Test Driven: 2014 Porsche 991 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
Posted: May 16, 2013 Filed under: High End & Exotic, TEST DRIVEN | Tags: 2014 Porsche 991 Carrera 4S Cabriolet, 3.8L Flat six, 400hp, Amelia Island, Carrera S Powerkit, Mind over motor, PDK gearbox, Porsche 911, Road test review Leave a comment »
Porsche enthusiasts are some of the most dreadfully conservative people you’ll find when it comes to their favorite cars. Any change to the 911, large or small, gets heavily scrutinized to the n’th degree. All too often, they let their nit picking blind them, and they often wind up missing all of the new 911’s great aspects. The evolution of new models is a necessary fact of life, and it usually makes the car better overall, otherwise Porsche wouldn’t do it. The new 911, the 991, has followed this same trend, being criticized every which way against older Porsche models. I chose a more positive approach. Not, “how is the 991 worse than its predecessors?”, but “how does the 991 faire as a modern 911?”
Chris Harris gets his hands on the Porsche 918
Posted: May 15, 2013 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS, Drive, Mind over motor, Porsche 918 1 Comment »Drive’s Chris Harris tests the Porsche 918 on the track in its final stages of development. He also brings up some good points about technology, and what it means for a hypercar.
-Nick
Lewes British Motorcar Show: 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II
Posted: May 14, 2013 Filed under: EVENTS / PLACES | Tags: 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II, 2013 Lewes British Motorcar Show, Lewes Delaware, Photo Gallery, Spirit of Ecstasy 4 Comments »
I saw this exquisite 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II at the British Motorcar Show in Lewes, DE. Like the Triumph I featured last week, this Rolls had been retired from judging because it had won so many times. I really wish the new Rolls Royces had as much class as this one does. Now days everything is just about tastelessly showing off. Back in the pre war era things were far more interesting. Just look at that side lantern on the 5th picture down…. awesome detail. Enjoy the gallery.
Hopewell Cruise Night: Nissan GTR… con verde caliente
Posted: May 13, 2013 Filed under: EVENTS / PLACES | Tags: Bright Green, Fake Ferrari Badge, Hopewell Cruise Night, Interstate Motorsports, Mind over motor, Modified, Nissan GTR, Photo Gallery 4 Comments »
Saw this very intense Nissan GTR at the Cruise Night in Hopewell, NJ last Friday. It certainly turned heads when it rolled up, and to my knowledge it belongs to Interstate Motorsports, a new exotic car dealer in the area. I’m not sure exactly what has been done to this GTR modification wise, but it definitely doesn’t seem stock. One thing I must point out though, is the Ferrari badge on the back… it nearly ruined the car for me because it is entirely tasteless. The sweet color and wheels saved this GTR, but there is really no excuse for being fake, especially at this level. That said, it was comical hearing people walk by and say “nice Ferrari” while I was taking these photos. Enjoy.
The best photos we didn’t take, week of 5/10/13
Posted: May 12, 2013 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: Lamborghini 50th Anniversary Event, Lamborghini Aventador, Lamborghini Gallardo LP-570 Performante, Lamborghini Miura SV, Lamborghini Murcielago LP-670 SV, Mclaren MP4-12C Spider, Mclaren P1 Snow Drift, Mind over motor, Modded Audi B5 S4, Pagani Zonda F, Spyker C8 Spyder 5 Comments »
Sexy Evo
Here are our favorite photos from the past week. I went heavy on the Lamborghinis this week because it is their 50th anniversary. These are not our photos, so please click on them for a link to our source. Enjoy.
Test Driven: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro SS
Posted: May 9, 2013 Filed under: Sports and Executive, TEST DRIVEN, Used Gems | Tags: 2012, 6.2L LS3 V8, automatic transmission, Chevrolet Camaro SS, Mind over motor, Modern American Muscle Car, modifications, rental car, Road test review 4 Comments »
At the airport terminal, having just arrived in Jacksonville Florida for our weekend at Amelia Island, we came to the the point in our travels where it was time to rent a car. The attendant asked us, in an ever so friendly manner, “Now, what are you boys in town for this weekend?” We told her about the car shows on Amelia Island, and a smirk came to her face. She had us right where she wanted us and she damn well knew it. “Well, have I got something extra special for you then. Are you Ford or Chevy fans?” We opted for Chevy. “Well guess what. I just happen to have a pretty little yellow Camaro SS on the lot for you”. We exchange glances, and then she said, “It’s normally pretty expensive, but I can give it to you for an extra $20 a day.” Considering we had booked an economy car, liable to be a Chevy Spark or some other gutless mode of transportation, it was a very solid offer. We accepted, and went out to the parking lot to see if the car was actually an SS. To our surprise it was, bright and yellow as described, with a big V8 under the hood. So with that we loaded up our bags, and set off in our 400hp rental car.
