For almost $95k, I'll pass on the 1 Series M. Image: BMW AG

When BMW declared that their “affordable” 1 Series M coupe would be a limited production model, we immediately knew that dealers would price gouge on any inventory that hit their showrooms. It’s the first law of capitalism: when a product has a limited supply and high demand, prices go up. I’m fine with that within reason, but sometimes dealerships take things to extremes. One southern California BMW dealer has a new 1 Series M on their showroom floor, and they’d be happy to sell it to you for the low, low price of just $94,635.

That’s $40,000 over the car’s already high $54,635 asking price, which puts it firmly into bend over, grab your ankles and prepare to squeal like a pig territory. Ten grand over sticker is greedy, but four times that is obscene. Worse, there are probably buyers in SoCal willing to step up to the plate and spend that kind of money on it, just to be the first with a 1 Series M in their garage. Sure, the car is likely to appreciate over time, but you’d have to sit on a zero mile example well into the next century before it yielded that kind of return.

The message from the dealership is clear: we don’t actually want to sell the car, but if someone is stupid enough to pay us $40k over what BMW says we should charge for it, we’ll be happy to part said fool from his money. In a perfect world, BMW would yank the dealer’s franchise schnell, but we all know that isn’t likely to happen. The sad part is that other dealers are likely to gouge nearly as badly for these “collector’s” cars, which makes the 1 Series M an epic fail on the part of BMW. What good is a performance car that your target audience can’t possibly afford? What’s the sense in pricing a driver’s car so high that only rich collectors, worried more about image than lap times, can afford it?

I’ll give this advice to BMW, free of charge: if you want to bring young buyers into showrooms, affordable cars start in the mid-$20k range, not double or triple that.

Source: DPCcars

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!

Lancia Scorpion

Matte black Volvo V70R

Opel GT and Opel Kadett Coupe

Volvo P1800S

Saab 9-3 Viggens

Ferrari 360 Modena and 328GTS

Citroën 2CV and Smart Roadster Coupe

Gorgeous Audi Quattro

Fiat 124 Spider Abarth

Twin-charged Audi A1

Volvo S60Rs

Saab 99 Turbo

Badass Volvos: PV544 and 142

DKW Junior de Luxe - DKW/Dampf-Kraft-Wagen became one of the four companies that comprised the "Audi NSU Auto Union AG" (now known as Audi AG).

Triumph TR8 and TR6s

Saab 96 V4 convertible - must have been a custom job.

Bimmer Beauties

Datsun 280ZX 10th Anniversary Edition

Citroën H Van and DS

Audi A7

Honda Z600 / 600 Coupe

Saab Sonetts

Datsun SPL311 Roadster

Opel GT

It’s hard to believe that BMW’s M3 has reached 25 years in production, especially when I can say I remember the first generation E30 cars hitting the streets. First generation M3s weren’t nearly as fast as their successors, and were powered by 2.3 liter inline four engine. U.S. spec cars made 192 horsepower, and could hit sixty from a standstill in just under seven seconds. Top speed was 146 miles per hour, but the cars are renown for their handling more than their straight line speed. In fact, BMW’s primary purpose for building the M3 was to go racing in Group A Touring Car, and the E30 M3 didn’t disappoint. The E30 took the World Touring Car Championship in 1987; the European Touring Car Championship in 1987 and 1988; the British Touring Car Championship in 1988 and 1991; The Italia Superturismo Championship in 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991; the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) in 1987 and 1989 and the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1987. Throw in the car’s victories in other series, ranging from endurance racing through FIA World Rally Championship, and you begin to understand why the M3 has such a legendary presence in the automotive world.

BMW has since built M3s based on the E36, E46 and E90/92/93 platforms. The M3 has been absent from DTM racing since 1994, but will return with a BMW backed team for 2011. That’s not to say the newer generations of M3 haven’t been raced; in fact, they’ve been competing in endurance racing in the U.S. and EU, with impressive results. Rahal Letterman Racing campaigned an E92 M3 in the 2009 American LeMans Series, taking third place for the season. In 2010, the Rahal Letterman M3 took the GT class championship by beating perennial favorite Flying Lizard Motorsports. With Touring Car now rumored to be coming to the U.S., you should have plenty of chances to see the latest generation M3s in competition.

