While out and about with my family on one of those beautiful spring Sundays, I caught this Ford GT rolling through New Hope, PA. The design is classic, and it never gets old seeing a GT in traffic.
-Nick
Chris Harris takes us out in his Citroen 2CV
Anyone can get excited about driving a viciously fast Ferrari or a swaggin’ Bentley, but the mark of a true car or driving enthusiast is their equal excitement at the thought of driving something quirky, like a Citroen 2CV. Chris Harris has one, and in this episode of his segment on the Drive Network, he takes us out in it to show us what the 2CV is all about.
And now I really want one….
-Nick
1967 Sabra at the 2013 Scarsdale Concours
Here’s some news for you. At one point Israel had a short stint building cars. No, not tanks or army Jeeps. They had a little sports car they could call their very own. This car, shown here at the Scarsdale Concours last fall, is called the Sabra. This is a 1967 model. The Sabra was named because the colloquial meaning of the phrase in Hebrew is “born in Israel” and the cactus logo is known as the “sabra”. Israel manufactured another car before this known as the Sussita–Yitzhak Shubinksy requested Reliant Auto produce a small sports car (yes, the same Reliant Auto that produced the hilariously incompetent Reliant Robin and Reliant Regal), which they did in a scant 9 months’ time. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War in 1967, production was cut short. A total of just 171 were made during its life, and a scant 41 made it to the United States. The owner was gracious enough to show it at the Scarsdale Concours this past fall. While it isn’t the prettiest car in the world (far from it), it is certainly unique and drew a solid crowd of its own that afternoon. Enjoy the pictures. Continue reading 1967 Sabra at the 2013 Scarsdale Concours
Lamborghini Murcielago LP-670 SV at Festivals of Speed, Amelia Island
One of the stars of the Festivals Of Speed, Amelia Island this year was this bright orange Lamborghini Murcielago LP-670 SV. There were a number of flashy Lambos vying for attention on the show field, but somehow this “Super Veloce” edition of the Murcielago always seemed to stop people in their tracks.
This bull is a beast. With a 661hp 6.5L V12 under its hood, it can hit 60mph in 3 seconds flat, blast through the 1/4 mile in 11.2 seconds, and go on to a v-max of 209-213mph (depending on the aero settings). In addition to its incredible performance, the SV is a proper Lambo with all of the “machine guns” fitted, as Clarkson likes to say. It has that silly-awesomeness that seems to give it a strong gravitational pull on everyone’s attention. The SV is also an extremely rare bird with just 350 units produced, however there are rumors that as few as 186 units were actually produced before the factory had to be revised for Aventador production.
It is always awesome to be in the presence of a Lamborghini of this caliber. Bella Machina!
Continue reading Lamborghini Murcielago LP-670 SV at Festivals of Speed, Amelia Island
Chevrolet Nova SS-396 at the Hollywood Car Auction, Amelia Island
At the same auction where the Hudsons were sold, this very clean 1969 Chevrolet Nova SS396 eagerly awaited a new buyer. It looked smart and professionally restored, with a 396ci V8, manual transmission, gorgeous black interior, and a black vinyl roof, topped off with redline tires and Rally wheels. Unfortunately, this Nova didn’t sell at the auction and at this time I am still unaware if the car has changed hands. That said, this is one of the straightest, cleanest late-Sixties Novas I have seen in a very long period of time. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Chevrolet Nova SS-396 at the Hollywood Car Auction, Amelia Island
Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupe spotted in Englishtown, NJ
There’s something special about the allure of this classic Alfa Romeo that made me put a halt to my busy day for a few minutes so I could snap a few photos of it. I cannot pretend to be an expert on every nuance of the Alfa Romeo brand of this era, but my online research has told me that this car is a 1960’s (1963?) Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupe.
I spotted it just sitting there on my way from Waterfest last summer to another car show later that evening. I don’t know if the owner intentionally left it out for car show attendees to enjoy, or if it was there for some other reason, but it managed to captivate me in the setting of that day. The car had a wonderful patina to it that made it seem that much more special. I had to capture it.
Enjoy!
Continue reading Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupe spotted in Englishtown, NJ
The Subaru Baja From Hell, Reviewed!
This is a heavily modified, fire breathing example of Subaru’s lukewarm Outback-pickup-thing, which they called the Baja. It belongs to my friend, Rob, who has spent the last eight years corrupting every last inch of this once awkward and unassuming ‘Ute toward the dark side of The Force.
Why… Just why?
Because things like this need to exist. Subaru never made a blood thirsty rally version of the Baja, so Rob has taken it upon himself to make one.
What is the main thing I need to know about the Baja From Hell?
It is different, and its entire identity revolves around being so. Rob’s Baja is a car that is bursting at the seams with “special” and it has proven able to draw a sizable crowd at any sort of automotive gathering.
