Sunday, October 24, 2010
We recently had a great family trip circumnavigating the Painted Desert in northeast Arizona. On the itinerary were Sedona, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest National Park, Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon, and, of course, several iconic Route 66 relics along the way.
At the Phoenix airport we had several vehicles to choose from on the Emerald Aisle. We wanted a mid-size SUV to have plenty of room for two adults, two young teenagers, and associated luggage, and also because we planned to travel a few “unimproved roads” along our scenic route. We chose a Kia Borrego with the V8. First impressions were quite good. Nice styling and fit and finish, and seemingly plenty of room and comfort. We chose one with the “Copperhead” paint job, which fit in beautifully with the surrounding desert and mountain landscape. 
Driving impressions were also quite good. Nice road feel, intuitive controls, good ride and handling, low road noise (better than our own Honda Pilot). Performance on the “unimproved roads” also proved to be more than adequate. The Borrego did not miss a beat on rutted and sandy switchbacks. Over the course of several days the Borrego proved to also be quite comfortable, both front and back. Gas mileage was what one would expect for a mid-size SUV with a V8, right around 20 mpg with mostly highway driving. Definitely absent was any sense of copy-cat, “cheap,” or compromise, a sign of the growing maturity for the Kia brand. 
One small design issue arose during the trip that was a continual annoyance. Kids can be a bit, well, spastic. Kia attaches the lower ends of the front seatbelts right where spastic feet in the back seat were landing at regular intervals. This resulted in the driver and front passenger continually having their seat belts unexpectedly stepped on and tensioned. This is a small design detail to be sure, but one that proved to be annoying enough that it really should be addressed.
All things considered, though, we really liked the Borrego. It proved to be a vehicle we could easily live with.Sunday, October 17, 2010
Since our writers are human and have been getting slow and lazy, paying attention to work more than the blog, we are looking for extra writers to fill in when we're on a slow streak and any other time (such as these past few weeks). Sadly we cannot offer any pay, but bragging rights come in handy sometimes. If you are interested, send us some info at carnut1blogspotcom@gmail.com. Thanks!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
That's right. After all the sightings of extremely-camouflaged Z28 prototypes around Detroit, one of The Car Blog's writers spotted one without any camo heading south on a a trailer filled with GMCs from northern Wisconsin. Though we don't have any photos of the event, we can tell you that the Z28 will have a much more muscular front end with a muscular splitter and a big hood scoop. It will also have a revised rear spoiler and new wheels. But the most striking, if not the most noticeable feature, was the rear fender vents. Two subtle-yet-mean-looking quadrilateral holes stacked on top of each other replace the two slashes in the LT and SS. We will have more information about the car when it debuts, probably at Detroit.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Our lack in posts the past week was due to errors in the Blogger servers that randomly blocked us as a spam and virus-spreading website after we added "repetitive posts with links to suspicious websites". Since when are photos from Jalopnik "suspicious websites"? But we contacted a few Blogspot masters and we are now back online. Thanks for waiting for us to be back online, and we can now deliver you auto posts once again. But because of this, sadly we can't run the Auto News Update feature for fear of being shut down again.
Until our next post,
The Car Blog Staff
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Chevrolet's techs have launched the Chevy Cruze configurator on the Chevrolet site
In other Cruze news, the Europe-only Chevy Cruze hatch was unveiled (photo Autoblog)
Ford has finally settled the infamous Explorer rollover legal battle
The Ford F-150 SVT Raptop gains the SuperCrew cab option (photo CarAdvice)
Top Gear Magazine has leaked images of the upcoming SSC Ultimate Aero II (photo Jalopnik)
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility got its reveal (photo Motor Ward)
Today marks the first day on the job for GM's new CEO Dan Akerson
The Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf will be able to use California HOV lanes.
