Tag Archives: Exotic Supercars

Spotted! Ferrari Enzo and F50, Monterey, CA

September 12, 2013 ndubs77 4 Comments

While checking out RM Auctions, we noticed these two “Super-Ferraris”, an Enzo and an F50, sitting in front of a hotel in Monterey, California. Naturally, photos had to be taken.

It is always awesome to see any of Ferrari’s ultimate creations on public roads, and we saw these two rolling around at various times throughout the weekend. Even with the new LaFerrari taking the throne, both the Enzo and F50 remain automotive royalty. Enjoy the photos.

Continue reading Spotted! Ferrari Enzo and F50, Monterey, CA →

Opinions

Porsche 918: 78mpg and a Nurburgring time of 6:57

September 11, 2013 ndubs77 1 Comment

Fuel economy isn’t usually a concern for supercars, but Porsche’s new 918 Spyder will supposedly show a Prius what’s what. Back when Porsche first released the 918 Spyder concept, they claimed it would be able to do 78mpg — the world laughed at the idea. Well now, with the production car finally released at the Frankfurt Motor Show , they are holding fast to that claim, so one must presume they have done a few tests that confirm it is possible.

The 918 Spyder can also produce 887hp, but certainly not at the same time it is doing 78mpg. Yes, the choice will be yours from the driver’s seat. While I’m sure that few will actually bother trying to best a Prius in MPG with that sort of power on tap, it is nice to know you can if you want to. The 918 Spyder allows you to have your cake and eat it too, and that is not something true of most similar such cars.

Continue reading Porsche 918: 78mpg and a Nurburgring time of 6:57 →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

New Model: Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale by AUTOart

September 6, 2013 ndubs77 3 Comments

1/18 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale by AUTOart

It has been quite some time since I last bought a model car, but this Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale by AUTOart proved too enticing to pass up. One aspect of my automotive enthusiasm which I have not yet shown here on Mind Over Motor is my extensive collection of 1/18th scale models. Both myself and Al collect model cars, but until recently, mine have all been packed away from my family’s recent move and I still haven’t set up a display in the new house.

I have been interested in this Alfa model for a while now, but I got my hands on one for the first time while we were out in California last month. While perusing the Automobilia shops at Laguna Seca, I found the Tipo 33 Stradale model I had been lusting after. I forewent purchasing the model that day, due to logistical concerns of getting it home during my trip, but it had wet my appetite. When I got home, a few weeks later, I found myself searching for it online. I found a much better deal on Amazon.com than I would’ve gotten in California, so I decided to go for it.

A real Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale is on, what I call, my “Soul List”– The list of cars I’d consider trading my soul for if given the chance. Unless someone who has a Tipo 33 Stradale will accept a trade for a soul, this model will probably be the closest I come to owning one, seeing as how they are worth something like $5 million now. But who knows, lottery tickets can be bought, and prayers can be prayed. Honestly, I’d be entirely content if I ever even have the chance to drive one of these epic machines. For now though, the model will do.

My Tipo 33 Stradale just arrived today, and I couldn’t be happier with its quality. I plan to display it in my bedroom until my larger model display gets sorted out.

Continue reading New Model: Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale by AUTOart →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Chris Harris, Ferrari F40, Ferrari F50… nothing more need be said

September 4, 2013 ndubs77 4 Comments

As a gearhead with a website, I am obligated to share something like this when I see it. Drive’s Chris Harris has a day made of dreams, drifting a Ferrari F40 and Ferrari F50. Fantastic video.

-Nick

Cars We've Seen

Spotted! Aston Martin Vanquish, Pebble Beach, CA

September 4, 2013 ndubs77 4 Comments

We stopped by The Inn At Spanish Bay, within Pebble Beach, for a press event and found some tasty cars in the parking lot. This was the first one we noticed, a brand new Aston Martin Vanquish. Enjoy.

Continue reading Spotted! Aston Martin Vanquish, Pebble Beach, CA →

Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars

Test Driven: Aston Martin V8 Vantage S, Al’s Take (GRADE: B)

September 3, 2013 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

Las Vegas is a strange place. It was quite hot outside when I arrived at the track on July 5, during the tail-end of a massive heat wave in the vicinity. I was already sweating after just a few minutes in the 100+ degree heat. After signing in and attending the driver’s meeting, I chose this Aston Martin as my second car after some time in a Mercedes SLS AMG. After climbing out of the SLS, the sweat was replaced by a feeling of confidence.

I drove a total of four different cars on this track that morning, and of them, this Aston was by and large the most surprising. I didn’t know what to expect, with this Vantage S being my first ever Aston Martin, but after I climbed out of the hot seat, I realized that this entry into Aston’s lineup is a lot better than people might think.

Continue reading Test Driven: Aston Martin V8 Vantage S, Al’s Take (GRADE: B) →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Jay Leno gets his hands on the McLaren P1

September 2, 2013 ndubs77 2 Comments

Jay Leno was given the honor of being the first person outside McLaren to get behind the wheel of the new P1 hypercar. Incidentally, he has also placed an order for a yellow P1, so I’m sure that factored into McLaren’s decision.

This video shows some great insights into the car, and its technology. Including how the P1’s electric motor runs through the transmission. You can also visibly see the difference in the car’s ride between Normal and Race modes.

Enjoy.

