2014
AC Schnitzer BMW X4 Revealed Today In Zurich With Exterior and Engine Mods For All Trims
The X4 only seems silly until you fire up the engine and go for a drive. In the 5.3-second xDrive35i trim, this crossover is sportier and more fun to drive than you would ever believe. So how to make the exterior match the rapid and playful dynamics? How about a few of these all-new goodies from AC Schnitzer, and a power bump up to 360-horsepower via a 30-minute ECU reflash you can perform in your driveway? A medium UPS box from AC Schnitzer Germany might be your favorite Christmas present this year. Yep. Your X4 is no longer a crossover …
Best of SEMA 2014 – 825HP 1965 Ford Mustang HOONICORN By RTR and Autosport Dynamics
Who would argue against this beast winning a Best of Award! This drift special shows amazing workmanship and bonkers performance focus. 1965 Ford Mustang HOONICORN By RTR and Autosport Dynamics Ken Block’s Hoonicorn RTR (4 photos) Mustang RTR and Vaughn Gittin Jr. teamed up with Ken Block and Hoonigan to create a completely unique, one-off, world’s first performance all-wheel drive 1965 Ford Mustang notchback. The retro-modern AWD “Hoonicorn RTR”, was revealed for the first time publicly in the Ford Motor Company booth at SEMA This jaw-dropping vehicle shares the spotlight with Block in his upcoming Gymkhana SEVEN video project. …
RM Monterey 2014 – 1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti Brings $11.5M
When SEMA becomes too much to handle, where to we turn for comfort and a little much-needed class? This 1964 Ferrari 250 Le Mans — one of the first mid-engine Ferrari’s ever made. Despite bringing more than $11-million this August in California, the only way is up for a car as special as this. 1964 Ferrari 250 LM RM Auctions Monterey 15 – 16 August 2014 1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti To be auctioned on Friday, August 15, 2014 Sold for $11,550,000 Chassis no. 6045 Engine no. 6045 320 hp, 3,286 aluminum-block V-12 engine with six Weber 38 …
RM London 2014 Highlights – 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione Tour de France by Scaglietti
With many high-dollar supercars that are sold at auction, the outside world might have a hard time appreciating their finer detail. What makes one model worth exponentially more than another? But to those in the know, the “old masters” of the (post-war) car world are racing Ferrari 250GT’s. Any 250GT, really. A 250GT with racing influences in their design/construction or track time under their belts will always bring huge money. FOr this 1956 250GT Tour de France, anyone can appreciate the glamor and beauty and iconic design from all angles. This is one that takes no concours experience to …
RM London 2014 Highlights – 1982 Ferrari 400i Earns $58k In Great Condition
The Ferrari 400i is one of our all-time favorite Italians — one that seems timeless in its design appeal and practical enough to drive every day. This car is in fantastic condition but has one big demerit (or advantage, depending on your perspective…). What is this thing? The three-speed automatic versus a manual transmission is a let-down, even if it barely stunts the performance from the 4.8-liter V12 engine’s 310-horsepower. 1982 Ferrari 400i London 8 September 2014 Lot 167 1982 Ferrari 400i Automatic To be auctioned on Monday, September 8, 2014 Sold for £36,400 Chassis no. 38627 Engine no. 00523 …
Best of SEMA 2014 – 800HP Hyundai Genesis Coupe by BloodType Racing in 35 High-Res Photos
It is easy to drum up excitement around a new model like the Ford Mustang or the Lexus RC — but bringing an existing vehicle to the top echelons of tuner vehicles takes much more work, creativity and quality execution. A fantastic example of a long-term plan to make a Supra and NSX-stalking night racer is this Genesis Coupe from Blood Type Racing. An amazing widebody, front and rear wings larger than surfboards, and even custom LED lighting comes together to make the Genesis Coupe a star of SEMA 2014. The performance upgrade is far deeper than this candy red …
2015 Ford Mustang KING COBRA Is 625HP Factory-Parts Cobra Jet Upgrade List!
Exciting news from Ford today — a special set of factory upgrades to make any Mustang GT into the ultimate sprint car. The early quarter-mile time Ford recorded with the all three KC packs? 10.97-seconds — a blistering pace. There are three varieties of King Cobra upgrade packages: the Drag Pack, Handling Pack and Super Pack — with the Super pack housing the giant supercharger upgrade to create a venomous dragstrip king. To get you in the mood for Mustang Cobra excellence, we’ve included a 1979 Mustang Cobra, a 2004 and a 2012 Cobra Jet down below the 2015 Ford …
2015 Hyundai Genesis AR550 ARK Performance in 26 New Photos + Tech Specs
Updated 11.5.14 With 26 New Photos What the what! Looking for specs on the 2015 Tucson on Hyundai Media, and what is staring me in the face on the homepage but an extremely tuned Genesis! Have you ever seen a SEMA concept so well-executed and well-timed? The new Genesis is absolutely killing it on the sales charts: the combination of 7 series proportions and 3 series pricing is really a huge, huge hit with shoppers. But how to convince the skeptical? How about a performance upgrade to shade even the M5 and E63? Enter, Ark Performance and the AR550 Genesis. …
SEMA 2014: Corvette Team Launches Z06 Concept Performance Parts Line for Stingray Owners
Chevy today launches a new parts and factory accessories line called “Z06 Concept.” This a great idea, and can be thought of as similar the BMW M Performance. They are factory parts for cars already in your driveway. There has already been clamoring in the Corvette community for the spoiler and rear lights of the Z06 among Stingray owners. Chevy answers the call! Also included here are photos of the Camaro Commemorative Edition at SEMA this week and in showrooms this Spring. Camaro owners also have a route to 1LE and ZL1 performance parts — featured soon in a separate …
Are The Kia SEMA 2014 K900 Trunk-Mounted Twin Turbos Fake?
Update1 11.4.14 We have to be honest here: these concepts are not doing it for us. Despite Kia’s Optima GT actually winning its racing series this year, the latest SEMA concepts from Kia just have a resounding suckiness. The K900 upgrade is the most performance-oriented, but the car seems beyond hope. Without icecream desserts at the booth, we worry that the Kia stand at SEMA would be totally deserted. A resounding “meh.” Why push performance when 2015 Kia road cars drive like salvage-title 1998 Tauruses? It is just not authentic or convincing in the least. Sorry to be a …
Best of SEMA 2014 – Honda Fit in 7 Race-Ready Customs!
