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Filed under: Classics, Auctions, Ferrari
1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta - Click above for high-res image gallery
While the iconic 250 series of 1960s-era Ferraris - including the GTO, California Spyder and Testa Rossa - continue to break records at auction, the models that followed are quickly catching up, as those who lusted after them in their wonder years are coming up with the cash to acquire them today. As with any great collector cars, the more perfect and more rare the specimen, the more it'll fetch at auction.
Case in point, three classic Ferraris hovering around the 40-year-old mark each sold for seven figures last week at the RM Auctions Amelia Island event in Florida. One example, a rare Daytona Spyder once owned by Edsel Ford II, brought in $1,017,500 - safely inside the $1-1.25 million estimate range. Another, an alloy-bodied 275 GTB/4 in stunning copper, which was purchased new by Luigi Chinetti and displayed at the 1967 New York Auto Show, went for $1,265,000 - a little short of its estimate. It was bested, however, by a meticulously-restored, concours-winning 275 that greatly exceeded its estimate with a $1,650,000 winning bid.
Along with the headline-catching Duesenbergs, these classic cavallinos helped RM achieve an 88% sale rate at Amelia Island, accounting for over $19 million in sales. Further details in the press release after the jump.
Gallery: 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder, ex-Edsel Ford II
Gallery: 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Alloy Berlinetta, ex-Luigi Chinetti
Gallery: 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta
[Source: RM Auctions]
Continue reading 3 classic Ferraris break the million-dollar mark at Amelia Island
3 classic Ferraris break the million-dollar mark at Amelia Island originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Performance, Europe, Motorcycle, Rumormill
2010 MV Agusta F4 - Click above for high-res photo gallery
You can't breathe a word about Harley-Davidson these days without being swirled into the rumormill. Even the financial analysts have chimed in to speculate about a possible buyout. The official news traveled fast regarding the corking of the Buell bottle, but that still leaves the better-looking Italian cousin. What will become of MV Agusta?
Word on the street indicates that Harley may be in talks with a few different - and equally interesting, we might add - buyers, the first of which is Paul Berlusconi, brother of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. For a brand that couldn't be more quintessentially Italian, an MV/Berlusconi marriage seems rather appropriate, or adatto as they may say it in Italy.
The buyer behind door number two is where things get more exciting. Rumor has it that BMW has shown serious interest in MV Agusta.
Can we get confirmation from either party? Of course not, but stay tuned for updates as this story develops. Either way, we hope to see MV Agusta on two wheels (or, you know... sometimes just one) for years to come.
Gallery: 2010 MV Agusta F4
[Source: Motociclismo.it]
Going Once, Going Twice: Do we hear any bids for MV Agusta? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Motorsports, Acura, Audi, Chevrolet, Porsche, Ferrari, Peugeot, Diesel, Racing
2010 12 Hours of Sebring - Click above for high-res image gallery
The first of nine races that comprise the 2010 American Le Mans Series is now in the history books, as the 12 Hours of Sebring came to a conclusion under the cover of darkness Saturday night. For those of you who still have the race on your DVRs, you can come back here later. For the rest of you, read on to find out who got a jump on the rest of the ALMS field.
Gallery: 2010 12 Hours of Sebring
Continue reading 2010 24 Hours of Sebring goes into the books [SPOILER ALERT]
2010 24 Hours of Sebring goes into the books [SPOILER ALERT] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Motorsports, Volkswagen
Williams is intent on bringing another major automaker into Formula 1, but which will get the call? Volkswagen has toyed with the idea of entering F1 for some time. The German auto giant is one of the largest carmakers never to participate in the sport, notwithstanding Porsche and Lamborghini, which have in the past and which have since fallen under the VW umbrella. The latest reports suggest that if costs continue to drop and stability is restored, Volkswagen could field an entry - in some form or another - by 2013. Questions remain over which of its many brands and divisions VW would choose to promote through its participation, and whether it'd opt for a full-on factory team (like Ferrari, Renault or Mercedes-Benz) or instead develop and supply engines to existing teams (as Cosworth currently does).
