RM Auctions Villa Erba Preview - 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO 15

RM Auctions Villa Erba Preview – 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO

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The 288 GTO is a very special, and very important Ferrari. Inspiring the new 488 GTB name for the latest turbo V8 engine, the 288 GTO was easily the highest-performance hypercar of the 1980s. Until…. the F40 of 1987. The F40 completely shaded the 288 GTO’s accomplishments via a simple restyle over largely carry-over engineering from the 288 GTO. Originally envisioned for the Group B racing series known for its ‘no rules’ attitude toward max power outputs, the 288 GTO is definitely a legend for those in the know. Hopefully the cognoscenti are in attendence of the Villa Erba RM …

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RM Auctions Amelia Island 2015 – 1927 Miller 91 Boyle Valve Special

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  Harry Miller was a Wisconsin-born racecar designer and engineer who innovated new engine designs and tested them on the world’s fastest racetrack: the oval of the Indianapolis 500. Legend says that 80-plus-percent of the Indy cars fielded in the 1920s were Miller designs, with at least a dozen race-winners from 1911 to 1933 when his business folded. Harry Miller’s race team would go on after being purchased by his shop foreman and chief machinist Fred Offenhauser, who would continue the race team until the 1980s. This 1927 Boyle Valve Special did not win the race, disappointing Miller considering he …

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1958 Lincoln Continental Mark III Convertible 3

Mecum Rogers Collection – 1958 Lincoln Continental Mark III Convertible

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While we are on a Lincoln Continental theme, here is the next Mark on the list!  The Mark III was dramatically larger than ever before, with a style that says late 1950s loud and clear. In this era of yearly style changes, the evolution of automotive design was in warp-drive. Imagine if every car had to be noticeably different every year today!  You would undoubtedly end up with a few weird years, more than a few odd design choices, and some down-right fugly machines. This Mark III Continental is definitely not a personal fave, as you might be able to …

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Mecum Auctions Rogers Collection Preview – 1957 Lincoln Continental Mark II

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Imagine a classier, more-resolved and purer design than even the legendary Ford Thunderbird. A coupe to define the Personal Coupe genre of cars. The pure white originality of this Continental Mark II shows what a stellar starting point the recently-featured Foose custom Mark II had. Lincoln is among 230 cars that are up for no-reserve auction from the Rogers collection in Las Vegas in late February 2015. We really like the Mecum Auction environment. It is less snobby than some other big names in the auction world, with a car-loving, enthusiast carnival atmosphere making it a fun outing for bidders …

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Mecum Auctions Rogers Collection Preview – 1974 Ford Ranchero Custom Dragster

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The Ranchero is a cult classic in the purest sense of the phrase – so to find one that is flawlessly restored and then heavily customized? A very rare opportunity indeed! This Ranchero is among 230 cars that are up for no-reserve auction from the Rogers collection in Las Vegas in late February 2015. We really like the Mecum Auction environment. It is less snobby than some other big names in the auction world, with a car-loving, enthusiast carnival atmosphere making it a fun outing for bidders and spectators alike. 1974 Ford Ranchero Custom Dragster     230 COLLECTOR CARS …

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RM Amelia Island 2015 Preview – 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500-540K Cabriolet A by Sindelfingen

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The Blue Train Bentley heading to RM Auctions Amelia Island event is enough to put anyone in a 1930s supercar mood. This black 540K Cabriolet certainly qualifies in this low-roof, huge-length archetype of luxury cruisers able to hit massive speed. And bonus? This Merc is even a ragtop. 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K Cabriolet A by Sindelfingen Amelia Island 14 March 2015 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K Cabriolet A by Sindelfingen Chassis no. 105384 Engine no. 105384 Body no. 817605 Kommission no. 12847

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2015 Ferrari F12 Tour de France 64 Is Latest from Ferrari Tailor Made

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Tailor Made Ferrari’s are all about details: and this latest homage to the 250 GTO Tour de France racer has some stunning tweaks. A matching yellow stripe across the hood of this front-engine supercar perfectly matches the style shown 50 years ago on the Tour de France-winning 250 GTO. The other incredible detail that is a surprise and delight? F40-matching blue ‘superfabric’ seats! This shows how a few tweaks in the build process in Modena can make a future concours-winner out of any 2015 Ferrari. 2015 Ferrari F12 Tour de France 64   The F12berlinetta Tour de France 64 revealed …

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Mecum Auctions Rogers Collection Preview – 1961 Lincoln Continental Convertible

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The most famous Lincoln ever made? Yes, without a doubt. This four-door cabrio in red ditches most of the JFK association of the car in favor of a more light-hearted and fun take on the vaguely gothic style of its design. Arched pillars capped in chrome run the full length of the machine, which is defined by its low stance and relaxed curb-side appeal. This Lincoln is among 230 cars that are up for no-reserve auction from the Rogers collection in Las Vegas in late February 2015. We really like the Mecum Auction environment. It is less snobby than some …

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2015 F1 Cars Comparo – Infiniti RB11 vs McLaren-Honda MP4-30 vs AMG W06 vs Ferrari SF15T

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Formula One is back soon for one of the most exciting seasons in years: with grudges galore, tech battles, pitlane drama and gossip flowing like champagne. A shuffle of drivers sends Vettel to Ferrari, Alonso to McLaren and even a few new boys in the mix. The big four contenders have all revealed their cars for 2015, and while visual judgment of the machines is not a determining factor in their racing success, it is still interesting to see them all side-by-side from various angles. The latest look ditches the old dong-nose style of 2014, thank goodness, and aerodynamics are …

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2015 Infiniti QX30 Concept 2

2015 Infiniti QX30 Concept Headed for Geneva

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  The newest Infiniti is almost here! The QX30 Concept’s first teaser image is official, and is almost a dead ringer for the Q30 concept seen at Frankfurt 2013. From the back at least, the new QX30 does appeal to be significantly more SUV-ish than the low-riding Q30. This would imply there might be road and trail versions of the model in the cars. This version is also nearly production-ready (tires aside…) and should arrive in global Infiniti showrooms by December, we predict. The premium compact crossover is likely to be an influential design template, later rolling upmarket with a …

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1973 Vauxhall Firenza Showed Rare Sports-Coupe Elegance and Futuristic Style

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Okay, okay. At first glance, this Vauxhall Firenza looks impossibly dated and recalls a Chevy Chevette for anyone in the USA. But think of the Firenza in the context of the Ford Mustang II, Pacer and Gremlin. The 1970s was a pretty gross period in car design overall. Shrinking engines, sloppy style and floppy suspensions are preeminent themes of the 1970s, from the cheapest cars to the priciest Lamborghini’s. The Firenza was a flagship sports coupe for the Vauxhall brand, introducing aerodynamic shrouds for the headlamps under flat glass, a single-piece nose design with integrated airdamn, and a pointy hood …

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First Drive Review – 2015 Lexus NX300h Is Swanky, Ultra-Smooth, 35MPG+ SUV!?

