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Fatcat Chic – Design Comparison ~1965 JAGUAR Mark 10 vs. 2014 XJL 3.0 AWD

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The Jaguar Mark 10, or Mark X in Roman numerals, was such an odd sight that I honestly had no idea what it was until just researching it now. Not only have I not seen one, I have never even read about one. In photos, it might be easy to mistake the Mark 10 car for a 1950s Jaguar saloon car. But not in real life. This Jag is quite enormous – with the upright and tall bodywork of Rolls-Royce and Bentley fame. This (estimated) 1965 car is huge and outrageous in person. It looks like a meld of the …

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

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

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2015 Ford Mustang Snapped In the Flesh! Turn-Table from 50th Anniversary

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Even the best-laid plains can, and often do, fail. Disappointed to find just this solitary 2015 Mustang at the 50th Anniversary celebration, I decided to photograph it from every angle I could secure amid the huge throng of the crowd. 150 photos and a week later, I am home slapping my forehead at the shoddiness of these results. These are not good photos, guys, and I really apologize. Learned a few things: – Messing with DSLR Nikon settings is done at your own risk – Lighting is everything – Reviewing photos in detail is needed while still able to reshoot …

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

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

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Mustang 50th Favorites – 1966 Mustang 2+2 Coupe running Big Brake Kit and LED Brake Lights

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Intro note: The hood and trunk and doors are all open in these photos on purpose. The car is running fine, but car photos with the hood up can be really confusing on first glance.   This darling 1966 Mustang 2+2 Coupe stopped by Olthoff Racing for a bit before making his way to the big 50th Anniversary gathering with his 5,000 closest Mustang pals.       It was a nice chance to see such a well-modded example that is also abolutely pretine inside. Drive-able upgrades all around, including radar detector and other accessories – Cold AC included. How …

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

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

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2015 INFINITI QX60 Buyers Guide – Pricing, Specs and Features – AWD Hybrid Highly Recommended

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There was a time when the Hybrid models in many car ranges were much more of a style and eco-conscience type of choice. The biggest example of this paradox of the Hybrid actually being a far worse machine, but much more successful with consumers, is the Lexus RX350 versus the RX450h. The RX Hybrid is so ubiquitous that it is easy to forget the standard model still exists! But is it a better car? That is very open to debate – as the Lexus system of AWD with electric power to the back axle is less-than-helpful in many slick road …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Race-Prepped 1967 Mustang Hardtop in SB Yellow

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

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

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

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2015 JAGUAR F-TYPE R Coupe -- Lifts Its Bonnet to Show 550HP 5

2015 JAGUAR F-TYPE R Coupe — Lifts Its Bonnet to Show 550HP 5.0-liter V8 — And Even A Deep and Large-Seeming Trunk!

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Forget Pippa!  This is 2014’s AotY! (Ass of the Year..) Pippa in an F-TYPE R Coupe? That could be quite the pair of yummy buns! Ever the diplomat who never voices his concerns too bluntly, I am trying to bite my tongue here really hard. But here is the skinny: the F-Type cabrio, at least on first sitting the other month, had a highly compromised driving position and barely any trunk. Those are big issues. Thrilled to see the all-new F-TYPE coupe does not suffer from both these maladies: the trunk is huge! Okay, it is not huge. But we …

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To Denali or not to Denali? 2014 GMC Sierra Style and Equipment Comparison

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  Q:)    Why go for the top-of-the-line Sierra Denali ? A:)    Allows optional 6.2-liter engine, style and cabin materials. The Denali is the only Sierra 1500 that is offered with the 6.2-liter V8 versus the top 5.3-liter engine in the standard trims. It is also equipped with perhaps 50 pieces of desirable equipment, including mechanical pieces like the external diff and transmission coolers, tougher undertrays, and a huge overhaul inside to bring this truck near-Escalade refinement levels. The road noise reduction and standard equipment inclusion is likely to biggest reason to go Denali over the $2,000-less SLE trim at the …

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Land Rover LR4 Discovery Concept Inks Deal as Ground-Based Virgin Galactic Shuttle Service

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Foolish follies with the Discovery Vision Concept? Never! This truck appears to be the real deal, arriving first as the Discovery Sport with a presumed five seats and off-road ability akin to the legendary Defender. It will then arrive as the presumed seven-seat LR4. The first of this new-gen model set (or trio!) is promised to be on sale some time in 2015. Virgin Galactic is certainly going places. Far away places! The Discovery marks the announcement of more glad-handed sponsorships — as the ground-based shuttle service of Virgin Galactic’s interstellar flights… some time in the future. But once at …