Chris Harris on Cars: Porsche Turbo S vs Audi R8 V10 Plus vs Tuned Nissan GTR
Posted: May 8, 2013 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: 2013 Audi R8 V10 Plus, CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS, Drive, Litchfield Nissan GTR, Mind over motor, Porsche 997 Turbo S, video Leave a comment »In this segment of Drive’s Chris Harris on Cars, Chris pits the Porsche 997 Turbo S, the new Audi R8 V10 Plus, and a Litchfield tuned Nissan GTR against each other on the road and track. Enjoy.
-Nick
2011 Concorso Italiano: Ferrari F50 GT
Posted: May 8, 2013 Filed under: EVENTS / PLACES | Tags: 2011, 4.7L V12, California, Concorso Italiano, Ferrari F50 GT, GT1 racing, Italian, Mind over motor, Monterey car week, Photo Gallery, prototype 3 Comments »
I was fortunate enough to see this mighty Ferrari F50 GT at the Concorso Italiano back in 2011, during the Monterey car week. The F50 GT is a Ferrari racing car that never came to be. It was developed to take on the likes of the Porsche 911 GT1, Mercedes CLK GTR and McLaren F1 LM, but it never made it past the prototype stage. Along with the prototype, two F50 GTs were built for customers. This is one of those customer cars, and it was the first one I’ve seen in person. There was a normal F50 right beside it, and the GT makes the standard car look puny by comparison. The performance of the F50 GT is also extremely massive. The car itself weighs in at just 2,005lbs and its 4.7L V12 has 750hp and 383ft/lbs of torque on tap. 60mph comes in under 3 seconds, the 1/4 mile is dispatched in 10.2 sec, and it tops out at 235mph, presumably when the aerodynamics are set up for top end speed. This is a racing car, make no mistake. These photos are a few years old, and I have learned much about photography since, but I think they came out pretty well. Enjoy.
Woodward Dream Cruise: BMW Isetta 600 V8 Hot Rod
Posted: May 7, 2013 Filed under: EVENTS / PLACES, Hot Rodded, SPOTTED!, Unique | Tags: BMW 600, BMW Isetta, BMW Isetta 600 V8 Hot Rod, Custom Airbrush paint job, Detroit Michigan, Supercharged Rover V8, Woodward Dream Cruise 3 Comments »
Yes, this is a little BMW Isetta 600 with a supercharged V8 strapped to the back of it. I saw this car a few times over the course of my summer in Detroit, Michigan, and it was a showstopper every time. I finally caught up with the owner at the Woodward Dream Cruise, and he was hppy to tell me about the car. From what I can remember it has a supercharged Rover V8 and puts down around 300rwhp. That is a staggering amount for such a small car, and even more staggering for those tiny tires. The owner said he doesn’t really drive it fast because it cannot handle well with all that rearward weight, but as a cruiser it turns more heads than anything on the road. Obviously this BMW hot rod is completely unique, with custom airbrushing on top of its custom mechanical setup. This is just a fun car all around, and it was awesome to see in person. Enjoy the gallery.
Auto-Salon Singen Virtual Tour
Posted: May 6, 2013 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: Auto-Salon Singen Virtual Tour, Classic Cars, exotic cars, Germany 4 Comments »
Take a virtual tour of Auto-Salon Singen, one of the biggest collector car showrooms in the world, in Germany. You will be drooling as you look through their inventory. Few places on earth can you see so many such cars in one place, so it is definitely worth taking the tour if you have some free time. Enjoy.
-Nick
Lewes British Motorcar Show: 1948 Triumph 2000 Roadster
Posted: May 6, 2013 Filed under: EVENTS / PLACES | Tags: 1948 Triumph 2000 Roadster, 2013 Lewes British Motorcar Show, Lewes Delaware, Mind over motor, Photo Gallery, Woman hood ornament Leave a comment »
I ran into this beautiful 1948 Triumph 2000 Roadster at the British Motorcar Show in Lewes, DE this past weekend. The car itself was immaculate, but it was the hood ornament, a naked woman posing that really drew me in. I am a major fan of elaborate hood ornaments, and this is one of the finest I’ve seen. Being built in the aftermath of World War II, this Triumph is part of the generation of cars that picked up where the 1930s left off, and began to move things into the coming automotive boom. Around 2500 of these Triumph Roadsters were built with the 2000 being the top spec model. This was a stunning example, so much so that it had been retired from judging at the Lewes event because it has won so many times. Enjoy the photos.
The best photos we didn’t take, week of 5/3/13
Posted: May 5, 2013 Filed under: Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE | Tags: Ferrari 458 on ADV1, Flag girl, Lamborghini Miura, Maserati MC12 Corsa, Mind over motor, Pagani Huayra, Pagani Zonda, Rusty Slamington Leave a comment »
Maserati MC12 Corsa
Here are our favorite photos from the past week. These are not our photos, so please click on them for a link to our source. Enjoy.
