When it comes to the Bergen County Cars and Caffe meet held twice a year at the truly enormous Garden State Plaza shopping mall (home to a crowded IKEA with 30% screaming children and 60% exasperated parents), muscle cars are typically under-represented. Those that do show, however, are very strong examples as per the rest of the field for the day. This fully-prepped Charger was running around the outside perimeter, and being a Mopar addict, I just had to shoot it. The black paint, fetching chrome wheels, and evil exhaust note brought this sleek beauty to life around the mall.
The Philly Auto Show was great this year. We got to see some of the hottest new industry offerings, and the CF Charities hypercar exhibit was better than ever this year. It’s always a bright spot for us Northeastern car folks in the dead of Winter. Enjoy!
Back in the Seventies, Ford boldy advertised a number of self-determined similarities between the Mercedes W124 E-Class sedan with their newly-launched Granada sedan. While it didn’t exactly draw buyers to the showrooms away from the three-pointed star to the Blue Oval, it certainly got people talking at the time and was unconventional for the time. 40 years later though, I think Mercedes may have won the war. Take a look and tell me–do you see a difference? I can see it, but after a few whiskey sours, maybe I can be convinced that the Granada and the 230-E are the same car. Continue reading Is it a Ford? Or is it a Mercedes? That infamous advertisement, 40 years on.→
The Lamborghini Countach was the pinup queen of 1980s cars. Low, powerful, and bursting with sex appeal, this angular Italian stallion captured hearts and minds of the very rich throughout the decade until it was replaced by the Diablo in 1990. In many ways, the excessive lines and ostentatious body kit fitted to later models reflected those who had the means to buy these incredible machines. This white example was on display for all to see at the Scarsdale Concours last fall and caught my eye with little to no effort. Continue reading Cocaine White Countach LP5000 QV at the 2018 Scarsdale Concours→
Hellcats are not cars to be taken lightly. Nor are they for the faint of heart, mind, or soul. With 707 hp on tap, one hit of the gas is enough to change your life–much like drinking grain alcohol all night long. This color scheme from 2018’s Scarsdale Concours looks like a Starbucks drink, with off-white paint and brown stripes. I’m a fan of this finish, especially with the dark alloy rims characteristic of the Hellcat. Enjoy the photos of this white-chocolate mocha latte Hellcat. It’s Cars…and Coffee! Continue reading “Mocha Latte” Dodge Charger Hellcat at the 2018 Scarsdale Concours→
To the untrained eye, this is just a Cadillac DeVille from the Malaise Era. But to someone with a trained eye, this is a Malaise Era unicorn. Today, cylinder deactivation, or variable displacement, is much more commonplace and considered to be a reliable, smooth way for a large engine to achieve the fuel economy of a smaller one and still retain its performance potential. The theory was there as early as 1980 but the transister technology and computer control technology was simply not up to the task. Cadillac tried to use this feature on the V8-6-4 engine in most of their 1981 models but the system proved to be mostly unreliable to the point of exasperating its well-heeled and high-income clientele. The system would be pulled for 1982 in favor of the new HT4100 V8, which was even less well-recieved thanks to its lack of horsepower. Continue reading 1981 Cadillac V8-6-4 in the AACA Hershey Car Corral→
Inspired by the Le Mans decimating Ford GT40 of the 1960s, the Ford GT is a unique American supercar that has taken on the Europeans for two generations now. The older Gord GT from the mid-2000s is among the pinnacle analog supercars that will ever be made. The new Ford GT takes modern supercar design and technology to the next level, a truly unique offering on supercar menu of 2018-19.
Someone brought both GTs to the Scarsdale Concours this year and it was quite a sight to see them together. I got to sit in the new GT, and my God does it feel like the cockpit of a spaceship inside. Such a special machine.
When Saturday is at Hershey and Sunday is at Radwood, you’re gauranteed to see some American Motors product in the flesh, whether it’s a little Gremlin, a gorgeous Rebel Machine, or even a late-model Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Luckily for my star-studded eyes, it was all there to see in all its glory. Enjoy the photos of some American Motors, from 1970 to 1987. Continue reading American Motors at Radwood and AACA Hershey→
The ultimate Porsche 911 at the ultimate supercar show in New Jersey, Cars and Caffe. The 991 GT2 RS wears red well, and it looks absolutely evil with its black and carbon accents. This is one of those cars that may well go on to represent a pinnacle point in the 911’s history. Enjoy the pics!
Plymouth’s Win-You-Over Beat Goes On, they said. The year was 1970. The muscle car era was at its peak, and Plymouth had an ace in the hole with the Superbird. They took the Road Runner and put a nose cone on it, along with a giant rear wing, to homologate the super-slippery, aerodynamic bodyshape for NASCAR. Unfortunately, they were not able to sell them all immediately due to the unusual front end styling. This yellow example stole my eye for a good amount of time at Hershey’s AACA meet this fall and I couldn’t stop staring at it. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Yellow Superbird at the 2018 Hershey AACA Fall Meet→
Mind Over Motor 