Tag Archives: American Cars

2013 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance: 1929 duPont Model G Merrimac Speedster

1929 du Pont G

The duPont family had amassed a vast fortune by the turn of the 20th century, and members of the family were beginning to try their hands at other ventures. For E. Paul duPont the venture was into the realm of luxury automobiles. His aim was to make the most luxurious car in the world, a hefty task with competition from the likes of Duesenberg, Stutz, and Cadillac at the time.

The duPont Model G was brought out as a response to the mighty Duesenberg J, which completely reset the standards of the day. The Model G featured a new Continental 5.3L inline eight cylinder engine that made anywhere from 114hp to 140hp. The Speedster you see here was constructed by the coach-builder Merrimac. Around 200 duPont Model Gs were built in total, making it the most popular duPont model built before the company stopped production in 1931.

I haven’t seen too many of these around, and this Model G really caught my eye at this year’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. I’ve always been a sucker for black and red color schemes, and with its white-wall tires, this car was just gorgeous. Enjoy the photos.

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CF Charities Supercar Show: SSC Ultimate Aero #15

SSC Ultimate Aero number 15

This is the car that stole the “Fastest Production Car” title from the original Bugatti Veyron. While the Germans have since reclaimed that title with the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, SSC hopes their car will one day even oust that car too. The Ultimate Aero you see here is the car to do it, redesigned for better aerodynamics, and now with 1,287hp on tap from its twin turbocharged 6.3L V8. While the official SSC record stands at 256mph, this updated version is said to be capable of 270mph (hence the license plate). We’ll see if they are able to pull off that speed when they get around to actually testing it, but the fact that it’s even possible is mind blowing.

As for SSC themselves, their name stands for “Shelby Super Cars”, and no, they do not have any relation to Carroll Shelby….. and that is always the first question you have to answer whenever telling someone about this car. The car you see here is car number 15. With SSC being such a small car maker, I assume that means 15 total production and not just the 15th of the updated Ultimate Aero models. Either way, this is an extremely rare car, and surely the only one around in my area. The owner of this car put on a supercar event to benefit his charity, and his Ultimate Aero stood proud as the centerpiece for the event. It was also the first SSC I have ever laid eyes on in person, so it was a pretty special occasion for me personally. Stunning car, and a great color for it. Enjoy the photos.

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Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance: 1930 Stutz SV-16 Monte Carlo Weymann Body

1930 Stutz SV-16 Monte Carlo Weymann Body

This Stutz was the first car that caught my eye at the 2013 Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance. Its body, entirely wrapped in fabric, is the work of renown French coach builder Charles Weymann. The SV-16 Monte Carlo was the top of line model offered by Stutz at the time, and only three Weymann bodied examples exist. Thankfully, all three Weymann Monte Carlos are present, accounted for, and in top notch condition. This particular car sold for $550,000 at RM Auctions in 2000, and was restored to its original condition by RM Restoration.

Under the hood there is a 322ci (5.3L) inline 8 cylinder engine producing 113hp. It sends power through a three speed manual transmission, and has solid axles front and rear supported by leaf springs. The Monte Carlo featured some very European styling for the time, despite being built in Indiana, because Stutz wanted it to appeal to clientele on both sides of the Atlantic. This car was high end back in its day, and it may be even more high end now. Certainly, no American company makes a car of this caliber today.

Enjoy the gallery.

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CF Charities Supercar Show: Campagna T-Rex

Campagna T-Rex

 

I always love seeing a Campagna T-Rex, so I was ecstatic when this thing rolled in to the CF Charities Supercar Show this past weekend. Great color too. Enjoy the pics.  Continue reading CF Charities Supercar Show: Campagna T-Rex

The 2013 Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance

James Glickenhaus in his 1947 Ferrari 159S Spyder Corsa
James Glickenhaus taking “Best in In Show” in his 1947 Ferrari 159S Spyder Corsa…. believed to be the oldest Ferrari automobile in existence.

We were in attendance for the 2013 Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance this past weekend in Connecticut. It was a fantastic event, and we saw, and drove, many awesome cars. Like most Concours events we go to, we have come back with months of material that we will be sharing with you over time, but this is a highlight reel to wet your appetite. Enjoy.

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

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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Impressions from the 2013 New York International Auto Show

Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition
Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition

There were many new cars revealed at this year’s New York International Auto Show. I was in attendance for the Preview Night last Thursday, where I had access to many new cars, both those revealed at the show and those from recent shows. Like every event I go to, I covered what caught my eye. As many of you may know, I don’t do news in the proper sense because I like to be a little more authentic. What follows are my impressions of the cars as I saw and experienced them at the show, and my opinions of them overall. Enjoy, and please let me know your thoughts on any of them in the comments.