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2015 Lexus NX300h Review Is the Lexus NX the most impressive new luxury crossover with a base price under $40,000? After a week with the plucky and quick NX200t F Sport, we whole-heartedly say YES!! But even quick spin in the NX300h shows that the incredible (seriously otherworldly) smoothness and efficiency of the NX300h is not to be dismissed out of hand. With effiiency figures that are up about 10 on the turbo on city and highway to the mid-30s overall, the NX300h is seriously desirable as well. With 200-pounds of battery under the back seat, the NX300h handles with …

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2015 Toyota Camry and Corolla Special Editions + Revised Avalon Set For Chicago Launch

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Toyota is really on the pulse of culture and style like never before: the best-selling Camry and Corolla have been tweaked for added coolness just ahead of the Chicago Auto Show. There is also a revised 2016 Avalon on the agenda: with tweaked LED designs, updated chassis tuning and a bit of cabin sprucing all likely. Sporty and enthusiast preferences are reflected in the new Camry and Corolla Special Editions – creating the trendy and chic style that guys and gals like us have used to aftermarket to achieve. But as ever, buying a Camry or Corolla can be done …

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RM Amelia Island 2015 Preview – 1930 Bentley Blue Train Is Reborn!

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Part mystery, part fantasy – but all legend! The Blue Train Bentley is back with this just-finished recreation of one of the most legendary Flying B’s ever made. As the official RM write-up below charts, the car was created the beat one of the quickest trains on a route to France. This might seem easy today, with six-lane motorways throughout the world and pavement allowing high-speed progress for even the most unskilled drivers. But in the 1930s, the idea of averaging more than 90-mph in a car, across long distances, was pure fantasy and hyperbole. Like something right out of …

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2004 Vauxhall VXR220 – A Design Icon and Style Tastemaker

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When the first-gen Elise was sweeping up accolades, the smartest people in the room might have seen three holes in the perfect-handling bliss that was the new Lotus. — The design was odd and the detailing was all-wrong. The bug-eye lamps and curvy shapes recalled a dune buggy more than an exotic supercar — The original engines were low on torque and not globally certified for emissions — Distribution within the tiny Lotus boutique dealer network was extremely limited Vauxhall was able to bring solutions to these three issues in one fell swoop. Huge industrial might behind it, design talent …

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2016 Fiat 500X Pricing, Colors and Real-Life Photos 30 - Copy

2016 Fiat 500X Pricing, Colors and Real-Life Photos!

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Can you imagine a more perfect follow-up to the Fiat 500 in the brand’s return to the US? A compact four-door crossover that is sporty, chic, right-sized and right-priced. The 500X is so good, it is likely to be the best-seller of the Fiat range almost overnight. Along with the jumbo 500L MPV, the 500X is the best news for Fiat shoppers since the brand’s return itself. Why all this steep praise? The 2016 500X just feels like a huge hit. Standard with an automatic nine-speed and turbo-charged four-cylinder, the 500X’s main powertrain option is AWD for a kinda-steep $1,900 …

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SuperSedan Debrief – 1993 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton

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The Lotus Carlton was not just a hero because of its massive turbocharged engine and rear-drive handling balance. Not just an icon because of its Lotus-honed grip and track prowess. Not just a stylish executive saloon that suddenly competied with Audi and BMW thanks to its sweet wide fenders and aerokit. Not just a British national champion because it was created by Vauxhall and Lotus, and built there too. Little Opel input was needed for asked-for, nor help from General Motors across the Atlantic. Nor simply an extremely-rapid autobahn missile with a Vmax of more than 180-mph. The real reason …

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Corsa VXR Front

2015 Vauxhall Corsa VXR Packs Koni Shocks and Limited-Slip Diff!

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  The hot hatch market in the UK is one of the fiercest and most-competitive anywhere in the world. So to have any street cred selling millions of luke-warm mini-cars, a brand needs to have an aspirational hero at the top of the range. A car that will make Richard Hammond laugh and hoon, you might say. The Corsa VXR is a direct response to the global love-fest that surrounds the Ford Fiesta ST. These two mini-cars are Britain’s top-selling vehicles, so any tweak or change in their style and performance is rapidly noted by all drivers. Especially lead-footed teens! …

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2015 Ford F-150 King Ranch STRIKES GOLD! Leads HUGE 54k January 2015 Sales, Up 17% YoY

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The accolades have showered the new Ford F-150 from every direction over the previous few months. Expectations are high, and demand is even higher. Now that shoppers are trying this revolutionary new truck, they are pulling the Buy trigger faster than ever. The new F-150 really is that good. It lives up to and beyond the hype. It is a new era in pickup trucks: tough but light, sporty but comfortable. Luxurious, but hard-working. The King Ranch trim level shares top billing with the Platinum in the new F-150 lineup. These are the boss’s trucks. If the King Ranch lives …

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2015 Chrysler 300C – Houston Auto Show Gallery – Space, Grace and Pace To Chomp A Jag

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The new 300C is now the luxury flagship of the Chrysler brand – both objectively as the largest and most powerful, and subjectively as a conscious luxury crusier. The entry of the 300S makes room for the 300C to focus on rear-drive American luxury at its finest: roomy, zoomy and full of …… you-my? Overall, the new 300C makes the existing package 3X as good, especially in the base V6 version. Yes, the AWD models still ride pretty high off the ground, and the leathers are cheap. Yes, the new LED styles up front look the same at first, but …

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Houston Tuner Showcase - 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class by MODESTA Glass Coatings Ft

Houston Tuner Showcase – 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class by MODESTA Glass Coatings Ft. Prior Design Bodykit

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Prior Design, Featuring Modesta Advanced Liquid Glass Coatings? What is this, a rap battle downloaded from your dorm-neighbor via 2001’s Napster?! No, no it is not. These Modesta coatings are the highlight here. The Prior Design bodykits are just stage dressing. Despite the oddly OOF photos, the glass coatings in the paint are truly seductive and special. They make any paintwork feel three-feet-deep. 2015 Mercedes S-Class by MODESTA Glass Coatings Ft. Prior Design

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2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat – Side Exhaust Mystery + 150 New Photos

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The 2015 Challenger Hellcat is currently on track to be one of the most popular SRT upgrades ever. And little wonder. What other musclecar has ever achieved 707-horsepower!? Two in-person sightings of the Hellcat since its static debut at Elkhart Lake last summer: first at the Houston Auto Show, where we find an unusual side-exhaust ahead of the passenger wheel….. and next at the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Florida last week. Based on the anoraks at Hellcat.org forums, we believe the side exhaust is just a prototype testing detail, and not on the production cars. We have a few zoomed …

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2015 Porsche Cayman GT4 9

380HP 2015 Porsche Cayman GT4 Is Hardcore, Track-Attack Cockster!

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The new Cayman GT4 is a huge bit of news! An ultra-hardcore model with 380-horsepower and a chassis overhaul complete with 911 GT3 tech bits throughout, this sweet new Cayman flagship will make many Porsche Club members thrilled. The GT4 is not just the huge wing and aerokit all around. It also crosses a threshold Porsche has so far been reluctant about: a pricing overlap with the base 911. The base 911 Carrera 2 is a cruiser at heart, though, and will not really compete directly with this new $85,000 Cayman GT4. Overlap is good. Let the Cayman GT4 have …

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2016 Mazda MX-5 Roadster Sexy, Cool and Mean in 52 New Photos

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With the all-new 2016 MX-5, we can imagine Mazda had a few design goals in mind. It would definitely need to look: — completely fresh and unable to be mistaken for existing cars — cool and masculine, with a mean streak that shows its performance edge — modern and stylish; a sexy flair to fire up roadster passion We were not completely sure about the design when first shown, but are firm believers now. How cool and sexy and mean is this little roadster in its latest dynamic photos from Spain? Very. Most of these cars on Euro plates are …

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2016 Ferrari 488 GTB Digital Colorizer

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Let’s take a look at the latest Ferrari in 30 other colors! 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB Digital Colorizer   The next chapter of mid-engine Ferrari V8 has arrived! Named the 488 GTB, this twin-turbo 3.9-liter is an absolute beast in the power and torque department. 660-horsepower pairs with 560-pound-feet of torque for a 60-mph sprint as quick as 2.8-seconds to 60-mph. Top speed is quoted as in excess of 330-kph, or about 205-mph. But based on the new ultra-slippery style, we expect a Vmax in ideal conditions of about 212-mph. The design outside is a from step forward from the …

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660HP, 212MPH 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB Goes Turbo With Wild New Intake Styles!

