette buyers — which is a polite way of saying the drop-tops were …

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Presto, Here-We-Go! Animated Evolution of GMC from 1902 Rapid Truck to 2015 Sierra Denali HD + Brand Origin Explained

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GMC really has some deep truck roots! Even while Chevrolet hoovers up most of the sales volume these days — and has for many years — the GMC legacy actually predates Chevrolet. Something that has never changed in the 102 years of this evolution span is the need by Americans for heavy-lifting trucks. The GMC line added two-ton weights, panel cabs and chassis cabs in 1915, and has never looked back. But what did GMC really “stand” for when added to the General Motors portfolio as GMTC, selling Rapid and Reliance trucks from around 1909? Two clues are right there …

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Easiest Luxury Limo – 2014 Lexus LS460 – F Sport and AWD vs RWD + Pandora.com Cavallo Point Flashbacks

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Orig Published on: Jan 25, 2014 @ 12:46 Back to work! After some side projects recently, it is time to get back to action. The Lexus LS is the perfect car for “getting down to business.” So let’s dive in. When shopping for a new luxury limousine, the question most car magazines ask is: “Which is Best?” But does this miss the point of a limo entirely? Which is easiest seems the most on-target for many shoppers in this segment. Sidebar: As I get more experienced with auto news and reviews, I am starting to recognize many of the photo …

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Exclusive! Caterham Seven — USA Buyers Guide — LHD, Street-Legal Superformance From $38k! — 5 Engines: 160, 280, 360, 480 and 620R

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The only questions to ask yourself when ordering a Caterham from Superformance are remarkably basic: — How quickly would you like to have a huge grin on your face via monster performance and uber-tactile handling? — Will 2.8-seconds to 60-mph be worth an extra $30,000 or so versus the devastatingly-rapid Seven 480’s 3.4-second sprint? Or is 4.9-seconds in the affordable Seven 280 acceptable? — How wild do you prefer to be with color and style — as this can ratchet up all the below pricing dramatically. Easy, right? The Superformance distribution deal with Caterham finally allows these hilarious machines to …

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Build Your Own 500HP Chevy Truck with Valvoline! 5 Body Styles, 5 Engines, 10 Colors, Wheels, Graphics!

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Valvoline and Hendrick Motorsports have nabbed two of the biggest names in US auto racing for the entertaining and fun ‘Reinvention Project.’ It pits Dale Jr. versus Jimmie Johnson in a battle of resto-modding wits — five vintage Chevy truck bodies to choose among, and engines up pushing nearly 600 horsepower! It is both an on-track grudge match with drag racing and burnout contests for the resulting real-life pickup trucks each racer designed himself — a riot of power and semi-politeness among the guys. Cruise over to Facebook.com/valvoline to give them a thumbs up, and vote on your favorite. The …

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Op_Ed: Ferrari Formula One 2014 Whine-a-Thon — Actually Just Poor Engineering? But Surplus of Arrogance, Entitlement and Cronyism

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INTRO: No kid says, “I want to be one of the angry and out-of-touch old men in charge, long after my prime and causing damage to my sport, or my team.” They say, “I want to be a racecar driver.” Formula One is bringing a bit more drama to all the backstage maneuvers this year — which is at least half the fun of the sport lately. Bogged down by a tome of a rulebook, Bernie Ecclestone’s forced hiatus from running every lockstep in the sport brings with it significant pitfalls for the most legendary team on the grid: Scuderia …

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In-House Racing Expert Chris May Asks — Are Established Tracks Safe For Today’s Race Pace?

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By: Special Contributor Chris May Established Race Tracks:  Are they Safe Anymore? It’s a loaded question that I have been wrestling with over the past couple of weeks.  So you might ask, ‘Why is this on your mind, bit of a random thought?’ Well, the genesis of the thought process started last year when the racing community lost Allan Simonsen tragically at Le Mans.         I, just like many other racing fans, was glued to the TV as we watched the historical event unfold and the tragic cloud that fell upon the race with 23 hours left …

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2014 Hennessey Venom GT Worlds Fastest Edition- 270 Stunning Photos of 270MPH Venom GT Spyder

