Tag Archives: German Cars

Cars We've Driven, Dynamic Duels, Exotic Supercars

Test Driven: BMW 760Li vs. Alpina B7, Nick’s Take

October 4, 2013 ndubs77 5 Comments

The 7 Series is the flagship model in the BMW lineup. A far cry from a zippy little M3, the 7 Series has always had its focus on being a luxury cruiser. It competes in the top of the line limousine class against the likes of Mercedes’ legendary S Class, a car which has set the standard of automotive luxury for sometime now. In order to take on such formidable opposition, BMW has had to use some clever ingenuity to make the 7 Series appealing, and it doesn’t get more appealing than the top two models we have here.

In one corner we have the Alpina B7, an upgraded vehicle that has been factory sanctioned. Alpina has had a long relationship with BMW as a third party tuner, similar to AMG and Mercedes before they were officially brought together in 1990. Alpina models are usually marketed as alternatives to cars from BMW’s M Division, but in this case, there is no BMW “M7”, so the Alpina B7 is as close as you can get.

Of course, you might instead fancy having the ultimate 7 Series that BMW makes themselves. That would be our other contender, the BMW 760Li. It is a more traditional take on a top-end luxury limousine with a proper V12 under its hood.

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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.

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Car Shows, MoM Vlog

Highlights from the 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance

September 9, 2013 ndubs77 1 Comment

We were in attendance for the 2013 Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance this past weekend. Instead of our normal photo highlights, we have decided to try on a video compilation of the cars at the show. For those of you who like the photo galleries, do not worry because we have plenty of still shots from the show as well (to be used later on). Let us know what you think of the video in the comments.

Best in Show winner, a 1929 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Boattail Convertible Coupe LeBaron

Radnor Hunt is always a wonderful show, with some fantastic cars and a great venue. It is basically Philadelphia’s major Concours event, for those of you unfamiliar with the area. The features this year were Art Deco cars, Rally cars, and Aston Martins, but there was quite a motley crew within those classes. Some of my favorites included a pristine 1927 Rolls Royce Phantom I, a Ferrari 250 GT Boano Coupe, an Aston Martin DBR1 racing car, and a genuine Subaru STi 22B. “Best in Show” went to a 1929 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Boattail Convertible Coupe LeBaron (seen above and at the end of the video), and yes, the cars with the longest names always wins these events.

Check out the video, and stay tuned for the features to follow. Enjoy.

-Nick

Car Shows

2013 Monterey Motorsports Reunion: Paddock Highlights

September 5, 2013 ndubs77 Leave a comment

During the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, the paddock of Laguna Seca is always full of interesting and legendary things. 2013 was no exception, with drool worthy race cars everywhere you looked. In particular there were numerous Porsche 962s, monster Group Group C racing cars for those unfamiliar with them. It is always difficult to focus your attention while down in the paddock because everywhere you look there is something awesome to see. I will let the photos take it from here. Enjoy.

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Cars We've Driven, Used Car Gems

A Quick Drive In My Uncle Bill’s Mercedes 560 SL

August 26, 2013 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Recently my family and I went up to Minnesota and visited my Great Uncle Bill. It was my first time at Uncle Bill’s house, a beautiful log cabin that he built with his own hands. Uncle Bill is a bonafide car guy, who still owns the Ford Model T that he bought when he was in the 8th grade. He also has another Model T, a Model A, and the silver Mercedes 560 SL you see here. After showing me around the garage, he asked if I wanted to take a drive in the Mercedes. Me being me, wanting to drive anything and everything, I jumped at the opportunity. Nice day, beautiful car, and some solid quality time with my uncle Bill, the situation was pretty ideal.

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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.

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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.

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Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars

Test Driven: 2014 BMW M6 Convertible (9.5/10)

August 16, 2013 ndubs77 2 Comments

The M6 has been extremely controversial for me, and I have often been quite negative about it in the past. My central issue is the sort of idealistic clash between what the M-badge stands for, and the fact that this new M6 weighs in at a behemoth 4600lbs. As the flagship high performance car for a company who claims to make “The Ultimate Driving Machine” this raises, for me, not only the question of validity, but also the question of integrity.