Which is the right Fit for you? Have fun with one, or collect them all for special Fitness dominance! Just kidding. Honda brought a mad fleet of custom 2015 Fits to SEMA this year, winning awards and shocking crowds with amazing stances, sweet LED headlights on the Tkin, roll-cages galore and even a front-bumper-mounted exhaust outlet on the Kontrabrands Fit!! Great details on an easy-to-love 2015 Fit, and for some, a roadmap to Stage 3 Cross/Fit! Speaking of, CrossFit would have been a good name for the awkwardly-badged HR-V…..? But for now, the Fit is star of the show. We …
2015 BMW M4 – HD Track Drive Review + 150 New Photos in 5 Colors
Updated 11.4.14 It takes more time than we had to fall in love with the BMW M4. Too perfect? That seemed to be my impression after hopping from the GT-R to the RC-F to the M4 and others within minutes of one another. Time was so tight at Autobahn Country Club that we came home without a single snap of this stunning new BMW. Why? The car was swamped with people trying to drive it. Perhaps only the Challenger Hellcat or the BMW i8 were more in-demand that day. And as these reviews show — there were some stunning …
SEMA Jaw-Dropper! 850HP Toyota Camry Dragster is Sleeper King
Not a sleeper king for catching your ZZzzz’s, but one for catching other drivers napping! This is so cool. Great job Toyota. In the driver’s seat of this amazing Camry Dragster, the new Toyota tagline might need to be… ‘Let’s Show O-faces!’ 2015 Toyota Camry Dragster Toyota Surprises SEMA with 850-Horsepower Camry Dragster Sleeper Camry Set to Shock Racing Fans Nationwide November 04, 2014 TORRANCE, Calif. Nov. 4, 2014 — In drag racing terms, a “sleeper” is a car that looks as innocuous as possible, but has the means to blow the doors off the competition. The attendees at …
Best of SEMA – 2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport Rocketbunny Widebody
Could the Lexus RC be any hotter? We absolutely love the new RC Coupe – and this RC350 wearing a Rocketbunny widebody custom body and Greddy performance parts is sure to be a hero in Vegas this week. We are not personally a huge fan of air-ride and super-low machines with such stance as this example, but it is certainly visually arresting. Favorite detail? The long-tail spoiler. Awesome. 2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport Rocketbunny Widebody 2015 RC 350 F SPORT by Gordon Ting/Beyond Marketing Display Location: Lexus, 21601, Central Hall Description This RC 350 F SPORT hops low with …
Chevrolet Silverado Z71 Polaris ACE+ Concept Is Fresh For SEMA
Surf and turf themes for the Chevy trucks at SEMA! After the Colorado Nautique nodded to a top wakeboard and water-skiing boat-maket, the Silverado salutes Polaris and the Ace+ ATV. The single-seater ACE+ from Polaris is seriously fast and fun — like driving a life-sized RC truck! Most trucks are not big enough to fit an ATV in the bed without part of it hanging off the liftgate, so the Silverado Z71 with its rear cargo bars is a perfect partner for the ACE+. Besides the ATV in back, this concept has black-accented headlight interior elements, a black grille, custom …
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Motocross Concept by By Ricky Carmichael
Hot off the presses! Great to see a bit more effort from Chevy than the first Colorado ‘concept’ announced a few weeks ago. 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Motocross Concept CHEVY COLORADO PERFORMANCE CONCEPT ENABLES ADVENTURE 03/11/14 Ricky Carmichael helps develop package to demonstrate cargo capability, flexibility LAS VEGAS – Motocross legend Ricky Carmichael has the perfect go-anywhere transporter in the all-new Chevrolet Colorado for his motorcycle, mountain bike and the gear that goes with them. Carmichael teamed with Chevrolet to develop the Colorado Performance concept to illustrate the lifestyle-supporting capability of Chevy’s new midsize pickup truck. It debuts this week at …
RM Dallas Preview – 600HP V12 1939 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe
The upcoming Sam Pack collection sale from RM Auctions in Dallas is shaping up to be a big mover and shaker in the world of American classics. As a follow-up to the cool Lincoln concept cars article, here is perhaps the most stunning Lincoln in years: a 1939 custom Zephyr Coupe. The waterfall grille design shown here is perhaps the best-known Lincoln design theme aside from the 1961 Lincoln Continental of JFK fame. The fact that modern Lincolns wear this aesthetic is no coincidence. A ground-up restoration and customization sees the original engine replaced by a 6.0-liter V12 …
AC Schnitzer BMW X5 Upgrades Are Gorgeous and Functional!
Two things come to mind with the new X5 from BMW: the lack of an X5 M (so far…) and an overall bumper treatment that can be very busy and awkward. Where is the clean M-car styling we love so much? AC Schnitzer’s latest upgrades catalog addresses this nicely – with huge wheels, lowering springs and a tasteful bodykit to wrap the front and rear in high-speed style. The exhaust and ECU changes also free up about 50-horsepower for all of the engines, as well as sounding absolutely outstanding! AC Schnitzer BMW X5 – Exhaust Notes Check out the parts …
2014 Fiat FCC4 Concept For Sao Paolo Is Samba Rambo SUV Pickup!
Lambo Rambo… in Portuguese… is Samba Rambo? This amazing concept from Fiat is called the FCC4 and looks to be about the size of the Jeep Cherokee, but wearing giant rock-crawling rubber and a bad-ass pickup-truck bodystyle. Fresh ideas and designs abound, including the floating C-pillar and wrap-around brightwork of the glasshouse. Inside the roof and bed structure, we see some of the organic bracing seen from Bertone lately — all good stuff. Looks fantastic, and opens new doors to what the Fiat brand can be in the large Brazilian market. Fiat FCC4 Concept
2014 Nissan Kicks Concept Is New Sao Paolo Off-Road Crossover
In the ‘cars we want from other markets’ category, here is the latest Nissan crossover – the KICKS for Sao Paolo’s auto show this week and next. As far as what the KICKS concept may preview, we would not bet on anything directly coming to the US market in this off-road-able mid-size crossover segment, where the Kicks appears to share much of its mechanical footprint with the Rogue. But the style and design themes shown here are a strong hint at the next-gen Patrol and xTerra SUVs for the global market. 2014 Nissan Kicks Concept Nissan debuts Kicks Concept …
HD Track Drive Review – 2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Is Powerful But Huge And Floaty
Updated 10.28.14 With Track Drive Video We were thrilled to get in the new Challenger for some hot laps around Autobahn Country Club — and extra happy it was a V8! But despite being near the top of the range of many Challengers for 2015, this R/T automatic was greatly outclassed by serious sports cars. The R/T felt fast, but also enormously floaty and very heavy around all corners. There was an odd sense of height in the car at all times – like it was riding too high and had a lofty center of gravity as well. In corners, …
RM Hershey 2014 Highlights – 1956 Ford F-100 Panel Truck
In the auction world, you either go where the money is — or where the collection is. In the case of the Sam Pack collection in Dallas this November, you go to the collection. Same applied here with the Hershey, PA auction earlier in October for the Jeffrey Day estate. A charming collection of mostly pre-war vehicles is specked with stagecoaches from 1860 and curio’s like this F-100 panel van. The more utilitarian models in many millionaire’s collections carry some form of sentimental value. And how could this baby blue Ford not be special? We just wonder: how many cases …
Best of Paris 2014 – Citroen Divine DS Concept
Updated 10.23.14 The DS premium brand spin-off is a HUGE, huge success — sales and margins on the line are better than even Citroen could have imagined five years ago. This gorgeous concept hatchback is relatively practical by French concept standards — it runs a standard THP 1.6-liter turbo engine (with a non-standard 270-horsepower) and a compact four-door hatchback shell. Most logically, this machine would slot in above the DS3 and below the DS5. So will the DS4 be this gorgeous as a production car? Fingers crossed that the nose makes it intact, as well as the …
Kia SEMA 2014 Preview – K900, Soul and Sedona “Day At The Races”
Kia just rolled out its latest SEMA concept car – and it is clearly the best yet. A K900 called the “Day at the Races,” it promises a huge upgrade in style as well as performance. Big brakes, a deep body kit and a massive intercooler appear in this teaser photos. So will this be the holy grail? A turbocharged V8? Stay tuned for more details as they become available. Overall, the K900 needs all the halo it can get. Sales have been extremely lackluster in the first six months. This is in sharp contrast to the new Hyundai …
RM Monterey 2014 Highlights – 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S Earns $1.2M
After being declined an RM Auctions press pass for this year’s Monterey (Pebble Beach) auction, we froze RM coverage for a few months to focus on Gooding and Bonhams. But this stunning Lamborghini has brought us back into the fold. A combination of the right spec and the right colors makes it one of the hottest classic supercars in the world in 2014. Originally yellow, this early P400S runs an original engine and shows just 30,000 miles under its Carrara White exterior. We have learned a bit about the Carrara White color recently – being named after the Carrara …
2016 Honda HR-V Is Official! Will Debut in LA Next Month With On-Sale Dates In Early 2015
Believe it or not, this below Honda Vezel article is the most popular piece on Car-Revs-Daily.com over the past 12 months. By a huge margin. People are excited about this vehicle. It is great to see the predictions come true in a USA model of this cool and stylish small crossover – even if the name and the headlights are toned down versus some of the European and Concept models a bit. We also lose a bit of body-color trim on the outside in favor of grey plastic, but such is life. The USA-spec HR-V still looks fresh and really …
Road Test Review – 2014 Mazda3 S Grand Touring 5-Door Drives Like BMW!
By Special Contributor Ken Glassman Mazda has been making some great cars for a long time. And Mazda has been setting themselves apart from the crowd by dialing in more driving excitement. You can always count on a Mazda to offer outstanding handling and excellent performance into all their models. And the 3 series Grand Touring is no exception. EXTERIOR The styling of this 5-door hatchback is slick and unique. Hatchbacks are not nearly as popular in the US as they are everywhere else in the world, but this one may change how Americans look at a hatchback, and see …
Road Test Review – 2014 Lexus GS350 AWD Is Quick And Balanced with Killer 835W Audio System
By Special Contributor Ken Glassman Photos Include the 2015 GS350 F Sport Crafted Line EXTERIOR Refreshed in 2013, the Lexus GS350 remains about the same for the 2014 model year. For whatever reason, the mid-size Lexus has never been a great selling model, maybe because it goes up against some stiff competition from the European models like the Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class, BMW’s 5-Series, and even the excellent Cadillac CTS. But the GS350 and its GS hybrid cousin are still very fine automobiles, and should appeal to anyone looking for a mid-size luxury car. The power comes from …
Audi LA Concept Teaser May Be Upcoming Q4 Crossover
Audi’s cryptic teaser image of its upcoming Los Angeles showcar creates many more questions than it answers. On the one hand, the overhead view is enticing and definitely exciting. The flowing surfaces and glasshouse bulge out into the fenders and overall nose and tail shape enticingly. But what the heck is it? Audi has already shown two coupe-style concepts this year in the form of the TT OffRoad concept in Beijing (yellow) and the TT sedan in red below. Audi also has a variety of models that are overdue for the next model to come out, including the Q7 and …
Update1 – Road Test Review – 2015 Ford Fiesta ST Is Freaky Fast, Freaky Good
Updated 10.18.14 With New Videos Performance Specials. They are the cream of the crop. They are the CTS-V’s of the world, the M5s and the Lancer Evo’s. They are freaky specials that are the product of pure driving joy, allowed to slip into showrooms every now and then. For car guys, they are the holy grail. Rare. Special. Excellent. From the moment you sit in the Ford Fiesta ST, you know that it is going to be a hugely fun drive. The seats are packed with support bolsters and the engine start button kicks the Fiesta into life with a …
Update1 No Crash, But No Speed Either – 2014 Audi RS7 Piloted Concept at Hockenheim
Updated 10.19.14 No driver, no drama and no crashes from the Audi RS7 around Hockenheim! But also… not as much speed as one might expect. The car was driving at about five tenths, which is disappointing due to the outlined info below. It knew the track and was still pretty wimpy. No doubt Audi being cautious, but still … kindof lame versus seeing a car really driven on its ragged edge. After all, driverless tech will be very helpful in running 24-hour durability tests in the future — once it gets warmed up and will start flooring the throttles! …
Update1 With 50 New Photos – 2014 Renault Eolab Concept PHEV Is Not Ebola-Proof
The Renault Ebola Eolab concept PHEV is back with 50 new photos! Renault reads the newspaper, right? How could they let a name so close to the deadliest disease known to man be attached to the back of a damn-sexy concept car previewing a PHEV Megane? We especially like the orange-red accent color that appears to be bleeding out the Eolab’s grille and under its floating A-pillars. Classy. Eolab. Ebola. Pretty close. We are excited for the upcoming Chevrolet Cancer and Vauxhall SIDS. Or how about the new Volkswagen HIV? Mazda Malaria? Opel Polio? PREVIOUS Ahh! What …
Track Drive Review – 2014 Nissan Juke NISMO RS Manual Is Hard Work, But Good Fun Chasing Supercars
The Nissan Juke NISMO is one of our favorite small performance cars. It even won the 2013 Best of Award for Turbo Sportscars Under $25,000 here, so we are clearly big fans of its ninja crossover style. After discovering V-spec in the Drive Mode selector, the Juke NISMO opens up its bag of tricks with huge boost and playful AWD handling. And all this praise was heaped on the CVT AWD NISMO Juke, not the more powerful front-drive Juke NISMO RS shown here. To say that it delivers more of a good thing is an understatement. The manual-transmission Juke NISMO …
2015 BMW M4 – HD Track Drive Video Shows Huge Exhaust Rumble and Serious Hot-Lap Pace
Updated 10.15.14 It takes more time than we had to fall in love with the BMW M4. Too perfect? That seemed to be my impression after hopping from the GT-R to the RC-F to the M4 and others within minutes of one another. Time was so tight at Autobahn Country Club that we came home without a single snap of this stunning new BMW. Why? The car was swamped with people trying to drive it. Perhaps only the Challenger Hellcat or the BMW i8 were more in-demand that day. And as these reviews show — there were some stunning …
Zero to Hero in the 2015 Chevrolet Impala CNG SuperCruise
The Chevrolet Impala is a critical test-bed for two future GM technologies in 2015: a bi-fuel CNG option and the forthcoming SuperCruise automated highway driving system. We caught up with a 2015 Impala LTZ featuring the shield grille that comes on LTZ cars with the Safety tech option package – and this is still the best-looking full-size sedan from Chevy in decades. The current setup does not yet incorporate lane-keeping and automatic steering, but that is certainly in the pipeline. The Cadillac CT6 is tipped to debut a true SuperCruise functionality next year — with on-ramp to off-ramp highway driving …
2014 Alfieri Maserati Underwhelms In Person With Bloated Surfaces and Mildewing Cabin
Updated 10.11.14 Forgot we have photos of the Alfieri Maserati from the Pebble Beach concepts lawn! The car is not that great in real life. Its nose is by far the best feature. Overall, it looks too stubby and odd around the mid-section, where its wheelbase appears too short to balance its giant bulging real end. Another oddity? The jackasses who were minding the car would not shut its doors and windows. When asked for third time, he slowly dipped down the back glass but wouldn’t latch it for photos. I mean, seriously? I thought he was just a …
2014 Nissan Sentra NISMO Concept + Altima NISMO Rendering with V6, Six-Speed Manual, LSD and Nismo Tuning
Updated 10.11.14 With 35 Photos and Altima NISMO Renderings We love the NISMO strategy at Nissan. The sporty overhaul of conventional models has always been a secret weapon of the German premium brands, and Nissan appears to be taking this niche strategy to the broader market via the $21,000 Juke NISMO and hopefully this Sentra NISMO in the future. A 2016 Maxima NISMO has been teased and is virtually a sure thing when the hot future Maxima debuts this winter at one of the big auto shows. But let’s step back a moment and think closely about the potential …
2014 Peugeot Quartz and DKR Prototype Top Paris Concept Reveals
Updated 10.9.14 With Debut Video and 20 New Photos! Well here is an interesting surprise! This PHEV crossover concept leverages some of the sexy looks of the 2008 DKR race truck into a production-friendly shape. A 270-horsepower engine powers the front wheels, while the back wheels are driven by a powerful electric motor. The new plug-in setup even allows the Quartz crossover to have a 31-mile EV range when the batteries are fully charged. 2014 Peugeot 2008 DKR Prototype In terms of style, the defining elements of this cab-backward crossover are the long hood and ultra-low roofline. While not …
4.3s, 400HP 2015 VENTURI America EV SUV Reaches Limited-Production!