The Chevrolet small block is no doubt one of the greatest creations in all of human history. Their reliability is legendary, you can put them in anything that came with a motor and lastly, they can make big power for not a lot of greenbacks. I found this baby over at BimmerForums.com as I was trying to find some info on the new BMW 1 Series M Coupe. Imagine my surprise though when I saw what may in fact be the ultimate sleeper. It seems that the owner was looking for a nice family hauler for his wife and daughter and instead of buying something new, he built her one very cool and original ride.

Starting off with a 1992 BMW 525i Wagon, the owner decided to dump the Bimmers original 2.5L 189 hp inline-6 in favor of a 345 hp Chevrolet LS1 out of a wrecked 1998 Camaro. Doing all the work himself, the owner manage to perform one of the cleanest swaps we’ve seen in quite some time. The wagon gets 23-25 mpg when cruising at 75-80mph on the highway, not to bad for a nice family truckster.

On the downside, the owner, Bimmer Forums member Euro Nation states that the uber sleeper is for sale for the low low price of $7000.00. On the up side, this gives everyone out there in family land a chance to own one very cool, fast and understated vehicle. I don’t know about you, but if my wife gave me the thumbs up, this sucker would be in my driveway tomorrow.

Source: BimmerForums.com

Man… just when I thought I was going to be able to save some money BMW has gone and taken the wraps off of its new 1 Series M Coupe. You see I’m in desperate need of a track car. I’m looking for something that I can flog mercilessly on the street and then thrash on the weekends at the race track. My Magnum SRT8 is simply too big and my old BMW E39 M5 was just too fat. This little bugger though, this little bugger may fit the bill perfectly. That front end is wicked aggressive and that short stubby wheelbase means that this car should have the flick-ability of a go-kart. With power from its twin-turbo 6-cylinder said to be in the 340 hp range, the 1 Series M Coupe should also have more than enough grunt to roll with the big dogs on the track. I’m really diggin’ this thing, now I just have to see if it’s going to be released before track season starts.

Source: Youtube.com

For me, the 1980′s conjure up visions of cars like the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari Testarossa and Porsche 959. These were the super cars of the day and ones that I always hoped I would have a chance to drive. Most of them were outstanding performers by 1980′s standards, and have thus far, stood the test of time. There were however a select group of exotics built during the 1980′s that for one reason or another, never really caught on with the buying public. Maybe it had to do with spotty build quality, an exceedingly high price tag or the fact that they were underachievers. Whatever the reason though some of these big dollar cars simply didn’t make it and because of that, they sit below as part of this list.

• 1986 Porsche 928

Porsche originally created the 928 to replace the much loved Porsche 911 and broaden the brands appeal. Its front engine rear drive configuration never garnered much respect from Porsche enthusiasts, but the fact of the matter was that this baby was and still is, one of the best GT cars ever. It was comfortable, fast, looked good and handled great, but the fact that the engine wasn’t hanging over the rear wheels was just too much for the Porsche faithful to handle.

• 1985 Detomaso Pantera

The Detomaso Pantera is what you get when you mix Italian styling with American grunt. Designed by an American, but built in Italy, the Pantera’s greatest flaw was that the buying public simply didn’t know what to make of it. They were powered by mid-mounted Ford 351 Cleveland V8′s that enabled 0-60 times of around 5.5 seconds, so there was no doubt that the Pantera was fast. The melding of the two cultures however simply meant that your final product was a car with an identity crisis.

• 1981 DeLorean

Nothing says, “I do cocaine” like the 1981 Delorean. Manufactured in northern Ireland, the Delorean was the brain child of GM executive John Delorean. His goal was to build a cutting edge GT car that would appeal to the world over. Styling wise the Delorean was actually a very nice looking automobile. With a monocoque chassis, gull wing doors and stainless steal body panels it definitely had an appeal to it. However once it hit the market, people began to realize that the cars were not only underpowered but had severe reliability issues as well. Then in 1985 “Back to the Future” came out and gave the then defunct company some positive publicity, alas it was too late as the Delorean Motor Company hit the skids in 1982.

