Johnny and Carlos from Motor Trend take us for a spin in this topless off-roader to debate if it might just be cool.
I saw an orange one go by a few weeks ago, and I’ll be honest, I was digging it.
-Nick
This Fiat Jolly is the bluest of blues!
Is there a more Italian car than the Fiat Jolly? I mean, yea, there are the Ferraris and Maseratis of the world, but they take themselves a little too seriously. The Fiat Jolly, on the other hand, is all about taking the day off and going for a picnic at the beach in style. Now what’s more quintessentially Italian than that?
Unfortunately, while it may seem like one of life’s simple pleasures, Fiat Jollys are quite expensive nowadays. This one sold for $88,000 at Bonhams auction, and that’s a pretty pricy picnic.
-Nick
Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 at the Scarsdale Concours
We caught this crisp blue Camaro on our way out from the Scarsdale Concours. Gotta love the Z/28!
-Nick
Some alone time with a Bugatti Type 57 Atalante
There are moments where circumstances align to create unbelievable opportunities, things that aren’t “supposed to happen,” but do anyway. Being prepared, in the right place at the right time is everything. So when I found myself on the Maryland shore on a picture perfect day, all alone with a 1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante, I knew I had to seize the moment.
I spent well over an hour pouring over this magnificent machine. A few other people strolled over to check it out, but for most of the time it was just me and this rolling French masterpiece. How often does anyone get to shoot a car worth well north of $10 million all alone in such a scenic location?
I mean, a shoot like this, with a car of this caliber, likely isn’t something I could even organize at this point. But in the situation as it played out, the opportunity presented itself at the St. Michaels Concours d’Elegance.
Enjoy the contrast between the stark, and dark, Art Deco lines of this Bugatti in the lush landscape of the Eastern Maryland shore.
Continue reading Some alone time with a Bugatti Type 57 Atalante
The Smoking Tire gives us a first look at the new Lexus LC
The Lexus LC seems like quite an elegant machine, but it also sounds the absolute business. Matt Farah takes us through it.
-Nick
This gorgeous old Alfa could do 152mph back in 1933
Most cars on the road today can’t even get near 150mph, but back in 1933 this supercharged Afla Romeo 8C 2900B could go faster. Originally a racing car, it took third place in the Mille Miglia before it was re-bodied into the beautiful GT car you see here.
As a road car based on a racing car, this is the pre-war precursor to what we now know as the hypercar. The Alfa Romeo 8C was among the fastest racecars of the era, and here was one you could drive to the shops. It was literally a Formula One car for the road.
Enjoy!
Continue reading This gorgeous old Alfa could do 152mph back in 1933
Jay Leno takes the Pagani Huayra 730S for a spin
Used to be owned by Salomondrin, now owned by David Lee. Small world…
-Nick
Ford Focus RS Power Modifications and Tuning
The Ford Focus RS is the hottest $40,000 car around right now. A new addition to the rally car segment in the US, it takes on the STI, the Golf R, and the echoes of Evos past. All things stock, the Focus RS seems to have them all beat, outgunning them by around 40 or 50hp, but what happens when aftermarket mods and tuning come into play?
The simple fact is the Focus RS’s stock turbo is out of breath around 380-400 crank horsepower on pump gas. Ford doesn’t use way oversized turbos in their cars, and as a result its basic tuning potential may seem a little lacking compared to, say, the Golf R or the Evo.
Having said that, fear not, because peak horsepower numbers are only a small portion of the story, especially for a street-driven car. So let’s have a look…
Continue reading Ford Focus RS Power Modifications and Tuning
Ferrari F40 at Radnor Hunt
I don’t care if it has half the horsepower of the LaFerrari, the F40 is still my favorite Ferrari hypercar.
-Nick
The Sun Gleams Down Upon Richard Petty’s #43 Plymouth Superbird
This is the 200mph 1970 Plymouth Superbird raced by Richard Petty Racing, back from when NASCAR was cool. I managed to capture it, just as the sun was peeking through the trees. That’s no Photoshop flare there, people, that’s the star we orbit gently bathing this Dinoco Blue racecar in the full spectrum of light. Enjoy!
-Nick Walker
Pagani Releases the Huayra Roadster, and I need to go change my pants…
Anyone who knows my taste in cars knows that Pagani is my holy grail. There’s something about Horacio’s philosophy of art and science intertwined that makes his creations truly special, even at a level above the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of the world (for me at least).
Pagani just released the new Huayra Roadster, before it will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this March. I guess they wanted it to be the center of attention when it dropped, rather than a bullet point in the clutter of the show itself. Very Smart.
The jest of it is that Pagani took a lot of elements from the Huayra BC, and used them to improve on the Huayra to make the Roadster something on the next level. Weighing in at around 2,800lbs, the Huayra Roadster is an impressive 176lbs lighter than the Huayra Coupe, and it boasts 764hp to the Coupe’s 730hp. So it’s lighter than a Cayman GT4 and it’s got almost double the horsepower. Chew on that for a minute.
The point here is that Pagani has made the Huayra even better as they’ve cut off its roof. Lighter and more powerful, with the improved transmission and suspension design from the BC, and you get to choose whether you want a roof or not… I’ll take this over the Coupe, gullwing doors be damned.
Speaking of which, we haven’t actually seen the doors open yet, so maybe they’re interesting. That said, most rumors indicate the Huayra Roadster will have normal style doors. For many that may be a detractor, certainly when it comes to posing the car for photos, but I think having the wind in my hair is a worthy trade.
So, if you’re see this, and you’ve got a spare $2-3 burning a hole in your pocket, you can actually go screw yourself because all 100 Huayra Roadsters are already sold. Sucks to suck.
You can still enjoy looking at it, though… Continue reading Pagani Releases the Huayra Roadster, and I need to go change my pants…
The ideal Bronco?
Imagine cruising around town and then rolling out on a secluded stretch of beach for the day in this classic Ford Bronco. Love the green too, much better than OJ White…
-Nick
Mind Over Motor 