Classics

Video: Mercedes-Benz Shows Off The McLaren SLR Stirling Moss

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:44:01 -0600

Mercedes-Benz will be showing its special edition SLR Stirling Moss next month at the Detroit Auto Show -- sort of a last hurrah for the Mercedes/McLaren partnership. Powered by a supercharged V-8 engine, the SLR will be good for 650 horsepower and able to sprint from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217 mph.

The design of the SLR Stirling Moss was inspired by the original 1950 300 SLR, and the current car has an extremely striking resemblance to the classic car. The open-top speedster design is indeed unique, yet functional -- the integrated air scoops also serve as roll bars.

Only 75 examples of the SLR Stirling Moss will be built, retailing at €750,000 each. (That's just over $1 million in USD.) We'll give you the full details from the Cobo Hall floor next month.

+ World Car Fans: Mercedes SLR McLaren Stirling Moss

Smile for the Camera: A Dozen Movie Star Corvettes

Seyth Miersma — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:03:27 -0600

Most of us will agree that Chevrolet’s Corvette has been an automotive star since day one. That stardom has been borne out in Hollywood over the years, where filmmakers have chosen to give Corvettes prominent roles in their films for upwards of fifty years. Thanks to the twin magical resources of the Internet Movie Database , and the too often overlooked Internet Movie Car Database , we’ve been able to compile a list of a dozen notable Vettes as seen on the silver screen. Our list is by no means complete (as we’re sure you’ll point out) but it’s a pretty entertaining browse at any rate. Click through the gallery above to relive the memories and then tell us what you think, in comments.

Question of the Day: Which Automaker is the Most Premium?

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:20:28 -0600

The word “Premium” is a funny one. To some people, it merely connotes the most expensive of a type of things—for our purposes we’ll say vehicles—while others feel that it points to the best quality, regardless of price. Which automaker ranks highest on your premium factor? Give us your answer, in comments.

1970 Cadillac NART Zagato One-Off on eBay

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:23:55 -0600

Even with no further information, the name Cadillac NART Zagato is liable to raise an eyebrow or three among those in the automotive know—to say nothing of their probable reactions to hearing that such a thing is currently on sale at eBay Motors.

Founding father of the North American Racing Team, Luigi Chinetti is said to be responsible for engineering this crossbred beast, which drew power from a mid-mounted, Eldorado-sourced 7.7-liter (472 cubic-inch) V-8, and was wrapped with a very continental body from the Italian Zagato. Caddy was also responsible for the basic chassis (also from an Eldo), as well as for the dashboard, steering column, brakes, and those unmistakable hubcaps.

Perhaps even more striking than the wild aluminum body work though, is the fantastical Batmobile-styled interior of the car, complete with a ludicrously curved rear bench seat. Do yourself a favor by taking a closer look at the eBay find in our gallery above.

+ eBay Motors

XR4Ti and Scorpio fan clubs finally have a place to call home

Seyth Miersma — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:20:15 -0600

Question of the Day: Should We Bailout Detroit Automakers?

Seyth Miersma — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:11:28 -0600

According to a new data published by CNN, 61 percent of some 1100 people polled are opposed to a government-assisted bailout for the U.S. automakers—kind of a hot topic these days. The news organization noted that some 70 percent of those asked believe that a bailout is unfair to taxpayers, without having a great chance of really helping the economy. Do you believe that an automotive bailout is a good thing, a bad thing? Is it something that has to happen to preserve our nation’s strong middle class, or simply another roll of the dice on companies that have proved failures in the past? Give us your take, in comments.

Question of the Day: Which is Your Favorite Jeep of All Time?

Seyth Miersma — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:02:15 -0600

While the talking heads in D.C. start to make some tough decisions about the auto industry bailout, signs still point to Chrysler (at least as presently constituted) not being long for this world. The much-loved Jeep brand is still a good bet to stick around in one form or another. Which Jeep, from the off-roader’s long and storied history, is your very favorite? Give us your pick, in comments.

Michèle Mouton’s Audi Quattro Sport can be Yours! (Sorta)

Seyth Miersma — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:52:52 -0600

Those drivers with dreams of being a rally titan should pay special attention to this eBay Motors find, despite a set of rather daunting circumstances for potential customers in the U.S. A Dutch seller has created what appears to be—based on the rather skimpy selection of low-res images—a fairly flawless replica of the Audi Club Quattro Sport that was campaigned in 1980 by the likes of Michèle Mouton in the World Rally Championship.

Assembled from three donor Audis to, “Get the lines correct, windshield angles correct and all the measurements of the bodyshell accurate to the original,” the car is actually propelled by the not insignificant 4.2-liter V-8 from an S4. Sounds pretty good right? The only real problems are the car’s location (a town called Veghel in the Netherlands), the rather steep price ($69,000 buy it now), and the fact that the auction is ending in about 30 minutes at the time of this writing. Fast action required!