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  The next chapter of mid-engine Ferrari V8 has arrived! Named the 488 GTB, this twin-turbo 3.9-liter is an absolute beast in the power and torque department. 660-horsepower pairs with 560-pound-feet of torque for a 60-mph sprint as quick as 2.8-seconds to 60-mph. Top speed is quoted as in excess of 330-kph, or about 205-mph. But based on the new ultra-slippery style, we expect a Vmax in ideal conditions of about 212-mph. The design outside is a from step forward from the 458, with a meaner and wider-feeling nose that evokes LaFerrari themes, while the side intakes are now twice …

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~340HP 2016 Ford Focus RS Runs AWD and DTV! Official Debut + Drift Video

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  The new Ford Focus RS is official, and officially stunning! With a new 2.3-liter turbo engine and an extreme new AWD setup, the wildest part of the new Focus RS might be under the metal. But that metal is also pretty intense: wide-body fenders, a giant splitter up front, deeper sills and a rear end to honor the Ford RS legacy. That means a giant Rallycross wing and huge coffee-can exhausts mounted inboard for max visual and aural impact. Best news of all? This new Focus RS is coming to America! Check out the video below to see and …

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Hypercar Heroes! 2015 Pagani Huayra Up Close and Personal 10

Hypercar Heroes! 2015 Pagani Huayra Up Close and Personal

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  In the hypercar class of 2015, the Pagani Huayra is one for true drivers. Brutal power plus exquisite beauty. The Huayra is so rare that Ferrari and McLaren will have made 10X the number of LaFerrari’s and P1’s by the end of 2015. Among the five total dealerships in the United States, we’re thrilled that Pagani of Dallas brought two cars to the recent Houston Auto Show. One customer car shown in blue and yellow for the show itself, and the bare-carbon demo car for display outside one of Houston’s glitziest hotels. The Huayra is easy to fall in …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Feels Light, Quick and Lux

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 Video First Drive Review: 2015 VW Touareg TDI Clean Diesel INTRO Few people have been more scathing in their assessment of the new Touareg’s extremely light exterior refresh than us. But think about it: when a person gets a facelift, they do not want to be some shocking cat-lady whose new face is shocking from 100 yards away. You want it to be exceptionally subtle. You want to look 2X as fresh and young and modern, but without causing too much attention or interest in exactly how you achieved this fountain of youth. So goes the new Touareg’s refresh for …

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2015 Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS 7

Update1 70 New Pics – 2015 Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Feature Ripping Exhaust!

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BIG news about the new 981 Porsche Cayman and Boxster GTS! They feature a roaring, stonking and rip-snorting exhaust note. In perhaps the least-kept-secret of the last year, the Cayman and Boxster are officially available with a new top-level GTS trim level. In addition to more focused dynamics and style all around, the GTS models pack 340-horsepower each. (Edit: the Boxster appears to have ten fewer ponies than the hardtop Cayman.) Even so, this is a pretty substantial leap for the 911’s siblings, which until now have been capped well below this total — even in the Boxster and Cayman …

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2015 BMW M4 Colors and Wheels Guide – Animated Turntables + Individual Fire Orange

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We were really excited to find this Fire Orange M4 in Houston. We thought it meant that BMW was expanding the very lackluster color range available. But that is not really the case. This Fire Orange is a $5,000 option via BMW Individual. The most fantastic shade on the standard palette is Sakhir Orange, which is a semi-matte finish that is dark and yummy, and very distinctive.   2015 BMW M4 Sakhir Orange Besides those, we’d vote only for Black Sapphire or non-Metallic Alpine White. Bonus for Alpine white? It saves you $2,000. The manual transmission is a good decision, …

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2016 Nissan TITAN XD in 35 New Photos

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You know that the Nissan Titan is the sixth-ranked truck in US sales, and has been for years. But we’d wager you did not know exactly how far the Titan lags behind the top-five trucks: the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, RAM 1500, GMC Sierra and Toyota Tundra. Per The Wall Street Journal’s report today, the 2014 calendar sales of the Nissan Titan were less than 15,000 units. In total. For the whole year. Versus the Ford F-150’s 750,000 2014 sales, the Titan made up just 2-percent with its paltry 15,000-unit tally. The Titan peaked around 2006 with around 80,000 sales …

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2015 Nissan Juke NISMO RSnow Trax Concept Reignites Juke-R Halo Effect

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We recently gave the Juke-R concept from 2012 a hall of fame write-up – extolling the incredible global awareness the GT-R/Juke hybrid created. The next step? A new Juke RSnow Trax – highlighting the new Juke LED boomerang lamps and new projector-beam lights up front, which are fresh for the 2015 model-year. This machine was created as a support car for an ice-driving school, with the tires replaced by individual tank-like treads. The rubber and steel-spiked treads spin in sync with the new hubs up top, controlling a contact patch that is 50X larger than four tires. This upgrade can …

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2016 Nissan Maxima #WithDad Commercial – Creative Strategy Analysis

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  This 90-second Nissan ad is a huge, huge overall branding push – with a (negotiated) price of about $10-million just for the media, it needs to connect a lot of dots and hit the right notes to earn its worth. It is admittedly pretty touching, and themes such as bonding with a distant father are highly universal. The scenes are also uniquely Nissan. You could not switch out the brand or product easily, which is a sign of good creative. The same cannot be said for Kia Motors Pierce Brosnan ad, or even the touching Jeep Renegade spot. When …

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2016 Renault Kadjar 8

2016 Renault Kadjar Is New Mid-Size Crossover With High Style and Available AWD

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 This is the all-new Renault Kadjar! Revealed ahead of its public launch in Geneva next month, the Kadjar is the freshest entry into Renault’s rapidly-growing crossover arsenal. After owning family car transport for the last decade or more with the Espace and Picasso minivans, Renault is changing with the times. Ultra-functional vans are no longer the must-have family accessory. The new must-have for carpools and primary-school dropoffs? Mid-size crossovers. This new Kadjar takes aim squarely at the Honda CR-V and a three dozen other alternatives. The Kadjar promises to be more luxurious and stylish than the Nissan Qashqai, which comes …

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2015 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO 8a

LMP1 3-Way Becomes Fourgy! 2015 Nissan GT-R LM Nismo Revealed With 1250HP, Front-Drive V6TT?!

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 The hot and heavy three-way battle among Porsche, Audi and Toyota in the LeMans Prototype One race class just got a lot steamier. Nissan just pulled back the silk sheets on its contender to World Endurance Championship racing: the 2015 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO. And boy does it go its own way to achieving massive speed and impact, while sticking to the very expansive fuel usage rules of LeMans racing. The biggest shocker is not that it is a hybrid twin-turbo-charged V6 making 1250-horsepower. It shocks with where that engine sits, and where it delivers its power. The engine lives …

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Mecum Auctions – Kissimmee 2015 – Auction Block Mega Gallery

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The Mecum Auctions event in Kissimmee, Florida this year was a massive success. An event so huge, you would need to block off ten days of vacation to take in all the amazing classic-car action. These 57 photos from the official Mecum snappers do a good job of capturing the mood of the event: one of excitement and shared passion for every machine and man that rumbled through. Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions. Mecum Auctions – Kissimmee 2015

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BMW M Performance Parts for 2015 X5M and X6M Include Tri-Color Racing Stripes!