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2015 Subaru Outback Is All-New with Better MPG and Refinement – Turbo XT or Non-CVT Both Missing

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In most business segments, the term “all-new” is actually a highly regulated figure of speech intended to convey 100-percent new content. The car business is an exception to this marketing rule – obviously. All-New? Ummmm… ‘Facelifted’ is probably more accurate, Subaru, but let’s move on. Definite improvements in efficiency for the four-cylinder and CVT combo, but the rest of the additions to tech and refinement are not exactly Earth-shattering. Blind-spot warning, touchscreen navigation and a quieter cabin are all mandatory safety features that the Outback lacked altogether until the 2014 model year. The car is more attractive, with less of …

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

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

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Volkswagen Debuts Striking Jetta CC Concept in Beijing – Dubbed New Midsize Coupe + Golf 400R and New Touareg

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Signs of life from Volkswagen? Glad to see someone in the Wolfsburg Emergency Room is yelling “Clear!” before brandishing the defibrillator paddles. Just in time too: Volkswagen of America’s sales hit a brick wall last summer and have been in double-digit free-fall ever since. The range is a mess of unwanted and ancient models. Great stuff from Volkswagen in Beijing today – including a Golf 400R and the latest Touareg refresh. But the really striking news? A Jetta-sized CC model that is a low-roof four-door sedan they are calling the New Midsize Coupe. But we will likely pronounce it “2016 …

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BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept for Beijing 2014 – Previews Low-Roof 8 Series Gran Coupe?

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This BMW Concept limousine for Beijing just broke cover, and is a huge and desirable rolling art form – a sculpture on wheels. This is what will set BMW’s future luxury sedans apart from the more ubiquitous and less-exclusive competing brands — all of whom are clamoring for Chinese and global limo shoppers. But volume and cache are mutually exclusive in most areas of the ultra-lux market. Anything that is mass-market is immediately disqualified – even the S-Class might share a bit too much with the the C-Class for these types of high-fashion clients. Coach doors are hinged at the …

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2015 Expedition COLORS and Animated Turntables

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2015 Expedition COLORS and Animated Turntables Updated with real-life photography as well as the latest colorizer and a few animated spinners of Green Gem and Ruby Red via Ford.com’s visualizer tool. In truth, the latest Expedition fails to excite me very much. But the upgraded cabin and suspension tech are very welcome for this big truck, especially when paired with the latest EcoBoost V6 — which will be a welcome addition versus the old 4.6 and 5.4-liter V8s that were previously still the Expedition’s only offering. Overall, however, it is brand loyalty that will sway most shoppers toward the Expedition …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Case for a 2016 Legacy GT – Latest Outback is Full 8 Inches Taller, Hurting Planted Stance and Handling Dramatically

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Less of a case as a visual and performance appeal. The benefits of ground clearance are many, and the Outback does still handle with a far more hunkered-down feel than any SUV or crossover out there. But nothing compares with the look and road feel of a road-hugging stance, to thisguy at least. For reference, this is the 2005 Subaru Legacy GT Limited versus the 2014 Subaru Outback. 2005 Legacy is on stock Bilstein suspension but +1 18-inch wheels and a roof rack delete, which really helps sink the car visually.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Mini Musclecar Is Ready To Boogie! 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger at Charleston, SC Cars & Coffee

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Mini? The 1973 Dodge Dart Swinger — yes, that is its official special edition — is definitely not a mini car by any means. But when standing next to the Plymouth Road Runner Superbird… it looks like Danny Devito vs Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1988 classic Twins.  

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

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

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

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

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Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec – Wheel Colors Visualizer! Plasti-Dip Fantastic Voyage

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The Genesis Coupe is well-loved among the auto tuning community –for good reason! It is a wonderful canvas. But is tuning just a left-coast thing? This group in the Southeastern US seems just as passionate as our pals in SoCal. Evidence? This Plasti-dip wheel respray was the second or third color choice our pal’s GC had worn. He loves wheel color! Said he developed a taste for it after adding a 9PSI turbocharger to his previous Toyota Yaris — bringing its total power tally of more than double what it was from the factory. A hooner’s delight in its 13-inch …

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2014 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.6 R-Spec at Cars & Coffee – Wearing Custom Lime Green Wheels!