Exciting news from Venturi in Paris this week! The well-resolved America dune-buggy has a redesigned powertrain and will now grow past concept and prototype stages. Limited-production of the EV off-roader begins in early 2015 — but there is a catch. Only 25 initial copies of this innovative and stylish crossover will be made. Performance stats are looking very impressive, however, and the carbon-kevlar tub will make this thing unstoppable on the rough stuff. And likely a fun canyon-carver on hard surfaces or, gasp, tarmac! TECHNICAL MASTERPIECE (Sorry for the watermark.) SPECIFICATIONS Like the Local Motors Rally Fighter and many …
Update1 – Wow! 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S
Update1 – Wow! 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S Photos from Paris confirm it: the new Mitsubishi Outlander looks absolutely fantastic. Hard the believe how much more desirable the new car is than the current Outlander, which is lost in a sea of rounded corners. 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S PREVIOUS Are you getting pumped for Paris? Kicking off the 2014/2015 auto show season in high-fashion style, the debuts are set to come fast and furious… ahem. Pre-empting the big debuts of the new Infiniti Q80 flagship, Lamborghini SUV and many, many more is the new Mitsubishi …
Update2 – 2015 Aston Martin Lagonda Production Debut – Exclusively Available in Middle East
Updated 10.5.14 New photos and production details of the new Lagonda limo — including a cabin that is breathtakingly posh. Regretfully for some, the Lagonda will only be available to buyers in the Middle East. As a low-volume model like the One-77, the Lagonda is sure to be one of the rarest of all luxury four-doors. 2015 Aston Martin Lagonda PREVIOUS Lagonda lives! Breaking news with a confirmation from Aston-Martin on the 2015 Bespoke Super Saloon project – which is officially the new Lagonda saloon car. 2015 Aston Martin Lagonda Inspiration for …
Best of Awards – Most Fun SuperCoupe Street Racer – 2015 JAGUAR F-Type R Coupe
UPDATED 10.4.14 With Two 4K Drive Videos and 30 High-Res Photos Our solid and bankable reco if you can afford it? The R! 2015 JAGUAR F-Type R Coupe PREVIOUS The new F-Type Coupe is hot as the summer sun these days – but which is best? And among the standard, S and R — which fits your budget and performance criteria? Here is a quick walk through the JaguarUSA.com online configurator, where I built a $77,000 F-Type S Coupe and racked up a $92,000 total in the process. There are many tempting options, including the poshest 20-inch wheels …
Update1 With 30 New Photos – 2014 Toyota C-HR Concept for Paris Previews Yaris Crossover
Updated 10.3.14 This crossover concept shows some fascinating ideas for a next generation of small Toyota crossovers. While there are very interesting and sexy ideas in the layered and floating designs of the roof and taillamps, the nose is far less successful. But overall, the detailing in the surface lines makes it all worthwhile. We tinted the color purple just for fun, as shown on the first image below. PREVIOUS It is new Japanese crossover day today! The Toyota C-HR Concept has broken cover ahead of its Paris debut in Paris. This model is thought to be a Yaris-sized crossover, …
Best of Awards: Track Drive Video – 2015 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Is A Racecar With License Plates
Nailing apexes in this Camaro Z/28 was the most fun this driver has ever had on a racetrack. The car is absolutely surreal in its power and performance in all dimensions. Brakes and road-holding via those Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires are unreal, while the power delivery from the 7.0-liter, 505HP V8 is nothing short of jaw-dropping. Skip to minute two of the above video to see the Z28 in track bliss with cars like the Hellcat, 2015 Mustang GT, Nissan GT-R, Lexus RCF and BMW M4….! One thought? We would recommend speccing the optional A/C on the …
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Quick Drive Shows Lively and Very Handsome Mid-Size Truck
Enjoyed a chance to meet the 2015 Colorado Z71 this week, and it is really handsome and macho in real life. Initially, the GMC Canyon seemed like the better-looking of the two, but side by side, the Chevy was my clear preference. A lack of LED lighting in the nose of the Colorado is the only demerit that comes to mind. Otherwise, the wide style and fender flares are rough and ready to get muddy. To be fair, the Colorado Z71 and Canyon All Terrain we compared are the most loaded versions of each – so base models will not …
2014 Volkswagen XL Sport Concept Makes One Seriously Sexy BMW i8 Competitor
Here is an interesting machine! The eco-friendly supercar segment established by the BMW i8 could find a competitor in the VW XL Sport concept, which takes all the ideas and tech from the XL1 high-mileage, low-volume special and sends it to the racetrack. Much wider, lower, leaner and meaner: the XL Sport is still wholly unconventional in its style and presence. This makes it not unlike the i8 in many ways. They both certainly have stopping power: heads will turn to catch this wild machine zing past. But the carbon-ceramix brakes of the the XL Sport will surely provide actual …
2014 Audi TT Sportback Concept Is a Stylish Escape From Current Audi Styling Funk
Audi design is in a major funk. After a full 15 years of making BMW and Mercedes seem old and tired and boring, Audi lost the plot some time around 2010. We are not sure what exactly happened, but the magic seemed gone. The cars started to look like cheap copies of earlier Audi ideas – with the current A6 and new TT perhaps exemplifying this major design problem best. Sure, its proportions are cleaner than ever in 2015, and its new lighting is very dapper indeed. But what the heck? It looks like a 1999 model. This is a …
Updated With Real-Life Photos! 140MPH+ 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV With Optional 4×4 and Track-Ready Suspension
UPDATED 10.3.14 Got to meet the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe PPV this week – and its presence is undeniable! In fact, when this thing pulled up behind a few cars in the parking lot – we were sure that the real PoPo was investigating something. Only after seeing Chevy PR guys hop out did we realize that this is the demo model. Changes versus the current civilian Tahoe versus the LEO models are pretty significant. For spotters, the front bumper with its taller profile and tow hooks is a give-away, with less aero cladding down below so that the Tahoe can …
Updated With 42 New Photos – INFINITI Q80 Inspiration Concept Flagship
Updated 10.2.14 One popular design cliche is to describe the panel shapes of a model as ‘like flowing silk.’ The idea is to be lighter than air, and always in motion with ripples and elegant movement at all times. Far beyond cliche, the new Q80 Inspiration makes the idea real.A rare achievement, to be sure, and very exciting. Freeze that wind-swept silk in time, and it carries the beauty of motion even as a static piece. That is how we would describe the latest panel shaping theme shown in the new Q80 Inspiration, which is officially set to become a …
Hyundai SEMA Showstopper: ARK Performance AR550 Genesis Is E63-Hunter With Supercharged 5.0L V8!
What the what! Looking for specs on the 2015 Tucson on Hyundai Media, and what is staring me in the face on the homepage but an extremely tuned Genesis! Have you ever seen a SEMA concept so well-executed and well-timed? The new Genesis is absolutely killing it on the sales charts: the combination of 7 series proportions and 3 series pricing is really a huge, huge hit with shoppers. But how to convince the skeptical? How about a performance upgrade to shade even the M5 and E63? Enter, Ark Performance and the AR550 Genesis. Damn. Sexy. Hyundai? ARK …
Road Test Review – 2014 Lincoln MKZ 3.7 AWD Is Stylish, Sporty and Futuristic!
