Tag Archives: Sports Cars

Opinions

Okay, fine! The Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ Are Mediocre

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Subaru BRZ

Yea that’s right, people, I’m saying it! Toyota and Subaru’s supposed christchild of a sports car is actually pretty meh, and sales are dropping off. Here’s why…

So Much Hype

The GT86 may well be the most over-hyped car in recent memory. In reality, people liked the idea of the car more than the actual car itself. And because they wanted more companies to make cars like it, everyone raved about the GT86.

I really liked the manual FR-S when I drove it, and I hated the automatic. The reason comes down to the fact that all the FR-S really has going for it are its wonderful driving dynamics. In many respects it actually does feel like a Porsche Cayman, and that’s awesome! But when you remove the manual gearbox from the FR-S or BRZ, then you remove most of the driving engagement. That leaves the car’s more mediocre aspects completely exposed, and in my opinion, ruins it entirely.

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Car Shows

A Raspberry Mercedes 300SL Roadster at the Gooding & Company Auction

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Mercedes Benz 300SL Roadster at Gooding & Company Pebble Beach

I’ve seen a fair number of Mercedes 300SLs in my time, but this one has to be my favorite, by far. It’s color is not red, it’s color is not pink, its color is raspberry! It also has a rich tan interior with a bright white steering wheel, in true 300SL form.

I walked into the Gooding & Company Auction display at Pebble Beach to this stunning automobile sitting right in front of me, and my jaw crashed through the floor. A car like a 300SL is supposed to make a statement, and this raspberry example is anything but subtle. It looks incredible today as a classic, but just imagine how it looked back in the 1950s. Back then the Mercedes 300SL was the fastest road car in the world, with a top speed cracking 150mph. The glamour is almost unfathomable!

The appeal of this magnificent 300SL Roadster has clearly only grown over the years. Looking at it that day, I would’ve considered bartering my very soul for it. But even so, I’m not sure that would’ve covered the $1.7 Million that this thing dropped the hammer at.

One more thing to dream about, I guess…

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Cars We've Seen

VW Karmann Ghia Convertible Spotted in Carmel, CA

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VW Karmann Ghia Convertible Front VW Karmann Ghia Convertible Rear

We saw this beautiful VW Karmann Ghia Convertible cruising the streets of Carmel during Monterey Car Week. What a stunning color combo!

-Nick

Car Games

Santa’s 12 Cars Of Christmas Game

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Santa Car
Happy Holidays to everyone!
To celebrate, we are going to play a little game. Santa is going to give you 12 cars, any 12 cars you can think of, but there’s a catch. You must keep these 12 cars for the rest of your life. You cannot sell them, and you cant buy other cars ever again. So these 12 vehicles will need to cover every task you want to do in your life. But the good news is that Santa will enchant each of the cars so that they will never break down or need any maintenance (other than refueling).
So what 12 cars would you pick?
Our answers are below. Feel free to post yours in the comments!

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Porsche 959 at the 2014 Scarsdale Concours

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Porsche 959 Front Angle

When anyone wants to find the origin of where modern supercars came from, the Porsche 959 is not just a great place to start looking. It is the only place to start looking. In 1985, when Porsche put the 959 on the market, most of its technical equipment wouldn’t have been out of place 25 years later. All-wheel drive, traction control, adjustable ride height, and twin-turbocharged propulsion were all on the standard features list, and almost all of those features can be found on today’s 911 in some way, shape, or form. It was a groundbreaking car not only for Porsche, but for the entire automobile industry–and it was so good that Porsche didn’t lend the NHTSA examples for crash testing, so the Reagan administration disallowed its legal sale in the United States. Luckily for us, it’s been 25 years since then, and the 959 is now fully legal on our shores without having to go through the Show and Display Act proceedings of years prior. Only 337 of these were made, and I’ve seen 3 or 4 of them since 2011, although this was the first one I’ve seen in silver in some time. In the sunlight of Scarsdale, NY, this 959’s time had come to shine for the public. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Porsche 959 at the 2014 Scarsdale Concours →

Auto Idolatry

Chris Harris Tests The Mercedes AMG GT-S

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Mercedes’ AMG GT looks like it’s going to be “the” car to have in its segment, yes, even over a Porsche 911, save maybe for a GT3.

Enjoy!

-Nick

Opinions

Cars That Should Be Made: Mazdaspeed Miata

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2016 Mazda MX5 Miata

We all know Mazda recently unveiled their new MX-5 Miata to the world. In short, it looks fantastic and it is over 200lbs lighter than the current NC-generation Miata. All should seem right with the world, but what about those of us who yearn for a faster Miata, something that will really set our trousers ablaze?