Williams, for its part, is very interested in partnering with Volkswagen, should it join the grid in 2013. How interested? Autocar reports that could Williams could be interested in selling its F1 team wholesale to Volkswagen, much as Sauber did to BMW (Williams' old partner, which has since left the sport entirely) and Brawn has to Mercedes-Benz. Williams F1 team principals Frank Williams and Patrick Head have already offloaded part of the team to Austrian investor Toto Wolff, and Autocar quotes Williams as saying to Germany's Bild, "We are stronger with a manufacturer than as a private team."
[Source: Autocar]
Williams courting Volkswagen into Formula One? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Coupe, Performance
McLaren MP4-12C - Click above for high-res image gallery
Gordon Murray is perhaps the most innovative automotive engineer of the last several decades. He's never been afraid to try out offbeat ideas and more often then not, they've worked exceptionally well. Long before the Ariel Atom, Murray created the Rocket, built by the Light Car Company. Murray's greatest creation, of course, was the McLaren F1. As with the Rocket and the T25 city car that he's currently working on, low mass was (and continues to be) a defining principle.
Following the official launch of McLaren Automotive and the MP4-12C a few days ago, Murray discussed the new car with AutoExpress. He's glad to see that in spite of recent trends toward heavier cars, McLaren was able to keep mass comparatively low on its new car. The MP4-12C is several hundred pounds heavier than the legendary F1, but it also contains a lot of safety equipment that wasn't in use when the earlier car was built.
Murray is also happy to see that McLaren employed some of the concepts that he worked on before he left the company, such as the carbon-fiber monocoque that was planned for a follow-up to the Mercedes-Benz SLR.
Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C
[Source: AutoExpress]
Gordon Murray shares his thoughts on the McLaren MP4-12C originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Motorsports, Jaguar, Racing
Unfortunately for Jaguar, the only XKR to make it to the finish of the 2010 12 Hours of Sebring was the green and black pace car. Sebring was to have been the full-season competition debut for the new JaguarRSR XKR GT2, but it looks like team has a lot more work to do before the car's a potential race winner. After consistently running near the bottom of the GT2 class time charts in practice and qualifying, the race proved to be the icing on a stale cake.
Less than an hour into the 12-hour enduro, the XKR pulled into the pits with team principal Paul Gentilozzi only having completed 11 laps. It's been reported that one of the cylinder heads on the 5.0-liter V8 cracked, an issue that couldn't be resolved in the pits or paddock in time to get the car back in the race. Hopefully, the team will take the lessons of Sebring and be able to implement some changes before the next event at Long Beach in four weeks. It'd be great to see the Jag in contention with the Ferraris, Porsches and Corvettes.
[Source: JaguarRSR]
Continue reading Sebring 2010: Bad start for Jaguar as XKR goes out in first hour
Sebring 2010: Bad start for Jaguar as XKR goes out in first hour originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Car Buying, Convertible, Minivan/Van, Sedan, SUV, Truck, Etc., Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, GM, GMC, Mazda, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Pontiac, Saab
Eight vehicles you can still buy new - Click above for high-res image gallery
Was your heart crushed when vehicles like the Mercury Sable, Pontiac Grand Prix or Dodge Durango got the axe? Well, fear not - these hot little numbers (and many more!) are still available from dealerships all across the country.
Automobile magazine has detailed a list of eight cars that are still on sale - brand new - even though they aren't 2010 models. And while these vehicles don't necessarily represent the sexiest cars currently sitting on dealer lots, it's probably safe to assume that they're all being offered with substantial incentive packages, not to mention full warranties (we hope).
Click through the gallery below to see high-res shots of all eight rides, and head over to Automobile to read the full details.