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The Venom GT is a major success story that keeps building momentum with every aerodynamic tweak and trip to the Kennedy Space Center! This video below is pretty awesome. Great intro via a  great JFK speech, HPE! Pretty outstanding results, too =] The latest WFE reached the long-held ideal of one kilogram of weight per horsepower, with both totaling 1244 thanks to the latest tweaks to the Hennessey twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The Hennessey team notes that not only is the Venom GT now the world’s fastest car, it is also the quickest. A 2.7-second sprint to 60-mph only increases in …

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2015 Escalade ESV Standard, Premium and Luxury – Buyers Guide and Pricing from $72k

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The 2015 Escalade is easily the hottest full-size truck of the year. Its arrival is still forthcoming, but the first Tahoe’s and Yukon’s are already starting to trickle onto dealer lots. Extra attention to the Escalade’s cabin and driving experience explain why the Cadillac is not shipping first. But better late and perfect than early and unfinished. For most buyers in the market for an Escalade-sized truck, there would be a few solid preference to keep in mind: — ESV length versus the shortie would be a no-brainer for me — the price increase is only $3,000 but the increased …

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2014 Cadillac CTS and CTS-V Wagons — Cult Classics — 3.6-liter V6 Offering Dark Vsport Grille via New Touring Package

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The Cadillac CTS Wagon is a plum machine, and one so rare you may never pass yourself going the other way on any road, worldwide. Available with a rear-drive 3.0-liter V6, or the upgraded 3.6-liter in rear-drive or AWD, this is a massively practical car that just happens to be gorgeous. It would be my pick in a heartbeat over the CTS Coupe, but versus the new sedan? That is a toss-up. What the Wagon does bring is that intangible sense of coolness that every fast wagon driver will know and love. What does that actually earn you? Nods of …

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2015 Acura NSX Set for Goodwood Debut — REAL Pre-Production Model — Plus! Dream Colorizer — 150 Shades of Hybrid Supercar

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The NSX Concept is still making the rounds in near-production form — but there is big news on near-term horizon. Our prediction? The New NSX will debut in production form this summer’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in England in late June of this year. While the debut is only confirmed so far as the “prototype,” we have reason to believe this prototype is actually the real pre-production car. Why is this our prediction? Some inside info or a hot tip? I wish. No — we are working on a hunch. Informed by just historical data, careful analysis of the wording …

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4.2s, 425HP 2015 BMW M4 Convertible! Full Details + 39 Photos of Wide-Track Menace — Arrival to US Buyers by Late August 2014

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Sierra Denali HD? Acura NSX Goodwood 2014 debut? Both articles bumped. Dinner skipped. The 2015 BMW M4 Convertible has arrived. Looking amazingly athletic and aggressive from every angle, the 2015 BMW M4 Convertible just popped up in our inbox ahead of its first public outing at the New York Auto Show in just two weeks time. First stats are remarkably impressive: — manual six-speed or seven-speed M-DCT transmissions, with 4.4-second and 4.2-second sprint times, respectively — Bigger trunk than before, new three-piece folding hardtop that drops cruising cabin noise levels by 2-decibels — Incredible agility and a characterful howl from …

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3.8s 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible — MEGA Buyers Guide — Pricing, Specs, Equipment, Interiors, Colors, Wheels and Options

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INTRO:  You do not see 150-image buyers guides in any car magazine or magazine iPad app, that is for sure! Why? It takes sooooo, soooo loooong to put something like this together. I hope it is helpful and entertaining to those with — or without — a Stingray ragtop in their future! There is fresh content all the way down to the bottom of this page. =] A few insights after a very deep dive into the 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible’s specs, pricing and configuration options. — In my opinion, the drop-top looks even better than the hardtop…. but, the …

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Honda Heritage Celebration — Official Togichi Museum PhotoSpheres — 71 Honda-isms and Milestone Achievements Since 1936

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Auto Museums are super cool. Even if your eyes glaze over at the thought of visiting a dark and endless art museum — if you like cars, you will be ecstatic the moment you walk into any car museum. Why? The cars are there because they are objectively so, so important. So important that they cannot even be stored in the basement archives of the car company — but need to be proudly displayed for both internal teams and the public to admire. Another amazing reason car museums should be on your radar? These collections are expertly-curated and laid out …

