Tag Archives: Italian Cars

Cars We've Seen

THE Corvette Rondine Spotted in Greenwich, CT

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Corvette Rondine in Greenwich Connecticut

While walking around after the Greenwich Concours last year, we noticed a certain blue car off in the distance at a local collector car dealer. That certain blue car turned out to be THE Corvette Rondine, as in the only one built. We’ve seen this car before on a few occasions, but seeing it out on public streets was insane. I mean the Rondine is the only one of its kind!

Underneath that beautiful italian bodywork by Pinninfarina lies a 1663 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with a 327 V8 under its hood. The Rondine is a beautiful Italian-American hybrid, a lot like Marisa Tomei!

-Nick

Corvette Rondine in Greenwich Side Corvette Rondine in Greenwich CT Corvette Rondine on the street in Greenwich Corvette Rondine Rear

Car Games

Configurator Fun: Ferrari FF

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Ferrari FF Configurator

I’ve always loved the Ferrari FF. I think it’s shooting brake design is ideal for a luxury grand tourer, and it’s all wheel drive bodes well for its purpose. I mean, why shouldn’t you be able to go skiing in your Ferrari?

I decided for this week to play around with the Ferrari FF, and see how I’d configure mine. I’ve always loved the four seat Ferraris in Tour de France Blue, so I went with that over a Brown and tan two tone interior. I also fitted a few carbon fiber accents around the car, namely on the steering wheel and the wheel center caps.

Ferrari doesn’t “do” pricing on their website, because if you have to ask, then you can’t afford it. Hey, lets all just be grateful that Ferrari even has a Configurator for us pleabs to fool around with.

All I can say when looking at my digital Ferrari FF is, “I’d so rock that, if it were real!” One day…

Lets see your Ferrari FFs!

-Nick

Car Shows

Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale at Amelia Island

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Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale at Amelia Island

We, regrettably, did not make it down to Amelia Island this year. But our photographer friend down there, Nathan Corry, did make it over on Saturday to get some shots, and he has been kind enough to let us use them.

The car you see here is a 1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale, and it is one of my all-time favorite automobiles. I still have yet to actually see one in person, though. So when I say photos of this one at Amelia this year, I was extra pissed that I couldn’t make it this year. Naturally, when Nathan offered to let us use his photos, my first question was, “OMG DID YOU SHOOT THE ALFA TIPO 33?!!!!” Nathan had, and here are his beautiful photos of it.

I consider the Alfa Tipo 33 Stradale to be the first incarnation of what we all know today as the “hypercar.” Hypercars sit above the level of mere supercars in their technology, performance, or sheer exotic appeal, and they usually cost obscenely more than an obscene amount of money.

The Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale was the road going version of Alfa’s Tipo 33/2 racing cars. It shares the same advanced 2.0L V8 as the racing versions, but the engine was detuned from 270hp to around 230hp in the road car. That engine revved all the way up to 10,000 RPM, and it sent power through a 6 speed transaxle gearbox. The Tipo 33 also still only weighed just over 1500lbs in road form, with the same basic suspension as the racing Tipo 33/2. It could see 160mph, and go 0-60 in 5.5 sec, fast numbers today, but in 1967 it was the record holder for the standing kilometer. So all in all, the 33 Stradale was a technical masterpiece in it’s day, literally a racing car for the road.

Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale Wheels at Amelia Island Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale Amelia Island 7

Adding to it’s advanced technical design, the Tipo 33 Stradale was also arguably the most exotic car in the world in 1968. It was the first road car to feature gullwing doors, which featured a unique curved glass window as well. It’s price in 1968 was close to $20,000, or a little more than the price of a Lamborghini Miura. But with only 18 examples built, each Alfa Tipo 33 Stradale is worth many millions today, probably tens of millions. So if you love modern hypercars like Paganis and Koenigseggs, then recognize this stunning Alfa as the “Original Gangsta” that it is.

I firmly believe the Tipo 33 Stradale is one of the most beautiful road cars ever built, and it happens to be a technical masterpiece too. You can find more info about it in a previous article I wrote. I still look forward to the day I get to see one in person, but I’m thrilled that Nathan was able to supply us with his photos so we can share this one with you. Check out his photography portfolio and his services on his website.

Also, if you’re reading this, and you own a Tipo 33 Stradale. I’d be happy to buy your car from you, provided you can accept my everliving soul as payment.

-Nick Walker

Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale Amelia Island Exhaust Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale Rear
Alfa Romeo Badge Tipo 33 Stradale 1967 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 at Stradale Amelia Island Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale Amelia Island 2

Car Shows

Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 at Laguna Seca

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Alfa Romeo Tipo 33-2 at Laguna Seca

If you love cars, then you have to love old Alfa Romeos. The Tipo 33 was a legendary racing platform for Alfa Romeo, and this Tipo 33/2 lit up the track at Laguna Seca this past summer. Such beautiful lines can indeed be functional for speed.

Enjoy!

-Nick Walker

Cars We've Seen

A Pair of Ferrari 458s spotted in Boca Raton, FL

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Silver 458 Front

On my first full day in Boca Raton a few weeks ago, my first order of business was to take the rented Camaro convertible I had and drive around, getting some sun and getting in a bit of time on the golf course by my grandmother’s apartment. Later, I took the Camaro for some sightseeing at Mizner Park, the high-end shopping district a mile or two away from the beach. While I was there, sightseeing cars was the order of the afternoon, especially once I saw a few Ferraris parked outside the shops on the street. One was parked outside a high-end jewelry shop, while the other was parked outside a coffee shop down one alley. The one outside the coffee shop had a dark gray finish which showed up green in the sunlight–combine that with the palm trees and stone flag streets, and the Ferraris look like they belong as if no other car does. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading A Pair of Ferrari 458s spotted in Boca Raton, FL →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Highlights from the 2015 Boca Raton Concours

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1930 Cadillac V16

This past weekend, I found myself getting a small tan in sunny Florida, while my cohort in the Northeast froze like a Popsicle. 80 degrees, plenty of sun, and low wind make great bedfellows with classic cars on a golf course, and with palm trees abound, the 2015 Boca Raton Concours was a sure thing. This was the first time I’ve attended this show, and I was suitably impressed.