The design for the new Austin, Texas F1 track was shown to the public
BBC loses court case against the publisher of a book that tells who their old Stig was
Mazda reveals a Mazda3 powered by a prototype, fuel efficient motor
Subaru has confirmed the next-gen Boxer motor is slated for use within a year
Ford Australia has revealed the awesome, Mustang 5.0-powered GS Boss 5.0 315 Ute
The Bentley Continental GT refresh is set for a September 7th reveal
Toyota reveals Verso-S (Photo Autoblog)
GM Australia revels Holden Series II lineup refresh
Infiniti revels M35 Hybrid before LA Auto Show (photo Inside Line)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Not much news this weekend, but here it is:
Mahindra reports another delay, this time due to a termination of their dealer agreement here
The Ferrari 458 Italia has been recalled over fires; a fix is being sold with new vehicles
California's Targa Trophy street supercar race ends with only one ticket issued
Rumors are swirling that Top Gear's current Stig has been fired after legal issues
The 2011 Latitude, Renault's new full-size sedan, debuts in Moscow (photo Zercustoms)
Friday, August 27, 2010
Kia has gotten rid of plans to bring the EcoDynamics sub-brand to the US
Brabus has revealed a new tuning package for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (photo Autoblog)
The 1998-2003 Ford Windstar recalled in some more wintry states
The 2011 Ford Mondeo (will share a platform with the next Fusion) is revealed (photo Carscoop)
Spyker/Saab reports a loss this quarter
Numerous Lotus Evora racing models lap the Nurburgring and Laguna Seca
The last time we saw the Ultimate Tribute Cavalier at Iola 2009, the owner wanted $4000 for it in the car corral. It seems that car was subsequently sold to Ted Vernon Specialty Automobiles in Miami, and now it is being offered for the much-inflated price of $16,500, shown as a 1999 custom Batmobile. In addition to this madness, it's listed on none other than Jameslist, which routinely sells supercars and megayachts, not Chevy Cavaliers. Something tells us it's on the wrong -list site, as creations like this and the Yugo Whalemobile are more commonly found on Craigslist.
Since the last time we saw it, the car has gained some rattle-can wheel paint, but nothing that increases its value to the point of being worth $16.5k. We finally found out some more information about the motor, none of which excites us, as the car keeps its standard Chevrolet 2.2 motor with an add-on blower for style. The claim of it being a "Batmobile" is completely lame; it has nothing in common stylistically or mechanically with any vehicle on the TV show or movies. While it does have some stylistic resemblance to basically every Chevrolet model ever built, it still seems to blend them in the least visually pleasing and shoddiest way the former owner could possibly think of, creating a vehicle that is more likely to spontaneously combust when it sees itself in a mirror than to ever sell at that price, or any price for that matter.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
From the hallowed halls (bathrooms, press booths, etc.) of The Car Blog comes a brand-new feature for auto-obsessed guys and gals everywhere. Wanna know what happened in automotive events today, but don't want to scroll through pages of less important articles to find it? Tight on time but feel the need to catch up on the auto show circuit? Well, now you can do all that easily here at The Car Blog. From now on, we will post quick lists and summaries of the day's auto news in one short article every day or as often as possible. But enough talk, that's what the Auto News Roundup is trying to avoid! Here's today's events:
The 2011 Toyota Highlander revealed at the Moscow Motor Show (photo Autoblog)
1.2 Million Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe models recalled for stalling issues
Brabus Launches S-Class iBusiness Sedan with tons of Mac and Ipod gear for rich Apple Geeks
Hyundai debuts the RB concept, will lead to production compact (photo egmCarTech)
The Lotus Evora S is revealed at last (photo Cnet)
BMW North America Marketing VP Jack Pitney dies in a mysterious accident on his farm
Roush announces supercharger kits for the Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 (photo Autoblog)
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
If you're on this site, you already probably know the automotive basics. Corvette is to Chevy as F430 is to Ferrari, people who drive supercars on city streets tend to wreck a lot, and there is no way a 2011 Ford Explorer can ever truly be called an SUV. You got that down, right? Good. Now be prepared to meet four cars that, unless you are like the writers here on The Car Blog (crazily obsessed), you probably have never seen or heard of. From an early sports-car Saab to a coachbuilt Jaguar and others in between, the extremes of sports cars from every viewpoint are seen in these four beautiful cars.
1: 1954 HRG 1500 Twin Cam, the Swan Song of a Dying Sports Car Company
With only three constructed by the small and then-dying HRG automotive concern, you could say that this racing roadster is pretty rare. It's also just plain pretty, blending the styling of the Shelby Cobra with Ferrari cues to create a great-looking sports car that wasn't particularly fast with only a four-cylinder Singer motor, but still managed to win privateer race victories all over Britain, the cars' market. The HRG 1500 Twin Cam was the last and most modern of HRG's cars, with a svelte body and the new manufacturer providing the mechanical motivation. Though it is not well-known today, it deserves much more popular attention than it gets. What appears to be the specific example in this vintage photo is for sale by The Auto Collections in Las Vegas, the only one of these cars currently located in the US. You can see more photos of the car here at the Auto Collections ad, which does not mention a price at this point.