• 1986 Ferrari Mondial

The Ferrari Mondial is one of those rare cars that simply does not get the respect it deserves. You see it’s powered by the same 270 hp engine that powered the Ferrari 328 GTB, which means that it’s not only reliable, but easy to maintain. Its downfall however was its 2+2 configuration, something that has never been overly popular with Ferrari enthusiasts. What the Mondial does give it’s owners however, is piece of mind as they’re not only reliable but a great value.

• 1981 BMW M1

The BMW M1 was BMW’s first “M” car. It was powered by a mid-mounted 273 hp inline-6 that propelled the M1 to a top speed of 160 mph, a number that was not too shabby for 30 years ago. The cars wedge shape styling however seemed to confuse people who were more accustom to the boxy lines of BMW standard models.

• 1981 Lamborghini Jalpa

It’s tough being the low man on the company totem pole, especially when that company is Lamborghini. Truth be told the Lamborghini Jalpa is one of my favorite cars. It’s styling is not as crass as the Countach’s of the era and the car is simply easier to drive. Jalpa’s were powered by a 3.5-liter V8 that produced 255 bhp and 231 lbs.ft. of torque. That meant the car wasn’t as fast as it’s big brother, and in the eyes of the Lamborghini faithful, that simply wouldn’t do.

• 1987 Lotus Esprit Turbo

The Lotus Esprit is an automotive icon, there is no doubt about that. For all intents and purposes though, it seems to have been forgotten by the automotive public. Maybe its because it came with a turbo charged 4-banger instead of a V8, or maybe it’s because, in one form or another the Espirt has been around since 1976. Either way though it’s a damn shame because this car continues to be not only a great value, but one of the best looking cars ever to come out of Britain.

• 1989 Vector W8 Twin Turbo

Image: Karrmann

Back in the mid-1980′s the notion of the United States building a super car was pretty far fetched to the rest of the world. That however didn’t stop Detroit native Gerald Wiegert from trying. The Vector W8 Twin Turbo was a hammer of an automobile producing 625 hp from its twin-turbo V8 and running to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Alas, with a price tag of $455,000 back in 1989, there were very few people who were willing to take a chance on a car company with no history.

• 1988 Aston Martin Virage

God I hate this car. I hate this car because it simply looks like the fat over-bloated result of corporate decision making. The Virage wasn’t a bad car, in as much as it was a melting pot of parts from other manufacturers. The headlights for example were off of an Audi 200 with the taillights being from a VW Scirocco. Combine that with crappy GM sourced dash components and a Ford steering column and you’ve got a car that was doomed to fail before it even began.

• 1983 Porsche 924

I figured what the hell… why not let you watch the ads and decide for yourselves if the Porsche 924 is a truly forgettable car.

You mod your car for performance, but do you actually get to enjoy your improvements?   Have you ever just wanted to drive on a racetrack but didn’t know how to start?

We all have that lust for speed, but instead of satiating it on public roads in an unsafe and unfulfilling fashion, why not check out a high performance driving education (HPDE) event?

HPDEs give you the opportunity to drive your own car on a racetrack, thus providing an outlet for that troublesome desire to blast into warp speed just to hear your engine sing. As you can imagine, being able to track your own car will quench your speed thirst to the point you get tingles and find yourself silently praying for someone “up there” to bestow an extra day upon the weekend.

Numerous car clubs across the US offer HPDEs, which are designed to teach drivers not only how to drive a track efficiently, but also how to exert greater control over their cars.

The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is one group that holds HPDEs.  To use NASA as an example, it has four levels of HPDE Groups. Group One is for novices – those who have either never been on a track before or who have limited track experience.  Group Two is for drivers with more track experience than Group One, and so on.

