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RM Monaco 2016 Preview – 1990 Riva Ferrari 32

Image a gorgeous Italian speedboat with not one Ferrari V8 screaming out 400-horsepower, but a pair of them! Derestricted and barely muffled, these growling engines form a very enticing basis for famed ski and surf boatmaker Riva.  The collabo was between Riva and Ferrari Engineering, as close to the F1 and Groupe B skunkworks as it got in Maranello and the greater Emilia-Romagna home base of Ferrari. Vmax is said to be around 60 knots, or about 75-mph at full chat across the marble-like Lake Cuomo surface?  LIke a dream come true, really, with a dashing design and carbon-fiber racing …

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2016 BAC Mono Marine Edition Christened Ahead of Monaco Yacht Show

Just in time for a mega-yacht show: the new BAC Mono Marine Edition! With extreme lightweighting and anti-corrosive treatments, the carbon-fiber Mono is almost the perfect maritime companion. A bespoke crane loading cradle is made of CF and integrated into the monoposto BAC design elegantly. The Mono’s ultra light and low dimensions make it a perfect supercar for storing on your yacht — with room in the renders for even a pair of the Mono Marine Editions in the side garage of a mega-yacht. Pricing is Pounds 500k for the Marine Edition, which will be made to order and exclusive …

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HD First Drive Review – 2015 Audi A3 1.8T Sedan

 The Audi A3 family is pretty massive for 2015 – with the new sedan just the first in the offensive that will include the A3/S3 Cabrio, A3 Sportback and Sportback Hybrid, an S3 sedan and even the Q3 mini SUV. So there is a lot riding on this compact exec’s shoulders – not least a worry that it might be overpriced and under-amazing. But that is not the case in the slightest. What we discovered after flogging Audi’s latest machine around Lake Lanier, Georgia last week is a fun, peppy car with outstanding driving characteristics, very intuitive steering, and a …

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RM Hershey Highlights – 1941 Chris-Craft 27-Foot Barrel Back “Runaway Jane”

A bit of a diversion here — the Hershey PA event from RM Auctions delivered a huge swath of old-world excellence. More pre-war cars, coaches and trucks than are typically seen at these events, to be sure. Among the collection’s top earners is this stunning 1941 Chris-Craft 27′ Model 115 Custom Runabout. Widely know as one of the most beautiful boat styles of all time, any Chris-Craft is a beautiful sight on the water. But this “Runaway Jane” is particularly beautiful, with the stunning handmade tail section forming almost a perfect half-circle. Dubbed the “Barrel Backs” for a resemblence to …

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Update1 – Road Test Review – $32k 2015 Audi A3 Sedan 1.8T FWD

Updated 6.23.14 with 40 New Photos 2015 Audi A3 Sedan Review  The Audi A3 family is pretty massive for 2015 – with the new sedan just the first in the offensive that will include the A3/S3 Cabrio, A3 Sportback and Sportback Hybrid, an S3 sedan and even the Q3 mini SUV. So there is alot riding on this compact exec’s shoulders – not least the expectation that it might be overpriced and under-amazing. But that is not the case in the slightest. What we discovered after flogging Audi’s latest machine around Lake Lanier, Georgia last week is a fun, peppy …

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2014 Renault Captur Helly Hansen Edition – Authentic Brand Equity First, Outdoor Fashion Statement Second

Like most Americans, my coverage of (and interest in) Renault is decidedly spotty. I flit in and out during their press briefings, reading and becoming interested in perhaps one and three that cross this desk. But to see the production Captur Helly Hansen was too much to dismiss! Why? I love Helly Hansen!  It is an awesome brand of outdoor apparel – in America wearing prices 2X the comparable North Face and 3X the Columbia sportswear it competes with in the mass market. As such, it is a bit of a sweet-tooth fashion element for fancy people tired of the …

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Road Test Review – 2014 Dodge Journey Crossroad

The Dodge Journey is updated for 2014 with yet another special edition: this one called the Crossroad. It complements the Blacktop Journey with pricing from about $25,000 – which is a big jump from the advertised base pricing for the Journey that starts at $20,000. This is the first Dodge, Ram or Chrysler review I have written since January 12th when the Ram Mossy Oak debuted in Detroit. I would like to report good things – that this car was such a revelation that it made me cover Chrysler brands again. That is absolutely not the case with the $31,000 …

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Road Test Review – $32k 2015 Audi A3 Sedan Is Surprisingly Handsome, Modern and Fun to Flog!

