Tag Archives: Sports Cars

2014 Infiniti Q60 IPL Convertible Reviewed (Grade: C)

August 1, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

When it comes to making a car more than the sum of its parts, luxury brands like Infiniti and Audi do a very strong job. The Q60, formerly known as the G37 Convertible, is one such example. Despite having been on the market since I got my driver’s license (which feels and is a long time ago at this point), they’re still selling it and people are still enjoying new ones as if they have had them for eons. The IPL model is supposed to be a hot version aimed at the older M3, which was the benchmark at the time. Nick and I both drove it, and I wrung it out around the streets of the Seventeen-Mile-Drive to find out what this svelte convertible was capable of. I got quite a few answers, some of which were expected, some of which were desired, and a few of which were not at all what I saw coming.

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Highlights from the 2014 River Edge Car Show

July 15, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

On Sunday, I attended the River Edge Classic Car Show in River Edge, NJ thanks to a tip from my aunt, who happens to live there. I was expecting this show to be another small neighborhood car show in a small town in Bergen County. To say the very least, I was completely and utterly wrong. Despite the rain all over New Jersey and the threatening, humid air hovering over the city park, the show went on and was a runaway success. Admission was free, food was reasonably priced, and the atmosphere was friendly and full of good vibes. All sorts of cars were welcome, from a gorgeous early 1930s Chevrolet sedan all the way up to a restored 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda, among many other fantastic cars. There were muscle cars, hot rods, offbeat classics, Mustangs, and even a Lotus Esprit V8. I was incredibly impressed at the variety and the caliber of cars on display out on the street on Sunday afternoon. The weather held up, everyone had a great time, and I even saw a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 that I’d judged in 2007 (more on that car in a future post). A great day was had. Enjoy the photos, everyone!

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Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2015 BMW M235i Reviewed (10/10)

July 11, 2014 ndubs77 6 Comments

Back in the 1980s, the BMW 3 Series really put BMW on the map. It drove like a sports car, but was a practical and economical for everyday use. Generation after generation, the 3 Series built up its reputation, but now it has grown in proportion so much that it isn’t really the same sort of car that it originally was. This is where the 2 Series comes into the equation, as a car that is much more the flavor of the first few generations of the 3 Series. If you want a new BMW that is more like the E30, E36, or E46 generation 3 Series, then the 2 Series may be the answer for you. Let’s have a look at the M235i, the top dog of the current 2 Series lineup.

The 2 Series is not the first BMW to undercut the 3 Series. The 2 Series comes to us as the direct replacement for the previous-gen 1 Series. BMW re-branded it as a 2 Series because a smaller, front-wheel drive model will be taking the 1 Series nameplate in the near future. I know this is all very confusing, and very trivial, but welcome to the auto industry where the bean counters have to find a way to make their superfluous jobs matter.

The BMW M235i is a fantastic sports car of the modern variety. What I mean by that is that it utilizes the best aspects of modern automotive technology, but that it also may leave some old-school driving purists wanting for more.

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CARS 101

How Fast Is “Fast?”

July 9, 2014 ndubs77 3 Comments

Porsche 918 Spyder Performance Specs — One of the fastest accelerating production cars on Earth.

I remember seeing an episode of Doctor Phil (don’t ask why) where he was scolding a kid for street racing. I remember the distinct moment where, in an excessively appalled tone, he said, “You went 100mph?!!!!” And my immediate reaction was that if I had a nickel for every time I’d done over 100mph, I’d be well on my way to saving up for a Ferrari.

The truth is that 100mph just isn’t all that fast, especially these days when every new car on sale can do it. Hell, even V6 Camrys and Accords are now pushing on the 300hp mark, and could surely top 140mph with any limiters removed. Those are just normal everyday cars, though, in a supercar, like a Lamborghini, 100mph comes in 2nd gear.

This begs the question of what “fast” really is. The answer will be entirely subjective, but let’s see if we can find some reasonable middle ground to define it.

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Car Shows

Classic European Cars at the Greenwich Concours

July 7, 2014 ndubs77 2 Comments

These are some of the classic European cars at the 2014 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. Everything from legendary sports and racing cars to iconic luxury cruisers were present, there was a great turnout.

Enjoy the gallery!

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Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate burnouts.

July 4, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

Hello everyone, and welcome to Independence Day. On this day in 1776, our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia to mark the birth of our great nation, the United States of America. And on this day in 2014, I would like to feature some of the best burnout pictures we have from the CF Charities Supercar Show last month in Warminster, Pennsylvania–just a stone’s throw from Philadelphia. The burnout may not be distinctly American, but few other automotive gestures are quite as fitting in this great nation as stepping up to the plate and spinning the rear tires into a pulp of rubber, smoke, and mayhem. These great citizens, some of which brought a few foreign cars (this cementing this American smoking institution as a great melting pot), were more than happy to show off their tire-shredding skills. Everything from a slightly crunchy BMW E36 coupe to a hard-boiled Ford F-350 dually packing a 7.3L PowerStroke turbo diesel V8 (with copious amounts of added diesel soot) took part, and much fun was had by all. Enjoy the photos, and happy Fourth of July. Continue reading Happy Birthday, America! Today, we celebrate burnouts. →

Car Shows

Highlights from The Elegance at Hershey 2014

June 23, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

We made it out to The Elegance at Hershey 2014 in Hershey, PA where Hershey’s chocolate is made. It is a great event at a wonderful venue, the five star Hershey Hotel. With beautiful gardens and fountains supplementing all of the stunning cars, it is surely a great place for photos.

