1939 Delage D8-120S Coupe at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

May 20, 2014 Albert S. Davis 3 Comments

The French are not known these days for timeless, elegant styling. Wind the clock back 75 years, however, and they had the honor of calling companies like Delage and Delahaye home, two manufacturers that could lay claim to some of the most beautiful Depression-era automobiles ever produced. This particular Delage is one of the last D8s built before the Germans invaded France in 1940 and with its Vanvooren coachwork looks absolutely stunning. It is a shame that this striking car did not win any awards at Amelia this spring. Notably, it’s the only car I felt obligated to photograph after the rest of the show field had left for the evening at the close of the Concours. Although the starting rod failed, it did not have any problem making my heart skip a beat that day in Florida. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1939 Delage D8-120S Coupe at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance →

Car Shows, Obscure Autos, SHOWCASE

1934 Rolls Royce Streamline Saloon at Pebble Beach

May 19, 2014 ndubs77 2 Comments

Back in 1934, this Rolls Royce Phantom II Streamline Saloon was the pride of Park Ward at the Olympia Motor Show in London. The car was a one-off that showcased a much more flamboyant design style, and it helped to cement Park Ward’s reputation as the premier coach builder for Rolls Royce motorcars.

An immaculate full restoration from 40 years of neglect in a barn, the Streamline Saloon took the award for third place in the Pre-War Rolls Royce class at last year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This car is known in restoration circles as “The Raccoon Rolls” because it was the home for a family of Raccoons during its four decades in the barn. In an interview with USA Today, the owner said that 80lbs of “refuse” was removed from the car prior to the onset of its restoration. So it went from raccoon den to Pebble Beach award-winner in the span of ten years, quite a story.

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Cars We've Seen

Alpina BMW Z8 spotted in Carmel, CA

May 16, 2014 ndubs77 3 Comments

While out car-spotting during the insanity of Monterey Car Week, I came across this rare Alpina BMW Z8, also known as the “Alpina V8 Roadster.” Basically the Alpina version of the Z8 has been refocused into more of a boulevard cruiser instead of a hardcore M5 Roadster that the Z8 was originally supposed to be. Alpina Z8s only came with automatic transmissions, and the V8 engine was even detuned a little to 375hp.

This might sound lame, but it caters to a certain clientele. I certainly wouldn’t want this version over the standard Z8, myself, but BMW did manage to find 555 people worldwide who did. So what you get with the Alpina is a chilled-out version of the Z8 that is quite a rare bird. It certianly has its appeal.

Either way, this one managed to catch my eye in the midst of the madness in downtown Carmel, so I guess that says what needs to be said about this car’s appeal. Let us know how you like the Alpina Z8 in the comments.

-Nick

Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars, SUVs and Crossovers

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Review, Al’s Take (Grade: B)

May 15, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

Out at Amelia Island, ride and drives last year were few and far between. Luckily for me, SRT was there and proudly offering a few cars to test. The Chrysler 300 SRT was available, but as most of our readers know, I tested that last summer and found it underwhelming. On Nick’s persistent recommendation, I took the the other option they had, this Billet Silver Metallic Grand Cherokee and asked myself this question: What makes this better than the Chrysler, and what elements does this vehicle have that I want to see in others? The surprisingly substantial drive I took allowed me to answer more than just those questions.
Continue reading 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Review, Al’s Take (Grade: B) →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Jay Leno shows us his shiny new McLaren P1

May 14, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

Jay Leno is a very lucky guy. Forget the whole successful comedian thing, that’s great and all, but he is the first American to take delivery of the new McLaren P1 hypercar. In this video, Jay goes for a ride with McLaren CEO, Mike Flewitt, and aims to show us what his new car is like to drive on real roads.

It’s pretty incredible to think that the P1 can go to a drag strip and run under 10 seconds in the quarter mile, and then cruise home in electric mode without making a sound. It also traps at around 150mph, so at many drag strips it may need a parachute fitted, and this is 100% stock! Not to mention the handling, which the P1 can do just as well as it goes in a straight line.

So enjoy this hands-on video of Jay Leno’s McLaren P1. It’s quite something.

-Nick

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Classic NYPD Patrol Vehicles at the New York International Auto Show

May 13, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

Although this site tends to focus largely on performance cars, I feel that it’s time to give those who serve and protect a bit of time in the spotlight. At the New York Auto Show last month, the NYC Police Museum was grateful enough to provide a collection of cars, along with some privately-owned police cars, to put on display in the back of the basement room during the week. The quality of the cars gathered for the display was impressive, and all three of the Detroit Three were proudly represented, with examples of New York City’s finest chariots from the 1950s all the way up to 2014. Here are some of my favorites from the display. See the photos after the jump for a bit more information about each car featured. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Classic NYPD Patrol Vehicles at the New York International Auto Show →

Car Shows, Opinions

Lamborghini Huracán at Amelia Island

May 12, 2014 ndubs77 4 Comments

Lamborghini only replaces each of its models about every ten years or so. Back in 2011, we were introduced to the Aventador, the V12 replacement for the flagship Murciélago. Now, here in 2014, Lamborghini has finally decided to replace their “baby” supercar model, the Gallardo. Meet the new Lamborghini Huracán, a V10-powered “baby Lambo” with large fangs and a major teething problem.