Ferrari 212 Export Berlinetta by Touring at Amelia Island
While I was waiting to sign up to drive a Porsche, and while Nick was busy driving the bewitching new SRT Viper, I spent most of my brisk Florida morning at Amelia Island chasing after cars that were entering the hotel grounds. While I was running around, I found myself chasing down this gorgeous little number. This marks only the second time I’ve found myself close to a 212, one of the first well-known cars Ferrari produced. This particular car is a 212 Export Berlinetta wearing its original Touring coachwork in a deep, rich burgundy hue with a rather Spartan tan interior, wire wheels, and details that kept my attention for a solid amount of time. It may have been parked among a Lamborghini Aventador, Porsche 918, and a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, but the little 212 had absolutely no problem drawing a crowd to itself in front of the Ritz-Carlton. Enjoy the photos.
Continue reading Ferrari 212 Export Berlinetta by Touring at Amelia Island
A look at the Koenigsegg One:1’s epic rear wing
Drive takes us inside Koenigsegg, this time showcasing the One:1’s revolutionary top (or rather front) mounted rear spoiler.
Enjoy
-Nick
Three Hudsons, Auctioned Off at the Hollywood Car Auction Amelia Island
I’m a sucker for Hudson’s “Step Down” styling and engineering of 1949-1954. These were some of the first American cars to utilize advanced body and chassis manufacturing techniques after the war was over and the effort paid off on the track. In NASCAR’s early days, the Hudsons were almost utterly unstoppable thanks to their design. The body and chassis were a semi-single unit and the floor was placed lower than the frame rails, which enabled passengers to “step down” into the interior (hence the phrase). This saved weight and also lowered the vehicle, improving handling. When paired up with the later “Twin-H-Power” straight-six engine, the later Hornets were unbeatable on the track in their day, dominating the field in the early Fifties, with 27 of 34 Grand National wins in 1952, 22 of 37 in 1953, and 17 of 37 in 1954. Three of these Hudsons were up for auction at the Hollywood Car Auction at Amelia Island, and all three of them sold. The yellow 1949 Commodore convertible sold for $73,000 before buyer’s premium. The two Hornet sedans up for sale were later models (the burgundy is a 1953 model, while the black one was a ’52). The black 1952 sedan sold for $62,000 and the burgundy 1953 sedan sold for $87,500. Enjoy the photos.
Continue reading Three Hudsons, Auctioned Off at the Hollywood Car Auction Amelia Island
1935 Duesenberg SJ553 at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
Lifestyles of the rich and the famous indeed. Back in 1935 this one-off Duesenberg SJ553 cost a hefty $20,000 at a time when the average car cost $625 and the average house cost around $3,400. Proportionally, something like this Duesenberg would cost nearly $1 million today, however luxury cars of this magnitude are a thing of the past. The closest thing still around would be a Rolls Royce Phantom, but even that costs about half as much as this Duesie would.
This SJ553 was commissioned by Mars Candy Company heiress, Ethel Mars, and served as the ultimate status symbol of its day. It was even featured in Time Magazine in 1936 being hailed as the costliest car in the United States. Similar to a Bugatti Veyron today, supercharged Duesenbergs were some of the most powerful cars of their era. This SJ553 is one of only 36 factory supercharged Duesenbergs built, with an impressive 320hp being produced by its 420ci (6.9L) dual overhead cam Straight 8 engine.
In addition to its staggering price and performance, the SJ553 was one of the most elegantly styled Duesenbergs around. Its sinister Art Deco bodywork appears to have been draped gently over the underpinnings of its massive frame. The SJ553 was a sight to be seen, even surrounded by other stunning Duesenbergs at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Let it serve as a glimpse into the wonders of a bygone era of the automobile.
Continue reading 1935 Duesenberg SJ553 at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
The case for the diesel sports car
For the last eight years in a row, a car with a diesel engine has won the 24 Hours of LeMans. Seven of those eight victories belong to Audi, and Audi is a part of the larger Volkswagen group that has brought us such supercar marvels as the Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Aventador, and most recently, the Porsche 918 Spyder. If supercars are supposed to be “race cars for the road” then it is high time for VW to set the precedent for true oil-burning supercars and sports cars.
As it turns out, they’ve already come damn close a couple of times. The first one came in 2008 in form of an Audi R8 with a 5.9L Turbo-Diesel V12 under the hood. The second was a promisingly realistic diesel Boxster with a VW badge called the “Concept BlueSport.” In both cases demand was deemed to be too low, and the timing also happened to coincide with the global economic downturn. I agree that the climate was probably wrong for both models at their respective debuts, but having said that, the world has changed a lot in the last few years.
Mind Over Motor 