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Automotive Artist Showcase — Hisashi Saito — 3D Mechanical Illustrator with Heart — 30 Stunning See-Through Honda Designs

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Have you ever wondered how the technical illustrations in the best car magazines are created? Is there some kind of giant automotive X-ray scanner like Border Patrol and the Ports Authority use to see inside 40-foot shipping containers? The answer is no. These are generally done by skilled artists who are able to know a car’s design and mechanical details so thoroughly that they can peel away the bodywork for the eye to see inside. Hisashi Saito is one such talented artist. His work has earned him worldwide recognition and numerous awards — but his drawings for Honda are some …

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2014 GT-R + 2015 GT-R NISMO Now Far More Beautiful, Luxurious… and EVEN FASTER!

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Orig Published on: Nov 22, 2013 @ 11:33 The next GT-R just debuted in Tokyo, and boy, is it magnificent. A beautiful vision in anthracite grey. Hugely redesigned surfaces appear all over the exterior, with the nose and grille graphic perhaps the most enhanced versus the current car. All-new LED lighting is featured throughout, finally bringing the GT-R’s styling up to the same caliber as its world-beating performance. The evolution of the 2015 GT-R brings much of the revised technical solutions from the brand-new 2014 Nissan GT-R NISMO — but wraps the enhancements in that far prettier exterior and now, …

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2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray — Animated Evolution in Polo White

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Ever since the debut of the 2015 Chevrolet Suburban in September 2013, General Motors seems to — finally — be a far more forward-thinking company. The irony was not lost on anyone during the 1980s and 1990s: the largest and most successful industrial entity of the 20th Century, and  perhaps all of American history, was rapidly in decline and risking it all via short-sighted management strategies that equaled awful cars.   Part of looking forward is knowing where you came from, of course. Good (but often not-so-good) skeletons of cars in the closet would no longer be swept under the …

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Iconic Classic: 1938 Dubonnet Hispano-Suiza H6C Xenia at Mullin Automotive Museum

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Orig Published on: Nov 5, 2013 @ 13:12   If it seems like we have an unhealthy fascination for the Mullin Automotive Museum, you might be right. The cars inside this Oxnard, California collection just… write their own stories. I have a dozen more that I would like to feature, but we must start at the true nexus – or “Xenia” perhaps – of the art of French coach-building by Jacques Saoutchik and his contemporaries. How all these cars got to sunny California is no accident. In many cases – the cars in the collection were painstakingly built – sometimes …

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1928 BMW Dixi Roadster – Zentrum Museum

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Okay!  Final roadster article from the BMW Zentrum Museum and delivery center in Spartanburg. The Z3, Z8 and Z4 Alpina and many others are featured in this mini museum, but these three are stand-outs for me in how the each speak to their respective decades so effectively. What do I mean? Well, the 1928 Dixi is far ahead of its time versus the heavy and getting-heavier American cars of the period, which were anything but sporty in corners. Or the slow-coaches of England, for that matter, where 5-mph was generally “too fast.” for urban areas or rural routes.   The …

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2013 Nissan GT-R Black Edition – Drake the Akita

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UPDATE: Drake is home from surgery and doing well. It is this April Fool’s birthday tomorrow and my best friend, Drake Burkart the Akita Labrador, is in surgery right now overnight for a torn ACL.   The TPLO procedure is hopefully not life-threatening, but I am very upset anyway to see him in such pain. Therefore, is a very emotional day for me, so I am going back to some all-time favorites for car-news comfort. Here is Drake. As an American Akita breed, he is something like the GT-R in many ways. Akitas in the US were generally bred with …

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1989 BMW Z1 in Spartanburg, SC -High Demand but High Price

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1989 BMW Z1 in Spartanburg, SC -High Demand but High Price A bit less to say about the Z1, which is unusual for me.  For many, many years the Z1 was my all-time favorite car. I saw one in Germany as a young child and was instantly smitten by its power-sinking doors and ultra-refined aero profile. To me, it was everything a BMW sports car should be. Versus the large and imposing 635CSi and 750iL of the time, it was nothing short of a revelation for BMW lovers worldwide. Even today, its shapely panels are quite bewitching. The Z1 was …

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Car Museums Showcase – 1937 BMW 328 and R60 Bike in Spartanburg, SC

