I attended the Bucks County Exotics meet this past weekend with my friend, Rich. It is a “cars and coffee” style event, and often times there is a cruise afterward for those who wish to partake. This time around, the route took us through many of the scenic covered bridges in Bucks County, PA. The turnout at the meet was phenomenal, and the cruise was a great time (and no speeding tickets to boot). Surely this is one of the better ways to spend a Saturday morning. Enjoy the photos.
Drive’s Chris Harris gets his hands on the new Alfa Romeo 4C. Americans should be excited because we are FINALLY getting a new Alfa!!!
-Nick
When attending Monterey Car Week, seeing incredible cars is a given. However, some cars are incredible amongst the incredible, and those are the cars you really want to see. This time around, I really wanted to finally see a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spyder, my favorite classic Ferrari, yes, even more than a 250 GTO. I had heard about the red 275 NART Spyder that was going up for auction, so I figured that would be the one I’d get to see.
As circumstance turned out, we arrived at Pebble Beach to pick up our press credentials right as the Tour d’Elegance was rolling by the Lodge. To my amazement, a blue 275 NART Spyder was among the grand parade, and it served as the welcoming party for what was to be an incredible weekend.
Continue reading 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance: Ferrari 275 GTB/4 NART Spyder
Las Vegas is a strange place. It was quite hot outside when I arrived at the track on July 5, during the tail-end of a massive heat wave in the vicinity. I was already sweating after just a few minutes in the 100+ degree heat. After signing in and attending the driver’s meeting, I chose this Aston Martin as my second car after some time in a Mercedes SLS AMG. After climbing out of the SLS, the sweat was replaced by a feeling of confidence.
I drove a total of four different cars on this track that morning, and of them, this Aston was by and large the most surprising. I didn’t know what to expect, with this Vantage S being my first ever Aston Martin, but after I climbed out of the hot seat, I realized that this entry into Aston’s lineup is a lot better than people might think.
Continue reading Test Driven: Aston Martin V8 Vantage S, Al’s Take (GRADE: B)
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.
The Ferrari 275 GTB is my favorite variant of classic Ferrari road car. the 250 cars were obviously fantastic, but with the 275 I feel like Ferrari road cars were starting to truly come into their own. Keep in mind that Enzo Ferrari didn’t really care for road cars, and only saw them as a means to fund his racing efforts. In my opinion, the 275 GTB stands as the true precursor to the Ferrari Grand Touring cars we know and love today. The likes of the current F12 Berlinetta, all the way back through the 599, Maranello and 365 Daytona can all trace their lineage as road-specific GT cars back to the 275.
The car you see here is a series two coupe with a two-cam V12. The four-cam version of Ferrari’s 3.3L Colombo V12 would come out in 1966 in the 275 GTB/4. The two-cam V12 made around 280hp compared to the four-cam’s 300hp, but either 275’s performance is still impressive today, capable of speeds in excess of 160mph.
This particular car, fitted with an alloy body, caught my eye among the three or four other 275 GTBs at this year’s 2013 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. The reason was its stunning and uncommon color scheme. The stereotypical Ferrari is red with a tan interior, whereas this 275 was a gorgeous teal-green with red leather inside. It just took my breath away.
I really love when cars are adorned in uncommon colors because it makes them more interesting to look at. Seeing my favorite type of classic Ferrari in such an uncommon specification really made this year’s Greenwich Concours that much more special. I hope you all enjoy this car as much as I do.
Continue reading 2013 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance: 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Alloy
Ferraris produced before the 250 are not something I’m very well-versed in, because for some reason, they aren’t as prevalent as the later models. Yet, here was one, a 212 Inter, in a stunning sea-blue color at the Elegance at Hershey last month. While Nick got busy shooting the Bizzarrini Spyder a few yards behind, I got busy shooting this and took a few steps back to admire its classy styling and stunning condition. I’ve only seen one other 212, during Concours Weekend in 2011 over in Monterey. Suffice it to say, I think I like this one more thanks to its 1950s-esque colors and the backdrop that accompanied the car. Enjoy the photos.
Continue reading The Elegance at Hershey: 1953 Ferrari 212 Inter Coupe Pinin Farina
This is meant to be a simple post. I saw this beautiful Alfa Romeo Montreal at the Newtown Classic Car Show this past weekend. Just take in its beauty.
Continue reading Newtown Classic Car Show: Alfa Romeo Montreal
This fascinating video from Drive shows the efforts Aston Martin is willing to go through to preserve its historical cars for customers. Definitely worth 14 minutes of your time to watch. Enjoy.
-Nick
Recently we attended a Porsche Club of America meet in Mendham, NJ. It was a nice evening and some fantastic cars showed up. I was able to take my dad’s 996 Carrera, and I had a nice drive up with some family friends in their bright blue 914. Enjoy the photos.
I recently had the opportunity to do a quick drive in Jaguar’s new F-Type. Jaguar held a driving event in Philadelphia where they set up an autocross course in the parking lot of the Phillies’ stadium. Though it was only a quick, but intense, experience, I did get to sample both the V6S and V8S models from the F-Type range.
Timing was down to the wire, as there was a massive thunderstorm bearing down on us, and by the time I did my runs, it had already begun to rain. This article will serve as a quick first impression take on the new F-Types, and hopefully I will get a chance to drive them for longer in the coming months.
Continue reading First Impression: Jaguar F-Type V6S and V8S
The essence of the Porsche 911 hasn’t changed all that much over the years, and when something does change it usually stirs up controversy. The car you see here is my Dad’s 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera (996 generation), and it marks one of the most drastic inflection points in the 911’s history: the switch from air-cooling to water-cooling. Here in 2013, early 996s haven’t had the most love from collectors, and their value has fallen far more than most 911s. That said this is still a Porsche, and Porsche doesn’t make bad cars. I have driven many Porsches, ranging from a Cayenne V6 to the mighty 997 Turbo S. All of them have been extremely entertaining within their own context, and my dad’s car is far from an exception.
Continue reading Road Review: 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera (9.5/10)
Mind Over Motor 