Category Archives: Cars We’ve Seen

Cool and interesting cars that caught our eye either at shows or on the street.

1959 Chevrolet Corvette spotted in Boca Raton, FL

May 26, 2016 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

My aunt has become quite a car spotter since the time she and my uncle spent in London–and they certainly know the right places to look. Boca Raton, not the greatest place for car spotting even 10 years ago, has exploded as a great place to find classic cars sitting next to exotics (noveau riche vs old money). The first-generation Corvette is not a big favorite of mine, but if I had to pick one of them, I think the 1958-1959 model would be my favorite. It lacks the gaping maw of a grille shoved onto the Sixties models but looks mature and sophisticated compared to the single-headlights 1955-1957 models, and still packs small-block Chevy power. When can I move to Florida?

Spotted by: Randi and Dan Paul-Heskins

-Albert S. Davis

Car Shows, Uncategorized

1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton at the Concours of America

May 25, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

A nice blue on different blue Duesenberg for your Wednesday! Don’t we wish America still made a car with this much class? We may be heading in the right direction, though.

-Nick

Cars We've Seen

Porsche 991 GT3 RS Spotted at the Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island

May 20, 2016 ndubs77 1 Comment

Sadly, this is not the hands-on review article it could’ve been. Yes, Porsche was actually having test drives in this 4.0L monster 911. While most people got there too late to even get in line for a drive in the GT3 RS, Al and I actually got there too early, and I mean by a few seconds.

It was literally as I handed my pen back to the Porsche lady at the booth, after signing up to drive the 991.2 Carrera S, that this bright orange GT3 RS pulled up. Dammit!

That said, it would’ve been really difficult and unsafe to get a real taste of the GT3 RS on the public roads of Amelia Island, not to mention probably an arrestable offense. So in many ways I’m glad I tried the new turbo’d Carrera S instead. I really want to experience the new GT3 RS on the race track, or at least a more open road, where I can actually drive it properly.

That said, it did look like people were having an absolute blast in it. So while part of me is looking on the bright side, the other part of me is peanut butter and jealous as all hell!

-Nick

Car Shows, Uncategorized

Bentley Bentayga at NYIAS 2016

May 18, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

We got our first look at the new Bentley Bentayga SUV at the New York International Auto Show. Part of me doesn’t think it quite fits as a Bentley, the other part of me sees how it was a no-brainer for the Luxury SUV segment.

I think there’s little doubt the Bentayga will sell well. I mean, pretty soon you’ll be seeing them sprinkled around the Apple Store side of your local mall, right next to the Teslas. The question is does it help Bentley or hurt their brand identity?

-Nick

Cars We've Seen

1930 Ford Model A spotted in Boca Raton, FL

May 17, 2016 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

My aunt saw this in Boca Raton, FL while buying groceries for the house she and my uncle have recently purchased there. If this is just a preview of what they’re seeing in Boca in May, then the rest of the year should be just fine. Nice spot, Aunt Randi!

Spotted by: Randi Paul-Heskins

-Albert S. Davis

Car Shows, Uncategorized

BMW M4 GTS at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

May 16, 2016 ndubs77 1 Comment

The BMW M4 is already a very fast high performance sports coupe, more than enough for most people. There are always those who want more, though, and for them BMW has now made this, the M4 GTS.

The M4 GTS has an extra helping of boost with special tuning to be a total track weapon. It comes as the latest member of BMW’s special M car lineup, which began with the 1990 E30 M3 Sport Evolution, and continued through the E36 M3 GT, the E46 M3 CSL, and the E92 M3 GTS and CRT. The M4 GTS, however is the first of these extreme BMWs that will be sold in the USA. That’s right, BMW is only building 700 M4 GTS units in total, but 300 of those will be making their way Stateside.

As you might imagine, prices will obviously be quite steep. When a loaded standard M4 costs around $80,000, the GTS has a base price of $133,000, and that number is very likely to go up on the secondhand market. So what makes the BMW M4 GTS so special compared to the standard M4? Well, BMW has boosted their claimed horsepower output from 425hp to 493hp via the implementation of a water injection system, which allows for more boost. They’ve also fitted some aero bits, a fully tunable suspension, and some nice wide sticky tires. All of this adds up to a Nurburgring time of 7:28, or “really freaking fast!” in layman’s terms.

We were lucky enough to catch this M4 GTS on display at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. These are going to be quite a rare sight when they hit the streets. Enjoy the photos!