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The 1937 BMW 328 is a little-seen roadster gem from BMW that was, perhaps, the firm’s most advanced and sophisticated achievement outside of aircraft engines at the time. Seeing one so close in the flesh really rings home how advanced this 328 was versus its contemporaries from Aston-Martin and Jaguar — two much-better-known sports-car innovators (and competitive benchmarks) of the time.   Where those cars both still wore giant flat fenders, the 328 is completely smooth in all areas. This aero-led thinking was surely a testament to BMW’s aeronautic history until this point, but also a deep bow to the …

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2014 LeMans LMP1 – Toyota TS040 Hybrid – A Dark Horse in Audi vs. Porsche Battle

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The TS040 Hybrid is looking mighty rapid this year, with a huge increase in stamina and budget for the Toyota Motorsports Group based in Cologne, Germany. Training with past winners and local talent can only be considered a huge new asset in the Toyota WEC racing ambition for its LMP1 cars. TS040 Hybrid running from ToyotaGB on Vimeo. So, is the TS040 fast and powerful enough to outwit the Porsche 919 Hybrid and Audi R18 trio? Fast enough remains to be seen, but the Toyota effort in LMP1 has garnered five race victories since 2012, which is certainly nothing to …

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BMW X3 and X4 Spartanburg Factory Tour in 111 Photos!

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BMW Spartanburg Factory Tour During this factory tour of the X3 and X4 assembly line, I could not help but to keep looking around for the rest of the facility. The loud parts., The hot parts. Places where workers are wearing the typical combo of HazMat + X-Ray lead vests for safety. But in fact, these areas were nowhere to be found. This is partly due to the extremely cutting-edge processes employed in Spartanburg, but also because some key components are handled off-site: including engines from Germany and stampings from Magna Steyr’s facility just down the road. This model factory’s …

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1982 BMW 1.5-liter F1 Turbo Engine Makes 1100HP! Two Videos and 17 Detail Photos

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1982 BMW 1.5-liter F1 Turbo I love a good turbocharger, and this is certainly one of the best. The carbon-fiber shell for the turbo unit and the engine cover itself has a very National Aeronautics and Space Agency feel to it — showing how advanced this material was in the early 1980s. No company had brought the artful woven patterns we take for granted today from Pagani and all the rest — C-F and Carbon-Kevlar were simply the strongest materials known to man. Looks were a firm afterthought on the space shuttles as much as for this F1 engine. But …

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Update2 ~2015 BMW X7 Officially Joins X3, X4, X5 and X6 at Spartanburg

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UPDATE2: 5.28.14 with Digital Rendering Spartanburg is a crowning achievement of the BMW Group today, 20 years since the first US-built BMW rolled from this once-small South Carolina factory in 1994. Today: the Ultimate Driving Machine is far more than a just a machine. BMW has become a sentient being, born and raised on trustworthy US soil.   BMW today is a compelling human endeavor as well as one whose faith in the United States makes it the ‘Ultimate Driving’ employer, taxpayer and corporate citizen. But to most SC residents? A global titan of a company we are giddy with …

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Amelia Island Time Capsules: $903k 1937 Bugatti Type 57C Roadster — Leaves Me Cold — Find Out Why?

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Plowing through my gigantic Amelia Island photo folders. =] Not only do I rarely meet a Bugatti I do not like — I think the Amelia Island 2014 event was the first time I have ever touched any Bugatti, whatsoever! Therefore, you can imagine my internal surprise at my blase feelings toward this magnificent 1939 57C — which were less than positive. I just didn’t like it. The color seemed off, the coachwork overwrought, and certainly not nearly as stunning, genuine and authentically-desirable as the racecars across the room. I blamed poor lighting on day one due to the car …

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2014 911 Targa4 and Carrera S Featuring PDLS LED System

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After yesterday’s article on all my failed LED headlight attempted, my admiration for the Panamera Turbo and Cayenne Turbo’s quad-point LED setup is very clear. Sidebar: Posting so many of my hideous DIY failures is really mortifying. But at least a break from the 600-or-so Amelia Island photos I am still sitting on?! Here is a 360-degree spin from one of the beach-walk decks in front of the Ritz-Carlton. This is a point of view panarama — versus a subject-focused turntable like many of my fly-arounds that center on an automobile. It was grey, overcast and raining that day, which …