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  INTRO: Exciting discovery: these images allow a near-perfect animated comparison showing the different X6 vs X5 rooflines.   It might seem silly to buy a brand-new BMW X5 or X6 M and go shopping right away to upgrade it. But it is actually more normal than you might think. These factory upgrades are often things BMW would like to include on the factory trucks, but can’t because they are too polarizing (the M-color graphics…) or the M Performance exhaust (for legal reasons…). You have to imagine BMW ships these cars around the world in a universally appealing specification, but …

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4.0s, 567HP 2015 BMW X6 M In 140 New Photos From Austin COTA

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The X6M is harder, lower, wider and wilder than the new X5M — really cementing its status as one of the quickest SUVs of all time. The design showcases a new rear fender strike and even more chopped-roof design feeling — and sets the right for its massive new power and pace from all sides. The most powerful BMWs ever made have just shattered the glass ceiling of SUV performance. With 567-horsepower through standard xDrive AWD, the new X5 and X6 M have sprint times of just 4.0-seconds along with a devilish M styling overhaul. The grille and front fascia …

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Houston Auto Show Curio - Porsche 356 Art Car Is Janis Joplin Homage 8

Houston Auto Show Curio – Porsche 356 Art Car Is Janis Joplin Homage

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Janis Joplin’s very famous Porsche 356C lives today in the North Carolina Art Museum, where it sits in a rock & roll showcase with its top up and musky, phsychodelic cabin sealed from onlookers. THe rag-top Porsche was a big part of Janet’s rise to stardom, and one of her first gifts to herself when she started making money in the San Francisco music scene of the 1960s. This is where the real birth of the hippie movement happened, starting as early as 1955 and only going national a dozen years later. Janet was a riddle herself: poor and loving …

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Updated With New Photos – Mecum Kissimmee 2015 – 1971 Porsche 911S

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Updated 2.1.15 This yummy yellow 911S is still available are a high bid of $180,000 did not meet its reserve. It is quite special in person, with period paint and detailing all totally flawless. 1971 Porsche 911S PREVIOUS Amid the huge onslaught of American musclecars heading to Mecum’s 2015 Florida auctions starting tomorrow, the 16th, through late next week on January 25th, is this subtle but very special Porsche 911S. In its fantastic original color with not a drop of grease or grime in the engine compartment, this is surely a Porsche that has lived its life in very gentle …

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Mecum Florida 2015 Curio – 1964 Amphicar 770 Was First Car-Boat Hybrid

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What classic 1960s American car was half boat, half convertible and cost as much as one of each? Which was a devastating turd of slowness on both pavement and lake-water? That would be the 1964 Amphicar!  And while the critiques of this 43-horsepower hum-bug are all too real, there is a special charm about the machine. It did actually operate as a slow-moving vehicle suitable for both land and water. With a bit of refinement on the theme, it is easy to envision this as the first of many far more sophisticated dual-purpose machines. In reality, it was only a …

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Houston Auto Show Customs - Top 10 LIFTED TRUCKS 21

Houston Auto Show Customs – Top 10 LIFTED TRUCKS!

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If there is one memory of the Houston Auto Show that really sticks with you, it is the dominance of lifted trucks. Tuners, custom shops and even new-car dealerships all are deeply into the custom truck business. We have little idea who the tuning companies are who created all these beasts, so we’ll just label them by the base machine they started as from the factories when tuner branding is not available. 1. RAM 2500 Bolt Locks If the challenge is to be tallest, this Ram definitely won. Seeing its handler come down from the cabin was shocking. He literally …

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Houston Auto Show Customs – 1960s TV Batmobile by Tony Gullo

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Of all the Batmobiles, the 1960s TV show version has to be the all-time favorite for most people. Bubble roof, wild colors, fins and details unlike anything else…. This display at the Houston Auto Show was a real crowd-pleaser, with great workmanship by Tony Gullo Customs. 1960s TV Batmobile by Tony Gullo  

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Houston Auto Show Tuners – Hand-Airbrushed Nissan 370Z LowRider

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Despite graphics that make us think of Saved By The Bell, this Z-car is exceptionally cool on its stanced-out air-ride and giant wheels. Looking closely at all the photos, we do not know the vendor showcased here. Nor even if it is airbrushed or a wrap. It is quite alarming up close, actually…. Hand-Airbrushed Nissan 370Z LowRider    

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HD Video Walkarounds + Gallery – Wellborn Musclecar Collection at Mecum Florida 2015 Auctions

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  We chatted our way past the nylon ropes to secure some up-close and person looks at the headliners of the recent Mecum 2015 Auctions in Florida. These pristine MOPAR muslcecars are some of the finest in the world, and the Chevelle SS, Buick GSX, Mustang Boss 429 and Pontiac Firebirds are a welcome bit of nostalgia as well. Also included below are 60 new photos of these cars in person. Enjoy!     Wellborn Musclecar Collection at Mecum Florida 2015 Auctions     1970 Mustang Boss 429 Fastback – $425,000 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona – $900,000    

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Mecum Florida 2015 – 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback Is #5 Top Earner at $425k

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  $425,000 is a fantastic total for any American car — ever — so definitely no poo-pooing here. But wouldn’t it be nice if it had rung in a solid $429k!? Even so, this Wellborn Musclecar Museum Boss 429 Fastback is a real hero in the flesh. Larger and meaner than the first few years of pony-cars, this beast looks hungry for blood. Its fantastic blue paintwork surely helps seal the period mood: this Mustang is a forever icon of its era. A squealing-tire time-capsule. 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback Lot R223// Kissimmee 2015 //Jan 16-25 1970 Ford Mustang …

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2015 Lexus LF-LC GT Vision Gran Turismo Is Race-Ready With Fantasy Gound-Effect Aero

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  There are obviously a few routes a brand cane take with their Vision Gran Turismo prototype racers, and this makes sense. When you play GT6 (or any GT) the cars are classified by power to weight ratio, drivetrain layouts, and myriad other classifications. So it is not as if all these VGT cars just end up on a track together. With that in mind, the new Lexus LF-LC GT falls into a much more practical category that hyper-futuristic ideas like the Chevrolet Chaparral or the most recent Renault Alpine. This LF-LC GT is a down-to-earth look that is very, …

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Mecum Florida 2015 Hero – 1969 Dodge Charger Hemi DAYTONA Brings $900k

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 Stunning total sale prices for the star of the Wellborn Musclecar Museum collection: this flawlessly original 1969 Daytona Charger. HD Video walkaround below, plus 30 new photos of the car in person. Do you like classic musclecars? Then you are in luck this week – we are featuring a dozen of the finest available from the Mecum Florida auctions in January 2015. https://www.mecum.com/text-list.cfm?auctionid=FL0115 1969 Dodge Charger Hemi DAYTONA Lot R218// Kissimmee 2015 //Jan 16-25 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona 426/425 HP, 4-Speed, 6,400 Miles Engine 426/425 HP Trans 4-Speed Color Copper Interior Tan The word “restraint” is seldom associated with the …

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300HP 2017 Toyota Yaris WRC Marks Return to Top-Flight Rally Racing

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 Toyota is coming back to the World Rally Championship is search of even more podium glory!  Over the previous Toyota Team Europe racing campaigns, the big T racked up an extremely impressive 43 victories before bowing out after the 1999 season. For 2017, Toyota is back with a TMG-fettled Yaris hatchback to take on dominant players like Citroen and VW. 2017 Toyota Yaris WRC   World Rally Championship return for Toyota Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) will return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2017 with a car developed and built entirely at its technical centre in Cologne. Over the …

