The Pontiac Tempest is known for its tumultuous 400-cubic-inch V8, for spewing clouds of atomized rubber and partially combusted gasoline, for altering weather patterns and generally being a kick-ass muscle car. But it started life as a funky little economy car created by the legendary John DeLorean. Read More…
1968-1972 marked some of the coolest years for auto racing in the United States. You see that was when Trans Am racing was in full swing with pony cars from every American manufacturer battling it out on raceways throughout the country. Names like Donohue, Penske, Elford, and Jones were in the spotlight with Camaros, Mustangs, Cudas and Javelins running fender to fender. Back then race teams would open up wheel housings and flare fenders so as to fit some big rubber to their cars for better performance. The cars looked great, had a nice squat stance and in the end, turned out to be icons of American racing. Nowadays pro-touring hobbyists are harnessing the spirit of Trans Am racing by modifying classic and modern cars alike with some cool wide body stances from the racers of yesteryear. They look great, perform even better and at the end of the day, remind us of one of the greatest times in American road racing history.
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Kid’s these days, I tell ya. This is the Auto Union E-Tron Concept racer by Audi. It was made for kids. Really rich kids. Read More…
A 1938 VW Beetle. Image: Volkswagen Group
Before they were hunted to near extinction, herds of buffalo once roamed the Great Plains. Dodos were plentiful on the island of Mauritius, until an expanding human population (and their domesticated animals) proved who was higher up on the food chain. The passenger pigeon used to fly with up to two billion of it’s closest friends, in flocks that stretched to a mile wide and 300 miles long. Dinosaurs once roamed the planet, too, and we all know how it turned out for them. Read More…
After WWII there was a great and wonderful sense of optimism in the United States. We had just conquered one of the greatest threats in history and looked longingly to the future to bring us new technologies and good fortune. Futurists would tell us about the cars and homes of tomorrow, and painted a picture of a “Jetsons” society, where we’d all have flying cars and live in anti-gravity environments. Well, things didn’t exactly work out that way now did they, but that’s not to say we haven’t made remarkable advancements in technology. Thankfully, we’re still all rolling around on four-wheels, and our gas stoves still operate the same way they did 60 years ago. Back in 1948 car builders had turned their attention to the aircraft industry for inspiration. Fins, riveted sheet metal bodies and aircraft inspired cockpits ruled. Sure, now all these things seem to be hokey, but back then this was the future of transportation. As for the next 60 years… it’s honestly hard to tell. All I know is that it had better be fun… Read More…
Marcos cars are madness. All have plywood chassis modeled after the De Havilland Mosquito fighter. Most run Ford engines and various Triumph suspension bits. They are lightweight, fast, and devastating on the track. This is the fastest, most mental Marcos ever made. It’s the Mantis XP, a mid-engine monster powered by a 700-horsepower BRM-Repco V8 and styled by the brilliant Adams Brothers.
Source: Blenheim Cars
One way to keep your car safe. Image: Ihasahotdog.com
According to the latest data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, you’re more likely to have a car stolen on New Year’s Day than on any other holiday, and New Year’s Day even trumps the average daily theft rate. The NICB just released their latest analysis of car theft rates in 2008 and 2009, and it includes a handy breakdown of theft rates per holiday. In 2009, an average of 2,276 vehicles were stolen per day in the U.S. On holidays, the theft rates were:
They made more than eight million in 28 countries and during its 31-year production run it remained essentially unchanged. It’s the Renault R4, a funky little cockroach of a car that’s loved the world over, from the steamy jungles of Colombia to the arid plains of Africa. And this year it turns 50. Bon anniversaire, R4.
Source: Gizmag
Nothing says 'Merry Christmas' better than a 1949 Ferrari Barchetta. Photo: RM Auctions
Let’s face it: the older you get, the harder it is to be wowed by a Christmas gift. When I was a kid, an HO scale slot car track was about the best Christmas gift I could have imagined. Today, that same level of enthusiasm would require something that burns gasoline and puts out more than 400 horsepower, but unless we hit the Powerball in the next week or so, it isn’t happening this year, or next year, or the year after that. Maybe you’re in a different tax bracket than I am, and maybe you’re looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the car enthusiast. If so, I’ve got the perfect Christmas gift idea for you.
The Alfa Romea TZ2 was a legendary GT racer, a tube-framed marvel with a screaming twin-plug, twin-cam four and gorgeous curves courtesy of design house Zagato. Only 100 or so were made, most of them to race. Two, however, were handed over to legendary design firms Pininfarina and Bertone. The resulting cars are perhaps the most beautiful automotive creations ever made.