The Lincoln MKZ is easily the best Lincoln this author has ever driven. Outstanding design and technology features make the MKZ stand apart from anything else coming out of Detroit this decade, and getting to know the new Lincoln over a week was endlessly surprising. This car handles with a fantastic AWD balance of my personal Subaru Legacy GT, carries a charming and unique design that is cutting-edge and futuristic unlike anything else on the road. Dozens of preconceptions went out the ultra-sleek moonroof as we cruised to Atlanta with the Active Cruise engaged, the massage seats on full blast, …
2015 Volvo V40 XC Adds 245HP T5 Powertrain – USA Imports Coming Soon?
UPDATE: The fine print of Volvo’s release below actually invalidates much of the below editorializing — it looks like the V40 Cross Country may be coming to the States after all!!! Say a big thankyou to the new XC90’s strong initial sales if this does become the case… watch this space for all the updates. PREVIOUS The V40 is Volvo’s smallest model range and is no longer imported to the US market. Is this a total letdown? It is a bit of a disappointment, that is sure. Especially because this platform has housed many of the latest Volvo …
Financial Windfall? Dow 17,000 Car Shopping? Porsche 911 Carrera C4S
What a year! As the world turns, 2014 has been a doozy on almost all counts. In any other market, bonuses doled out in early January would be modest at best. Typical golden handcuffs of some kind… like future equity, etc. But not this year. Not with a stock market more bullish than — cue the announcer voice-over and drumroll — Your Very Own, ChicagoBULLS! So in this year, hopefully your numbers are moving in the right direction. 2014 is set to be a major global comeback period, with big bets already placed. Who are we betting in? The last …
Lamborghini Paris Launch Rumored To Be All-New 2016 URUS Super-SUV
Lamborghini’s SUV ambitions are well-documented. In addition to the LM002 ‘Lambo Rambo’ truck from the 1980s, the Urus SUV concept from 2012 let its intentions be shouted to the rooftops. The latest bit of news comes from the Lamborghini media preview invite for October 2: a profile showing a short and tall model unlike anything mid-engined. So what will it be? The production URUS is widely believed to be what is coming. A 600-horsepower four-seat crossover based on the Macan? Pricing from $120,000 and arrival in May 2015 as a 2016 model? Yes, that is our prediction — but time …
Update2 New Photos – 2015 Peugeot 508 Facelifted With New LED DRLs, Box-Design Beams and Tweaked Cabin Tech
My passion for great LED lighting is spiraling out of control. It seems, lately, that a new headlight design with some flashy LEDs is enough to win my favor. But am I alone? LED lighting and headlights are by far the easiest piece of a car for the manufacturers to update — no new sheetmetal is required at all in many cases. But the impact on the 30-percent of the time spent driving in the dark or dusk? A totally transformed car. This new 508 is more than an LED refresh – and includes various new shapes for the grille …
2014 Evanta Barchetta Makes Goodwood Debut With Modern 450HP V8 Engine + Classic Style
The continued prominence of the English sportscar business is no accident – the country’s road laws allow small-batch sports cars to be exempt from most EU emissions and safety rules. This is how cars like the Ariel Atom and others can wear UK license plates, but are track-only specials in (most of) the rest of the world. Evanta Motor Cars is leveraging that unique government flexibility to make its next car a relatively big seller. The Evanta Barchetta runs a custom-frabricated tubular alloy frame and vintage-inspired panels alongside a huge General Motors-sourced V8 engine. The combination means light weight and …
Road Test Review – 2014 Lexus IS350C F Sport – Convertible Coupe Perfection?
The market for cabrios hit the skids hard during the financial crisis, when any wind in your hair seemed suddenly too-lavish, and too-decadent. Even luxury shoppers pulled back during that unprecedented stock market decline. This makes sense: those in the market were the most exposed to big on-paper losses. As such, it was a pretty inopportune time for Lexus to launch its best-ever convertible: the ISC. This amazing machine entered a soft market with competition from the all-star BMW 3 (and now 4 series) droptop, as well as the better-sounding Infiniti G37 (now Q60) Convertible. So what has Lexus done? …
INFINITI Q80 Inspiration Previews Gorgeous and Fascinating S-Class Competitor
One popular design cliche is to describe the panel shapes of a model as ‘like flowing silk.’ The idea is to be lighter than air, and always in motion with ripples and elegant movement at all times. Far beyond cliche, the new Q80 Inspiration makes the idea real.A rare achievement, to be sure, and very exciting. Freeze that wind-swept silk in time, and it carries the beauty of motion even as a static piece. That is how we would describe the latest panel shaping theme shown in the new Q80 Inspiration, which is officially set to become a production model …
2012 Giugiaro BRIVIDO Martini Racing Honors Lancia Beta Montecarlo and 037
In the world of iconic racing liveries, Martini Racing is right up there with Golf Oil as the most-loved in history. What better way to salute the long collaborative partnership between ItalDesign Giugiaro than to dress their sexy Brivido GT concept in fast red and blue stripes on a white base. In the case of the Brivido Martini Racing, the homage is more than paint-deep. With a semi-exposed rear diffuser and and long, low nose splitter, the Brivido is close in spirit to the legendary 037 and Beta Montecarlo racecars. These wild turbo rally specials were so fast and wild …
Updated with 30 New Photos – 2015 MINI 5-Door Answers the Call of Back-Seaters Everywhere!