Gallery: Eight Vehicles You Can Still Buy New
[Source: Automobile]
Eight vehicles you can still buy new... seriously originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Motorsports, BMW, Racing
The #90 BMW M3 GT2 - Click above to watch video after the jump
The last 24 hours have been tough for Dirk MÏ‹ller, one of the drivers of the BMW M3 GT2 in the American Le Mans Series. After setting the fastest GT2 time in qualifying on Friday for today's 12 Hours of Sebring, his time was disallowed because of an issue with his car during tech inspection. That meant the #90 car was pushed down to the 13th spot on the GT2 grid. To make matters worse, the #90 M3 smacked a wall during the morning warmup and missed the recon laps before the race.
As a result, MÏ‹ller had to start the race from the pits after all the other cars pulled away. He spent the opening laps making his way through the crowd of GT Challenge Porsches before tackling the GT2 field. By the time hour one was over and he came in for the first pit stop, MÏ‹ller was running fourth in GT2. Check out the video after the jump.
[Source: BMW]
Continue reading Video: Sebring 2010: BMW's Dirk MÏ‹ller talks about hour 1
Video: Sebring 2010: BMW's Dirk MÏ‹ller talks about hour 1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Lotus
Bruce Rice with his new Lotus Evora
2010 is big for Lotus, as the new Evora has it its first full year of production and the legendary marque returns to both Formula One and Indianapolis. On the road car front, the first customer Evora in the United States was delivered to its new owner this week. Bruce Rice of Austin, TX got the keys to his bright red Evora at John Eagle European (also in Austin).
Lotus calls the Evora the world's only four-seat mid-engined sports car, but those rear seats are really only theoretical. Nonetheless, being fans of the Lotus design philosophy of adding "lightness" we can't wait for our own stint behind the wheel of Hethel's first new product in over a decade - especially in a car that's not as snug as the Exige.
[Source: Lotus]
Continue reading First Lotus Evora delivered to an American customer
First Lotus Evora delivered to an American customer originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Etc.
Virtually every driver will, at some point, get that sinking feeling that comes when your car doesn't start. Digging out a set of jumper cables to boost a battery is a rite of passage. Jump-starting a car can be a slightly tricky process, though. The positive and negative terminals of the booster and "boostee" need to be connected properly or the battery can be blown up. Which is, you know, sub-optimal. Over the past decade, a number of devices have come out to help ease the battery-jumping process, including portable booster batteries and even jumper cables that plug into a 12V outlet inside the car. Those plug-in cables will never be connected with reverse polarity, but they might not be able to carry enough current to actually crank your engine.
Enter the Michelin Smart Jumper Cable. Instead of the usual color-coded clamps for your battery's positive and negative terminals, the cables are all Michelin blue. Halfway down the cable is a box of electronic smarts. Just put one clamp on the positive terminal of the battery and the other on any piece of bare metal and the electronics will detect whether you've made a complete circuit and illuminate an LED on the central box. When the second battery is connected, the electronics automatically determine the polarity and switch it as needed. A set of these smart jumper cables runs about $30 to $40.
[Source: Daily Giz Wiz, Michelin]
Continue reading Never blow up your battery with Michelin Smart Jumper Cables
Never blow up your battery with Michelin Smart Jumper Cables originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Motorsports, Acura, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Racing
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) held a press conference Friday morning before qualifying for this weekend's 12 Hours of Sebring to announce an expansion of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. When it was first announced late in 2009, the three-race championship was only going to apply to the top LMP1 class. The new championship will now apply to all four main classes: LMP1, LMP2, GT1 and GT2.
The cup will be based on results from Le Mans series races in Europe, the United States and Asia. The European and American rounds will be the Silverstone and Petit Le Mans races, with the Asian event likely to be held in Shanghai. For each of the classes to be considered part of the cup, at least four cars will have to be entered. So far in P1, Audi and Drayson racing have committed. Peugeot has not yet decided whether to go to PLM or Asia.