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  Colors like this custom Plasti-Dip shade can be ordered as a special formulation from Plasti-Dip website. My solution was much jankier when doing my wheels in anthracite grey — a quick blast of color into the wet black Plasti-dip that was the only variety I could find in Chicago. But color is harder than adding a grey flash. These most likely start with a white Plasti-dip base and add color from there. The effect on the Genesis Coupe is definitely striking in person, but also the right amount of mature — these green wheels are actually pretty subtle versus …

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

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

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

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

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AWD TDI Golf SportWagen to Join GTI, TSI and TDI — But Not Until 2015 Calendar Year With Est $36k Price

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  The American-market Mark7 2015 Golf line is only about three years late, but finally looks like it is not missing some critical members this time. Scratch that: the Golf Plus and Golf Sportvan are still nowhere to be found, along with the long-promised/never-delivered e-Golf. The e-Golf is now on sale only in Europe, and has been teased in the US since at least 2008. As many VW people know very well, the GTI has always been the star pupil of the group — both due to its performance and it vastly superior build quality and materials versus the Pueblo-built …

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Concept Flashbacks – Nissan DOME Zero P1 and P2 and 1987 Nissan MID4 Type II

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What is not to love about a mid-engine hypercar concept? How about a three-pack of them?! These concept Nissan models are pretty amazing. All Nissans? Not exactly. The two Dome Zeroes below were from a startup by the same name, but were powered by the Nissan straight-six engine from the Z-cars of the era, making 145-horsepower in these applications. Limited any-res photos of each are readily available, but the Nissan Heritage collection does offer the specs of the 1987 MID4 Type II — which predates the Acura NSX and also foreshadowed the 300ZX and later, the 240Z of the 1990s. …

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

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

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

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Concept Flashback -- 1969 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 332 Coupe Speciale -- Gullwing Mid-Engine Supercar That Never Was 12

Concept Debrief – 1969 Alfa-Romeo Tipo 332 Coupe Speciale – Gullwing Canary in Supercar Coal Mine

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This Alfa is Canary Yellow. It was also a dying canary in the coal-mine of Italian supercar fates of the next decade. When a canary dies in his cage deep undergound, miners knew the toxicity of the air was going from bad to worse. In mid-1960s Italy, the momentum to start one’s own hypercar legacy was a powerful draw. By 1969, all in the small sports-car business at the time marvelled at Feruccio Lamborghini’s success in carving sales away from Ferrari. Ferrari had quashed nearly all attempts by Maserati and Alfa-Romeo at reclaiming their past glory, and non-Ferrari people were …

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625HP 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible – SURPRISE OFFICIAL REVEAL

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

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Jeep Wrangler MOAB Concepts Are All Do-Able Via Latest MOPAR Upgrades + Cool Option Animations

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Part two of the Jeep Moab 2014 Concept series! These trucks can all be built with the help of MOPAR Jeep Performance Parts — via my heavy-handed hyperlinking far below… If you are shopping for a new Wrangler, definitely worth checking out the Car-Revs-Daily.com animated buyers guide and full article as well. http://www.car-revs-daily.com/2014/02/22/buyers-guide-2014-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-trims-tops-options-colors-visualized/ Jeep Wrangler Level Red is a nod to the most challenging off-road trails Jeep Wrangler MOJO gets Wrangler Level Red off-road gear, with 37-inch tires, shortened bumpers, winch and higher-clearance fenders Jeep Wrangler Maximum Performance created for hard-core enthusiasts who seek the ultimate in power and capability …

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

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

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MOPAR Adding Huge JEEP Upgrade Options — Cherokee Adventurer, Cherokee Dakar and Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel Trail Warrior

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Jeep just debuted a six-pack of new concepts for next week’s Moab off-road rally — which annually gathers thousands of Jeeps and Jeepers together for adventures out on the rocky desert trails. And more than a little fun back at base camp, too! This annual event is a huge part of Jeep culture — and is surely one of the biggest off-road extravaganza’s anywhere in the world. The new Cherokee adds Adventurer and Dakar spec levels via the MOPAR upgrades, while the Grand Cherokee is now upfit as a Trail Warrior in EcoDiesel spec. A diesel is perfect for off-roading …

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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

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

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

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

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

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Nissan Taps Skyline Bloodlines for Future IDx Rear-Drive Compact Range

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Originally: Published on: Dec 31, 2013 @ 21:39     All hail, the IDx NISMO Concept. Along with its Freeflow sibling, these twins reclaim some of Nissan’s proudest – and most stylish – historical moments. Just a brief thumb through the Nissan Heritage archives shows the huge strides made by Nissan between 1965 and 1975. The cars went from down-sized, durable and cute bubbles into sedan shapes with much blockier lines. The BMW M Division, AMG or NISMO strategy is long-established with the Skyline range, which has come in all flavors: from luke-warm four-doors all the way to extreme fastback …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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INFINITI Q50 Upping Pressure on BMW With Aggressive New Turbo Engines — 2.0L Turbo for Europe … or 560HP GT-R V6 for US!