Now in its 9th season, this show is very close in terms of timing to Amelia Island, but takes place much further south, just 60 miles north of Miami. The show is held on the grounds of the Boca Raton Resort and Club, one of the best establishments in South Florida. The show was on the golf course and featured Cadillac products, as well as anything related to the Ford Mustang, to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Best of Show was a familiar face and a familiar car–the same car that won Best of Show at Greenwich last summer, a stunning Minerva owned by Joseph Cassini, won the prize at Boca this weekend. Please enjoy this gallery of fine automobiles–features will be coming very soon of a stunning Ferrari 275 GTB NART Spyder, as well as a few gorgeous old Mopar muscle cars. Enjoy, all! Continue reading Highlights from the 2015 Boca Raton Concours →

Cars We've Seen

Lamborghini Gallardo LP-570-4 Spyder Performante Spotted In Carmel, CA

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Lamborghini Gallardo LP-570-4 Spyder Performante

We spotted this intense Lamborghini Gallardo LP-570-4 Spyder Performante parked in Carmel, CA during Monterey Car Week. The Spyder Performante is the convertible version of the Gallardo Superleggera that I was so impressed by on the track a while back. That same hardcore experience without a roof would be unreal, and I’ve even seen a few of these fitted with a manual gearbox — so we can all add that to the list of things to covet in life.

I thought the the fighter jet gray showed off this Gallardo’s exotic lines quite well. And the audaciousness of those bright orange brake calipers still gave it the amount of flash that a Lambo needs. It was a stunning machine!

-Nick

Cars We've Seen

Exotic Car Combo Spots In Carmel, CA

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Exotic Car Spotting Carmel Rolls Royce Ghost Exotic Car Spotting Carmel Ferrari 458 Italia

Normally it’s cool enough seeing one exotic car on the road, even a single Ferrari can often make your day. But Monterey, California is an excessive, excessive place during Car Week. You see all sorts of awesome combos, and you even get used to seeing the more “common” exotics. These two photos are a good taste of “the norm” during the week. In the photos you will notice a Rolls Royce Ghost, McLaren 12C Spider, McLaren 650S, Mercedes SLS AMG, two Ferrari 458s, a Mercedes SL63 AMG, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, and I’ll even include the Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible in the back there. Now who reading this wouldn’t love to have all of those in your garage?

Enjoy!

-Nick

Auto Idolatry

Petrolicious Looks At The Cadillac Ghia

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This is one of the most beautiful Cadillacs ever made, and it’s one of just two produced. The styling was penned by Italian design firm, Ghia. I’ll let Petrolicious tell the rest of the story in the video. Enjoy this stunning automobile.

-Nick

Car Shows

1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe at RM Auctions Monterey

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1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe at RM Auctions Monterey

“Classy” was the single word that came to mind when I came upon this stunning 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe at the RM Auction display in downtown Monterey. Classy on a level not seen in modern Ferraris, which are more ostentatious than anything at this point. I mean just look at the rich two-tone color scheme and that sumptuous interior, this is a 50s-era Italian car in its finest form.

The 1953 250 Europa Coupe was actually the first Ferrari to use the “250” nomenclature, which later would encompass the most sought after Ferraris of all time. It was also the first dedicated Ferrari road-car, the genesis for a lineage of Ferrari Grand Tourers that continues to this day. The Europa Coupe you see here is one of only 21 examples produced, and it recently won its class at the 2014 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

The 250 Europa Coupe’s performance was quite good in the 1950s and still would be respectable today. Its 3.0L V12 engine produced 200hp and was hooked up to a 4 speed manual gearbox. A Subaru BRZ or Honda Civic Si make the same amount of horsepower today, and those are pretty quick cars, but this old Ferrari is also lighter than both of them. So should any custodian of one of the 21 Europa Coupes like to use their car on the road, they will still find it easy to keep up with traffic. Stopping, however, is a different issue, as Ferrari was slow to adopt disc brakes. So yea, this thing has drums.

I remember seeing a 250 Europa Coupe similar to this one in a magazine as a kid. I was spellbound by its elegance and sheer beauty. It’s no wonder this classic Ferrari dropped the hammer at $2,750,000 this summer in Monterey. With Ferrari values going through the roof, this stunning example is likely to be a great investment. Read more on its history here.

-Nick Walker

1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe RM Auctions Rear 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe Interior 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe Leather Seats 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe at RM Auctions Pebble Beach 1953 Ferrari 250 Europa Coupe 6

Cars We've Seen

Ferrari 458 Speciale Spotted In Pebble Beach, CA

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Ferrari 458 Speciale Pebble Beach

We spotted this ominous black and gold Ferrari 458 Speciale while we were out and about in Pebble Beach. We saw a number of 458 Speciales during our trip, but this one was definitely a more uncommon color combo.

-Nick

Auto Idolatry

Everyday Driver Tests The Lamborghini Countach

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The guys at Everyday Driver recently got the chance to take a stunning Lamborghini Countach for a spin, making all of their wet dreams from the 1980s come wonderfully true. Enjoy that V12 sound, and those epic looks!

-Nick