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Evolution of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class from 1904 to Present

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Mercedes-Benz S-Class Evolution When Mercedes-Benz launches a new S-Class, the lead-up coverage is remarkably similar each time. Safety innovations, luxury, tech, style to make Lexus and Jaguar weep. But there is more to the story than just the 1960s forward. In fact, the first in this bloodline dates to 1904 in a hilarious red jalopy of a stagecoach. Hilarious in retrospect only! This was no joke at the time – the peak height of class and luxury travel. This red magic stagecoach did not require horses out front to move its occupants along in comfort and manure-free bliss. And so, …

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Black Swan SLS AMG GT3 In Detail — Incredibly Fascinating Aerodynamic Solutions Under Disguise Mirror Wraps

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The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has long been the oversteer king of Deutschland. We all recall Clarkson cooking many, many sets of tires in his — and even trying to locate a replacement in rural North Carolina a few years ago. So how would this car do on the track with that handling attitude and tail-first handling mantra? Well, of course. But only once it spent countless hours in the wind tunnels of Mercedes-Benz. For racecars, the engineers’ brief on aerodynamics is much easier overall than road-going supercars. Yes, tons of downforce and Yes: zero lift whatsoever, no matter what it …

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Amelia Island 2014 – 1939 Aston Martin 15/98 ans DB4 SuperLeggera

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 Amelia Island 2014 – 1939 Aston Martin 15/98 ans DB4 SuperLeggera Before we dive into this incredibly delicate but very powerful 15/98 shortie roadster — here is a selfie of your humble scribe with a touchably-smooth (caressably-soft?) 1960 DB4. Smooth, but definitely not soft. This DB4 wears the cherished SuperLeggera badge — indicating its body was made of aluminum-alloy versus steel.Aston-Martin worked with Milan’s Carrozzeria Touring on a number of projects in this era. Estimated weight saving with alloy? 250-pounds or more. This DB4 sold for $462,000 by RM Auctions on March 8th, 2014. Adding $150,000 to that total takes …

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2014 SEAT Leon Cupra Scores First OEM Embedded Spin-Table! Plus 3 Reasons The Leon Cupra Spanks Renaultsport Megane (…and VW GTI)

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The most unlikely fan of SEAT? Any American! While our LED obsession is well-documented — it is not just the available full LED headlights that are big turn-ons for the Leon. We love the latest SEAT car style, value proposition and brand statement. Any favorites in the ten-strong SEAT range? We are huge Leon admirers especially. Why? Check out the (mid-range) Sports FR Kit below and tell me it is not incredibly sexy. Three reasons to crave the SEAT Leon: 1.) — Value: Versus the VW GTI, the Leon is significantly more affordable for new-car shoppers, both in actual transaction …

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BUGATTI Marque Showcase — Geneva, Salon Prive and Pebble Beach — Veyron Vitesse and GS Rembrandt — Plus Venet, Jean Bugatti, L’Or Blanc and GS Vitesse

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So many Bugatti’s, so little time!   Just kidding. It really is the opposite, in fact, with a production run closing in on the final 75 units pretty soon on the horizon in 2015. But when your car costs as much as these magnificent specimens, who wouldn’t want a custom theme and livery? Quick shorthand: GS signifies the targa cars, while the Vitesse models are the fastest and newest of the all. The Vitesse wears significant updates and shaping to the entire nose, with a mid-wing in the air ducts that is not present on the earlier cars. Geneva 2014 …

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Geneva 2014 ShowFloor — Ferrari California T, 458 Speciale and F12 Looking Brilliant, Per Usual

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Any doubts about the California T’s new nose or the rationale of the 458 Speciale will be silenced in their first in-person viewing. Ferrari California T   Ferrari 458 Speciale Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

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TurboSquid 3D: Mercedes SSK, Jaguar D-TYPE Longnose and Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa

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Including TurboSquid.com’s 3D design models of the Pagani Huayra ‘Extreme’ last night opened a really stinky can of worms for your humble scribe — who tries to Do The Right Thing more than even Spike Lee. On the one hand, these design models can and should be used for ethical and legal purposes. On the other hand: let’s imagine you own the intellectual property at play. Making the entire design available for just $100 or so to anyone online would be like Coca-Cola giving away the secret recipe after a customer takes their first sip of soda. Not in anyone’s …