Updated 9.23.14 What is the back-seaters’ call? “Let us out!” ? That is not exactly the MINI Cooper’s fun-loving style! Back-seat whiners have typically just wanted to stretch their legs a little bit, but been stuck until one of the fancy front-seaters will move their tush and let the seat slide up to an open slice of door. The 2015 MINI five-door hatch promises modest solutions to both problems via an extra set of rear doors on the silly-fun urban classic. The latest MINI model is far more approachable in every way, with its turbocharged standard triple delivering more MPG …
2014 Volkswagen TRISTAR Is All-New Off-Road Cargo Van with Pickup Truck Bed
The world’s top commercial truck show is going on this week in Hanover, Germany — and VW has just debuted an exciting light truck concept. Part van, part pickup truck, and part off-roader — the idea is for the best of all worlds. Called the TRISTAR and packing a styling design and modern cabin, the machine promises to be an all-star work truck for the fleets of tomorrow. Just a concept for now, the design is likely to preview a heavy-duty version of the next Transporter van. 2014 Volkswagen TRISTAR WORLD PREMIERE OF VOLKSWAGEN TRISTAR AT THE IAA 23/09/14 Concept …
Concept Flashback – 1985 Nissan Cue-X Inspired Original Infiniti Q45 Flagship and Future Q80
As we prepare for the upcoming Infiniti Q80 Inspiration concept’s debut in Paris, how about a look back at the springboard ideas that led to the first flagship, the Q45 of 1990. The 1985 Cue-X concept from Nissan shares clear details with what became the Q45 from all angles, but especially in profile. This low and lean shape was far less formal than the competition from Lexus in the LS400, as well as the established players like Mercedes-Benz and BMW. It is fascinating to see the inspiration for the original Q, and the low and flowing style shown by …
2014 Toyota C-HR Concept for Paris Previews Yaris Crossover
It is new Japanese crossover day today! The Toyota C-HR Concept has broken cover ahead of its Paris debut in Paris. This model is thought to be a Yaris-sized crossover, which will slot in below the RAV4 and compete with the new Honda HR-V, Chevy Trax and Nissan Juke — among others. 2014 Toyota C-HR Concept
Wow! 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Facelift previewed By Very Stylish Outlander PHEV Concept-S
Are you getting pumped for Paris? Kicking off the 2014/2015 auto show season in high-fashion style, the debuts are set to come fast and furious… ahem. Pre-empting the big debuts of the new Infiniti Q80 flagship, Lamborghini SUV and many, many more is the new Mitsubishi outlander PHEV Concept S. This tasteful refresh brings a more angular and sophisticated appeal to Mitsu’s hot-selling seven-seat crossover. MITSUBISHI MOTORS LINEUP AT 2014 PARIS MOTORSHOW WORLD PREMIERE OF THE OUTLANDER PHEV CONCEPT-S 22/09/14 Tokyo, September 22 2014 – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will present the world debut of the Outlander …
2008 Mitsubishi Concept RA Previewed a 5th-Gen Eclipse GSR with Evo AWD and Turbo Tech
In July, we expressed pure horror at Mitsubishi’s latest design direction, as shown by the alarmingly-hideous trio of Genever 2014 concepts at the bottom of this page. So when did it all go so strange in the Mitsubishi design department? We are afraid that the amazing 2008 Concept RA is another casualty from the global economic crisis between 2008 and 2013. One of many great ideas put of hold indefinitely, the Concept Ra was widely believed to be a preview of the fifth-generation Eclipse sportscar. No longer sharing a god-awful chassis with Chrysler, the Eclipse was set to return to …
Road Test Review – 2015 Ford Fiesta ST Is JJ Fantastic: Freaky Fast, Freaky Good! Even Better than BR-Z and FR-S
Performance Specials. They are the cream of the crop. They are the CTS-V’s of the world, the M5s and the Lancer Evo’s. They are freaky specials that are the product of pure driving joy, allowed to slip into showrooms every now and then. For car guys, they are the holy grail. Rare. Special. Excellent. From the moment you sit in the Ford Fiesta ST, you know that it is going to be a hugely fun drive. The seats are packed with support bolsters and the engine start button kicks the Fiesta into life with a snort from up front and …
2014 Renault Eolab Concept is Ultra-Aerodynamic Innovation Showcase
Ahh! What a terrible, terrible name for a pretty cool concept, Renault. The focus of this machine is to maximize the efficiency of an EV powertrain in a holistic way. This means aero as well as weight and management and materials innovation. The car is said to preview an EV that will be larger than the current ZOE hatchback and will integrate many of these features into a production car. The drag coefficient of the Eolab concept is just 0.235, which is very good but not very much better than the slipperiest new cars available in 2015 – like the …
2014 Peugeot Quartz Hybrid Crossover Concept Revealed Ahead of Paris Show
Well here is an interesting surprise! This PHEV crossover concept leverages some of the sexy looks of the 2008 DKR race truck into a production-friendly shape. A 270-horsepower engine powers the front wheels, while the back wheels are driven by a powerful electric motor. The new plug-in setup even allows the Quartz crossover to have a 31-mile EV range when the batteries are fully charged. 2014 Peugeot 2008 DKR Prototype In terms of style, the defining elements of this cab-backward crossover are the long hood and ultra-low roofline. While not the most practical of shapes for an SUV, it is …
Toyota FT-1 Vision GT Now Playable in Gran Turismo! 100 New Dynamic Photos
Updated 9.16.14 Art Imitates Life. Life Imitates Art. Such a truism is very valid in the case of the FT-1 – which Toyota has just teased in its next form as a hard-core (virtual) racing special. The FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo differs from the road-going version of the car in many standard race-ready ways. Starting from the front: there is a much deeper aero package and chin spoiler, easy-off hood panels with racing latches, upgrades brakes and tires and huge fender-top slats to reduce any trapped air from the wheels. These slats drastically reduce under-hood temps as well as being …
2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA250 4Matic Bases at $34k with Standard 6.9s Sprint Time
When it comes down to it, Mercedes-Benz has traditionally been very, very conservative about entering new market segments. That is going out the door with new entrants like the GL-Class or the CLS Shooting Brake. But in truth, a front-drive compact crossover is about as far from the Mercedes sweetspot as anything one can imagine — especially in the image-managed US market. We are not offered the nerdy and frumpy B-Class, nor the A-Class. We also generally receive the most-loaded models in every range. This is why the GLA-Class will be offered in Europe as the GLA200 and GLA220 CDI …
2015 Lexus RX350 CRAFTED LINE – Pebble Beach Debut In Detail
The RX350 Crafted Line is the most subtle of the tweaks that are also offered on the IS, ES, GS and LS. Where the others have a deep and rich obsidian finish to many surfaces, the RX350 Crafted Line has graphite wheels and a less-thorough grille overhaul. Even so, this RX350 is clean and extremely handsome in real life. The latest Ultra White paint shade from all the Crafted Line cars is outstanding — with a rich white finish that is extremely bright even in low lights. The undertones are tan versus lavender for many whites — but the extreme …
2015 Lexus ES350 CRAFTED LINE – Arriving in November from $42,500
After such a smooth and relaxing experience with the 2015 ES300h this month, we are excited to introduce the latest and greatest ES: the Crafted Line. New for 2015 with a variety of sexy gloss black accents over Ultra White bodywork, the ES Crafted Line is quite a glamorous upgrade for this imminently practical luxury car. Check of the Pebble Beach launch photos below, plus the official details from Lexus below. 2015 Lexus ES350 CRAFTED LINE The Crafted Line by Lexus Debuts at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with Exclusive TUMI Luggage Set LS 460, GS 350, IS 250, …
Road Test Review – 2015 Lexus ES300h Delivers Industry-Best Value, Efficiency and Cabin Comfort
The ES is by far the most-successful Lexus nameplate since the brand launched in 1989. These days, the ES is outsold only by the crossover king RX350 and RH Hybrid, so the ES flame is still burning bright in Lexus showrooms worldwide. The ES300h Hybrid is just about the opposite of the car most performance-sedan fans might pick for themselves, but the fact of the matter is: we absolutely adored the ES300h after spending a week together. Intro: ES Bias? From an outsider perspective, one might write off the ES350 and ES300h as legacy models — cars sold to …
2015 Noble M600 Carbon Sport Takes Supercar Fight to Koenigsegg, Zenvo and Hennessey
Mid-engine supercars are not just hard to design and manufacture. They are hard every step of the way: sales, marketing, performance, reliability, safety and emissions…. The list goes on. What is humdrum daily life for millions of Toyota Corolla’s is far tougher to achieve in the hypercar realm. This applies to the big names as well as the new-comers like Noble, for whom the M600 is really just their second all-new car. The key difference in how the Noble approaches the Supercar / Hypercar divide is defined in one term: handling balance. Unlike the handful of other rear-drive, ultra-exotic cars …
2014 Toyota U2 Is CALTY Design Concept With Future-Tech Cabin, Nose and Van Functionality
The Toyota CALTY U2 design concept for this year’s NY Maker’s Faire (gag) is at first a pretty lumpy and frumpy looking CUV/Van hybrid. The segment occupied by the current Nissan NV200, Chevy CityExpress and Ford Transit Connect is surprisingly untapped for Toyota. This omission is odd from a brand which has everything from the AWD Sienna to the Prius C hatchback in the stable. Who better to make a bread-and-butter utility van for cities than Toyota? Sure, the Prius V and the Scion xB and xD absorb some of these Earth-y crunch-y buyer demands, but not in an overt …
777HP, 236MPH 2015 RUF CTR3 Clubsport Is Veyron-Hunting, Twin-Turbo Cayman
Is there room in the hypercar market for the RUF CTR3 Clubsport – more than six years since the first-gen CTR3 debuted to rave comparisons with the Carrera GT? Now that Porsche’s top model is the 918 Spider, the RUF CTR3 is looking a little out of date — to say nothing of the ultra-hybrid McLaren P1 and LaFerrari. This is where the new RUF CTR3 Clubsport comes in — more aero, more speed and more drama with optional wide-body fenders and a 200-mph-plus ground-effects package. Merging the front crash structure of the Cayman coupe into this wider, lower, …
2015 TRD Pro Series TOYOTA TUNDRA Priced from $41k with Black Pack, +2″ Lift and Dual Exhaust for 5.7L V8
Pricing is out for the 2015 TRD Pro Series Tundra — and it is awesome from the word Go! $41,280 is the base for the Double Cab, with the Crew Max coming in just below $44,000. While official performance from the 381-horsepower, 401-pound-feet-packing V8 is unchanged, the new dual pipes out back are sure to liberate lots of deep rumble and a few extra midrange ponies. Updated 7.30.14 with 40 Photos and Official Pricing for the bad-ass TRD Pro Tacoma and 4Runner Including the TRD Pro Tundra in here because it looks fantastic. Pricing for the biggest TRD …
Vote Your Pick From 8 Honda Fireblade Racing Paintjobs! Winning Design May See Showrooms
Amazing racing liveries from Honda UK today! Completed designs came from Honda Heroes racing drivers themselves — so the results are more “Memphis Bell” than they are the Warhol BMW M1. This is no bad thing! Amazing ideas here that look great on this sweet bike. The winning design from the contest link below will see racing action, with a possible road bike CBR1000RR Fireblade in the same warpaint. www.honda.co.uk/ultimatefireblade Honda Fireblade Racing Honda Heroes get their crayons out for special edition Brands Hatch BSB Fireblade livery Honda (UK) launches competition for fans to vote for their favourite livery …