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Mecum 2015 Florida Faves - 1962 Willys JEEP Utility Wagon 9 - Copy

Mecum 2015 Florida Faves – 1962 Willys JEEP Utility Wagon

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  Despite being painted like the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, this Willys Utility Wagon is actually really cool and special. This machine, of course, was a Willys and not a Jeep by name. But in spirit, it shows what Jeep could be as a commercial and civilian machine in a post-war world. In terms of charm, the wood paneling outside is real, and also lines the roof of the cargo bay. Very cool.   1962 Willys JEEP Utility Wagon       1962 Willys Utility Wagon Lot L215// Mecum Auctions Kissimmee 2015 // Jan 16-25 High Bid: $21,000 1962 Willys Utility …

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Mecum Florida 2015 – 1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II by Sam Foose

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Our photos of this stunning custom Lincoln Continental Mark II are not terrific. Inside the warehouse, packed tightly among other cars and people…. is just a tough way to shoot an amazing vehicle like this. We’re eager to share the car anyway, however, because it is just so damn cool. Dubbed ‘Pro Heavy’ in custom classic circles, the machine has appeared in numerous magazines and car shows since its creation in the early 1990s. The look of this Sam Foose creation is almost the ideal streamlined aesthetic that Lincoln might have wanted for the production car. Sans its original chrome …

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Houston Auto Show – 2015 Dodge Charger R/T vs Charger SXT

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The 2015 Dodge Charger is really growing on me. After scoffing at its pretty basic exterior facelift when revealed last spring, we now really admire its slinky LED signature up front and unmistakeable ‘racetrack’ of LEDs in back. The real achievement in design of the new Charger is that all trim levels look good. As anyone knows, a BMW M3 is going to look nearly 10X as cool as a base 320i. The base-effect applies for nearly all cars and SUV types. The coolest models, of course, are at the top of the price chart. At times, you would not …

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Hall of Fame – 2012 Nissan JUKE-R – Branded Marketing Halo Worth Weight in Gold

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The 2012 Nissan Juke-R broke all the rules of concept cars, branding and supercar manufacturing. ‘Broke the rules’ is an absolute marketing cliche in this day and age, with every brand and their mom trying to play the rebel and bad-boy, all in search of that most elusive of demographics: the male 13-34. The reason this freakish creation with a Juke body atop a shortened Nissan GT-R platform was ostensibly just to showcase the GT-R’s amazing skills, perhaps living under the skin of normal and affordable Nissan models. In the JUKE-R’s case, the resemblence was far more that a branding …

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2015 Ford Mustang Convertible Sweeps Muscle Beach! MEGA 140-Photo Gallery

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400 photos on a sunny beach in the middle of January? With one of the hottest new cars of 2015? And not just a muscle-car icon reborn for its 50th birthday, but the all-new ragtop version? Yes, yes yes!! It was a heavenly few days in the new 2015 Ford Mustang Convertible – capped by a trip to the beach for a photo shoot that: — delivered some amazing shots of the car right on the Gulf of Mexico, steps from the salty ocean — not getting the car stuck or damaged by sand driving (!) We absolutely adored the …

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2015 Hyundai Equus on Hyperdrive Evolution in Chase for S-Class Clients

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Any student of Darwin, or perhaps Pavlov, will know that the secret to exceptionally rapid evolution is simple: short generation gaps. As the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has evolved since 1910, Hyundai had serious ground to make up with the Equus in 2009 or whenever it launched in the US. This type of goverment limo has always been popular domestically in Asian markets — but bringing the Equus abroad was always going to be big news for Hyundai. This Equus for 2015 is perhaps the fourth or fifth generation of updates since the basic bones launches on the previous Genesis chassis a …

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2015 Hyundai Azera – LEDetails Front and Rear + Cabin Feels Very Lux!?

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Hyundai is really learning the luxury ropes very, very convincingly. The speed of the Hyundai Evolution is so quick that this new Azera totally shames the flagship Equus in classiness of design, materials and touchability. Outside, the style is still pretty blah, but the LEDs are extremely striking. Not quite sure if the impact the nose delivers is a good thing or a bad thing for the retiree target clientele — but we love the gatling-gun look on any headlamp. Complementing these striking LED lights up top as DRLs are the primary HID projector low-beams and halogen reflector high-beams. The …

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Mecum Florida 2015 – 1966 Sunbeam Tiger 4.7L V8 Signed by Carroll Shelby

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The Sunbeam Tiger was quite a few cars in one. First off, it was the classic transplant of a tiny English roadster now powered by a big American V8. This ethos gave these lightweight and delicate sportscars huge power they were never designed to handle. The result was a playful and wild handling demeanor on the roads, and even more on the track. Secondly, it was the second project of Carroll Shelby after the Cobra. Shelby wanted to build the car in the US, but Sunbeam decided to keep assembly in Blighty. Shelby was incensed, and the Sunbeam Tiger V8 …

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2016 Land Rover Discover Sport HSE – Full Design Analysis + Letter Grade Scores

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INTRO: ICELAND IN JANUARY The new Land Rover Discovery Sport just enjoyed its big coming-out party over the weekend in Iceland, with many auto writers enjoying a 1000-mile adventure trying out the new baby Landie across heaps and dales and ice bales. But from our impression back at home, the vast majority of the travel time was not by car, but by plane. Iceland is farrrrr from everywhere in the United States. Far. (Sidebar, would we have gone if invited? YES!) And a general rule of thumb? The more exotic the launch location of a hum-drum car, the worse the …

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Mecom Florida 2015 Favorites – 1948 GMC Half-Ton Pickup Truck

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You can tell how hard this 1948 GMC Pickup was ready to work in the profile shot. It is all nose. With an empty bed or now trailer, the truck looks like it might tip upward onto its nose. And that would be a shame. What a nose this was!  With a stamped steel shape so deep, modern industrial presses would be jealous! Melting down over the tall OHV and intake mechanicals, this amazing flow of metal is pure smooth bliss. It was also a functional feature: dropping each side of the hood let you have a much clearer view …

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2015 Chevrolet Silverado Rally Sport and Custom Sport Trucks + New Midnight Edition Preview

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The 2015 Silverado packs four special editions for 2015: the Texas Edition, upcoming Midnight Edition and the just-launched Rally Sport and Custom Sport Trucks. The Midnight Edition will bow in Chicago next week, while the Texas Edition has been on sale for a month or so already. In between are the new RS and Custom Editions — which we caught up with in Houston. They look good and are a cool way to have a distinctive and customized rig – right from the factory with warranty intact and lifetime durability for the paintwork and finishes.     2015 Silverado Midnight …

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Mecum Florida 2015 Favorites – 1970 Ford Bronco V8 Pickup

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What is it about these 1970s Ford Bronco’s? There is just something so crisp and charming about their utilitarian design. Along with nearly no front and rear overhangs, a short wheelbase and heavy off-road hardware — the Bronco was just totally overprepared and over-strong for most road duties. It was like a heavy-duty, 2500-payload beast trapped in the dimensions of one of today’s mini crossovers. This red pickup hardtop with roll bars and a 302-cubic-inch V8 was fully restored with a body-off upgrade to new diffs, plus new air conditioning. 1970 Ford Bronco V8 Pickup      