If it’s your first time, you’ll be starting out in Group One, which requires an instructor to ride shotgun while you’re on track.  Even if you’re a terrific driver with tons of experience, if you’ve never driven on a track before, you will need to start in Group One. Once your instructor believes you can progress, he or she will send you off to Group Two, and so on through Group Four.  Group Four drivers can apply for a competition license which allows them to drive in the numerous racing classes offered by NASA.

HPDEs typically take place over a weekend and offer several opportunities per day to go out onto the track with everyone else in your group (untimed, not racing), interspersed with time in the classroom where advice is provided and an instructor answers questions. There can be some downtime in between class and track time, but it’s just enough to watch the other groups on the track and to chat with your fellow classmates.

Driving on a track is serious fun. But you also need to take it seriously. No matter how good a driver you think you are, listen to your instructor. He will be advising you on many different areas of focus, such as when to give it gas, when and how hard to brake, where the apex of the turn is, when to shift, and what you should be doing if a flag is waved.  Your instructor will take great pains to make sure you can drive properly on the track, and will correct bad habits that appear during your run and teach you how to improve your control over your car.  This information is invaluable even for your drive to work every morning.

Your brain will be receiving an insane amount of information your first few times out so don’t worry, you won’t get it all at once – but you will have several other opportunities on the track over the weekend to start to process everything he’s saying, and you will improve, trust me.

Beforehand, even if your car hasn’t had any power mods, it’s best to do some upgrades to your brakes to cope with the extra heat caused by aggressive braking – for your sake, and the sake of others.  I added track pads, stainless steel brake lines and DOT 4 brake fluid. You may want to do more depending on your vehicle, your level of experience, and how serious you want to get.  If you’re at full throttle, approaching a 90 degree turn, you will appreciate not taking chances with your brakes.

Competition tires are advisable when you’re hauling ass on a track for the added grip. You will also need a helmet and, if it’s cold outside, racing gloves will provide some comfort (note, your front windows will be down the entire time you’re on the track, so dress accordingly). Finally, your car will need to be numbered. Painters tape is a cheap solution, or you can buy magnetic or vinyl decals for your car.

One of the reasons why I took the plunge is that I wanted to learn more about my car. Regular driving will not allow you to see your car’s true abilities.  HPDE pushes your driving beyond its limits, and you may be surprised to find that your limits are not your car’s limits.

I’ve seen holding their own with the M3s and Z06s, Miatas, S2000s, Minis, E30s, and WRXs.  There are obviously great differences in the purpose, power and handling between these cars, but it becomes apparent that in HPDE, it’s not necessarily what you drive, but how you drive.

NASA has regional groups all over the US that hold their own HPDEs, and other car clubs do the same as well.  If you see an HPDE taking place in the area, you should definitely check it out if you’re interested in affordably learning about your car and in taking your driving to the next level. I can guarantee that your experience on a track in your own car will be nothing short of exhilarating.

UGH!! Damn those Europeans are some lucky bastards… Here we see Chris Harris of Evo getting the first taste of what the BMW 1 Series M coupe is all about. Before he gets behind the wheel though he points out some attributes that every M car must possess before it gets that coveted badge. He mentions things like the tachometer, gear lever, seats and exhaust, things that, as a former “M” car owner, I wholeheartedly agree with. From a performance standpoint the engine note, throttle response and overall ride quality also come into play. You see M cars need to be as refined as any BMW on the road, but yet have an increased sense of performance. The issue is the balancing act that BMW must go through in order to accomplish this. Since this was a prototype car there was still some work to be done, but according to Harris, the new BMW 1 Series M is something that if priced correctly, will make BMW enthusiasts howl.

Source: Youtube.com

Ever own a car that you wished had more power? I know I have. Generally the cure for a situation such as this is simple. You can either bolt on a turbo or supercharger, add some heads or an exhaust, maybe a big bottle of nitrous, or simply sell the old bag of bolts and buy something new. There are however those chosen few petrol heads that choose to think outside the box, and go buck wild by simply shoehorning an engine that’s bigger and better between the frame rails. Sometimes it works out great, other times the cars just turn into a Frankenstein mess. Either way though you have to respect the heart, soul and labor that’s put into these projects because 9 times out of 10, they turn out to be pretty darn cool.