+ eBay Motors: 1980 Audi GT

Happy (Early) Thanksgiving from NextAutos!

NextAutos Staff — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:57:44 -0600

"My Thursday"

Well, we here at the NextAutos offices have gone ahead and given ourselves a bit of a long break for the Thanksgiving holidays, deciding to use the time to get in a bit of extra driving/research/eating pies. We really love pie. Vacation being what it is, you won’t be hearing as much from our corner of the internet until Monday, though we are liable to throw up a post or three should the motoring world be set aflame in the meantime (or if we’re bored).

Here’s wishing the best to you and yours over the holiday, safe travels, and many happy returns!

One-Off 1959 Wooden Ariel Custom on eBay

Seyth Miersma — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:28:40 -0600

Built with an Ariel Square Four motorcycle engine, a donated Citroen suspension, and a boat builder’s styling sensibility, this Chris Craft for the road is one of the more lovely finds we’ve made at eBay Motors.

The spare roadster was constructed in 1959 by an artisan who was looking for a totally unique type of hotrod. In addition to the European running gear, the Ariel has borrowed its bullet shaped taillights from a period Cadillac and used generic auto store parts for the rest of the simple vehicle. The virtually unpadded seats, pressed steel Citroen wheels, and unadorned engine may be distinctly low tech, but we can’t help but feel that the svelte woody makes a perfect counterpoint for the space age Ariel Atom of today.

Despite spending some period of time in the St. Louis Car Museum the car is a runner, with the seller describing it as easy to start and drive and possessing a strident exhaust note through its hand-built side pipes. We’d be extra cautious about spirited driving in the splintery sports car, as the prospect of crashing in the Ariel is daunting—though more than worth it for the trade off of having one of the better looking home-builds on offer.

+ eBay Motors: 1952 Other Makes

Question of the Day: Who or What Got You Interested in Cars?

Seyth Miersma — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:25:56 -0600

Though we may all come from diverse backgrounds, different socioeconomic strata, and far-flung places on the planet, most of us reading NextAutos and Winding Road share at least one thing—a love of cars. Which person, or what car propelled you into a love for the automobile? Give us a little back story, and of course a picture if you can find one, in comments.

The Top Ten 300 Horsepower Cars for Under $10,000

Seyth Miersma — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:35:52 -0600

Not so many years ago, cars that produced 300 horsepower or more were considered rather rare and desirable things. Generally only the top tier of sports car or the very most posh boulevardiers had engines that could muster such prodigious output, and the price tags of the vehicles reflected it.

These days though, thanks to depreciation, a decade-long power race, and newly changing customer tastes, 300 horsepower cars can be had for much more reasonable rates—often less than $10,000. Those power and dollar figures are exciting starting places for those second-hand shoppers who may be looking for a deal on a performance machine, which is why we picked them as our two markers for making this list.

We’ve gotten our pricing estimates from the good folks at Kelley Blue Book, though we understand that in some cases much better deals can be had. Unless otherwise noted, the prices we’ve listed represent the private party value of a car in “excellent” condition with about 80,000 miles on the clock. We’ve also strived to get the best combination of power and newness when selecting between discrete model years, all while keeping a close eye on the budget. Click through our gallery above to read about our 300 horsepower/$10,000 picks, and then be sure to let us know which gems we may have missed, in comments.

Question of the Day: Which is Your Favorite Lotus Ever?

Seyth Miersma — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:26:43 -0600

We got pretty pumped about seeing Bond’s Lotus Esprit again today—even if we probably won’t get to bid on it—so we thought we’d ask about witch of Hethel’s finest makes you the hottest under the collar? Which Lotus is your favorite of all time? Give us your answer, and a picture if you can find one, in comments.

James Bond's 1976 Lotus Esprit up for Auction

Hardy Shen — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:39:50 -0600

James bond aficionados will be delighted to hear this bit of news. In time to celebrate the approaching release of the Bond film, Quantum of Solace, one of the two 1976 Lotus Esprit used by Bond in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me will be up for auction at the annual Bonhams motoring Auction Sale at Olympia.

The famed Lotus is expected to fetch somewhere between $148,104 to $177,725 (from European figures). For those who don't remember, the white Lotus was able to transform into a submarine (only in the movie of course), to get away from the baddies who gave chase.

Another bond item expected to go on the auction block is the registration number plate 'AU1' from the Bond classic Goldfinger and is expected to bring more than $118,553.