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Okay, that is not super fair. The European market is also a sure thing for the Q50 Eau Rouge, which runs a 560-horsepower twin turbocharged engine that is closely related, if not the exact same, as what powers the upgraded 2014 Nissan GT-R. But the bigger news may be down at the lower end of the range: Europe is the first market to benefit from a new sharing deal with Mercedes-Benz. Infiniti will borrow the brand-new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that is seeing duty, or will soon see action, in everything from the CLA250 to the E250. So, the Infiniti Q50 …

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Citroen DS Brings Parisian Street Style to Beijing with DS 5LS — 5LS R Version Packing 300HP!

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Citroen and Peugeot are hugely popular brands in China. But so far, the cars on offer have not achieved the market share to go along with all that admiration. Step forward, Citroen’s high-fashion DS brand. With a logo that looks like French designer couture, the exteriors and interiors of many current Citroen models become far more stylish and appealing. The 5LS sedan is a great example of Citroen’s re-alignment toward not only having a fashionable brand, but selling hundreds of thousands of that car in China’s extremely competitive market. WIth every brand on Earth trying to tap the same “Cuppies” …

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Lexus NX to Debut in Beijing This Month — 2015 NX250? NX200 Turbo? Based on Fascinating LF-NX Turbo Concept

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Lexus just revealed the production face of the Lexus NX crossover, which is widely expected as a 2015 model to slot under the RX in the brand’s lineup. The NX willl debut in Beijing on April 20th, with styling that is quite fresh and unique — if not as sharp-sided as the LF-NX Concept car. Either way, it is a very promising step into the future of Lexus design. Teaser of production car is just these top four images. Orig Published on: Dec 1, 2013 @ 10:53 The Lexus LF-NX Turbo is the second iteration of the concept shown in …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray — Animated Evolution in Polo White

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

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

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

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Speculative Renderings – Future Corvette Z51 Speedster and Z06 Spyder

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INTRODUCTORY CAVEAT: I hope these do not irk General Motors too much. They are all labeled as ‘speculative renderings’ — in case the dismal quality of these Photo”Chops” did not make that clear already to everyone. It is harder than it seems to achieve anything like photo-real results. To avoid any confusion among buyers is my goal in labeling everything as renders, but also to explore these ideas visually. A separate (and amazing!) article coming in a few hours will be a thorough, real-life buyers guide to the 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible’s trims, wheels, colors and options later this afternoon. …

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2014 Acura MDX Colors, Options + Wheels Guide From $43k

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Let’s say you are on a road trip. But you are in the back seat! Ahhh! You are not just a grown-up like Tom Hanks in BIG. You are just a large, tired human. Best stretch-out-comfy cabin this side of Singapore Airlines A380 Business Class? The Acura MDX. New for this year, the MDX really excels in its smooth, confident and quiet luxury crossover mission. This is a car for people who need to feel fewer jabs in the ribs in general — let alone paying the a German SUV to bounce you around choppy pavement. For these shoppers, the …

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1928 BMW Dixi Roadster – Zentrum Museum

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

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Concept Flashback: 2006 BMW GINA Light Visionary Roadster – Animations of Dynamic Surfaces

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2006 BMW GINA – Animations of Dynamic Surfaces The 2006 Concept GINA is still a memorable favorite. While the idea of a fabric-wrapped, space-frame skeleton is tough to fathom, it is a real possibility in the coming years.Why? Active aerodynamics and panel shaping are far simpler without stamped steel or alloy for the main panels. Even though the GINA is visually polarizing, this concept is certainly ahead of its time. Imagine surfaces weighing 1/10th the amount of even the lightest carbon-fiber panels. The BMW Z4 would suddenly tip the scales at perhaps 2,200 pounds versus ~3,500 – which is nothing …

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2013 Nissan GT-R Black Edition – Drake the Akita

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

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

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

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

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

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2014 Ferrari California 30 Edition – Blu Mirabeau – 60-Angle Sunny Photo Shoot

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With the California T coming in September as a 2015 model car, the sonorous atmospheric V8 is becoming even more desirable. Yes, the turbo will surely still sound lovely. But any turbo engine sounds far more muffled than a natural breather. This final 30 Edition model weighs 60-pounds less overall, and has a sharper performance focus to all its moves.     Lastly, pretty sure this is Blu Mirabeau, but it might be Azzurro California. Cruise over to Ferrari.com to configure and order your own!        

