Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars, Road Review, Used Car Gems

Nick’s new daily driver, a 2012 Volkswagen CC Sport

February 21, 2014 ndubs77 13 Comments

Those of you who routinely follow us, here at Mind Over Motor, may have noticed that my posts last week were a bit light. It wasn’t because I was nodding off, it was because I was going through the process of purchasing my new (but used) daily driver, this beautiful 2012 Volkswagen CC Sport.

I, like many car enthusiasts, am seen as a sort of car guru by my friends and family, who often turn to me for advice on all things relating to automobiles. I’m not trying to pat myself on the back too much here, but they all know that I am quite well informed on many aspects of automobillia, especially when it comes to buying the right car. So when I actually wind up signing papers on a car for myself, I always get a lot of questions as to why I chose the car I bought.

My purchase of this Volkswagen CC is the result of over a year of serious consideration, as well as many years of playing “what if” games on Auto Trader. Given that this blog is largely about documenting our lives as they relate to our passion for automobiles, I wanted to do a post that shows you, the reader, my thought process for the purchase of my CC.

Continue reading Nick’s new daily driver, a 2012 Volkswagen CC Sport →

Car Shows

1966 Ford Mustang GT Coupe at the Radnor Hunt Concours, 2013

February 20, 2014 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

The original Mustang is a shape that’s known worldwide as one of the first affordable sports coupes that was accessible to everyone. I’ve always been a fan of the first generation model, ever since I helped a friend of mine tear down a moribund ’66 model in his garage as a kid. This black 1966 model is a hardtop–not the most desirable body style, but it was clean and very straight. This one’s fitted with all the right accouterments from the era, including the imitation mag wheels, red line tires, a black vinyl roof, and red stripes to set off that raven-black paint. The interior looked strong as well, with full instrumentation, a four-speed manual transmission, and a full center console with the top-line trim. I’m always a fan of the early Mustangs that have been kept clean and have been well-looked-after, and this one was a great example of what I like to see. Enjoy the photos.
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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Chris Harris’ extremely thorough review of the McLaren P1

February 19, 2014 ndubs77 Leave a comment

If you watch just one review of the new McLaren P1, make it this one from the Drive Network. I know it is a half-hour long, but Chris Harris takes you through so many of the car’s different aspects, even sitting in traffic in Abu Dhabi. This P1 is clearly a game-changing machine, and if you love supercars, then this video is really worth watching to gain an appreciation for how the bar has been raised.

-Nick

Car Shows, Opinions

2013 Pebble Beach Concept Lawn Part 1

February 19, 2014 ndubs77 2 Comments

Here we will be discussing the cars from the Pebble Beach Concept Lawn. Now that some time has passed since the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, we can see a little more of what has become of some of these incredible machines, or in some cases, more accurately, these cool ideas.

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Car Shows

1971 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda at the New Hope Classic Car Show

February 18, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

While waiting for the awards ceremony to start at the New Hope show this summer, I was “stuck” staring at a particuarly straight Mercedes-Benz. I’ve always respected the 280SL Pagoda, as it was the second generation of the SL series, one of the most famous models that Mercedes-Benz has produced over the years. Even in its final years of production, the Pagoda model was elegant as ever. It’s an old favorite of mine and I wish more of them were at classic car shows. This navy blue example with alloy wheels was a later model, and likely a 1971 model based on the presence of the alloys and whitewall tires. The ski rack bolted to the hardtop looked very smart and set the navy blue paint off very well. The entire package looked rather youthful and presented a nice alternative to the white example seen in one particular photo. Enjoy the shots.
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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

TFL Car tests the new 2015 Subaru STI

February 18, 2014 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Here is a great first look at the new 2015 Subaru WRX STI from TFL Car. While it certainly seems fun, my question of, “Is the new STI enough?” still very much stands. I’m looking forward to trying one out for myself at some point to see how it compares to my 2004 STi.

Enjoy.

-Nick

Cars We've Seen

Ferrari 430 Scuderia Spotted in Camel, CA

February 17, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

While out car spotting during Monterey Car Week, we caught this striking white Ferrari 430 Scuderia prowling the streets of Carmel, California. Naturally, with droves of exotics roaming the streets in the Monterey area, only the creme de la creme of cars stand out enough for us to raise our cameras. This Scuderia was definitely good enough with its custom gray accents. Enjoy.

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Opinions

Ferrari California T, now with 200% more TURBO!!!

February 14, 2014 ndubs77 5 Comments

If the Ferrari California was broken in any way at all, it has now been fixed with a healthy spoonful of forced induction. That’s right folks, you are looking at the first turbocharged Ferrari since the mighty F40, and it comes to us in the package of the “baby” model for the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Well it seems that the baby has grown up because the California T’s new 3.9L twin-turbocharged V8 makes 552hp and 523ft/lbs of torque to the previous version’s 485hp and 372ft/lbs of torque…. if that isn’t a substantial increase, then I don’t know what is.

I drove the original version of the Ferrari California, the one with a measly 452hp and 358ft/lbs of torque, and I never once felt it was lacking for speed. This new California T is a major change, though, and not just because of the raw numbers. The real difference will be in the car’s drivability, now with all that extra torque available lower down in the rev range. It will be a Ferrari unlike any we have seen in quite some time, if ever.

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Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars

Jaguar F-Type V8S Review, Al’s Take (Grade: A)

February 13, 2014 Albert S. Davis 7 Comments

Considering how much I enjoy the V6S version of Jaguar’s F-Type sports car, dropping a supercharged V8 engine in it reminds me of what Carroll Shelby used to say, “Too much is just enough.” He was right. But, just to be sure, I took the wheel of this Polaris White 8-cylinder out on the same roads as the black V6S, a few days after taking the other car out for a spin, to get a closer look at the top engine offered in Jaguar’s newest chassis. Continue reading Jaguar F-Type V8S Review, Al’s Take (Grade: A) →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Motor Trend tests the new Subaru WRX

February 12, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

Motor Trend’s Johnny Lieberman takes the new Subaru WRX for a spin to see if it holds up to its lineage.

Enjoy.

-Nick

Car Shows, Obscure Autos, SHOWCASE

1941 Lincoln Continental by Durham at the Radnor Hunt Concours

February 11, 2014 Albert S. Davis 3 Comments

Raymond Leowy is a name known very well by a lot of car enthusiasts. He penned, among others, the Studebaker Avanti, the bullet-nose Studebaker Commander and Champion of the postwar era, the 1946 Lincoln Continental, the Hillman Minx, and the Sunbeam Alpine roadster. He had an eye for style and flair, and also was the pencil behind plenty of contemporary designs of today, including even the US Postal Service logo still in use. However, in 1941, he bought a brand-new Lincoln Continental coupe and had it sent off to the coachbuilder Durham for modifications. By the time the craftsmen at Durham were finished with the Lincoln, it looked strikingly different. The grille and hood were reshaped, the front fenders were shortened, and the bumpers were customized up front. At the rear, a fin was added in the center, and an opera window and plexiglass roof were added to the top. It was, in the end, quite a unique Continental and I had a hard time ignoring it when it was sitting at the entrance of the show this year. Enjoy the pictures.

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