• 1988 Dodge Conquest TSi w/ Small block Chrysler 340

Now here’s something that you don’t see everyday. Going from a turbo-charged, fuel injected inline-4, to a small block 340 cu in V8. Hell, even in stock form the 340 would piss all over the original 176 hp 4-banger, so in my book this conversion is first rate.

• 1989 Ford Festiva Shogun w/ Taurus SHO V6

This is one of those rare factory experiments that was just o-so-right! Ford decided to take the 220 hp Yamaha derived V6 from the Taurus SHO and stuff it into the back of a Ford Fiesta. They flared the fenders, dumped the back seat and in turn, created one of the coolest little hot hatches in history.

• 1969 Dodge Charger w/ 6.1-liter HEMI

Fiddle with a carburetor enough and you’ll find yourself longing for something high-tech with fuel injection. The owner of this 1969 Dodge Charger must have felt that way, as they ditched the original Detroit gas guzzler in favor of a new 6.1-liter 425 hp new generation HEMI. They now have power, mileage and no BS carburetor hassles.

• 1988 e30 M3 w/ E60 M5 V10

Arguably one of the best M-cars ever created, the e30 M3 has an extreme cult following. However in stock condition, with only 215 hp on tap, you’ll need to rev the crap out of it to get the most from the little mill. That is where the 500 hp V10 from the e60 M5 comes in. Do some fabrication work, drop the big V10 between the frame rails and presto, instant super car.

• 1980′s MG Roadster w/ Corvette LS1

I have to say that this is probably my favorite on the list. On the outside it’s a simple unassuming MG Roadster, but on the inside it’s a fire-breathing powerhouse, capable of surprising the crap out of just about everything on the street. Kudo’s to the owner for this one.

• 1980′s Mini Cooper w/ Honda K-Series Vtec

It’s small, handles great and now, thanks to the Honda B-series engine stuffed under the hood, has some serious cojones to go with the looks. The only downside I can see to this swap is that this thing must have a monumental amount of torque steer. Otherwise though it’s a pretty wicked little road burner.

There are a number of Cars and Coffee-type meets that take place throughout the country (Kurt recently covered a Cars and Coffee meet in Jacksonville), and the DC-area one certainly does the concept justice.

One recent Saturday morning, I caravaned down with my buddy Paul (he was driving his monster Grand Cherokee SRT-8) and a pack of Vipers and Corvettes.  It was still dark when we left for the event, but by the time we arrived, the sun was gleaming like a halo on a heavenly field of precious metal.

There was a stunning array of Ferraris, Lambos (two Countachs and a Murcielago), Bimmers, Porsches, Corvettes, Alfas, Mercedes, Minis, Lotuses, Triumphs, Scouts, Maseratis, Jags, and even a Kaiser Darrin.  The cars also varied widely by model year.  Keep in mind that these are vehicles owned by the locals and driven there – these aren’t all investments that spend their days appreciating in a hermetically sealed garage.   Below are a few examples from that Saturday.

Dodge Vipers and Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 from the morning’s caravan.

A rare gem – 1954 Kaiser Darrin (only 435 were built)

CLK63 AMG Black Series Mercedes

M&Ms – E24 M6 (!) and E30 M3

1965 or 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350

Mini Cooper and BMW 2002

Another uncommon sight – a BMW Z8, with Dodge Charger R/T in the background.

A gorgeous Jaguar E-type V12

Vettes – Stingray and Z51

I suggest that if you’re visiting to scope out the cars and you’re not driving anything that fits the bill, park around back and allow the eye candy to take the limited number of spots out front.  Then grab yourself a cup of hot coffee, take out your camera, and get to work salivating.  I can’t think of a better way to start the weekend.

Cars and Coffee is located at Katie’s Coffee House (760 Walker Road, Great Falls, VA, 22066) and takes place every Saturday from April through October between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.