BMW’s M Division has made some of the greatest driver’s cars of all time, but now I have to question if their name holds the same distinction as it used to. Judging things on paper is always just half the story, though. I really needed to drive a car for myself before I could pass full judgement on it. Luckily, I was recently afforded the opportunity to get behind the wheel of this M6 Convertible. So, it’s time to drop the gavel.

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Car Shows

2013 New Hope Auto Show Day 2

August 13, 2013 ndubs77 Leave a comment

After day two, I am convinced that 2013 has to be the best New Hope Auto Show I have ever attended. The first day had many fantastic American cars, and the second day had a barrage of phenomenal foreign cars. The field ranged from modern exotics to classics, and I was thrilled with the sheer variety of cars; not just a bunch of the same types of Ferraris lined up.

Highlights included some truly breathtaking pre-war Rolls Royces, a variety of special Porsches, and one of the prettiest Mercedes 300 SLs I have ever laid eyes on. There is much more, including a few cars not often seen in the US, so check out the gallery (below) to see. Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows

Amelia Island Festivals of Speed: Bugatti Veyron 16/4 Grand Sport

August 7, 2013 ndubs77 3 Comments

This stunning Bugatti Veyron 16/4 Grand Sport was at the Amelia Island Festivals of Speed event back in March. Being arguably the most popular car in the world, people were constantly crowded around the car, so getting these shots took some patience.

I love the Veyron as a technological marvel, but I have been critical of it in other ways. Being the fastest car in the world, among other things, the Bugatti is basically the Guiness Book Of World Records on wheels. Consequently, the Veyron is rather cliche in my opinion, however, that is the fault of people, not of the car in any way.

As an object the Veyron is breath taking. There are many cars that sell for seven figures these days, but not many of them actually cost seven figures to produce. Volkswagen actually takes a loss on every Bugatti they sell, and the sheer solidarity of the car’s build is apparent when perusing its details. This car’s red and black finish gave it a stark appearance out on the golf course, and would you just look at those wheels, clearly machined from a single piece of metal. All of this is, of course, on top of the Veyron Grand Sport’s 1001hp quad-turbo W16 engine and 253mph top speed — but of course you already knew those.

Despite my criticisms, seeing a Veyron in the right setting is a very special experience. The last one I saw was crammed into the New York Auto Show, and I barely gave it a second glance, but this Veyron Grand Sport was surrounded by the immense beauty of Amelia Island. Snapping a few shots was a must here, and I hope you enjoy them.

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CARS 101, Opinions

Cars 101: How to live the “Low Life”

August 1, 2013 ndubs77 5 Comments

Slammed Honda Accord Coupe by Dan Valanzola

Have you ever been so stoned that you wondered, “Hey, what if my car… and the ground… were the same thing?”

Evidently, someone asked that very question at some point, and the stance craze was born. Slammed cars have all but replaced ricers as the automotive fad of choice, and now everyone wants to be “Hella Flush” in their mom’s Jetta.

It is a movement based entirely around vanity, compromising practical functionality in the name of style and form. There comes with it a rebellious undertone, projecting a level of pride in deviating from the automotive norm. Most people won’t “get it”, and that is the whole point.

So how does one go about conforming to the non-conformity of the Stance Movement? There is a lot more to it than just lowering your car, although that is an inevitability that you might as well just get out of the way. As said by Stance Works, “Low is a lifestyle”, so you’ve gotta really love it to live it low, bro.

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Opinions

Thoughts on the 2014 BMW i3

July 29, 2013 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Just yesterday I was telling a friend of mine how I thought the Tesla Model S was currently the only truly viable electric car on the market. Less than 24hrs after that conversation it would seem things have changed. BMW dropped the details on their production ready i3 city car today, and it looks mighty promising in many respects. That said, it also raises a few questions for me.

The basic details of the i3 are as follows:

Pricing starts around $41k — before any government discounts
Range is said to be 80-100 miles per charge
A full charge takes only 3 hours, or just 30 minutes with the optional SAE DC Combo Fast Charger
A 650cc range extending gas motor is available as an option
170hp and 184ft/lbs of torque go to the rear wheels — from zero rpm
Performance: 0-30 in 3.5sec, 0-60 in 7sec, and a top speed of 93mph
The chassis is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic monocoque, a mass production first, which helps keep the weight down to around 2700lbs.

Looking at the details I see a few things that stand out…

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