The standard Miata is a great little thing. Made out of sheer joy, the the Miata’s best trait is probably the simplicity of its experience. I wouldn’t for a single instant suggest that Mazda should change the basic Miata, no. But that doesn’t mean they cannot offer a hotter version under the Mazdaspeed nameplate.

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Cars We've Seen

Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder spotted at Pebble Beach, CA

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Ferrari 365 GTS:4 Front Left

When walking around Pebble Beach during Monterey Car Week, anything and everything is possible. This includes simply showing up at the Lodge to check in for the weekend and pick up some media passes, walking downstairs to check out the area, and finding ourselves face to face with one of the showstoppers of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Ferrari’s 365 GTB/4 was the last front-engine, V12 flagship the company produced until the 550 Maranello launched in 1996, a full 20+ years after the end of the 365’s production. Both the hardtop and the convertible (pictured here) are some of the best examples of what the late Sixties had to offer the public in terms of pure exotic flash, and even today they are highly sought after. Only 122 Spyders were produced by Ferrari between 1971 and 1973, as compared to 1,024 berlinettas. Nick and I spent a long period of time just gaping at this little red number and the time felt well-spent. This was the first car we spotted in Pebble during our time there, and it was a terrific way to kick off the festivities. Enjoy the photos, and from both Nick and myself here at Mind Over Motor, we would like to wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving holiday. Continue reading Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder spotted at Pebble Beach, CA →

Cars We've Seen

Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce spotted in Carmel, CA

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Alfa Romeo 1750GT Front Angle

Alfa Romeos are always welcome in the sun-kissed, blessed land of California. Carmel is full of fantastic cars, and this wasn’t the first Alfa I saw that caught my attention, the other being another Guila (a 1300 Junior Zagato just downhill from this intersection). This navy blue example was fighting for attention among Vipers, 458 Italias, 599s, and the odd Lamborghini Gallardo, but I don’t need a classic like this little number to fight–it had my attention immediately. The dark blue finish stood out starkly from the gray pavement and drab rental cars surrounding it during Monterey Car Week. The little lines and gorgeous headlights accentuate this particular car’s finish. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce spotted in Carmel, CA →

Automotive Lifestyle, Car Games

Our Picks, the $40,000 question

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In today’s market, $40,000 marks a sort of barrier between “normal” cars and “luxury” cars. You can basically find any sort of car for under $40 grand, so it can be argued that nobody needs to spend more than that unless they’re interested in fluff. It is a realistic budget for many middle class Americans, and that is why we have chosen to kick off our new “Our Picks” segment with it.

We will give our picks for two $40,000 budget scenarios, one as an only car, and the other as a second car. We will also give our second choices for each. Keep in mind, this is how we would spend our own money, with our rather discerning tastes in cars, and not necessarily our recommendations for more average buyers.

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Opinions

Why would you buy a new Porsche 911?

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Porsche 911 Carrera with options

In every segment there seems to be one car that sets the bar, the standard by which every other car like it is judged. For the white-collar sports car enthusiast it has long been the Porsche 911. For thinking buyers, however, that may no longer be the case.

I’m not going to complain about the 911 in the way most Porsche purists do, I’m fine with the electric steering, I’m fine with it being water cooled, and I’m even fine with it gaining some size. My gripe really only concerns what buyers get for the price. The car itself is fantastic, but now you’re paying a lot more money for something that really hasn’t changed all that much over the years.

Frankly, the Porsche 911 has become boring and cliche. They don’t even turn too many heads anymore because it feels like there’s a 911 everywhere you look. Maybe it’s the fault of the Cayenne and Panamera for making the Porsche brand more commonplace, or maybe it’s the fact that so many people have bought 911s because it is such a great car. Either way, though, the basic 911 just doesn’t seem worth the kind of money Porsche is asking these days.

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1957 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet at the Bonhams 2014 Quail Lodge Auction

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White Bonhams Ferrari Front Angle

White and Ferrari sometimes goes really well together, and other times doesn’t. Luckily for us all, this time, it goes incredibly well together. Clearly, it goes so well together, someone was willing to pay more than fifteen times as much my parents’ house’s worth in northern New Jersey for this magnificent convertible 250. Only 40 of the Series 1 Cabriolets were made, and this one, chassis 0759-GT, is the eighth one out of the factory and was featured at the Turin Auto Show in 1957. It made its way initially to Venezuela, but eventually was added to the Maranello Rosso collection (a feature at the Bonhams auction this year at The Quail) in 1991. The final sale price was a cool $6.9 million dollars–quite a sum for a non-California Spyder droptop 250, but a price well-paid. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet at the Bonhams 2014 Quail Lodge Auction →