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Legendary Racecars — 1983 March Porsche 83G-4 — Still Seeking New Home after Gooding Amelia 2014

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Alarming fact error on this one, guys. Our sincere apologies for any confusion, and a thankyou to Wayne at Pelican Parts for pointing out the issue. This is, in fact, a 1983 March Porsche 83G-4 — a BMW prototype racer retrofitted with a flat six from Porsche. Hearing the March Porsche 83G-4 fire up immediately brought droves of people up close and personal to fawn over its details, including your humble scribe. My video of the car firing up is missing somewhere in the archives, but the photos are intact! NOTABLE ELEMENTS: — In fact, Kreepy Krawly is a brand …

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Meet the Real Bond Car: 1954 Bentley Continental R-Type Fastback — RM Auctions Monaco Preview

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As much as we young folks like to think Aston-Martin is the epitome of a Bond car, that was not actually the case the first few times our man slid behind the wheel in Ian Fleming’s novels. His preferred coach in at least the first few books is the Bentley Continental R-Type, in black, if we’re not mistaken. Without quoting any of Flemings work (for lack of time, in honesty); the R-Type Fastback Sports Saloon certainly best matches my memories of his first car-of-choice. For, you see, Commander Bond was a bit of a lout. He was not a wild …

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Engineering Student Envisions Future W154 Silver Arrow Racer (Open-Wheel, Closed-Cockpit!)

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Renderings done by students are sometimes the most exciting new ideas out there. Phil Berger is one such visionary first-year mechanical engineering student. He is an active participant in the Local Motors Forge project, which is a co-creation community and a bit of a gathering place for dreamers. Mechanical dreamers! The tricky part of student, or any renderings, for that matter: brand names and logos. All this company IP is fiercely protected, especially in a bold new age of shameless counterfeiting. But there are other concerns besides factories running mystery “ghost shifts,” or the adage of a complete twin factory …

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Amelia Time Capsules — 1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Limo by Park Ward — 60 Delightful Photos — Sold for $99,000 By RM

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This stately car was such a huge milestone for Rolls-Royce that the core template and style of this 1960 car barely changed for the next thirty years. In fact, Queen Elizabeth probably still wishes this were her daily cruiser. Such is its elegant simplicity, comfort and joyousness outside and in. The Phantom V Park Ward is still the utmost in formal living, so this realistic auction result is even more appreciable. Channel4 in the UK will air a relatively candid look inside Rolls-Royce this evening, but candid is a relative term in Goodwood. While the youthfulness of the staff and …

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Amelia Island 2014 – 1914 Mercedes-Benz GP Car

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1914 Mercedes-Benz GP Car This car does not photograph with quite the same intensity and impact of seeing it up close. There are numerous elements that truly reminded me more of a racehorse than a racecar — including the specially-made leather bonnets for much of its suspension and braking gear. Why? To keep the grime out while putting its 105-horsepower to use hitting nearly 67MPH. In 1914, those were death-defying speeds. The Dunlop Cord tires are filled harder than horseshoe steel: 80-plus PSI to maintain shape, versus about a 35PSI max in modern cars. But the real racehorse impression? This …

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Green With Envy! 2015 Audi S1 Sportback Evokes Cut-Length Sport Quattro S1

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2015 Audi S1 Sportback ]We will not see the Audi S1 here in the states for the current generation of models, but there is still something really delightful about the cars. The latest news is the reveal of a five-door version of this speedy and highly pivotal cutie. Grip in a these S1 pocket rockets is also sublime — look for the grip comparison videos versus the Nissan GT-R for evidence of how fly-paper-like the S1 can be, even versus other four-paws. The green is my new favorite car color, and something we hope to see crossing the Big Blue …

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2.8s McLaren P1 — 38 New Photos from Bahrain GP Course — Triumph Over LaFerrari Almost Guaranteed

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The McLaren P1’s mission is clear: world hypercar supremacy.   And for the P1’s dynamic beauty in these latest photos, we’d say they are on the right track!  (No pun intended…) A few things are noticeable in these photos, which all may owe a debt to McLaren’s deep racing expertise: — The car is absolutely flying in these photos!  Serious 10/10ths driving in many cases, which is nearly impossible for amateurs to photograph as well as McLaren has. Clearly, this snapper has some F1 racing photo skills that we must bow to and respect. — The P1 is in final, …

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4x4xFerrari! FF = Four-Season, Monday-Sunday V12 Supercar — 3.6s to 60MPH via 652HP, 16-cubic-feet in Big Trunk, AWD and … Sexy Subtlety?