+ Bornrich: James Bond's 1976 Lotus Esprit to go under the hammer

Calori 'Lakes Roadster' Remake

Seyth Miersma — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:37:21 -0600

Forum member Hellmet over at The Jalopy Journal is working on a car that should get the blood of any auto enthusiast boiling, whether they happen to be into hot rods, or not. This sleek black kustom is a painstakingly detailed reproduction of legendary hot-rodder Jack Calori’s 1929 Lakes Roadster racer. Take a closer look at the car in our gallery above, or click through the link below to read more from the JJ community and the builder himself.

+ Jalopy Journal: Calori Roadster

Eureka! Pontiac Drag Car Sells for $226K on eBay, Owner Unaware of History

Chris Paukert — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:49:26 -0600

Over the weekend, we caught wind of a very unique auction for a rusty and drivetrain-less 1963 Pontiac LeMans Tempest. From a modest starting bid of $500, a book-worthy story has sprouted in Harrison, Michigan.
The seller, 123ecklin, was aware that his car appeared to have some sort of racing history, thanks to its plexiglass windows, a racetrack dashboard plaque, and a non-standard suspension. But as the auction unfolded, it was revealed that his car is almost certainly one of just six 1963 Pontiac LeMans Tempest Super Duty Coupes built (there were an equal number of wagons), making it one of the rarest and most desirable muscle cars extant.

As the story goes, this car is believed to have been driven by racer Stan Antlocer, and it was one of the fastest drag racers of its era.

The most fascinating part of the whole story is arguably perusing of the addendums to the auction listing, which chronicle the “Eureka!” moment where the seller realized he owned not just another rusty muscle car, but a valuable piece of history.

At auction close, the Tempest had cleared a whopping $226,522, and Jay Leno was rumored to be taking part in the bidding. Somebody phone Tom Cotter already.

+ eBay Motors: 1963 Pontiac Le Mans TEMPEST (via Motive)

Video: 2009 Dodge Challenger Aces Crash Testing

Seyth Miersma — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:10:51 -0600

Dodge’s Challenger is one bright spot during tough times recently for the automaker, proving in the early going to be an attractive, fun to drive, and pretty badass package. Now the big coupe can add “safe” to that list, as it has recently been certified with 5-star ratings for both side and frontal-impacts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Check out the Challenger doing the hard work needed to get those stars, in the video above.

+ Carscoop: Video: 2009 Dodge Challenger Crash Test

Checkered Flag: Automotive Giants and Where They Lie

NextAutos Staff — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:50:02 -0500

Holloween has come early for automakers this year as each one struggles to find ways to shake off their own personal boogeymen. In observing the death of the seasons—and likely a few of our favorite brands—we take a more celebratory tone in honoring the giants of our industry...and their final resting places.

Click here to read the whole story.

Carroll Shelby Online Store Opens for Business

Seyth Miersma — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:48:13 -0500

Not a man to sit around and not sell something for long, Carroll Shelby’s licensing company has just opened up an all new online marketplace, set to offer the Shelby die-hard nearly any branded item that he (or she) may desire. Books, art work and posters, glassware, pens, and loads of apparel are all up for grabs at the Shelby site—you can even get your very own Carroll Shelby style black Stetson. We’re huge fans of the nice collection of die cast cars that are available as well—some for quite reasonable prices—but don’t think we’ll be splashing out on the $999.95, 1:12 scale, 1964 Shelby Daytona Coupe, no matter how beautifully it’s rendered in fine pewter. Have a look at some of the items on sale in our gallery above or click through the link below to check out the store.

+ Carroll Shelby Merchandise

Download Winding Road 39 (As a PDF)

NextAutos Staff — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:08:07 -0500

If there’s one thing we love about our jobs at Winding Road and NextAutos it’s the feedback we get from our readers. Trust us, we listen and read each one of your comments. When we moved to our new Winding Road magazine platform last week we heard from many of you who still wanted an offline reading option; a good number of you raised your hands for a simple, ad-free PDF format of the magazine as well.

We’re happy to report that going forward we’ll offer Winding Road as a PDF. Our plan is to offer a subscription to Winding Road for a nominal fee (we’re not sure what this will cost right now, but a year subscription will likely be less than the cost of a sandwich—and certainly less than a print magazine). As we write this, our technology team is working on that PDF subscription service. But, until the point we’re ready to unveil that we’re going to offer you this month’s current issue for free. It’s here as a PDF (inside a zip file).

+ Download Winding Road 39 as PDF (Right Click)

(Warning: 65 big 'ol MBs)

If you’re a PC user, right click and save this .zip file to your desktop. If you’re a Mac user, Control-click and save to your desktop.

Thanks for your feedback and thanks for reading Winding Road,

Winding Road Staff