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QOROS e-BIQE Concept Is Human Pedal Power + Plug-in Electricity

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 QOROS e-BIQE Concept Is Human Pedal Power + Plug-in Electricity QOROS is showing some real promise lately. Here is the basic idea behind the QOROS brand: World-best European engineering, branding and safety expertise. Built in low-cost China, but to German quality standards. The idea certainly has promise, and some huge-name executives behind the efforts. Most of them are German OEM refugees — who know a thing or two about excellent quality, safety, performance and handling on two wheels, four, or 18. If there is one core template for (real) global transport exports from China, it will be led by a …

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HD Road Test Review – 2014 TESLA Model S 85 – Smooth Power, Great Dynamics, Unequivocal EV Brilliance

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 2014 TESLA Model S 85 Review After a scathing Op-Ed the other week about Tesla Motors’ many (perceived) shenanigans on Wall Street and in Washington: I decided it was time to get behind the wheel to experience the car itself. I registered my interest in the Model S at TeslaMotors.com and promptly received a nice phone call from Silicon Valley to help arrange things. But the nearest Tesla dealers were at least five hours away from me, so I put a pin in the Tesla test drive and went back to work on normal vehicle reviews/ keeping the website up/ …

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

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

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BMW X3 and X4 Spartanburg Factory Tour in 111 Photos!

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

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

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

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

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

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Best of Awards – 2014 BMW 335i GT M Sport – 1000 miles at 100MPH… In One Day?

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Orig Published on: Jan 27, 2014 @ 16:37 What car would you pick for the ultimate day of dawn-to-dusk road tripping? Great style, pace and space in back will become far more important than previously thought. The 2014 BMW 328i xDrive GT and 335i xDrive GT are looking better and better to these eyes. Even while prepping the 328d and 328x Touring articles last week: I could not help but liking the 3GT from most angles versus its low-roof-wagon sibling. The nose is really the clinch-point for a car’s style, and the 3GT is arguably more handsome and well-resolved than …

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

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

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2014 911 Targa4 and Carrera S Featuring PDLS LED System

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

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2015 INFINITI QX80 Eau Rouge – Digital Rendering – 700HP Turbo V8 To Stomp GL63 AMG?

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Okay, this is admittedly very silly on many levels. But here you go! It started out as a Photoshop experiment to de-chrome the QX80, but then, it got really out of control. The roof chop is particularly delightful to these eyes, but not necessary for the below performance upgrades of a possible IPL or Eau Rouge edition. Next thing I knew, I was adding Q50 Eau Rouge details left and right!  Ahhh! But one thing is certain: the 5.6-liter V8 in the QX80 could, in theory, make 700 horsepower with some of the GT-R’s turbo technology. Heck, with a K&N …

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

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

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2.8s QUANT e-SportLimo – Design Shootout vs Porsche 918

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2.8s QUANT e-SportLimo – Design Shootout vs Porsche 918 Why so curious about this car’s origin and vision? A few things seem a bit unusual. Let’s dive into the salty blue of QUANT together.     We knew suspected from first seeing this car’s badge that it comes with a large beer-mug of Bavarian heritage: the Quandt (with a D) family is a major controlling shareholder in the BMW Group. Along with the Porsche’s and the Piech’s — these are some of the most revered industrial dynasties in Germany. And also some of the most shielded and private. But is …

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My #LED #FailWhales — 123 Photo Showcase of Later-Junked DIY Headlights — Quad Projectors, LED Blades, LED Eagle Eyes… and 10 Other Icky Iterations

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Many of you may wonder about some of the eye-catching elements in my headlights over the years. The LED passion obsession started in 2009 for me, and took three years and six pairs of headlamps for me to realize: stop wasting time and money. But I was convinced!  The tech to build DIY LED headlights was out there, I would say to myself over and over. For context, this was after I had already spent much time in 2007-2008 upgrading to HID low-beams and stripping the middle element of the headlights (the chrome shroud) out completely.   But what style …

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Cosmetic Car Mods Part 5 – White LED Emblem Baseplate

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Cosmetic Car Mods Part 5 – White LED Emblem Baseplate LED emblem base-plate. (Sticks under badge, wired into low-beams) This one is self-explanatory. Can be fun, and also comes in various styles for the rear ends of many brand logo’s as well — making the white outline flip to red under braking. But these are just the single white baseplate I had on my Subaru (briefly). Quality is dismal, and this one was never the exact same oval shape as my OEM Subaru badge — but for $12 or so, you definitely get some up-close curb appeal. Who else has …

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2014 ItalDesign Clipper Crossover by Giugiaro – A Mad Six-Person Golf Variant?