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The Ferrari FF launched to excited prose from auto writers worldwide. If I may speak on their behalf briefly: this was the dream FerrariFour we would actually want to use Monday-Sunday. Not just a track-day plaything, or a Saturday night showpiece: the FF is a car you can not only imagine owning — but owning as your only vehicle. There simply has not been a more flexible Ferrari GT car in decades — since the Daytona, some might say. The available seats inserts certainly confirm Daytona dreaming. Even while the 458 and F12 become even more savage and focused, the …

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My Ford #INAMUSTANG Contest Entry — GT350R Goes Flat-Out Around LeMans, Fuji and Monaco

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This is a draft for what we hope will be a very memorable entry into the #INAMUSTANG challenge — where-in the best ideas will be made into short films. For me, the prize might even be a media invite to some upcoming Mustang events. April 17th is the big anniversary of the original launch at the 1964 New York Auto Show, so things are likely pretty near on the horizon. Ideally, these ideas would utilize a 2015 Mustang as the basis instead of the NeedForSpeed car shown here. The inspiration, of course, is Charlie Webb’s $984,000 1965 Mustang GT350R. Even …

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2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid -- 30 Real-Life Photos -- Live Configurator Link + 80 Images of Options, All Colors and All Wheels 93

2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid — 30 Real-Life Photos — Live Configurator Link + 72 Images of Options, All Colors and All Wheels

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Panamera desire but also confusion? Such is life in the fast lane. This hugely-successful model has bloomed into an eight-strong fleet this year. What is new? The Turbo S, Panamera LWB, Diesel and even this all-new plug-in e-Hybrid. (Versions outlined and pricing comparisons here in previous article.) The Panamera S e-Hybrid slides in between the Panamera S and the Panamera 4S on price. Surely, luxury limo’s are passe company cars for those with more dollars than actual eco guilt? No longer. The Panamera S e-Hybrid is the first-ever plug-in luxury car in existence. Doubtful? Count them down. 1. Tesla = …

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Amelia Island 2014 — Marque Highlights — VOLVO PV444 and 122S Amazon Coupe — Pre-Dating BMW 3 series Ancestors

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These Volvo’s were immaculate and very appealing. The white car (122S Amazon Coupe, we believe) established a template for small, rear-drive sports sedans that firmly did not exist yet from anyone — including BMW or anyone else. The BMW 1600 (later the 2002) would ride to greatness as the current 3 series. The 122’s early-1960s imports into the United States showed how far ahead Sweden was at the time of Germany in some ways. Sweden largely sat out WWII and maintained much of its sovereign wealth as a result. The PV444 is even more iconic for many Volvo fans, and …

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2016 PAGANI Huayra Roadster by ALDO SICA

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2016 PAGANI Huayra Roadster I was all prepared to promote these amazing designs by aspiring car design student Aldo Maria Sica with the standard fluff about how students must put their skills to use — and mean no infringement by using well-known (and well-guarded) brand names and likenesses on their design studies.   But the world is already very aware of Aldo Sica’s great talent — his LinkedIn shows he landed a dream job working for Bugatti design in Berlin. A quick hop up from Torino where he studied transportation design — it is still a six-hour journey many students …

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2014 PAGANI Huayra Carbon Edition + 200 Amazing Photos

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How is Pagani’s sales team performing in the face of the all-new P1 and LaFerrari? So well!  They are busy at the moment, can we call you back? Pagani’s huge rise to greatness has avoided the key pitfall of many hypercar brands: unsustainable growth. Luckily, the hand-crafted carbon-fiber chassis and bodywork of the Huayra makes any kind of volume production a distant, distant daydream. Not only does Pagani lay and autoclave each piece itself from the fabric forward; nearly every metal component is also machined (on site, from billet alloy blocks) one-by-one as well. This ensures two things: — Horacio’s …

