Jay Leno takes us through the details and history of this 1956 Maserati A6G-2000 Allemano Coupe. Enjoy the video!
-Nick
Spotted! Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, Carmel, CA
Among the droves of exotic cars running around Carmel, California during Monterey Car Week, this Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 caught my eye. I love this shade of blue on Lamborghinis, and the lineup of plebeian cars behind it really shows off the Murcielago’s exotic form. Lamborghinis are meant to be appreciated in the real world, amongst boring everyday things. That is where the are most extraordinary, and that is where the contrast is most extreme.
-Nick Walker
Pagani Huayra at The Quail
I remember, back when I was like fifteen, when getting to sit in a supercar was an unbelievable thrill. It was before I had a driver’s license, so driving them still seemed so far off in the distance, and sitting in a car at an event was sort of the pinnacle experience among my friends and I. We always used to talk to owners with the hopes of buttering them up before popping the big question, “So, can I sit in it?”
It seems like a simple request, but with many owners, you might as well be saying, “I really love your wife’s breasts, mind if I have myself a feel?” Such cars many people can hold that dearly to themselves. There were always the “cool” owners who obliged us, and a few complete jerks who wouldn’t. Some of my favorite reactions actually came from company representatives, who had forgotten to lock the cars at events, like, “Excuse me, sir. Are you being…. helped?” (to a 15 year old kid), or “You think you can just sit in whatever cars you please?” Well yes, if the door is open I think I will.
Anyway, since starting this site, I have had the great fortune of getting to drive many “dream cars,” and I must say that simply sitting in a Lamborghini doesn’t quite do for me what it used to any more. However, this year we went to The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and there I was given the opportunity to sit in my (above all others) dream car, the Pagani Huayra. The excitement was back, and in force. I was now in the midst of everything I have seen online, all those immaculate details, and it was just awesome.
New Hope Auto Show: Buick Super 8 Woody Wagon
This Buick Super 8 is a woody among woodies. It rolled in a little later in the day at the New Hope Auto Show this summer, and it immediately ripped our eyes away from the corral of supercars. This is one of those cases where they literally just don’t make them like this anymore. With modern safety regulations and cost concerns, the woody is a thing of the past. While that is quite sad, it also makes spectacular examples, such as this Buick, that much more special.
The details on this Super 8 Wagon were nothing short of immaculate. It is from an era when American cars were at their peak, a level that modern American companies wish they could reach now. I’m sorry, but next to this Buick Super 8, a Verano or a Lacrosse might as well be invisible. GM, and other American companies, need to bring this sort of luscious flavor back into their products. They may not be able to use large wooden panels anymore, but how about some inspired design and a bold sense of style?
I’ll let the photos do the talking from here. Enjoy.
Continue reading New Hope Auto Show: Buick Super 8 Woody Wagon
St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance: 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster
Back in 2011, this Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster didn’t start when it was supposed to arrive at the podium to recieve an award. I’d forgotten about this until Nick reminded me of it upon seeing it in Maryland at the end of September. Looking clean as ever, this 300SL is even more special than it normally should be. It is, in fact, one of the last crop of first-generation Mercedes SLs to roll off the line. According to the official record, this car was made on the very last day of production and is one of the last six 300SLs made. At this point, Mercedes-Benz was desperate to clear out the lots of this outdated model (at the time) in favor of the new Pagoda series. Its interior is completely original, as are the mechanical components. The paint is new after a fender-bender damaged the rear of the car. Other than that, though, the car’s original. The white paint looked beautiful against the clear Maryland sky, and the red interior, combined with this car’s optional hardtop, looked very professional. All of the original paperwork and luggage was on display too–even the toolkit was there. This is among the most complete of any 300SL I have seen at a show, and I was elated to have seen it at the St. Michael’s Concours this fall. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance: 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster
Looking Critically At The New Subaru WRX
As information on the 2015 Subaru WRX has been surfacing before its debut at the upcoming 2013 LA Auto Show, I find myself split between two opposing reactions. On the one hand we have the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality, and on the other hand we have the “WTF? It’s exactly the same as the old one!” point of view.
In essence it would seem that Subaru knows they have a great thing going with the WRX, and they don’t see a reason to change much about it. As an STi owner of seven years now, I can attest that the overall package of a WRX makes it one of the best all-round cars that money can buy. It is fast, it handles great, it is practical, it will drive through any weather, it is reasonably priced, and the fuel economy, while not fantastic, is generally tolerable. The 2015 WRX seems to change none of this, and that seems like a sure bet for sales.
The problem I see, though, is that the car is getting a bit stale at this point. There’s nothing really fresh about it, and even with the new body style, it looks the same as the old one. Subaru has changed the engine to a 2.0L flat-4 from the current 2.5L flat-4, but horsepower only increases by a measly 3 ponies for a total of 268hp. Obviously, in real terms, the new WRX still offers a massively fun package, but am I the only one who wanted to see the WRX with at least 300hp by now?…. and the STi with like 400hp?
The ATS-V Is Coming, How Can Cadillac Screw It Up?