2014 Peugeot EXALT Concept Refreshed for Paris – Will Future 509 Sedan Reach This Level?
UPDATED 9.5.14 2014 Peugeot EXALT Concept PEUGEOT EXALT CONCEPT: A NEW INCARNATION FOR THE PARIS MOTOR SHOW 04/09/14 European version of PEUGEOT EXALT Concept Car brings a host of innovative features Hybrid petrol-electric power train has a combined output of 340hp A new version of ‘Newspaper Wood’ returns to uniquely tailor the Concept’s bespoke interior PEUGEOT is showcasing the EXALT Concept Car in a new livery at the Paris Motor Show next month. The bodywork features shades of grey that emanate from the bare steel covering the majority of the exterior to the distinctive ‘Shark Skin’ rear end. Inside, the …
Citroen Divine DS Concept for Paris 2014 Shows Way for 2016 DS4
The DS premium brand spin-off is a HUGE, huge success — sales and margins on the line are better than even Citroen could have imagined five years ago. This gorgeous concept hatchback is relatively practical by French concept standards — it runs a standard THP 1.6-liter turbo engine (with a non-standard 270-horsepower) and a compact four-door hatchback shell. Most logically, this machine would slot in above the DS3 and below the DS5. So will the DS4 be this gorgeous as a production car? Fingers crossed that the nose makes it intact, as well as the impressive panel slashes from the …
Update1 – 2016 McLaren P1 GTR – Pebble Beach World Debut in 75 High-Res Photos
Updated 9.5.14 These are the P1 GTR on the concept lawn as well as the official studio photography from McLaren. In person, it is all about that rear end! The huge sewer-drain exhaust pipes are stunning, as is the rear wing emerging up and rear-ward with twin functional vertical planes and a huge high-speed spoiler a foot above and behind the P1’s original tail. The deconstructed look of the rear end makes people think there are no taillights — but we know the truth! 2016 McLaren P1 GTR Pebble Beach 2016 McLaren P1 GTR McLaren F1 LM GTR …
2015 Bentley Flying Spur V8 Debuts in Moscow – 53 High-Res Photos
Thew New Flying Spur is all about formality and luxury of the Mulsanne style, but in an easier and AWD package. Exclusively the W12 before, the new Flying Spur V8 will easily dominate the sales charts from now. The V8 has huge power and a bit of lightness in the nose that the twelve-cylinders’ lack. Surprisingly, the real design action is out back – where a much blockier form language takes over with large lamps far apart in each corner. 2015 Bentley Flying Spur V8 NEW FLYING SPUR V8 MAKES DEBUT FOR BENTLEY IN MOSCOW Russian premiere …
2014 Pebble Beach Concours – Class Award Winners Showcase
Okay now. Start your classic car appreciation engines! About a hundred fantastic cars here, and triple that many amazing, high-resolution photos from 2014’s Pebble Beach Concours. The clear favorite for this non-expert and non-judge? The fabulous 1939 Talbot-Lago T150C-SS Pourtout Coupé all the way from Hong Kong. Forgive me if some of these are out of order. But included are generally the top-3 in every category. Enjoy! Special Thanks to Photographer Collin Graves. 2014 Pebble Beach Concours – Class Award Winners Showcase Class A: Antique 1st: 1910 American Underslung Traveler Toy Tonneau, William Johnston & Ronald Elenbaas …
Meet The PAGANI USA Launch Fleet – Five 2015 PAGANI Huayra Hypercars at Quail 2014
Imagine the scene: Brand-new Pagani Huayra Carbon. Golf fairways and greens of The Quail in Carmel, California. Earn morning dew. Rear-drive, twin-turbo AMG V12. Bottom line? The guys who put these cars in place early Friday August 16th have true throttle and impulse control. How amazing would a few effortless wheel-spins be in this icy green surface? REAL-LIFE HUAYRA REACTION? Absolutely fantastic, orgasmic hypercar dreams in the flesh. They are old-school hypercar HUGE, with a wider and lower stance than even the Lamborghini Diablo VT. The detailing of the bodywork is absolutely stellar and a maze of delight for the …
1954 Ferrari 375MM is 2014 Pebble Beach Best of Show
1954 Ferrari 375MM is 2014 Pebble Beach Best of Show This Ferrari has been all over the car news world since winning Best of Show. We know it is beautiful and one-of-a-kind since being reshelled as a coupe for one special owner. The tag itself is car-friendly. This is the classic auto world’s highest honor, but every one of the cars there is an absolute obsession and treasure for its owners. Great cars. The Best “of” show is a bit more human than the “Best in Show” label on many other pursuits. 1954 Ferrari 375 MM is 2014 …
Updated With Pricing: 2015 Toyota Camry Preview
UPDATED 9.3.14 With Pricing Prices are here for the new Camry! 2015 Toyota Camry – Pricing The Camry LE receives a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $22,970 while the SE will carry a base price of $23,840. The XSE and XLE models will carry identical MSRP’s of $26,150 for models equipped with the four-cylinder and $31,370 for the V6 versions. Pricing for the Camry Hybrid will start at $26,790 for the LE model, $27,995 for the SE, and $29,980 for the premium XLE. The MSRP for the 2015 Camry does not include the delivery, processing, and handling (DPH) fee …
All Six Bugatti Veyron Legends Together In Pebble Beach 2014
A few fashion photos set the mood nicely below for a true event. The amazing Bugatti Legends collection in full. All six Veyron Legends together for their grand society entrance at Pebble Beach 2014. An intriguing collection of inspirations and honors in the group, with drivers, designers, engineers and, in fact, previous cars as the inspiration for the six Legends of Bugatti. Which is your favorite? Or do you have other ideas? Here is the Veyron Vitesse configurator link to add color your Veyron GS Vitesse dreams… http://www.bugatti.com/en/vitesse/configurator.html Bugatti Lifestyle Collection Black Bess …
2015 INFINITI QX80 Pebble Beach Photos + Specs, Options, Pricing, Colors
UPDATED 9.1.14 with 2015 QX80 Photos from Pebble Beach When planning this article, I cannot help but think of the QX80 is a ‘reliable Range Rover,’ a smoother and better-handling Land Cruiser, or an Escalade with actual class. But throwing sand never wins any points in life. So let’s stick to the high road with this newly-renamed QX56 model for 2014. A few extra packages enter the fray for 2014, including a huge number of laser/radar and sonar-based active safety elements as standard — and even more with the optional Tech Package. 400-horsepower through a seven-speed automatic continues with …
Quail Porsche Experience – 2015 911 Turbo and Turbo S Cabrio + Generations Showcase