There were many rare cars this year, everything from a French-market Cadillac built for the Rothschild family to the best-in-show winning Duesenberg “Mormon Meteor” Speedster. Enjoy the highlight gallery of the event and check back for features on some specific cars.

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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

The Ferrari that inspired the Ford Thunderbird

June 19, 2014 ndubs77 1 Comment

Here’s some fascinating automobile trivia for you. The inspiration for the legendary Ford Thunderbird (or T-Bird) came from a 1952 Ferrari Barchetta that was given to Henry Ford II by Enzo Ferrari. Yes, the two automakers had a long relationship before their famous falling out in the mid-1960s, which resulted in the Ford GT40. Just look at the styling of this one-off Ferrari Barchetta, especially the rear, and you will see the T-Bird in the making.

This one-off Ferrari currently resides in the Peterson Automotive Museum, and they let Jay Leno take it for a spin with his cameras rolling. Enjoy the sights and sounds of this machine that helped shape automotive history, because without this Ferrari, her daddy would’ve had to take away whatever else she was having fun, fun, fun with.

-Nick

Cars We've Driven, Exotic Supercars, Luxury Cars

Porsche 911 Carrera S Review, Al’s Take (Grade: B)

June 5, 2014 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

Porsche is one of those brands that hasn’t changed much, despite their appearances. The company may have a lot of great fans, but there are a lot of traditionalists too. This mix of fans is pretty eclectic, ranging from autocross nuts (who love their 944s), Sunday drivers (who could be driving anything from a 914 to a fire-breathing Turbo S), executives (to some, a 911 Carrera is a real symbol of success), to wealthy soccer moms (Cayennes). The traditionalists fume when you bring up the Cayenne or the Panamera and I know what they are all about–Porsche should be about sports cars, not everyday “boring” vehicles. Well, it doesn’t matter what Porsche makes, because they are a company that wants all of their product to have the same message. That message hasn’t changed since the birth of the company, which is that Porsches aren’t ever supposed to feel like a normal car. They should touch the soul, and reward the owner with dynamics and driving feel that excite the senses. I took out this 911 Carrera S around Amelia Island to find out how the flavor tastes in Porsche’s most familiar formula: RWD, a flat-six engine, and a rear axle with that engine hanging out behind it. I wasn’t disappointed.

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Auto Idolatry, Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1956 Ferrari Superamerica at the Amelia Island Concours, 2014

May 29, 2014 Albert S. Davis 1 Comment

Blue and white is a fetching color combination. On a Ferrari, it’s usually a great combination no matter what. The Superamerica series was a fantastic piece of artwork, with lines by Pininfarina, a Colombo V12 engine, and even a set of tail fins on this show car. This one has been featured at numerous Concours events over the past few years or so and is the show car from the 1956 Paris Motor Show. The distinctive blue and white two-tone finish has been painstakingly well-kept and in the bright sunlight of Amelia Island, this Ferrari Superamerica caught my eye over the course of the entire day. It didn’t hurt that this car stayed on the course until it was time for Nick and I to leave the show for the day. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1956 Ferrari Superamerica at the Amelia Island Concours, 2014 →

Cars We've Seen

Alpina BMW Z8 spotted in Carmel, CA

May 16, 2014 ndubs77 3 Comments

While out car-spotting during the insanity of Monterey Car Week, I came across this rare Alpina BMW Z8, also known as the “Alpina V8 Roadster.” Basically the Alpina version of the Z8 has been refocused into more of a boulevard cruiser instead of a hardcore M5 Roadster that the Z8 was originally supposed to be. Alpina Z8s only came with automatic transmissions, and the V8 engine was even detuned a little to 375hp.

This might sound lame, but it caters to a certain clientele. I certainly wouldn’t want this version over the standard Z8, myself, but BMW did manage to find 555 people worldwide who did. So what you get with the Alpina is a chilled-out version of the Z8 that is quite a rare bird. It certianly has its appeal.

Either way, this one managed to catch my eye in the midst of the madness in downtown Carmel, so I guess that says what needs to be said about this car’s appeal. Let us know how you like the Alpina Z8 in the comments.

-Nick

Car Shows

1967 Bizzarrini Spyder S.I. 5300 Targa at Hershey

May 5, 2014 ndubs77 2 Comments

This gorgeous 1967 Bizzarrini Spyder S.I. 5300 Targa was present for The Elegance At Hershey last Summer. It is one of just three Bizzarrini Spyders built, and the second I’ve been lucky enough to lay eyes on in person. I saw the 5300 Spyder Prototipo at the Concours d’Elegance of America in Michigan back in 2012.

Another result of Enzo Ferrari pissing people off, these Bizzarrinis are breathtaking automobiles that utilized the knowhow of one of the foremost automotive engineers of the era, Giotto Bizzarrini. Before founding the company bearing his name, Giotto Bizzarini masterminded the Ferrari 250 GTO and designed the Lamborghini V12 that was in use until 2011.

These Bizzarrini 5300s were serious performers of their day. When a Ferrari 275 GTB had a 330hp, these Bizzarrinis made use of a 420hp V8 sourced from the Corvette Stingray. This is Italian and American work in perfect harmony. Enjoy the photos.

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