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Test Driven: 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (9.5/10)

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT at Amelia Island

When most people think of Jeep, they think of Wranglers plowing through mud and climbing over rocks. They don’t, however, think of a 470hp V8, 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, and surely not of a $65,000 price tag. Meet the 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT, a different sort of Jeep.

It caters more toward the realistic type of SUV buyer here in America, one who will probably never forge a stream in their life, but still wants a big car to go to the mall in. Understanding this sort of buyer will help you understand why the Cherokee SRT exists. The fact is, most buyers use SUVs in the exact same way they would use a car, and they wind up wanting the same things offered in cars. Just look at the BMW X6. It is both an SUV, as well as one of those coupe-sedan thingys, like the Mercedes CLS. Personally, I think the people who buy a vehicle like an X6 exude an especially repulsive level of vanity, but somehow BMW manages to sell enough X6s to make it worthwhile.

This sort of clientele purchasing SUVs has inevitably taken the emphasis off of off road ability, and put it on more traditional, car like, aspects. The result has been new SUVs that are basically just big cars, and it was only so long before someone said “Hey, can I have a fast one?”

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Festivals Of Speed: 1956 Packard Caribbean Convertible

1956 Packard Caribbean Convertible

The Caribbean was Packard’s halo car back in the day, and this stunning example was present for the recent Festivals Of Speed event on Amelia Island. This 1956 Caribbean Convertible was very high-end, costing more than the equivalent Cadillac. Unfortunately, this was also one of the last Packard Carribeans to be made because the company was going bust, and 1956 was the last year of production for this car. During that year just 276 Caribbean Convertibles were produced, making this quite a rare car. I cannot get enough of the tri-tone color scheme. The hot pink between the white and black  really sets the car off. The interior details also are quite immaculate, with an interesting pattern on the dash. It is a beautiful car all around.

Seeing this Caribbean up close made me really wish that our modern American cars still had this sort of style. Just look at all that chrome trim, so much style for style sake. I know we can’t build cars exactly like this anymore, but things have gotten far too boring. If memory serves me correctly, I don’t even think there is a single American car that you can still factory order with a two tone color scheme, let alone something like this Caribbean. There is no reason for our cars to have lost their sense of style, so while looking through these photos, just think about then versus now. Our car industry has lost all of its flavor, and we need to demand it back. I would love to see the Packard name re-emerge too, but now I’m really just hoping blindly. Enjoy the pics. Continue reading Festivals Of Speed: 1956 Packard Caribbean Convertible

Cadillac’s New Twin Turbo V6 Has Answered My Prayers

Cadillac's 3.6L Twin Turbo V6
Cadillac’s new 3.6L Twin Turbo V6

Cadillac will be releasing the next generation CTS at the upcoming New York International Auto Show, but the big news is under that car’s hood. With the CTS Cadillac is finally jumping on board with their European competitors, and offering a strong turbocharged power plant. Specifically, Cadillac has strapped two turbochargers to their 3.6L V6 to make an engine that will compete with many of the European twin turbo V8s.

This new 3.6T is extremely important because it will make its way into all of Cadillac’s current cars. As of now, Cadillac has said it will be in the top-line CTS model, but below the V, which will still have a V8. The new 3.6T (slightly detuned) will also make it into the XTS, a car which I had criticized for having the wrong engine. The change to the 3.6T could make all the difference in the XTS, giving it a more relaxed, more powerful nature that is proper for a big luxury car. Also, heavy in the rumor mill, and all but officially confirmed, is the implementation of this new 3.6T in the upcoming ATS-V.

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Woodward Dream Cruise: Shelby Mustangs

Shelby Mustang GT350

We had a request for some classic Mustangs, so I went through my photos from the Woodward Dream Cruise and found some. There wer many beautiful Mustangs running around during the event, but I tended to focus more on the Shelbys. The cars here range from original 60’s models to the GT500 Eleanor, which was created for the film Gone in 60 Seconds. Enjoy.

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Woodward Dream Cruise: Sh’Boom’s flamethrowers in action

Sh’Boom is definitely the coolest Hot Rod I’ve ever seen, and that is largely because of its flamethrowers you see here. I posted a whole gallery of photos I took of the car during a cruise night, but during the Woodward Dream Cruise it put on a real show for the crowd. It was cruising along slowly, with flames continuously spewing from the tailpipes for at least 3/4 of a mile. The streets were lined with thousands of people, and I could hear loud cheers erupt from the crowds as the car drove down the road. It was an incredible moment to behold. The effect Sh’boom has on people is astounding, definitely a car that will make your day. I just found these photos while digging through the albums from my summer in Detroit, MI, and I needed to share them. I am also going to add them to the previous Sh’boom gallery, so if you haven’t see those pics yet, check them out. Enjoy

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