Who doesn’t love the 911 Turbo! Here are two lovely Porsche 911 Turbo models recently featured at the Porsche Experience Center of the Quail Lodge Motorsports Gathering 2014. In addition, we have a look back at all the 911 Turbo cars through the generations To top it off, official Porsche 911 Turbo specs/features and a guide to the best options — like Special GT silver metallic with Porsche Anniversary wheels. 2015 911 Turbo S Cabrio Porsche 911 Turbo – Generations 2015 Porsche 911 Turbo S – Configurator Options Description No. Info …
2014 Honda CR-Z Buyers Guide: Colors, Prices, Specs and HPD Options
While putting together the below HPD Supercharger option, the amazing value and fresh style of the 2014 CR-Z caught my eye. When did the CR-Z become so sexy? Included below are the full CR-Z Specs, Pricing and Color guides! 2014 Honda CR-Z – COLORS HPD CR-Z That headline pace? Estimated at a fantastic 6.5-seconds from 0-60-mph. That is down from the latest, upgraded 2013-2014 CR-Z’s 9.0-seconds with the manual six-speed and 130-horsepower. The 2013 cars also jumped in battery strength from 10-kW to 15-kW — so the CR-Z is already much quicker than it ever was in …
2014 Honda CR-Z HPD Supercharged Hits 197HP and Sprints 2.5s Quicker to 60MPH
That headline pace? Estimated at a fantastic 6.5-seconds from 0-60-mph. That is down from the latest, upgraded 2013-2014 CR-Z’s 9.0-seconds with the manual six-speed and 130-horsepower. The 2013 cars also jumped in battery strength from 10-kW to 15-kW — so the CR-Z is already much quicker than it ever was in its first-gen series. This latest power jump from HPD is fully-authorized by Honda and is only for manual-transmission cars. The engine internals and intercooler bring this balaced sport compact the power it has always dreamed of, with the battery in back providing a hugely entertaining and flexible handling …
1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider Is Flawless at $15-Million for Gooding PB 2014
1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB California Spider LWB Spider below. GOODING & Co. 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider Coachwork by Scaglietti Lot 18 Pebble Beach 2014 Estimate: $13,000,000 – $15,000,000 SOLD: $15,180,000 Chassis: 2903 GT *Please note this vehicle is titled 250GT2903. CAR HIGHLIGHTS One of Only 37 Covered-Headlight Examples Distinguished Show-Car Pedigree and Celebrity Provenance Successful Participant in Numerous Concours and Rally Events Certified by the Ferrari Classiche Department Offered with Rare and Desirable Hardtop
98 New Photos – 2015 BMW M4 Convertible – Pricing, Colors, Options and Specs
Updated 8.31.14 Pricing from $72,500 climbs a $10,000 with the quicker-to-60-mph M-DCT automatic and carbon-ceramix brakes, but besides that the M4 is absolutely perfect right out of the box. Especially if a stick-shift and regular M Brakes will be fine! In that case, the only upgrades you need are the 19-inch black-accent wheels, upgraded audio for $875. This leaves change to add a special M Performance exhaust and a few other goodies. The top-down audio is one of the new M4 Cabrio’s highlights with the new turbo inline-six ripping to redline. Hundreds of new real-life photos of the M4 …
USA Debut in 80 New Photos – 2014 Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupé SUV
Updated 8.31.14 The Concept COupe SUV earned a huge share of foot traffic at the Mercedes-Benz Pebble Beach house. One of perhaps twenty vehicles on display, this concept is clearly going to be a huge sales hit. Despite being an advanced vision and not a production model whatsoever, almost everyone who approached the truck wanted to get inside. Many tries at those flush door-handles, to no avail. These awesome nose and tail designs are reafy for primetime! The next-gen ML-Class is rumored to be name-changed to GLE-Class, This name change would bring along a new-segment GLC-Class in a racy, X6-form, …
BEASTMASTER! 1917 American LaFrance Type 12 BESTIONI By Gary Wales
Holy wow. This machine is HUGE in person. Calling it ‘La Bestioni’ is the best-possible name for this former firetruck, as it truly is a massive beast of a thing. Gary Wales creates these bespoke roadsters from retired fire engines and his client list so far includes Jay Leno and four other lucky madmen. In terms of how large the Bestioni is, hopefully some of the neighboring cars are visible in these photos from the Quail 2014. A 2:1 ratio is very believable – the beast is easily 2X as large as a normal roadster. Gigantic and lavish and exquisite. …
1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ by Zagato Crosses Million Mark At Gooding PB 2014
Great results for this little “Julia” rally special from Alfa Romeo. The Zagato provenance, racing livery and fantastic interior all certainly contributed to the final price, as performance will be pretty mellow by modern supercar standards. 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ GOODING & Co. 2014 PEBBLE BEACH Estimate: $1,250,000 – $1,500,000 SOLD: $1,023,000 Chassis: 10511AR750099 CAR HIGHLIGHTS Among the Most Successful Competition Cars of the 1960s A Wonderfully Presented Example of an Italian Masterpiece An Incredibly Capable Touring or Vintage Racing Car One of 112 TZs Built Between 1963 and 1967 Well-Documented History of Caring Stewardship TECHNICAL SPECS …
2015 Maserati Quattroporte Buyers Guide to Colors, Wheels, Options, Specs and Prices
Is the Maserati Quattroporte still the sexiest limo on the market in this latest sixth-gen model? For many eyes, nothing beats Italian glamour in a leathery four-door sedan. The rarity of the idea is itself pretty tittilating versus the dry and cold German alternatives, or the lush and colorful English brands that might be a bit too cuddly for some. The Quattroporte draws from an enviable set of clients. Mercedes-Benz might have its sponsorship all over New York and Berlin Fashion Week — but the Quattroporte has always been designed to appeal to Vogue Italia readers. These are stiletto-sharp people …
1966 Ferrari 330GT Navarro Speciale Is Trippy 1960s One-Off V12 Musclecar
What the!? That was the initial impression on finding this car in the Gooding 2014 tent this year at Pebble Beach. Here are the details of its absolutely hideous unique design: — Bought in 1966 — Upgraded to unique bodywork by Drogo Sports Cars in Italy in 1969 for Norbert Navarro, a Bologna commodities baron Sold in 1971 to Chinetti Motors in the US, where it was imported as one of the NART (North Am Racing Team) cars that were quasi-exempt from certain rules. So, about that design…: Hideous might be a strong description. The major issues from a modern …