The world has gone crazy during the Gallardo’s tenure. Back in 2004, when the Gallardo first came out, the Ferrari 360 was still the supercar standard of the day with a respectable 400hp. The Gallardo upped the ante to 500hp, which seemed insane at the time. Now, in 2014, the Huracán brings 600hp to the table, more than the original Murcielago, but it only manages to sit in the middle of the current supercar pack. This may be a 200mph supercar, but in terms of horsepower alone, it’s a B student at best.

Continue reading Lamborghini Huracán at Amelia Island →

Car Shows, MoM Vlog

Supercar Sounds at Bucks County Exotics

May 9, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

Naturally when attending a exotic car meet, you expect to capture some wonderful sights and sounds as people head out onto the open road in their fantastic speed machines. The folks at Bucks County Exotics definitely put on a good show. If you like the sounds of V8s, V10s and V12s, then turn up your speakers and enjoy the music from these wonderful supercars! Also, check out our photo gallery from the event.

-Nick

Car Shows

Bucks County Exotics Meet 5/2/2014

May 9, 2014 ndubs77 4 Comments

Rossion Q1 at Bucks County Exotics — This Rossion Q1 and Ferrari 458 Spider were just the tip of the iceberg of awesome cars at the meet.

We were in attendance for the Bucks County Exotics meet last Saturday morning. I had a bit of an unexpected late night the previous evening, so it took everything I could muster to climb out of bed and drive over to Doylestown, PA for the meet. It is a cars and coffee style event, and many great cars show up each time, everything from hot rods to classics to supercars. Bucks County is a great area to enjoy driving fun cars, with lots of winding back roads cutting through the woods, and lots of scenic destinations to visit. It also happens to be a pretty affluent area, so everything seems to add up nicely to make an event like the Bucks County Exotics car meet possible.

Enjoy the photos and captions!

Continue reading Bucks County Exotics Meet 5/2/2014 →

Cars We've Seen

Corvette, Baja Bug, Mustang, Kit Cobra spotted in Monterey, CA

May 8, 2014 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

Towards the end of the day on the Saturday we were in Monterey, I was completely tired out. Running on fumes, Nick went to go shoot a Ferrari Enzo and F50 outside the Monterey Marriott while I went to a nearby Subway to get a few drinks. After recharging and ignoring the shooting pain in my left knee, I hobbled outside to the street corner and started taking pictures. It didn’t take long for a few cars to show up. Hit the pictures for more thoughts on each of these cars. The Baja Bug came first, then I quickly shot the red Mustang while that light was still red. Once the light went green, I snapped the lime-green Cobra kit car crossing the street and the Corvette a moment later. They certainly didn’t draw the crowds the Ferraris on the Marriott entrance were, but these four cars never once looked out of place. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Corvette, Baja Bug, Mustang, Kit Cobra spotted in Monterey, CA →

Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars

Rolls Royce Phantom II, The Chauffeured Review (7.5/10)

May 7, 2014 ndubs77 4 Comments

Having a nice dinner with a good bottle of wine is a good thing, but having a nice dinner with a well-aged bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an occasion to be savored.

But what is really the difference? If you just gave most people a glass of nameless wine, even if it were something like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, then it either tastes good or it doesn’t. But knowing that you have something very special changes the experience entirely. The focus of the aforementioned dinner becomes all about appreciating the wine, with the food as a secondary concern. In reality, it may well be somewhat of a placebo effect, but it makes you feel special, and that is something people crave. This is precisely the appeal of the Rolls Royce Phantom.

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1935 Duesenberg SJ 509 Roadster at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours

May 6, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

Deusenbergs are an example of a truly bygone era when cars were truly built to order. There is an air of royalty to the history of this particular car, although it’s not just in the styling. Barbara Hutton, heiress to the Woolworth fortune, ordered this SJ, but not for herself. She was married to Alexis Mdivani at the time and actually ordered this car for her brother-in-law, Serge Mdivani. The Mdivani family was the Georgian royal family, which fled their home country after the Soviets indvaded, and indeed married well. Hutton’s generosity was apparent in giving this gorgeous automobile to her brother-in-law, who passed away after a polo accident a short time later. This is one of the most unique Duesenbergs Id have seen in some time and the dark red finish looked great along the golf course amongst its rivals. In fact, this stunning convertible won Best in Class this year. I hope to see more of this car at various Concours events down the road. I doubt I’ll tire of it. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1935 Duesenberg SJ 509 Roadster at the 2014 Amelia Island Concours →