Continue reading BMW M4 GTS at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance →

Car Shows

1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser at the 2016 Hollywood Wheels Auction, Amelia Island

May 12, 2016 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

It’s not often that I feature a Mercury here, but the Turnpike Cruiser might be one of the brand’s best-kept secrets. Covered in chrome, good cheer, and lashings of paint, this was a car to be seen in during the late Fifties. Mercury made less than five thousand Cruisers that year and these are among the most sought-after Mercuries of the 1950s, with the early Fifties coupes usually bringing crazy money thanks to their custom heritage. Continue reading 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser at the 2016 Hollywood Wheels Auction, Amelia Island →

Car Shows, Uncategorized

Lamborghini PoloStorico and This Brand New (Again) 1971 Miura SV

May 11, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

This is a 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV. In fact, it is the first Miura SV, the one shown at the model’s debut at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. You sure wouldn’t know it was over 40 years old, though, because it looks like it rolled off the production line a few hours ago.

This iconic Miura is the first restorative masterpiece of Lamborghini’s new factory restoration program, PoloStorico. While down at Amelia Island this year, Lamborghini was kind enough to send us an invite to their unveiling event. There, among some wonderful complimentary glasses of wine, we got to see the work of PoloStorico up close, as well as the massive grin on the owner’s face when the cover came off.

What’s really striking about this green Miura is just how perfect all of it’s minute details are. There are many nicely kept Miuras out there, but this thing was absolutely flawless. I mean, Lamborghini even re-did the paint job in the absolute period-correct way.

Calling this a restoration is almost a disservice because it’s really more a Miura reborn, nurtured to perfection again by its own mother. I’m quite sure Ferruccio is proud, wherever he is.

Enjoy the photos!

Continue reading Lamborghini PoloStorico and This Brand New (Again) 1971 Miura SV →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1955 Porsche 356 Speedster at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours

May 10, 2016 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

The Porsche 356 might be one of the most well-regarded early German sports cars ever. Since I was a little kid, I’ve wanted to have one in my driveway, simply because of their honest styling and fantastic sense of adventure. This little white Speedster is the last of the pre-A series cars, making it an early model combined with the most desirable body style. The Speedsters are extremely valuable–and this one, being an early one, is a prime example of how Porsche got popular in the States. Max Hoffman hit the market perfectly and the Speedster, which was a cheaper convertible 356 aimed at competition markets, was a massive home run at the time. Continue reading 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours →

Car Shows

Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series at Amelia Island

May 9, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

This is the ultimate badass Mercedes in my mind. The SL65 AMG Black Series is a twin turbo V12 beast that will haunt your nightmares.

-Nick

Car Shows

Cadillac Sixteen Concept at Amelia Island

May 6, 2016 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Remember that time Cadillac made the most epic luxury car in the world, and then left us all hot and bothered with our hopes crushed? This is the Cadillac Sixteen Concept, and it would have crushed the Rolls Royce Phantom back in 2003… if it had been real, but it wasn’t.

A nod to top-of-the-line Cadillacs of old, the Sixteen Concept was a functional prototype complete with a bespoke V-16 engine. That’s sixteen cylinders, displacing a massive 13.2L (830ci), that produce 1,000hp and and 1,000 ft/lbs of torque, all without the aid of any forced induction. There hasn’t been another modern production engine like it, and the probably won’t ever be.

Sure, this thing definitely looks a bit GM 2000’s-tastic when you look at it now, especially the interior, but it would’ve been a true Cadillac’s Cadillac at a time when the brand really needed such a flagship. Now, 13 years later, Cadillac is still in need of such a flagship for the brand to rally behind.

The Sixteen Concept is a wonderful embodiment of both the best and the worst of General Motors. They can make a wonderful, cutting edge car, but then their management all too often winds up getting in the way, and ruining all the fun.

Enjoy the photos of what could’ve been the most proper of Cadillacs.

Continue reading Cadillac Sixteen Concept at Amelia Island →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours

May 5, 2016 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

In the Fifties, Ferrari began to become a household name. By the time the 250 launched, they were known on the track, and they were becoming better-known for producing exotic, alluring sports cars with an Italian flair and twelve free-breathing cylinders underneath the hood. The 250 series, of course, is a timeless classic at this point and now it’s an all-time great. Continue reading Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours →