Automotive News

Filed under: Convertibles, Etc., Chrysler

Click Bob Nardelli’s Prowler to see a selection of the others at the party

When Robert Nardelli was named the new CEO of the new Chrysler Group a couple of weeks ago, his apparent lack of car credentials had a lot of people concerned. However, earlier this week there was a faint ray of hope as Chrysler played host to the tenth birthday party for the late Plymouth Prowler. Among the 175 Prowler owners on hand was Nardelli with the 2001 Black Tie Edition that he bought new. Maybe the critics were mistaken, but time will surely tell.

[Source: Chrysler]

 

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Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertibles, BMW

On the heels of the news that production of the next generation BMW Z4 would shift to Germany, MotorAuthority has produced a rendering of what that new version might look like. The new roadster is expected to grow and move upmarket as it gains a retractable hard top that should consume what little luggage space it has now.

The new Z4 should add the new twin-turbo six cylinder from the 335i to the standard model while the next M Roadster may pick up the four-liter V8 from the new M3. As for the styling, the new roadster is likely to adopt some design cues from the CS four door coupe concept that debuted last spring at the Shanghai Motor Show. That will mean a cleaned up, more subdued version of the Bangle surface development of the current model, with a more aggressive front fascia.

[Source: MotorAuthority]

 

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Filed under: Sports/GTs, Auction Action, Supercars, Mercedes Benz, Ferrari

This year’s RM Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction will take place on Friday and Saturday. Similar to our experience at Russo & Steele, we got some pics of a few of the top draws while the cars were being unloaded at the venue. In the case of the RM offerings, we stumbled across some real stunners. As soon as we got there we saw their 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster with Mayfair bodywork. It should go for at least $2.5 mil. We also spotted a Lotus open-wheeler, Shelby Cobra 427, Ferrari 275 GTB, and a few others before a Mercedes CLK GTR rolled in and stole the show.

We followed it inside and discovered another handful of top offerings. The CLK GTR was parked in the hotel lobby flanked by a Ferrari 365 GTS/4 (aka Daytona Spyder) and a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Spyder California Competizione. This is the car that Bob Grossman drove to fifth overall and first in class at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. Beyond these three beauties sat three similarly gorgeous vehicles from a different era: a one-off 1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Town Cabriolet commissioned by Ethel Mars of Mars candy fame from Bohman and Schwartz, a 1936 Delage D8-120 Aerosport Coupethat happens to have been the 1937 Salon Paris Show Car and is considered the prototype as the first one built, and finally another one-off, the 1933 Delage DS8 Coupe Roadster by deVillars that was the 1934 Salon Paris Show Car.

 

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Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Lexus

Lexus seems to be pretty confident about the capabilities of its new IS-F, otherwise it wouldn’t have allowed members of Club Lexus to unrelenting flog its newest entrant into the sport-sedan segment at Laguna Seca this past week.

The lucky participants posted a number of photos taken at the event, as the Lexus-lovers perpetrated all kinds of high-speed hoonage on the new 3-series fighter. You can check out more images over at the Car Lounge, here.

[Source: The Car Lounge via 0-60]

 

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Filed under: Euro, Hatchbacks, MINI

Click the image above for a gallery of high-res pics.

MINI execs have admitted that the design of the suicide-hinged door on the passenger side of the new Clubman may cause consumers both here, and especially abroad, to shy away from the more practical MINI. According to Autocar, the “Clubdoor’s” position on the right-hand side could possibly detract from its functionality, as most British buyers will be getting in and out on the road, versus next to the sidewalk.

A MINI spokesman explained that the placement of the door on the right was dictated by the fuel-tank filler neck’s place on the driver’s side, and as such, it would have been too expensive to re-engineer the fuel door’s location. The MINI mouthpiece went on to say that the automaker realizes this could be a bone of contention with buyers, but “we don’t commit to making a car that doesn’t bring us a profit.” Since MINI projects that the Clubman will comprise approximately 25-percent of the automaker’s sales in 2009, we hope that they’re right.

[Source: Autocar]

 

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Filed under: Auction Action

Russo and Steele has quite a few notable vehicles in Monterey this year. With all of the events going on around the area it’s hard to see everything, but we wanted to share some of the highlights from their catalog. Located at the Marriott, just across from the RM Auction, Russo & Steele displays some of their most eye-catching pieces right on the sidewalk out front of the hotel. It gives the public, and presumably some potential bidders, a chance to see some of the coolest cars right out in the open.

This year we were greeted by a sweet blue Lamborghini Miura SV, along with a selection of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth-built or inspired vehicles. Ed Roth’s “Globe Hopper” was the last vehicle he made. It’s a Porsche powered trike that sports his typical flamboyant styling in a fully functional vehicle. Beside it was the “Great Speckled Bird,” another outrageous trike with VW power this time. Joining these Roth originals are two special tribute vehicles: The 2007 Bubble Top Astro Sled by Roth fan Dave Shuten, and the 2005 Rat Fink Chopper by longtime Roth associate Jimmy C. The Astro Sled is said to be a million hour project, and features great details like a blown 1957 Hemi with a Weiland Blower and eight Stromberg carbs. The chopper is a real trip, styled to resemble the immortal Rat Fink on two wheels.

Just down the street is the parking garage where some of the offerings were pre-staging. We spotted a beautiful silver 1955 Mercedes 300 Gullwing, 1984 Lola Corvette Racecar, Shelby GT350, GT500 and GT500KR, 1970 Cuda AAR, 1956 Alfa Giulietta Super Spyder, 1938 Ford Monoposto, 1966 Prostreet Nova, among others. There was even a 2008 Viper stuck in the corner. Other notable cars at this sale that we didn’t get pics of include a genuine and rare 1965 Ford Shelby Mustang G.T. 350 R competition model, a Batmobile from “Batman Returns,” and a handful of super rare classic GMs from the collection of Reggie Jackson. The sale runs Friday and Saturday nights.

 

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Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Auto Show, Convertibles, Geneva Motor Show, Citroen

Rumblings that Citroen would be unveiling a new cabrio concept at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show have been confirmed after a series of images leaked out from a Citroen-specific forum. The pictures of the C-Airscape look authentic enough, with a highly stylized front clip, expansive windshield and what we’re assuming is a soft-top tucked beneath a toneau cover. We’re particularly partial to the swage-line that incorporates the door handles into one elongated piece of chrome.

The cabrio version will likely foretell the future of the C5 sedan, which is expected to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

[Source: Planete-Citroen via Carscoop]

 

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Filed under: Garage, Sedans/Saloons, Green, Dodge

If you’re interested on getting an Autoblog Garage-style take on the new Dodge Avenger, head over to AutoblogGreen, where Sam Abuelsamid reviews the medium-sized Charger doppelganger after spending a few days with one of the sedans in SXT trim. Why AutoblogGreen? Well, Sam ran the car on E85 once the partial tank of gasoline it was delivered with ran out, so in addition to a review of the car in general, he weighs in on that aspect as well. Check out the full review here.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

 

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Filed under: Motorsports, Sedans/Saloons, Videos, Dodge

The spot’s months old, but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. It shows Team Mopar’s Samuel Hubinette piloting the Charger drift car into, through, and out of an airplane hangar. What’s particularly cool is that you can follow the tire marks on the ground from previous takes and/or practice runs as the car does its thing. The superscript at the bottom of the screen as it begins reads “Closed Course. Professional Driver. Do Not Attempt.”

Professional driver, indeed. Hubinette’s nasty. Follow the jump for the spot. SPEED TV seems to still air it pretty regularly, too.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading That looks like fun! BF Goodrich’s drift commercial

 

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Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

Browsing through eBay, it us quite common to come across an ad for an older car that is without a title. Before bidding on the item, perhaps it would be a good idea to make sure that the seller has the right to sell the car. Case in point: Bruce Rask of Rainier, Oregon just received his 1940 Plymouth sedan back 21 years after it was originally reported stolen. It is unclear where the car went after being stolen in August of 1986, but it was recently purchased by a man in Sheridan, Oregon who bought the car without a title. Despite the fact that the man who purchased the car did not know that it was stolen, he very well may be out the money he spent on the car, as it is being return to Rask, the rightful owner.

Trooper Jeff Dickerson of the Oregon State Police says, “Never buy a motor vehicle from a third party without a title to the car. If the seller is unable to provide a title to the vehicle, there is a very good chance the seller is not authorized to be making the sale at all. You could end up losing what you paid for the vehicle if it can be shown it actually belongs to someone else.” This story brings meaning to the saying, “Buyer Beware”!

[Source: KATU News - Portland, Oregon]

 

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