Fantasy Supercar Renderings - RUF Porsche 993 Turbo RS 14

Fantasy Supercar Renderings – RUF Porsche 993 Turbo RS

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Yes, Porsche made a 993 Turbo S, and RUF made a Turbo R (below)… but what about something altogether wilder? Here we present a fantasy digital rendering three-pack of the Porsche 993 RUF 911 of our dreams: what we’re calling the Turbo RS. Much change went into the look of this car, but it started out with simple updates: darker wheels and perhaps a RUF graphic on the side? But after driving into the renders, we decided to lower the front spoiler and make it wider, chop the roof, extend the side sills downward to hug the wheels better, and …

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Mecum Florida 2015 Favorites – 1997 RUF Porsche 911 Turbo R Yellowbird

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Among all the Porsche 911’s ever made, the 993 is easily the most sought-after generation. This despite the car already being on sale for three decades up to that point… And among the 993 series, the 911 Turbo is a mega-star among minor bit players. Add in a RUF-massaged engine, interior, chassis and paintwork in trademark Yellowbird with monoblock wheels and the RUF big brake kit? The end result is many people’s ideal Porsche, right here, idling calmly. This RUF 911 Turbo benefits from nearly all the modern tech and style of a current-generation Porsche, plus the legendary speed of …

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Renault ALPINE Vision Gran Turismo Racer on Video and 70 Photos!

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Welcome to the future of racing, courtesy of the racing boffins at Renault ALPINE and Gran Turismo! Sony’s PlayStation GT6 just got a bit more exciting today, with a mid-mounted, 4.5-liter V8 pushing this new prototype to a Vmax of 199-mph. We have two versions of the Alpine Vision GT here, one with the dual boattail venturi tail and one with a LeMans-style rear wing. On both, there is a cool active aero air-brake functionality in the sides of the rear end. These square-shaped flaps snap open to keep the rear end planted under braking, and slow the vehicle by …

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Mecum Florida 2015 Favorites – 1986 Ferrari 512 TestaRossa

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The Ferrari 512TR was the ultimate supercar icon for many people in the 1980s and through the 1990s. No other car so firmly established side slat intakes as a must-have style feature, and the 512TR even seemed restrained and practical next to the Countach from Lamborghini. Even as the F40 lapped up the praise and kudos from 1987, the 512TR will always have a special place in the ultimate hypercar registries of the world. This black single-mirror model was a no-sale at $77,000 with a freshly-restored interior and yummy tan leathers that are all fresh and pristine. 1986 Ferrari 512 …

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2015 Jeep Wrangler Willys Edition in 20 New Photos + Freedom Edition Preview

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The new Willys Edition Jeep Wrangler looks very, very cool and desirable with its gloss-black grille and wheels. The Freedom Edition with a dark grey grille and military star is pretty cool too, mind you. That being said, Jeep Wranglers have never struggled to be ‘cool.’ They have always been cool as hell. But these minor factory customizations just might spark a must-have sentiment in shoppers. Even after deciding on a Freedom or Willys Edition, the doors and roof options are still plentiful!   2015 Jeep Wrangler Willys Edition      

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Houston Auto Show – 2015 BMW X5 M Looks Mean, But Logos Nearly Invisible

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Perhaps this is the new BMW M strategy for M trucks – small badges. Whatever the case, it is increasingly difficult to know which car is the X5 M and which is the X5 xDrive50i M Sport. Even so, the performance is the main selling point of this hot new muscle-truck. The giant footwear and unique chinstrap bumper design are the clearest signs that this is the X5 M versus an M Sport X5. That and the ridiculous pace, of course. 2015 BMW X5 M        

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Houston Auto Show – 2015 BMW 228i xDrive Convertible in Luxury Trim

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The new 228i Convertible joins the 235i in the BMW range as the smallest and most affordable ragtop BMWs since the first-gen Z3 of the 1990s. We’re excited to report that the style of the new 2 series convertible really looks fantastic. The car’s distinctive nose and new kidney design is ultra subtle, but very new actually versus cars like the current 5 series. As evidence of BMW’s utter brilliance in product variations: this new ragtop even offers xDrive AWD. No demerits in ride height, either. Clever stuff — and the xDrive 228i has an extra 60 pound-feet of torque …

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Houston Auto Show – 2015 BMW X6 xDrive50i – LEDetails Front and Rear in 50 New Photos

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The first-gen BMW X6 seemed like a huge joke, if we’re honest. All the impracticality of a tiny rear seat, plus barely half the total luggage volume of the X5. But the new X6 really does make a convincing style argument for itself versus the very-practical new X5 shape. The X6 also wears the new wide-spaced LED headlamp signature only visible on the X5M. The base X5’s have an indicator in the corner of the lamps, and tighter and smaller angel eyes inside. The M Sport model shown here does a very impressive M truck impression, despite being just the …

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2015 Scion tC Release Series 9

Updated With Real-Life Photos! 2015 Scion tC RS9 – Showcar Style In Showrooms From $24k

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Updated 1.27.15 with 18 New Photos Scion’s Release Series cars are convincing upgrades to standard models – showing what is possible in a full stage one makeover outside and in. The FR-S RS1 and this new tC RS9 stand out as some of the best factory customs on the market – and certainly in this price range. 2000 copies of this lowered and blacked-out Scion tC will reach showrooms around February of 2015 — with cool accents like black wheels, lowering springs and even a milled central exhaust outlet. Very cool upgrades all around from Cartel Customs. 2015 Scion tC …

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Mecum Florida 2015 – 1960 Plymouth Fury NASCAR Modified to Recreate Richard Petty’s Daytona 500 Racer

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UPDATE 1 Sorry guys. Some shoddy reporting (and total lack of fact-checking:) on the first draft of this article below! Richard Petty started racing in 1958 at the Historic Columbia Speedway, so this 1960 model-year Plymouth was definitely not his first NASCAR ride. A bit of Petty trivia? He returned to this tiny dirt oval in 1959 to score his first win. The track is still around today, but in a heavily ‘disused’ state with much grass growing through the paved sections, which were laid down in the late 1960s. We do believe this body Plmouth Fury was his ride …

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Houston Tuner Highlights – Giovanna Wheels On RR Ghost, G-Wagen and Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

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Do people still say “murdered out” ? When you completely black-wash a vehicle? These three certainly qualify, if so. Our favorite in the group would have the be the Rolls-Royce Ghost. Despite the thuggish wheels, the ultra-low stance and brushed-alloy finish of this Ikon Wrap really seals the car’s style nicely. The complete dip of all the Roller’s chrome elements in gloss black is hugely successful at changing the car’s look, and the pure gloss contrasts nicely with the subtle sheen of the wrap.   Giovanna Wheels On RR Ghost, G-Wagen and Ferrari F12 Berlinetta      

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Houston Auto Show – Camp JEEP – Animated Action Sequences!

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The Houston Auto Show brought some really cool drive experiences inside the convention center this year: with Camp Jeep a real highlight and crowd-pleaser. It might not seem realistic to simulate off-roading with ultra-steep ramps, buck-board surfaces and steeply tilted later angles. But based on the screams and smiles of drivers sampling Jeep hill-descent-controls and off-road prowess, we’d say the internal thrills and G-forces are authentic! Enjoy these two brief sequences of the Grand Cherokee and Cherokee making their ways down a 45-degree ridge. Smooth and under control, like true off-road pros. Houston Auto Show – Camp JEEP – Animated …

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Houston Auto Show – 2016 Lincoln MKX Really Impresses in 27 New, High-Res Photos

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Like us, you might have been slightly underwhelmed by the design of the brand-new, 2016 Lincoln MKX when it was revealed in Detroit just two weeks ago. It seemed new, yes — but virtually identical to the MKC crossover!? In the flesh, there are dramatic family resemblences between Lincoln’s two new crossovers, but the MKX does impress with its own premium details and much-larger overall profile. The MKC is bite-size next to this luxury cruiser. They both seat five, but the MKX will have much happier occupants in the posh second row of seats, and more luggage room in back …

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Houston Auto Show – 2015 MINI 4-Door Hardtop Inside and Out in 25 New Photos

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The new MINI does look pretty fresh in person, despite the extremely subtle workover for this full redesign. Considering that the car has an all-new, BMW-designed chassis and all-new engines — you might expect the design to be a lot fresher than it is. The three-door without these cool puppy-eyed LED rings (which are optional) is a pretty familiar sight indeed. It looks just a bit freakier and more bizarre in its details, like the oversized rear lamps that are comically huge. But the game must move on, and car companies need new models to keep the sales engine chugging. …

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Mecum Florida 2015 – 1973 Ford Bronco 302ci V8 Custom Off-Roader

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Editing these photos, we just saw the $24,000 sticker on the windshield and kept thinking what a great buy this was. All these off-road parts would tally about $20,000 even in crates off the truck. A rusty original Bronco might be worth $24,000 by itself…. so obviously to get both in perfect, restored and custom condition would be quite a steal. Alas, $24k was the high bid — and did not meet the reserve. The one good thing!? That means this very cool truck is still available for sale.   1973 Ford Bronco            

Mecum Florida 2015 Favorites - 1987 Volkswagen SYNCHRO 4x4 TurboDiesel Westfalia 11

Mecum Florida 2015 Favorites – 1987 Volkswagen SYNCHRO 4×4 TurboDiesel Westfalia

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A VW Vanagon with, get this: – factory Synchro 4×4 – Westfalia full camper van setup inside – turbodiesel engine from the factory with five-speed manual – and 45k original miles Those four, folks, are a very rare combination in the US market. Any suriviving VW Vanagon — or bus, for stoners — is relatively special these days. But a 4×4 with these cool off-road upgrades like the steel bumpers, rally lights, custom nose detailing and four-pack of round headlamps, plus tinted brake lights!? Very, very cool. For me, the only thing that would make this VW cooler would be …

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Mecum Florida 2015 Favorites – Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser With Matching Trolley!

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We’re back from some epic adventures last week, and eager to share the wealth of 3000-plus photos taken along the way. We counted at least four FJ40 Land Cruisers at the Mecum 2015 Auctions in Kissimmee Florida, but this sunkissed red example with knobby off-road tires and matching trailer stole our vote. It sold for $35,000. It is interesting to note that the new TRD Pro Tundra echoes this Toyota grille script almost exactly for 2015. Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser  

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Updated with 36 New Photos – Mecum Kissimmee 2015 – 1966 Ford CS500 Shelby Racing Transporter

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This Shelby-upgraded Ford Super Duty truck was a real sentimental favorite ahead of the Mecum auctions. In person, the truck is just as sweet and lovable. It sold for more than $50,000 – proving our affection for the big brute was not a one-off feeling.   PREVIOUS Sure, this Shelby transporter from 1966 might not be as glamorous as the classic Mercedes, Porsche or Ferrari transports — but it does have one huge factor in its favor. Authenticity. This truck is the real deal and in original, unrestored condition. That alone will make it quite a special find for Shelby …

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Mecum 2015 Supercars – Saleen S7 Wows With 220-MPH Proportions and Hypercar Impact

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Even those approaching the S7 without knowing what it was knew one thing: it is very special. What the Saleen S7 lacks in name and style recognition, it more than makes up for in brute width and hip-hugging overall height. The pop-up doors show just how light all the S7’s carbon-fiber bodywork is, while the piping for the twin-turbo engine is extremely visible under the rear canopy. Saleen itself as a company is in dire straights financially at the moment, so this rare beast might go down as one of the all-American hypercar greats. Saleen S7  

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Houston Tuner Highlights – 2015 BMW M4 by IKON Wraps

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It is not so much the color of this yummy M4 wrap, but the quality of the execution and how nicely this satin wrap brings the M4 design to life. Surprisingly, the M4’s color options are actually a serious, serious weak point of the vehicle. A total of seven shades are offered, and a few are simply grotesque. Step in, Austin Yellow Metallic! When Dodge can paint a Ram 56 shades, and a Viper 8000 colors — BMW has a major competitive weakness with the lame and hideous colors offered on the new M4 and M3. So while this Easter-egg …

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Houston Tuner Highlights – 2015 Nissan GT-R in Imperial Japanese Zero War-Paint

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This one is tongue-in-cheek. The Zero livery plays off the Japanese fighter planes of WWII with dark jungle camo and orange aviation-themed tints for the LED accents. In a state as fiercely independent and patriotic as Texas, this nod to Japanese military strength is the ultimate honor for the GT-R — a giant-killer of a supercar if there ever was one. 2015 Nissan GT-R in Imperial Japanese Army Zero WarPaint  

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Houston Tuner Highlights – AMG SLS Roadster by IKON Wraps

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This AMG SLS benefits from more than just a perfect shimmery red foil-wrap — but actually a black-out all around for the grilles, detail pieces and windshield surround and matte racing stripes up the hood. Cool stuff. The car looks absolutely fresh in a way that few SLS Roadsters do. AMG SLS Roadster by IKON Wraps    

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Houston Auto Show Debuts – 2015 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Black Pack

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The new Camaro Z/28 is one of the most intense and accomplished musclecars of all time. On a three-lap track blast in October, we fell hard for its deep lungs and unstoppable grip. But this Houston Camaro is something else entirely — taking all the Z/28’s incredible aero tweaks and spoilers and dipping them all in a sexy black paintwork. The only pieces of this car that are not jet-black are the slight fender extension pieces and the carbon-fiber reverse scoops in the hood. Ducktail and front splitter?! Black as night. In 50 years time, this Camaro Z/28 will be …

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Best of Houston Auto Show – Vorsteiner 2015 BMW M4 GTRS4 by ELITE Customs TX

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Let’s say you love the hottest and wildest customs from Germany, like the outrageous GTRS4 by Vorsteiner for the new BMW M4. But you do not live in Germany or near a Vorsteiner installer. What to do? You have to find a local customs shop with major bodywork and custom fabrication expertise. Elite Customs and Collision in China Bay, Texas is a go-to place for flawless execution of a major supercar upgrade like shown here. The parts arrive from Germany unpainted and without full instructions, so you want some proof that a shop can handle a job this big and …

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Houston Auto Show – 2015 GMC Sierra Elevation Edition in 20 New Photos + Pricing From $35k

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  Updated 1.23.15 With Pricing and 20 New Photos The Sierra Elevation Edition is one cool black 1500 on the Houston Auto Show floor! Just as we snapped these 35 new photos, GMC revealed the pricing of this new factory custom– with an enticing $34,865 base for the rear-drive V6. It is great to see the double-decker LED lights as standard on the Sierra Elevation, despite them not being lit in these photos. 2015 GMC Sierra Elevation Edition Pricing: 4.3L 2WD: $34,865 4.3L 4WD: $38,795 5.3L 2WD: $35,960 5.3L 4WD: $39,890   2015 GMC Sierra Elevation Edition     PREVIOUS …

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Houston Auto Show Debuts – 2015 Mazda3 Ti Edition Rocks Gloss-Black Body Styling

