Cars We've Seen

Spotted! Citroen SM, Sedona, AZ

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Citroen SM Citroen SM

 

I found this Citroen SM in the parking lot of a hotel yesterday. The SM is a very interesting car. After Citroen purchased Maserati in 1968, they began development on a flagship grand touring car. The SM debuted at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show, and they produced it through 1975. The SM is remains one of the only true gran touring cars to have front wheel drive, with the same Maserati V6 found in the original Quattroporte and Merak under its hood, producing between 170-180hp. Thanks to its sleek aerodynamics, the Citroen SM could reach 140mph, and onwers said it had no problem cruising at a steady 120mph on the autobahn. Today the SM exudes a level of class and style rivaled by few other cars on the road, and that is why I took the time to shoot these pics. Enjoy.

-Nick Walker

Car Shows

Lewes British Motorcar Show: Caterham Lotus Seven

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Caterham Lotus Seven

 

The Lotus Seven has proved a popular sports car platform over the better half of the last century. Lotus designed and produced the Seven from 1957 to 1972, but since then companies like Caterham have been producing their own take on the classic sports car. Caterham has kept the basic formula of their Seven the same as the original Lotus, lightweight and simple, but offers a wider variety of engines, with power figures ranging from 140-300hp (not sure what is in the car here). Sevens offer a very pure driving experience with fantastic performance, and that is why Colin Chapman’s original design has endured over the years. Enjoy the photos.

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Opinions

Too Much of a Good Thing

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Toyota Supra burnout

Recently, I was reading the May 2013 issue of European Car that featured a Lamborghini Gallardo on the cover.  The horsepower figure said 1200.  That is a smorgasbord of power.  But this wasn’t the first time I’d seen such powerful cars being exhibited.  I’ve come across various YouTube videos of 1,200 horsepower Lambos, 900 Horsepower GTRs, the list just goes on; name any supercar and I’ve probably seen a 1,000 horsepower version of it somewhere.

On paper, these monstrous machines seem awe-inspiring, the type of car that has the sort of performance to make the hair on the back of your neck to give a standing ovation.  But in the real world, well it’s a bit of a different story.

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Car Shows

Lewes British Motorcar Show: Lotus Europa S2

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Lotus Europa S2

This beautiful Lotus Europa S2 caught my eye at the recent British Motorcar show in Lewes, DE. There were other Europas around it, but this S2’s tri-tone color scheme really set it apart from the crowd. I just love looking at Lotuses because they’re purpose of lightness and handling is clearly evident in their design. Just look at that rear camber…. o yea. Enjoy the pics.

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Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars

Test Driven: 2014 Porsche 991 Carrera 4S Cabriolet (9.5/10)

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2014 Porsche 991 Carrera 4S Cabriolet

Porsche enthusiasts are some of the most dreadfully conservative people you’ll find when it comes to their favorite cars. Any change to the 911, large or small, gets heavily scrutinized to the n’th degree. All too often, they let their nit picking blind them, and they often wind up missing all of the new 911’s great aspects. The evolution of new models is a necessary fact of life, and it usually makes the car better overall, otherwise Porsche wouldn’t do it. The new 911, the 991, has followed this same trend, being criticized every which way against older Porsche models. I chose a more positive approach. Not, “how is the 991 worse than its predecessors?”, but  “how does the 991 faire as a modern 911?”

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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Chris Harris gets his hands on the Porsche 918

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Drive’s Chris Harris tests the Porsche 918 on the track in its final stages of development. He also brings up some good points about technology, and what it means for a hypercar.

-Nick

Car Shows

Lewes British Motorcar Show: 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II

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1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II

I saw this exquisite 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II at the British Motorcar Show in Lewes, DE. Like the Triumph I featured last week, this Rolls had been retired from judging because it had won so many times. I really wish the new Rolls Royces had as much class as this one does. Now days everything is just about tastelessly showing off. Back in the pre war era things were far more interesting. Just look at that side lantern on the 5th picture down…. awesome detail. Enjoy the gallery.