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ItalDesign’s Clipper Crossover by Giugiaro – A Mad Six-Person Golf Variant? The thing with VW owning Giugiaro these days is that many of the concepts have much more production-possibility than ever before. Take the Parcour SUV — many of its ideas are flowing directly into a future Lamborghini model. The style and themes shown on this Clipper van most directly relate to Volkswagen’s newly-clean aesthetic — but take the block forms and flat surfacing to a very interesting place. Is it beautiful? Oh no. But might it be after refinement into a production vision? Perhaps. Additions like a brand-specific element …

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

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

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

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

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Top Cosmetic Car Mods Under $50 — Part 3 — Plasti-Dip Your Wheels Into Metallic Anthracite Grey — How-To Instructions and Photo Results

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  Part Three of a new ‘DIY Car Mods’ series. Definitely some really trashy stuff included in this series of articles. But what is the best/worst part of modifying your own car? No matter the price of the upgraded parts — you have zero guarantee they will perform as promised, or even fit. So please take all these with a hefty dose of salt. Ideally, these are just ideas based on what has “stuck” on my car’s cosmetic refresh list over the years. Many, many even trashier upgrades have been installed and later removed from deep shaming by car-guy pals. …

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

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

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

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

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Geneva Booth Babes 2014

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Geneva Booth Babes 2014 “It’s hard out here for a bitch.” — Lily Allen No life is easy, even for the most attractive humans in Switzerland. But standing and being approached by unwashed journalists for days on end at Auto Shows? That is some of the hardest trade show work there is. A big round of applause for these very attractive gals from Geneva 2014. “Blue Steel” Honorary Achievement in Mean/Sexy Posing: shown directly below.  

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

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

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

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My 30PSI-Boosting Subaru Legacy GT on HD GoPro Video + Photo Comparo vs Cadillac CTS 3

My 30PSI-Boosting Subaru Legacy GT on HD GoPro Video + Photo Comparo vs Cadillac CTS 3.6 Wagon

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This one is pretty fun. My first external GoPro mounting that also includes some very hard driving. Challenge: Name that Video’s Locale! At least half the time in this film was spent worrying that the camera would fly off the hood at any moment! Got lucky this time, but definitely looking into a more reliable and stick-able suction mount. My Personal Subaru Legacy GT Limited Wagon in photo comparo versus 2011 Cadillac CTS 3.6 Wagon. Which would you prefer? Worth noting is that the Subaru is currently in the shop at the moment for a 115,000-mile service. A “Custom Tune” …

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RM Auctions MONACO 2014 Preview -- 1958 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback by Franay 26

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

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

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

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

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Amelia Time Capsules… Quiz? Name That Car! Clues: American V12, One of One Made, Greyhound Badge…

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Which V12 Tourer is this? I would make a sloppy teacher because there is no answer line anywhere on this page, and, in fact: we still do not know for sure the year and exact model! We certainly had no idea (whatsoever) when fawning over its leaping greyhound and V12 badges, but now know it is a V12 Lincoln thanks to its very happy driver.   Only serious history buffs will know the model name for sure. Based on some quick research, we believe it is a 1934 Model K Tourer.  

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Amelia Island 2014 – 1914 Mercedes-Benz GP Car

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

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

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

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2014 Hyundai PassoCorto Is Torino Design Vision Come to Life!

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 2014 Hyundai PassoCorto There are many features of the Hyundai PassoCorto Concept that really excite the eye — in ways that the similarly-sized Alfa-Romeo 4C simply does not. A few favorites include the LED lighting in back, which forms a solid light bar the nearly the entire width of the machine. This rear lightbar also forms a (nearly) free-form plane of the Hyundai rearward — improving aerodynamics dramatically. There are numerous other semi-overlapping sheer planes in the PassoCorto design, with near-flat surfacing that appears aero-optimized, clean-cut and also exceptionally-modern. The PassoCorto’s fused-layering is quite unique and innovative. The overall sheer …

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