After Le Mans, Peugeot plans to focus on development of its all-new 2011 car and may skip the remainder of the 2010 races. In spite of reduced restrictor sizes and boost, the Peugeots still managed to capture the top to starting positions for Saturday's race. The Highcroft Acura grabbed the LMP2 pole while Gunnar Jeannette got the LMP Challenge pole. In GT2, the Flying Lizard Porsche of Jörg Bergmeister had the fastest time after Dirk MÏ‹ller's was disallowed due to a problem with his BMW.
Gallery: 2010 Sebring Qualifying
[Source: American Le Mans Series]
Continue reading Intercontinental Le Mans Cup expanded to LMP2 and GT classes
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup expanded to LMP2 and GT classes originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Budget, SUV, Recalls, Off-Road, South Korea, Daihatsu
Stop the presses! While the rest of the world has been yanking its hair out over that little dustup at Toyota, some actual recall news has been slipping through the cracks. For example, did you know that 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavors are having salted road issues that lead to fuel leaks? Or that 2005 Honda Odysseys have bad liftgate struts? Tsk, tsk. However, all that pales in comparison to the following paragraph.
Turns out, that the check valve in the fuel vapor evaporative emissions control system of 1990-1992 Daihatsu Rockys might crack, causing fumes to fill the cabin. Gasoline fumes inside your Rocky's cabin are bad (think fire, explosions), especially if you smoke. Of course, if you own a convertible Rocky, this won't be too much of an issue. Still, might as well take advantage of this NHTSA recall at your local Daihatsu dealer. Wherever that might be.
Also, in case you've been worried sick about it, there are no recalls for the Toyota Starlet. Phew!
[Source: NHTSA | Image: Wikimedia Commons]
Recall: 1990-1992 Daihatsu Rocky has check valve issues originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Etc., Government/Legal, Lamborghini, UK
Initially, authorities in England charged Glenn Knowles and Richard Mant with trying to defraud their insurance company. The pair of men co-own a Lamborghini, or at least they did, until Knowles misplaced it during a night of binge drinking. Prosecutors weren't buying the story that Mr. Knowles took the car and then drank until he erased his mind as a way of coping with a bad time in his personal life.
The matter went to trial, and after six days, a jury conceded that it didn't seem like fraud, ultimately acquitting the pair. It's not the first time Knowles has lost a car. He once tucked a Mercedes behind a nightclub so well that it took a deep search to find it. This time, the Lamborghini seriously cannot be found, despite having a tracking system installed. Mitigating the charges of fraud are the long history of high-end car ownership by the two men, and their ability to keep making payments. So, despite the nutty insurance claim, it didn't strike the jury that this was an attempt to bilk the company. Perhaps, even though exonerated, Mr. Knowles might do well to be sentenced to a period of walking. Then, he'll only have to worry about losing a shoe.
[Source: Telegraph.co.uk]
Report: UK man claims he lost Lamborghini while drunk, beats insurance fraud charges originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: SUV, Etc., Jeep, Toys/Games
Rugged Ridge's Pinewood Derby Jeep CJ8 - Click above to enlarge
While some of us have never tried to fashion a Pinewood Derby racer out of a block of wood, the chances of such an endeavor turning out half as well as the work of art that is the Rugged Ridge Jeep CJ8 is next to nothing.
The Jeep Scrambler is a classic, and this wooden Derby version is impressively accurate, right down to fender flares, mirrors, off-road lights, jerry can, Hi Lift Jack, tube steps and spare tire carrier - all hewn from a single block of pine.
While we're not experts on the subject, we imagine the scale Jeep's aerodynamics are about as good as the real thing - which is to say, pretty darn bad. Still, the Pinewood Derby Jeep CJ8 managed to snag a third place finish in its racing debut. Nicely done!
[Source: Rugged Ridge]
Pinewood Derby Jeep deserves a merit badge of excellence originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Motorsports, Videos, Chevrolet, Porsche, Racing
Click above to view the video after the jump
The 58th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring is set to begin tomorrow at 10:30 AM, and with Audi out and Peugeot already dominating the LMP class in the qualifying sessions, the attention turns to the ALMS GT cars - specially the Porsche and Corvette teams.
The rivalry between the Flying Lizards and the Corvette C6.Rs has been stoked (even further) by Chevrolet's new racing webisodes, and after last year's final lap at Laguna Seca, the GT-class feuding is sure to make for some great racing.
After the jump you'll find a video documenting the Lizard's practice session yesterday, including Hans Herrman - the winner of the 1960 race - taking a lap around Sebring in a immaculate Porsche RS 60 Spyder. If you're planning to tune in tomorrow, you can download Andy Blackmore's stellar spotter's guide in all its high-res glory here and read our breakdown of this year's season here.
Gallery: 2010 ALMS Corvette C6.R
Continue reading Video: Porsche vs. Corvette prequel at the 12 Hours of Sebring
Video: Porsche vs. Corvette prequel at the 12 Hours of Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The Q5 from Audi has been available on the German market since November 2008. Since then it has extremely successfully cast a spell over the Compact SUV fans and also vehicle finishers are adding their own mark to the popular five-door model. Enco Exclusive shows probably the most impressive Q5 interpretation to date.
The new ex-works 500 E-class coupé is in itself not underpowered. With 388 PS and 530 Nm torque it's the currently most powerful production model coupé that the company can offer its customers. However, those who like it a touch more dynamic can find what they want with the traditional refiner Kicherer in Stockach.
Kourosh Mansory puts a designer piece on wheels. Together with celebrity fashion designer Philipp Plein, the automobile refiner MANSORY turns the Mercedes-Benz G-class into a luxury vehicle.
Beautiful women and hot cars. Men's dreams. At the 80. Geneva MotorShow there were even more of them than the years before. And ofcourse most of them were to find at the stnds of the Italian car makers. Less girls - but mostly more exotics - were to befound with the smaller exotic manufacturers.
Bavarian tuning specialist MANSORY presented modified version of Aston Martin DBS with carbon body at Geneva Motor Show.
The Aston Martin Cygnet Concept is a bold step towards a new form of transportation; the luxury commuter car, a form of personal transportation that sees the company's core values engage with a new environment.
On the occasion of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the “Frecce Tricolori”, Pagani Automobili created the Zonda Tricolore as a tribute to the National Aerobatic Team.
SEAT unveiled the IBE Concept at the Geneva Motor Show, a compact, sporty, urban vehicle equipped with an all-electric powertrain packaged with a fascinating design statement that shapes the silhouette of future company models. The Geneva event also witnessed the presentation of the new compact Ibiza estate version that will go on sale before next summer.
A large programme for the “little“ Rolls Royce. Automobile refiner Kourosh Mansory offers a breathtaking individualisation for the Rolls Royce Ghost.
The multi-award winning Lotus Evora provides the basis of the stunning carbon design concept unveiled at the 80th Geneva Motorshow. The car boasts a stylish carbon fibre, leather and alcantara interior, aggressive carbon diffuser and an evocative high tech composite body.
Compared with the already lean Gallardo LP 560-4, the weight of the Gallardo Superleggera has been trimmed by 70 kilograms (154 lb). The super sportscar from SantAgata Bolognese boasts a dry weight of no more than 1340 kilograms (2954 lb) - the lightest road-going model in Lamborghinis range.
Porsche presents a high-performance mid-engined concept sports car with ultra-efficient, low-emission drive technology. With the release of the 918 Spyder, the company is further increasing its competence in hybrid technology.
One year on from the launch of the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. will be exhibiting two customised Grand Sport models at the Geneva International Motor Show 2010.
Through the Peugeot SR1, the Marque reveals the stylistic design trends for its future models. The concept car embodies the new world of Peugeot, refl ected by the new Lion badge which adorns its body.
Mr Christian von Koenigsegg, CEO and founder, presents the World Premiere of the Koenigsegg Agera.