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180MPH, Million-Dollar Ford Mustang! 1965 SHELBY GT350R — Video Walkaround, Insights and 35 All-New Photos

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This Mustang is so amazingly hot in person, one finds it hard not to paw up and down its panels. RM Auctions Amelia Island really aced this huge sale — earning $984,000 for its original driver and owner, Charlie Kemp. Mr. Kemp and his top mechanic were on hand with some fascinating insights about the racecar, shared in the below video around the three-minute mark. The most exciting things I learned from him were regarding the extremely low suspension setup to limit aero drag, the paint job, and the top speed at redline.   — Aero and structural stiffness enhancements: …

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Amelia Concours — Marque Showcases — Mercedes-Benz 219 Peking-to-Paris, 220SE (Coupe), 250SL Pagoda and Even 500E HAMMER!

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Bored of these concours articles yet?! With 3,000 photos snapped in three days — I was even a bit tired of all this out-of-reach metal myself my the end of the weekend. But there really were some stunning machines in attendance. Best part? Their owners were typically nearby — more than happy to extol the benefits of their cherished cars. And more often, the great care and passion they have put into getting these machines up to show-quality. Yes, in theory, anyone with a cool car could apply for a lawn badge. But be prepared for light interrogation by fellow …

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Infiniti Emerg-E Concept

Concept to Reality: Infiniti Essence vs. Emerg-E vs. Q30 vs. Next Q60 Coupe?

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Very exciting, fast moves from Infiniti this year.   While the name change is still being fine-tuned for its roll-out beyond the Q50 and the new QX60 Hybrid — all the foundation building blocks are in place for an all-star mid-term future for the company. In short: Fast luxury cars, made well. Now even more beautiful!   More beautiful in large part from the Infiniti design skunkwerks in uptown Paddington. For this Concept to Reality article, the Concept Q30 from Frankfurt 2013 will step in as the near-production example of these design ideas. The Q30 looks great. It is confusing …

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1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Henley Roadster 2

Pre-War Rolls-Royce Showcase — Phantom II Henley Roadster A Sweet, Smooth Operator — Gooding & Co. Amelia Island 2014

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It was convertible Rolls-Royce season down in Florida last weekend!   Three exceptional pre-war Rollers were in proud residence, with both soft-tops bringing in far more cash than the single hardtop: the 1929 Phantom I Newmarket. All are exceptionally-desirable, but clearly some more than others. Results for the cars featured here are included with headers noting which is which. The real star of the show was the Henley Roadster, but the 1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Three-Position Drophead Coupe has many merits of its own. One quick one? This was the firm’s official 1933 Paris auto show car. A running, bespoke concept …

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The Inimitable Future-Tech 2015 BMW i8 — Feeling Chummy with Concept M4 and 1980 BMW M1 — Fleming Flashbacks

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Did you guys ever read the James Bond continuation books? There have been dozens and dozens of writers who keep the series going — since the late 1970s, I believe, the publisher has been cranking out new James Bond adventures in print.. Do they pack the F-you-too-then-Sir swagger of Fleming chain-smoking at his typewriter? No, they generally do not. But they do capture the fast-cars/legal-outlaw image that Mr. Bond so embodies.   Sidebar: I read all 22 (or whatever) of the original Bond books in a lightning-flash of perhaps five weeks. It was summer 1995 at the Hinsdale Public Library …

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Inimitable Future-Tech 2015 BMW i8 Feeling Chummy with Concept M4 and 1980 BMW M1 -- Fleming Flashbacks 20

BMW i8 and M1 — Dynamic Desktop Wallpapers — Alpha Testing Reveals… They Do Not Animate =]

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UPDATE1: These… do not work. They do not animate once set as desktop background. Sorry guys. =] We tried. A great idea from special contributor Chris Maypole yesterday! Add some downloadable desktop backgrounds! So here they are. =]   Dynamic Desktop Backgrounds — Usage Instructions: 1. Open this image in a new tab or window 2. Rightclick image   3. Select “Set As Desktop Background”   Piece of cake!  But this is a beta. I do not know if it will work on anything besides the exact type of Lenovo stinkpad I am typing on.   Sizes: 800×372 These are …

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