RideLust

Owning a classic car can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand what your driving is a true piece of automotive history, but on the other, these wonderful machines can be extremely costly and require extensive maintenance. Now sure, if you want there is no reason you can’t go out, spend $10k and buy a decent classic to tool around in. However if you want the best of the best, well then, it’s going to cost you. This is Gavin King of Concours Sportscar Restoration just outside of Sydney, Australia. His company specializes in bringing vintage Jaguar’s and Aston Martin’s back to life and with that, they help fulfill the childhood dreams of the cars owners. Restoring a classic car is a labor of love. You do it because you want to preserve history and keep the feeling of excellence alive. It’s not easy, nor is it cheap, however the end result of a properly done concourse restoration is something that can bring one joy for a lifetime.

Source: RalfBecker.com

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There is something about watching members of the old guard going up against the new kids on the block. For instance, if you grew up in the 1980′s, then the odds of your automotive icons being the likes of the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959 are pretty damn good. However if you’re a child of the millennium then you may be partial to cars like the Lamborghini Murcielago or Bugatti Veyron. Whatever your flavor though, you can’t hide from the fact that a super car is a super car, regardless of their build date. Recently EVO Magazine’s Chris Harris went on a little follow-the-leader run at Germany’s famed Nurburgring. Harris is driving Jaguar’s new 505 hp XKR-S, while John Nielsen, the man who help developed the XJ220, sits in front of him in an actual XJ220. So, here’s the question; does Jaguars new big cat, the XKR-S have the stones to keep up with a car that’s 20 years its senior? Click through to find out.

Source: Youtube.com

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If you’re tired of seeing manufacturers run their latest wares around Germany’s Nürburgring circuit in search of the lowest possible elapsed time, here’s a video you may actually enjoy. It stars the all-new and sold-out Jaguar XKR-S Convertible, which packs 550 horsepower and 502 lb.-ft. of torque, will run from 0 – 60 in just over 4 seconds and tops out at 186 mph, even in convertible form. Yes, the front fascia does slightly resemble a catfish, but we’re willing to look beyond that to see the XKR-S’s inner beauty.

Even if you don’t like the car, the top-notch cinematography and above average soundtrack make the video worth watching. Enjoy it below. Read More…

The Range Rover Evoque was designed to open doors for Jaguar Land Rover, and to attract new customers to the somewhat stodgy brand. For many American buyers, a Range Rover was nothing more than a way of telling the neighbors you made more money than them (and didn’t worry about details like depreciation or reliability). That may work in the suburbs, but it didn’t play well with young, urban hipsters, who Jaguar Land Rover desperately wants as customers. Read More…

When released in 1992 the Jaguar XJ220 was one of the fastest road cars on the planet. It’s twin-turbo charged 3.5-liter V6 produced 542 hp and 476 lb-ft of torque which meant 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 220 mph. Back then it was one of the greatest super cars ever created, but how does it compare to Jaguar’s newest toy? Recently Fifth Gear, the UK’s other car show, took Jaguar’s newest bad boy, the XKR-S and pitted it against its much older brother. Horsepower wise the cars are pretty comparable, but the XJ220 has a pretty good weight advantage. So, will the new XKR-S and its 20 years of suspension technology beat the big old cat of yesteryear? I can tell you one thing… it’ll be close. Click play to find out which is the new King.

Source: Youtube.com
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I’ll come clean up front: I’m not a hybrid guy. If you’re a long-term reader, you already know this, but if you’re new to RideLust it might be the first time you’ve heard this. I’ve driven plenty of hybrids, but all of them to date have been built with an eye to fuel economy, not performance. In fact, hybrids add weight and complexity, two thing that tend to have a negative impact on acceleration, braking and even long-term reliability. Read More…

Recently, I attended the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. Held every May, this show features a vast array of meticulously maintained classic British, European and Japanese cars, exemplary examples of their more modern kin, as well as a beautiful collection of kit cars.  As far as sheer variety in makes, models and years, hands down, this show can’t be beat.

This has become something of an annual treat for me as I can think of few better ways to spend a weekend than by gazing at a gleaming sea of jaw-droppingly stunning automobiles, many of which I guarantee you won’t find at other shows. Plus, participation is open to anyone with an import or a kit car – all you have to do is register, make your car pretty and show up. It’s a great opportunity to display your cherished ride and meet other aficionados of your favorite marques.

I used to come down to show my Saab and hang out with the Saab contingent that makes it out every year. But even though I have a Subaru now, it’s just so much fun that I continue to make the trip to Carlisle (my WRX was parked over by the lone DeLorean, if you happened to be there). Volvo, BMW and Audi clubs also traditionally have a large showing so the weekend is packed with the cars you love, cars you haven’t seen before, your friends from the forums, barbeques – it’s a good time for everyone.  So, if you’re not too far out from Pennsylvania, I definitely recommend heading out there next May to check out the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals. To tide you over, provided for your viewing pleasure are some of my favorite cars of the weekend. Enjoy!

 

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When Jaguar showed their visionary C-X75 Concept at last year’s Paris Auto Show, I’ll admit that I had a hard time taking the car seriously. Sure, it was a stunner, but it was also shown as a non-functional turbine-electric hybrid, and history has not been kind to turbine powered automobiles. Remember the 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car? How about the GM Firebird Concept from 1953? Gas turbine engines may be ideal for vehicles like helicopters, but their complexity, power delivery and heat output make them less than ideal for road-going vehicles. I guessed that the C-X75 would never see production, but it turns out I was only half right. Read More…

Thumbs Up: A luxury ride with sporting intentions.

Thumbs Down: Digital dash seems out of place.

Buy This Car If: You want a modern interpretation of traditional luxury.

Somewhere during my first stint behind the wheel of the Jaguar XJ Supercharged, I ran out of superlatives. Somehow, calling the 2011 Jaguar XJ the nicest mid-level Jaguar ever produced seems inadequate. It’s certainly the best looking, and it breaks from Jaguar’s stately saloon car heritage to borrow a few styling elements from Aston Martin (remember, both were owned by Ford when design work on the 2011 XJ began). It’s certainly among the quickest, and the car’s 470 horsepower supercharged V8 brings the car to speed with a surprising amount of haste, hitting 60 miles per hour in under 5 seconds. It also seems better screwed together than Jags in recent memory, and the interior is the nicest I’ve ever seen in a Jaguar XJ. As equipped, the Jaguar XJ Supercharged tester I drove had a sticker price just south of $90,000; it’s not often that I can say this, but the new XJ Supercharged is worth every penny. Read More…

As automotive journalists being able to obtain press cars is a definite perk of the job, but Jay Leno is on an entirely different level. Obviously we’ve shown segments of Jay Leno’s Garage on here before, and for good reason… Jay gets his hands on EVERYTHING. Take this beautiful Jaguar CX-75 concept car that was recently the talk of the 2010 Paris Auto Show. What makes the CX-75 concept so special is that it is powered by two jet turbines, which in turn power electric motors, making it an extended range super car. This car was never intended to see production, but instead built to pay homage to 75 years of Jaguar heritage and showcase their existing technology. Personally, I think it’s kinda’ cool in a futuristic Jetson’s kinda’ way, and who knows, we may just be looking at the future of automobiles.

Source: Carmag.co.za