-Nick

Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars

Test Driven: 2014 Rolls Royce Wraith, Nick’s Take (9.5/10)

August 30, 2013 ndubs77 11 Comments

Back when Rolls Royce and Bentley sailed under the same flag, it was often said that a Bentley was a car to drive and a Rolls Royce was a car to be driven in. The two companies have now been split up for over a decade, with Bentley owned by Volkswagen and Rolls Royce under BMW. Since their separation both brands have had to branch out a bit, but for Rolls Royce, branching out has come to mean venturing into some unexplored territory.

Rolls Royces have traditionally been focused on the concerns of their rear occupants, aiming to preserve comfort at all costs, even if the chauffeur goes completely mad. The car you see here, Rolls Royce describes as being a “gentleman’s grand tourer”, and the most powerful car they’ve ever made. It is the new Rolls Royce Wraith, and no part of it has anything to do with being chauffeured. The Wraith is a driver’s Rolls Royce, and to many, that may seem a vast ideological conflict.

Continue reading Test Driven: 2014 Rolls Royce Wraith, Nick’s Take (9.5/10) →

Cars We've Seen

Spotted! Lamborghini LM002, Monterey, CA

August 29, 2013 ndubs77 11 Comments

The high-pitched wail of an Italian V12 echoes off of the buildings in downtown Monterey, California, not an uncommon occurrence during Monterey Car Week. I look down the road, expecting to see a low, brightly-colored supercar, but instead I am greeted by a monstrous black Humvee-looking thing with massive tires… this is a Lamborghini LM002. He accelerates again and barrels past me with that Bizzarrini V12 howling.

It is difficult to place that sort of supercar-esque sound into the context of an off-road behemoth. Most such vehicles have huge thundering V8s or loud, clattering diesel engines, but the LM002 has a V12 that just screams. This was the first time I’d ever seen one in traffic, and heard its engine opened up. Despite being a different sort of Lamborghini, the LM002 definitely still has the same sort of shocking impact as a Countach or a Diablo. It is huge, it is menacing, and it will gladly feast on your children, so best move your Prius to the side.

Continue reading Spotted! Lamborghini LM002, Monterey, CA →

Car Shows

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2013

August 21, 2013 ndubs77 1 Comment

The Quail is probably the most exclusive show during Monterey Car Week. The best cars are always in attendance, many of which don’t even show up at Pebble Beach — despite Pebble Beach being the far more prestigious event. There is some political BS surrounding the event that I could address, but frankly, I only care about the cars.

Put simply, the Quail is absolutely the show to go to on the Friday of Monterey Car Week, provided you can get in. Every event on the Monterey Peninsula is worth checking out, but the comparative quality of the automotive crop at this event is staggering, even with the high standards of the other events. We got there a bit late because of prior engagements that day, but I we still managed to see most of the event. I’m going to just let the pictures do the talking from here. Enjoy.

Continue reading The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2013 →

Car Shows

Highlights from the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

August 20, 2013 ndubs77 2 Comments

Best in Show Winner, the 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria

We have just had a mighty few days in the midst of the automotive Valhalla that is Monterey Car week, but the capstone event is surely the most grand of all, and that is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

This is an event where champions compete against champions. At any other event, every participant in the Pebble Beach Concours would likely win best of show. The field of automobiles is just plain unbelievable — the second you think you’ve seen everything, something incredible catches your eye. This is a place where a Lamborghini Miura may go overlooked, a place where everywhere you look, there is something astonishing to take in. This is la creme de la creme de la creme of automobiles.

Pebble Beach was once again kind enough to grant us media passes for this event, for which we are extremely grateful. I definitely feel like we put it all to good use this year, capturing tons of material to be used over the coming months. This is a highlight gallery of the event that aims to wet your appetite for what’s to come. Enjoy the photo gallery, and check back for much more from the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Continue reading Highlights from the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance →

Cars We've Seen

Spotted! Pagani Huayra, Monterey, CA

August 19, 2013 ndubs77 3 Comments

The last few days have been pretty unbelievable. We have had a fantastic time at the Monterey Car Week, and are now in the process of returning, and recovering, from the festivities. We have amassed many months of material after seeing scores of incredible automobiles at the many events, as well as on the street as you see here.

This is the first Pagani Huayra I have laid eyes on in person, and what a magnificent sight it was. This is the first US-spec Huayra, and its exposed carbon fiber finish over red leather interior is nothing short of immaculate. This is just a short gallery from when we spotted the car on the streets of Monterey, CA on Thursday. We saw the car again the next day at the Quail, and I got a much better set of photos.

The story of this spot is kind of a funny one. Al and I had both seen the car separately earlier in the day, but it was while we were behind the wheel of Jaguar F-Types, so we couldn’t really get pictures. So now, out on the streets, the hunt for the Huayra was on!

We did some spotting in Carmel, CA for much of the evening. We saw some unbelievable cars there, but no Pagani Huayra. With the light fading we decided to take a swoop through Monterey’s Cannery Row to see what cars we could find there. As we turned past the Plaza Hotel, I started saying “Come on Huayra. Come on Huayra!” Then, right up the road, I recognized a certain shape, a wide car sticking out between normal cars. It was unmistakable, it was the Huayra!

Then, low and behold, as we slow down and approach the car, the door pops up and out steps none other than Horacio Pagani himself. We pull up along side, yelling in excitement, and Mr. Pagani happily thanked his adoring fans. We then found a parking spot and went back to grab these photos, some in front of the restaurant, and some at the Plaza Hotel. This was the cherry on top of our first day, and there was much more to come. Enjoy the photos, and stay tuned for much more!

Continue reading Spotted! Pagani Huayra, Monterey, CA →