Among the droves of exotic cars running around Carmel, California during Monterey Car Week, this Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 caught my eye. I love this shade of blue on Lamborghinis, and the lineup of plebeian cars behind it really shows off the Murcielago’s exotic form. Lamborghinis are meant to be appreciated in the real world, amongst boring everyday things. That is where the are most extraordinary, and that is where the contrast is most extreme.
-Nick Walker
I remember, back when I was like fifteen, when getting to sit in a supercar was an unbelievable thrill. It was before I had a driver’s license, so driving them still seemed so far off in the distance, and sitting in a car at an event was sort of the pinnacle experience among my friends and I. We always used to talk to owners with the hopes of buttering them up before popping the big question, “So, can I sit in it?”
It seems like a simple request, but with many owners, you might as well be saying, “I really love your wife’s breasts, mind if I have myself a feel?” Such cars many people can hold that dearly to themselves. There were always the “cool” owners who obliged us, and a few complete jerks who wouldn’t. Some of my favorite reactions actually came from company representatives, who had forgotten to lock the cars at events, like, “Excuse me, sir. Are you being…. helped?” (to a 15 year old kid), or “You think you can just sit in whatever cars you please?” Well yes, if the door is open I think I will.
Anyway, since starting this site, I have had the great fortune of getting to drive many “dream cars,” and I must say that simply sitting in a Lamborghini doesn’t quite do for me what it used to any more. However, this year we went to The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, and there I was given the opportunity to sit in my (above all others) dream car, the Pagani Huayra. The excitement was back, and in force. I was now in the midst of everything I have seen online, all those immaculate details, and it was just awesome.
When I reviewed the Ferrari 458 Italia this past summer, I said that I thought the car may have reached a sort of apex where it would be hard to improve upon. The steering and gear shifts, and really everything else about the car, were all instantaneous, making the car feel like it was literally connected to my central nervous system.
Evidently, Ferrari has found ways of improving the 458. Autocar’s Steve Sutcliffe drives it here, and seems simply blown away by the improvements that have been made. We’ll have to take his word for it for now, but hopefully I will find a way to get my hands on one of these monsters in the future to see for myself.
-Nick
Not much needs to be said. EVO Magazine’s Car of The Year battle is always epic. Just sit back and enjoy the videos.
-Nick
While driving around Pebble Beach during our first day of Monterey Car Week we decided to stop by The Inn at Spanish Bay. We were greeted by numerous exotics parked out front, but this bright purple Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe and bright red Ferrari F12 Berlinetta definitely stole to show. Enjoy the pics.
Continue reading Spotted! Rolls Royce Phantom DHC and Ferrari F12, Pebble Beach, CA
This Ferrari 333 SP was at the Festivals Of Speed event at Amelia Island last March. In the 1990s the 333 SP marked Ferrari’s return to sports car racing after around two decades absence. It competed in the prototype class, and while it never did too well at the 24hrs of Le Mans, it did see some decent success racing in America.
The 333 SP utilized a 4.0L V12 that was an enlarged version of the engine from Ferrari’s F92A Formula One car. It produced around 600hp in the 333 SP. Interestingly enough, Ferrari actually outsourced the chassis of this car to a manufacturer called Dallara, so you could say it is a sort of joint effort.
This is the first 333 SP I’ve seen in person. What an incredible machine it is!
Continue reading Amelia Island Festivals Of Speed: Ferrari 333 SP
Coachbuilt cars tend to attract a crowd. The name Isotta Fraschini is a well-known one inside the world of classic car connoisseurs, but not really known as well in the automotive public. This particularly pretty burgundy boat-tail coupe at Radnor Hunt is the first one I’ve gotten a good look at and I was very impressed. The brightwork looked great, the coachwork was full of great details and the car’s history offered a lot of information on just how famous this one is. Owned by a silent-film star actress by the name of Marguerite Clark and her aviation pioneer husband Harry Williams, this gorgeous convertible had only 22,000 original miles on the clock. It fully deserved its win at Radnor Hunt this year, and the owner, Peter Boyle, looked incredibly proud. Congrats to Mr. Boyle on your award-winning Isotta Fraschini, thank you for showing it at Radnor this year.
Continue reading Best in Show at Radnor Hunt, 2013: 1928 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Boattail Convertible Coupe by Lebaron
We saw this very rare Ferrari 599 SA Aperta on our walk into the Quail from the parking lot. For those who don’t know, the SA Aperta is basically a convertible version of the Ferrari 599 GTO of which they built just 80 examples. Enjoy.
-Nick
It would seem that Chris Harris’ popularity has made Ferrari rethink his blacklisted status as a journalist. Not only did they give him an F12 Berlinetta for this video, but they also threw in five sets of tires for him to shred. This is a fantastic review of the F12 Berlinetta, as we expect from Mr. Harris, as well as a healthy dosage of slidewayz car porn to drool over. The Drive Network does it again! Enjoy.
-Nick
We attended the Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance last weekend. As always it was a wonderful event with a fantastic turnout, and the Fall leaves beginning to turn just made the pictures that much better. I’ll let the photos from the event do the talking from here. Enjoy.
The Motorsports Reunion at the famed Laguna Seca racetrack in Monterey during Concours weekend is a place where the phrase “expect the unexpected” is more true than anywhere else in the car world. This is a place where it’s no surprise to see a older Formula One car, a Porsche Le Mans racer decked out in the classic orange Jagermeister livery, and a Trans-Am era Chevrolet Camaro in the same place. However, I wasn’t necessarily expecting to see a pristine Ferrari 250GT SWB in the paddock. Nonetheless, this bright yellow piece of Italian craftwork sat in the side of the paddock, sharing space with a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. Against the gray sky and flanked by a blue Porsche racer, calling it a standout would be a bit of an understatement. Enjoy the photos.
Continue reading 2013 Monterey Motorsports Reunion: Ferrari 250GT SWB
Apparently Chris needed some bread, so what better excuse is there to put on a fine white Italian suit, and go drift a Ferrari 512TR? Awesome video.
-Nick
Mind Over Motor 