 The Audi A3 family is pretty massive for 2015 – with the new sedan just the first in the offensive that will include the A3/S3 Cabrio, A3 Sportback and Sportback Hybrid, an S3 sedan and even the Q3 mini SUV. So there is alot riding on this compact exec’s shoulders – not least the expectation that it might be overpriced and under-amazing. But that is not the case in the slightest. What we discovered after flogging Audi’s latest machine around Lake Lanier, Georgia last week is a fun, peppy car with outstanding driving characteristics, very intuitive steering, and a contender …

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2014 BMW 750Li Definitely Not Beautiful or Focused (Yet) — But Less Adrift as 750i M Sport + Squared-Off LED Lights Option

The BMW 7 series was long my favorite executive sedan — until 2003. Along with everyone on Earth, I was appalled by the redesign of this crisp and solid-handling machine into a lardy boat of Avalon-ian proportions. Things have barely improved in the ten years since this disaster of a redesign ruined every shred of ethos or cred this car had going for it versus the S-Class. Various steps have been taken to improve the tactile responsiveness of this giant barge, but the exterior style is still well past its PSI inflation rating. Regretfully, even the 2014 model looks so …

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

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

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Latest GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali and 3500HD Bring Class-Exclusive LEDs and Very Premium Designs

The 2015 GMC Sierra HD is quite an appealing machine. Its chunky fender arches and butch panels are at once both very stylish as well as very functional.   The LED addition in the headlamps of the Sierra HD are a treat, and a segment-exclusive item for the time being. They really help the Sierra line feel new and unique versus the latest Silverado line, which lack this element and can feel a bit stale visually by comparison. The Chevrolet HD trucks are more distinctive in being new versus the 1500, but all the Chevy trucks are less revamped than …

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Writers Wanted! Bikes, Cars, Trucks, Boats, Planes, Trains… The Mechanized World Is Your Oyester

New Car Website Seeking WRITERS! On this new site, we are looking for writers with motivation, passion about cars that borders on the insane, and professional degrees. Writing and producing automotive news content is AWESOME. But it is also a job in the traditional “exhausting” sense. A demanding one that takes skills, might cause chills, and …. eventually might even pay the bills. Is it a “paying” job? Ummm…. For the time being, special contributors will be compensated only by the glory of seeing their car opinions and insights as published articles. There is no budget to even pay myself …

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Video Walk-Around + 33 Photos – 1935 Amilcar G36 Pegasé Boattail Roadster

This car is quite special. The video notes that thhe Pegase Boattail Roadster was by Jacques Soutchek, but that may not be the case. The tiny Amilcar company of Paris certainly shared much of the Soutchek style shown in various custom Delehaye’s and Bugatti’s — a style which was typically hand-formed alloy and steel by only a small group of skilled craftsmen like Mr. S. Overall, the Pegase Boattail Roadster is most notable for its rarity and immaculate presentation, if not its sheer pace or the grandeur of some of the gigantic Delehaye’s and Bugatti’s from this interwar period. Tent/Lawn …

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VIDEO + Renders of 8 Future Hot-Rods From German Special Customs — Which Is Your Favorite?

GSC is broadening their scope. They are now applying their trademark upgrade style to brands beyond the Mercedes-Benz star. The latest future projects from German Special Customs work in a hot-to-trot new Range Rover and even an Aventador-from-Hell called the Estatura GXX. Using the names of brands by GSC is a bit touchy, so GSC has these future mock-ups under simplified working titles. Estatura GXX   McLaren P1 Night Glow by German Special Customs   Which do you like best? My choice is probably the E-Class, but I am open to debate! Hey, if you’re not having fun on the …

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Helicat22 At Miami Boat Show Seems to Best of All Worlds -- Twin-Engine Catamaran is FAST -- Even In Rough Waters 10

Helicat22 At Miami Boat Show — Twin-Engine Catamaran is Cool and FAST — Even In Very Rough Seas

Most of the boats and yachts in the world employ a single-hull design, with the classic shape offering merits via the huge enclosed living space they can provide. But every bit of hull displacement becomes extra problematic over rough waters. These videos show: a wakeboarding trial with the red Helicat22 a rough-water scenario at speed. Watching some of the bone-jarring impacts suffered by James May and the TopGear team over the years is proof enough — and reason enough — to slow down to a crawl in any rough seas. But how un-fun is going slowly in a fast car?  …

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AMG Miami Boat Shows Long Dongs — Mercedes-Benz Extenzzzes Vision GranTurismo Ethos to New 50-ft Racing Boat

Whip ’em out! Just kidding. Please do not. There is something inherently phallic about cigarette boats, named for their extreme length but thin berth on the water. These are the vessels you need to outrun any other sea-faring vessel that might give chase. In fact, with the big AMG engines rumbling at peak power levels — this AMG Vision GT boat is likely to outrun most helicopters as well. How would it look in Coast Guard orange? Or air-force white? The U.S. Navy has a new squid-like camo sheath that literally makes anything in water disappear from physical and sonar …

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