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The new Mazda3 Ti Edition joins a revised Mazda6 and CX-5 on Mazda showroom floors early this year, but had an advanced outing at the Houston Auto Show. This fall, the Mazda range gets really thrilling: the new 2016 MX-5 and hot CX-3 will join in the Zoom-Zoom fun. Production-ready with a window sticker, this new Mazda3 Ti Edition jazzes up the exceptional Mazda3 with some really cool style additions: titanium metallic wheels are joined by a sweet body kit all around in contrast gloss-black. The lower splitter, side sills and rear diffuser are all a pure and silky dark …

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2015 Volvo V60 Cross Country – Updated With 20 New, Real-Life Photos from Houston

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First details today on the newest Volvo – a US-bound V60 Cross Country! The new V60 XC is a tough and rugged version of the V60 sportwagen, and will ship to the US with standard AWD and the 250-horsepower T5 engine. Some have asked if the V60 Cross Country is necessary, considering the presence of the XC60 SUV in the lineup. There is certainly some overlap, but the V60 XC will appeal to a sportier customer and have pricing a few thousand less than the taller XC60 SUV. More models are a good thing for Volvo in the US – …

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Houston Auto Show – 2015 Chrysler 300S Reveal + LED Detail Shots Front and Rear

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The new Chrysler 300S is the real pick of the range. With V6 and Hemi V8 power offered, the 300S is sporty in all ways: suspension tuning and handling feel, but also exterior style and cabin ambiance. The most impressive part of the 300S is plain to see: stunning gloss-black details and a full de-chrome of the exterior. The 2015 Chrysler 300 feels familiar, but updated and very nicely refined in all ways. We love the cool technical detailing of the 300S grilles up front, the flush-mounted exhaust finishers in back, and the subtle but convincing rear end with pert …

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2016 Ford Explorer Sport 6

2016 Ford Explorer Sport Inside and Out in 28 New Photos from Houston

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  Thrilled to see the 2016 Explorer is progressing and evolving into an even better seven-seat SUV: new engines, new luxury and tech inside, and new style outside are all very promising. Even more exciting for shoppers than the new Platinum trim level at the top of the ladder? All new colors for every trim level – even the base Explorer 2.3-liter EcoBoost from $31,000. We’ve prepared this animated colors visualizer with half an eye toward file sizes. Previous Mustang and 2015 Edge color articles have nearly broken the poor interwebs under the weight of 400-plus images. =]     …

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Houston Aftermarket Highlights – 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Package with XPEL Paint Protection

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The Houston Auto Show has a tuner and aftermarket section to melt even the coldest hearts: exotica galore and customs as wide as a Texas Mile. This Porsche 918 Spyder looks amazing in yellow with the optional Weissach Package – consisting of the huge fixed-wing rear spoiler, gloss-black side spats and other delicious detailing. To keep all this pricey paintwork safe from stones and chips, this car features XPEL Paint Protection film – a self-healing wrap that is completely transparent. The XPEL wrap over yellow here creates a really stunning and deep finish for the paintwork. It all comes together …

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2015 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro 8

Houston Auto Show – 2015 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro In Black/Black

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 When the bright orange TRD Pro Toyota Tundra first was revealed and arrived in dealers a few months back, did you ever think of how amazing it would look completely blacked-out? Everything on this big Tundra is black: badges, grille, running boards, headlights, wheels — everything. Stunning in person and a great truck flagship for the front of Texas Toyota showrooms.    2015 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro   Houston Auto Show Tickets Admission $12 for adults. There is an ATM on-site. $5 for children 6 to 12 years old; children 5 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult. …

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2015 Jeep Renegade 42

Houston Auto Show – 2015 Jeep Renegade Inside and Out in 45 New Photos

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The Renegade is the second Jeep we have absolutely hated upon first sight, but really warmed up to as the style sunk in and was seen in the flesh. Visiting the Jeep stand at the Houston Auto Show this week confirms the cool and chunky stance of the Renegade, as a right-sized compact SUV. The ultra-traditional tall windshield and functional upper bodywork maximize cabin and storage space, with the Jeep heritage styling cues at once both very modern but also classic. If the new Cherokee is almost Cayenne-like in its swoopiness from the rear three-quarter angle, the new Renegade harks …

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Houston Auto Show - 2015 Scion FR-S RS1 Is Damn Sexy In Real-Life 3

Houston Auto Show – 2015 Scion FR-S RS1 Is Damn Sexy In Real Life!

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The Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 is almost a direct production version of the TRD project car shown this Spring with the Lexus LFA around Scion’s Epic marketing campaign events. The prototype TRD Project Car and the production model are almost exactly the same outside, but the TRD project car wears wider rubber on different wheels, has a front-mounted intercooler of some kind, and a racing-prepped cabin.   2015 Scion FR-S RS1 TRD Project Car The production RS1 looks just as good, and is amazing news for buyers looking for a showroom racer – modded and looking mean right from …

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2015 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 4

2015 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 May Signal Global Racing Ambitions for the Raging Bull

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   The new Lamborghini Huracan GT3 takes the LP620-2 Super Trofeo car above and beyond all previous Lambo track performance. The new rear spoiler, larger splitters and green-accented details hide big upgrades inside to the overall safety spec: a new FIA-regulated seat, fire extinguisher and roof hatch make the Huracan GT3 even safer at flat out in the Blancpain GT3 series. They may also be a precursor to runs in the Nurburgring 24-hour race and other WEC racing competitions — which would be big news for largely street-supercar Lamborghini. As quick and wild as all Lambo’s are, the firm’s racing …

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2015 Porsche 911 GTS Club Coupe 10

2015 Porsche 911 GTS Club Coupe Scores Widebody + SportDesign Package

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The risk with so many special editions of one car is major buyer and auto journalist fatigue. See Aston Martin for a prime example. But Porsche seems to really excel when it comes to special editions that actually do feel special. This latest 911 GTS Club Coupe celebrates 60 years of the Porsche Club of America — and builds in C4S styling and wide hips, the SportDesign ducktail spoiler, and a handful of other goodies as standard. 60 cars will be made, with a base price of $136,000. 2015 Porsche 911 GTS Club Coupe GTS CLUB COUPE REVEALED IN THE …

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2015 Noble M600 Speedster 12

225MPH 2015 Noble M600 Speedster Beats Hypercar Elite to Open-Air Thrills

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The Noble M600 is a worthy competitor to the latest class of hypercars: the McLaren P1 and LaFerrari. With the latest M600 Speedster, Noble joins an elite set of vehicles that can top 200-mph with the top down. The Koenigsegg Agera and Porsche 918 Spyder are the only other members of the club so far, but Pagani is widely rumored to have a Huayra Spider in the works, as does Ferrari with their top model. So what are the downsides of the M600 Speedster versus the standard car? Virtually nothing. With a carbon-fiber-intensive chassis that is already virtually unbendable, the …

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650S Le Mans_01-vert

2015 McLaren 650S Le Mans by MSO Celebrates F1 GTR’s Race Victory 20 Years Ago

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  McLaren Special Operations just revealed their next project: a special run of 650S Coupes inspired by the McLaren F1’s Le Mans win 20 years ago. Monoblock five-spoke alloys and grey paint are part of the package, as is the legacy of the F1’s amazing achievement around LeSarthe in 1995.   2015 McLaren 650S Le Mans by MSO McLaren P1 GTR McLAREN SPECIAL OPERATIONS ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF THE McLAREN 650S LE MANS CELEBRATING 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF FAMOUS WIN 20/01/15 Limited edition model launched to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the McLaren F1 GTR victory at the 24 Hours of Le …

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