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Car Shows

Hopewell Cruise Night: Nissan GTR… con verde caliente

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Green Modified Nissan GTR

Saw this very intense Nissan GTR at the Cruise Night in Hopewell, NJ last Friday. It certainly turned heads when it rolled up, and to my knowledge it belongs to Interstate Motorsports, a new exotic car dealer in the area. I’m not sure exactly what has been done to this GTR modification wise, but it definitely doesn’t seem stock. One thing I must point out though, is the Ferrari badge on the back… it nearly ruined the car for me because it is entirely tasteless. The sweet color and wheels saved this GTR, but there is really no excuse for being fake, especially at this level. That said, it was comical hearing people walk by and say “nice Ferrari” while I was taking these photos. Enjoy.

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

Test Driven: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro SS (9/10)

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Chevrolet Camaro SS

At the airport terminal, having just arrived in Jacksonville Florida for our weekend at Amelia Island, we came to the the point in our travels where it was time to rent a car. The attendant asked us, in an ever so friendly manner, “Now, what are you boys in town for this weekend?” We told her about the car shows on Amelia Island, and a smirk came to her face. She had us right where she wanted us and she damn well knew it. “Well, have I got something extra special for you then. Are you Ford or Chevy fans?” We opted for Chevy. “Well guess what. I just happen to have a pretty little yellow Camaro SS on the lot for you”. We exchange glances, and then she said, “It’s normally pretty expensive, but I can give it to you for an extra $20 a day.” Considering we had booked an economy car, liable to be a Chevy Spark or some other gutless mode of transportation, it was a very solid offer. We accepted, and went out to the parking lot to see if the car was actually an SS. To our surprise it was, bright and yellow as described, with a big V8 under the hood. So with that we loaded up our bags, and set off in our 400hp rental car.

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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Chris Harris on Cars: Porsche Turbo S vs Audi R8 V10 Plus vs Tuned Nissan GTR

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In this segment of Drive’s Chris Harris on Cars, Chris pits the Porsche 997 Turbo S, the new Audi R8 V10 Plus, and a Litchfield tuned Nissan GTR against each other on the road and track. Enjoy.

-Nick

Car Shows

2011 Concorso Italiano: Ferrari F50 GT

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Ferrari F50 GT

I was fortunate enough to see this mighty Ferrari F50 GT at the Concorso Italiano back in 2011, during the Monterey car week. The F50 GT is a Ferrari racing car that never came to be. It was developed to take on the likes of the Porsche 911 GT1, Mercedes CLK GTR and McLaren F1 LM, but it never made it past the prototype stage. Along with the prototype, two F50 GTs were built for customers. This is one of those customer cars, and it was the first one I’ve seen in person. There was a normal F50 right beside it, and the GT makes the standard car look puny by comparison. The performance of the F50 GT is also extremely massive. The car itself weighs in at just 2,005lbs and its 4.7L V12 has 750hp and 383ft/lbs of torque on tap. 60mph comes in under 3 seconds, the 1/4 mile is dispatched in 10.2 sec, and it tops out at 235mph, presumably when the aerodynamics are set up for top end speed.  This is a racing car, make no mistake. These photos are a few years old, and I have learned much about photography since, but I think they came out pretty well. Enjoy.

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Car Shows, Cars We've Seen

Woodward Dream Cruise: BMW Isetta 600 V8 Hot Rod

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BMW Isetta V8 Hot Rod

Yes, this is a little BMW Isetta 600 with a supercharged V8 strapped to the back of it. I saw this car a few times over the course of my summer in Detroit, Michigan, and it was a showstopper every time. I finally caught up with the owner at the Woodward Dream Cruise, and he was hppy to tell me about the car. From what I can remember it has a supercharged Rover V8 and puts down around 300rwhp. That is a staggering amount for such a small car, and even more staggering for those tiny tires. The owner said he doesn’t really drive it fast because it cannot handle well with all that rearward weight, but as a cruiser it turns more heads than anything on the road. Obviously this BMW hot rod is completely unique, with custom airbrushing on top of its custom mechanical setup. This is just a fun car all around, and it was awesome to see in person. Enjoy the gallery.

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