In this installment of Chris Harris on Cars, Chris Harris takes it upon himself to find out how good the Porsche 911 Turbo S is when pitted against a McLaren 12C. Watch to find out which one takes the win. Will the Porsche top the McLaren? Or will the McLaren prove its supercar pedigree and knock the Porsche out? Turn up your speakers (or put in headphones). This one’s a treat for the eyes, and it’s also a treat for the ears.
-Albert S. Davis
We saw this minty 1974 BMW E9 3.0CSL at the 2013 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance last Spring. E9s are some of my favorite BMWs of all time with their classy style and perfect proportions. The 3.0CSL you see here is a pristine example of the top-spec, road going version of the BMW E9. Those who know BMWs, of course, will know the racing, “Batmobile”, version of the 3.0CSL. The road version, like this one, was a lighter weight, more sporting version of the E9 rather than a detuned version of the racing car, similar to how the Subaru STi is to the standard Subaru Impreza today.
The 3.0CSL is one of the direct precursors to the range of BMW M cars that we all know and love today. It was a real treat seeing this immaculate example at Greenwhich this year. Enjoy the gallery.
Continue reading Greenwich Concours d’Elegance: 1974 BMW E9 3.0CSL
Drive’s Leo Parente is has a lot of experience in the auto industry and in racing, so his take on the new 2015 Ford Mustang is surely an educated one.
-Nick
In the pantheon of American cars, the Ford Mustang is one of the legends. It has consistently represented a way for the common man to get something powerful for not a lot of cash. For most enthusiasts, though, the Mustang through the years has always been a bit behind. The previous generation, no matter how good of a car it was, was still held back a bit. I think, however, with the new model on its way, that there’s a big change in the winds. Continue reading The new Mustang is a true step in the right direction.
BMW lets Chris Harris behind the wheel of their M3 DTM race car. It may look a bit like the M3 we all know on the surface, but really it is a unique race car from the ground up. Enjoy!
-Nick
While passing the Bentley hospitality lodge at Pebble Beach, I noticed this stunning raspberry colored Continental GTC W12 on display. Normally Bentley Continentals are common fare in wealthy areas, especially Pebble Beach, but the color of this one, and the beautiful setting drew me in. Enjoy the photos.
Continue reading Beautiful Raspberry Bentley Continental GTC W12
Carmel is a very busy little village during Concours Weekend, but it’s probably at its absolute busiest on the Thursday before the show itself. That day is the Tour d’Elegance, when a selection of the cars participating in the Concours take a drive around the local area and finish their run on Ocean Avenue, Carmel’s main drag. Nick and I drove into town so that we could witness the event, and were quickly outmatched in finding any resemblance of “street parking.” Luckily for this Ferrari 246 GTS owner, there was a spot available at just the right moment, and he got himself a spot. Luckily for me, I happened to get a good picture of this pretty little blue 246 GTS. I don’t see them often, and in a color like this shade of blue, it’s a dark-horse favorite of mine when it comes to old school Ferraris. I was lucky to have grabbed this shot when I did, as I don’t think I saw this car again except in passing.
-Albert S. Davis
The raspy echo of a snarling V8 carrying over the desert sand is usually something that would conjure up thoughts of American iron and righteous lawlessness. The movie Vanishing Point comes to mind, and the Dodge Challenger is just the car I would normally think of when the topic of V8s echoing over desert sands arises. But in this case, what I am describing is not a muscle car, but a suave British exotic, fresh from the pages of a novel by Ian Fleming. I am of course talking about an Aston Martin, the V8 Vantage S to be exact, and no, I cannot promise that will be my last James Bond reference because such cliches are obligatory when a journalist drives an Aston, of course.
My drive took place on the racetrack at Exotics Racing in Las Vegas, Nevada. I doubt many Aston Vantages see track time in the hands of their owners, but it was very interesting to get to know this little car in a setting where I could actually explore a good bit of its potential. Exotics Racing had unfortunately unhooked all of the machine guns and the oil slick from the car (things that come standard on every Aston), but on the positive side, that made the car lighter.
Continue reading Test Driven: Aston Martin V8 Vantage S, Nick’s Take (7/10)
As most of you have probably already heard, Fast And Furious star, Paul Walker was killed in a horrific crash yesterday. He was attending a charity car event yesterday afternoon, and he went for a ride in his friend, Rodger Rodas’ (who was a former racing driver), Porsche Carrera GT. Somewhere during the ride, the driver lost control of the notoriously twitchy Porsche, and they crashed. No details have been released yet on the exact circumstances of the crash, but the car was ripped in half, and the fuel tank had ruptured, engulfing the car in flames. Both men were killed in the accident.
This tragedy has shaken the car enthusiast world to the core. I know that my whole generation was, in many ways, brought into our love of cars by Paul Walker and Vin Diesel in The Fast And The Furious, so we all owe Paul a lot of gratitude.
After a day of walking around the Quail, driving Porsches, Jags, and a bunch of other great things, the day was not yet over. As we drove into Carmel for some spotting on Ocean Ave, I caught this little Toyota 2000GT out of the corner of my eye sitting in a side street. I scampered out of the rental car and after finishing with taking pictures of it, I later caught up with Nick on Ocean Avenue and continued spotting cars. I’ve never seen one before on US roads, and it looks just as fantastic in person as it does in any publication. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Spotted! Toyota 2000GT, Carmel, CA
I recently visited Mach 5 Cars to take part in one of their Exotic Rally Tours. Two of my friends work for Mach 5, an exotic car rental company in the Tri-State Area, and this is something I had been meaning to do for a while now. I took a few pictures, and shot some video of the fun we had on the tour. I was partnered up with my friend, Pete, who works for Mach 5, so when he was driving things got a little crazier.
So check out the video and the photos. Enjoy the sights and sounds of what was surely one of the more exciting days I have had in a while. We look forward to more collaborations with Mach 5 Cars in the future. Check out their website, and give them a call if you want to get yourself behind the wheel… their Exotic Rally Tours are one of the best values in the business. Enjoy.
At Laguna Seca, don’t go in with an expectation. That’s not me being negative, that’s me being honest. I only say this because you might come across a 550 Spyder, but then stumble on a piece of ancient automotive history like this racing Ford. When I was photographing it, the entire area around it stank like spent old brakes. Of course, that’s because someone had the guts (and the crazy) to drive this on Laguna Seca. This happens to be a 1915 Ford race car, utilizing a 1915 Model T engine with 50 hp. The list of tech pieces reads like something out of a horror film for racing, including a 12-speed transmission (via the use of a 2 speed planetary gearbox hooked up to a 3 speed Muncie transmission, then out to a 2 speed rear axle), a 2 wheel rear drum used as a service brake, and a pressure fed fuel system. According to the owners, this bright yellow Ford can break 100 mph. Judging by its minimal use of anything regarding bodywork, I’m not shocked at all about that. What I was shocked about was that the driver got out, said hello, and was in one piece. To the man who drove this car that day: I salute you, sir. Enjoy the photos of this incredible little car. Continue reading “Old No. 4” at Laguna Seca
Mind Over Motor 