We all know the Cadillac ATS-V is coming. The rumors have been swirling for some time now, and many people have taken it upon themselves to photoshop what they hope the car will look like (see above). But the issue for me now is, wondering if, and how, GM may go about screwing up this highly anticipated car.
This is not to say that I don’t have faith in GM’s ability to make great cars, they have a number of great cars out right now. However, there are still enough instances of idiotic, old-school GM rearing its head in our post-economic-crisis world to make me worry that they may find a way to drop the ball here. And if there are any cars that the bean counters need to not screw up even one tiny bit, the ATS-V is certainly among them.
Continue reading The ATS-V Is Coming, How Can Cadillac Screw It Up?
Radnor Hunt CDE: 1955 Porsche 356 Continental Cabriolet, owned by Barry Wolk.
I’ve talked about Barry Wolk here on Mind Over Motor before. He brought a stunning 1956 Continental Mark II convertible to the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours, and a month later, I ran into him again with this Porsche at Radnor. He collects exclusively automobiles which carry the Continental name. The story of the Continental series is quite unusual. Max Hoffman, Porsche’s USA importer at the time, convinced the top brass in Germany that the 356 would sell better if it used a series name rather than an alphanumeric one. Porsche obliged and attached the Continental nameplate to the 356 series. However, Ford intervened and complained that the Continental name was theirs and theirs alone, forcing Porsche to cease using it. As a result, the Continental name was only used on any Porsche products in 1955. This pretty little Turkish Red Cabriolet brought Barry the Porsche Radnor Award by the end of the day. Congratulations to you Barry–it’s a striking and rather rare Porshe 356. Enjoy the photographs. Continue reading Radnor Hunt CDE: 1955 Porsche 356 Continental Cabriolet, owned by Barry Wolk.
Radnor Hunt Concours: 1927 Rolls Royce “Springfield” Phantom I Pall Mall Phaeton
We saw this gorgeous 1927 Rolls Royce “Springfield” Phantom I Pall Mall Phaeton at the Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance back in September. It was among the majority of Phantom Is that were built stateside, at Rolls Royce’s factory in Massachusetts. This particular car has been completely restored to its original condition, with its stunning tri-color scheme that consisted of a creme tan and navy blue with red accents. I have seen a few stunning prewar Rolls Royces this summer, but this one may well be my favorite because of its color scheme alone. It is just so rich looking, and extremely unique.
This example also had the distinct honor of carrying none other than Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt during a 1936 parade in Houston, Texas. Its original owner, at the time, was Roy Garret Watson, the Publisher of the Houston Post. This Phantom I resided in Houston until just recently in 2012, when it changed hands and moved to Pittsburgh, PA.
This was my pick for “Best In Show” at Radnor Hunt this year. It didn’t win (my picks never do, somehow), but it was still my favorite car in attendance that day. Enjoy the photos of this immaculate machine.
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2013 Radnor Hunt Concours: 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Sedan
When people think of a Chrysler with wood paneling, of course the Town and Country comes to mind. However, this particular body style rarely is brought up. Loren J. Hulber, however, bucks this trend and was happy to bring this pristine 1948 Sedan to the 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance. Only 1,175 wood-bodied sedans were produced for 1948 and this was the final year for that body style, making this Chrysler quite rare today. These cars needed hand assembly after the panels were fitted due to the difficulty of the curved frames of the wood. This Sumac Red example features a Highlander plaid finish interior, and won the American Classic Postwar class. Nick and I saw it yet again at the St. Michael’s Concours, where it also won its class. I was happy to see not only two different Town and Country models in the same place, but joyful that the rarer (and very striking) sedan was the award winner instead of the more often-seen convertible variant at this show. Note the unique wood roof rack as well. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours: 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Sedan
Autocar Tests The New Ferrari 458 Speciale
When I reviewed the Ferrari 458 Italia this past summer, I said that I thought the car may have reached a sort of apex where it would be hard to improve upon. The steering and gear shifts, and really everything else about the car, were all instantaneous, making the car feel like it was literally connected to my central nervous system.
Evidently, Ferrari has found ways of improving the 458. Autocar’s Steve Sutcliffe drives it here, and seems simply blown away by the improvements that have been made. We’ll have to take his word for it for now, but hopefully I will find a way to get my hands on one of these monsters in the future to see for myself.
-Nick
Test Driven: Porsche Panamera GTS (GRADE: A)
Porsche is a brand with plenty of varied supporters and detractors. What’s funny is, some of those supporters are also detractors. Whether it was the 911 going to a water-cooled engine, the 911 getting the nose of the Boxster, the 911 going to electric power steering, the Cayenne launching, or the idea (even the idea! For shame!) that Porsche would–GASP!–produce a four door sedan. Any change, and they start screaming.
I’m not one of those people. The Panamera has been a big hit for Porsche financially and I have seen more and more of them on the road since the car’s 2009 launch in America. I hadn’t driven one yet and for some reason, just didn’t think much of it until I was at the Porsche Zentrum at the Quail Lodge in August. When I arrived, I signed up to drive this four-door Porsche, only because the 911s on hand were all booked completely. I thought I’d regret this decision until I turned the key…
Continue reading Test Driven: Porsche Panamera GTS (GRADE: A)
Mind Over Motor 