2: 1960-1964 Porshce 356 B Carrera GTL Abarth, Porsche's Forgotten Racer
Many Porsche race cars are well-known among car folks. The 550, 904, and 914/6 are all recognized among Porschephiles and vintage race fans alike, and have large representation in events like Goodwood and Monterey Historics. But one competitive Porsche racer that was common during the era for a race car seems to be completely forgotten today, even by the very people who watched them race as kids. This car is the 356 B Carrera GTL, engineered in partnership with Carlo Abarth, famous for his FIAT-based sports cars. These cars had racing success, becoming very competitive in events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Targa Florio. These Abarth-tuned Porsches never finished farther back than eighteenth in any race during their production run (1960-1964), though there were quite a few DNFs in the 1962 and 1964 cars due to mechanical problems.
During the Carrera GTL Abarth's five years and 21 cars of production and racing, five different motors were used, from a 115bhp 1.6-liter powerplant to a comparatively monstrous, 180bhp 2-liter unit. The body was designed by the standards of the day to be lightweight, easy to remove, and at least somewhat aerodynamic. It is unlikely that the latter was achieved to today's standards, but the drag of these cars were about the same as their competitors from Alfa Romeo and other manufacturers. Though the Carrera GTL Abarth is mechanically related to the 356, no production body panels were carried over to the Abarth-tuned racer, though the production car's standard headlights were set back in the body and used in the same basic format. One cannot quite say why these once-famous Porshces now languish unnoticed by collectors, but hopefully someday they'll see the same appreciation (in attention as well as value) bestowed on their brethren, the famous 550 Spyder.
3: 1952 Jaguar XK120 Ghia Supersonic Coupe, an Expensive but Obscure Coachbuilt Wonder
Some people here may have heard of the Ghia Supersonic already. There were many made in Europe, mostly out of FIAT 8V Chassis, for a few years, and have strong prices today among those who are aware of them. They tend to dominate their classes in Concourse events in Europe, beating out Ferraris and other better-known automobiles of their day. But one version of the Ghia Supersonic has been ignored by the masses, with only three made and two left. Though the car shown above won the Louis Vitton Concourse in 1996, that's the last that modern times have shown any recognition for them.
So what is the reason for the XK120 Supersonic's rarity? Nobody wanted to re-body a classy new Jaguar in the same body as a FIAT would be using at the time. During and after the age of the XK120, not many jaguars were coachbuilt, and those that were quickly slipped into obscurity. This car, chassis 679768, was one of two cars bought by the same Frenchman when new, the other in a blue color. The red car was modified by Virgilio Conrero before it left the factory to fit three Weber carburetors and so raise the motor's power to 220bhp, the only one to have that modification. The Whereabouts of both these Ghia Supersonics is known . After restoration, the red car won the Concourse mentioned above, and the blue car resides in a collection in France. Nobody quite knows what happened to the third car. It may be in a secretive, private collection somewhere, it may be stashed in a barn in Europe, or it may be part of a Honda now. If the answer is any of the first two, we at The Car Blog beg the car's owner to sell it or at least bring it out in public just once.
4: 1956 Saab Sonett I, Saab's First Attempt at a Sports Car
Debuting in March 1956 at the Stockholm Motor Show, Saab's 94 Super Sport, better known now as the Saab Sonett I, caught much media attention for the small, independent, Swedish plane-turned-carmaker. It followed the path of many sports cars of the day, such as the Corvette, in fiberglass body design and was very lightweight for the time. Due to a change in the rules of the race class Saab had planned to compete in with the cars, though, only six production 94s were made and sold to privateers in Europe and the US. Those that are still around are very obscure. They don't have a club, they don't have a cult following of any kind, and the current owners of many of the cars never show them anywhere. Though the 94 Super Sport was very innovative in its aluminum body structure, it was underpowered, which is a factor towards them being undervalued today. When they come to market there's no frenzy of buyers waiting in line to give a higher bid, so one could buy one very easily and relatively cheaply and have one of six in the world.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Just a quick notice to all of our readers who have been wanting to customize an AMG Mercedes-Benz to their liking for years: The AMG Confirgurator is finally up on the Mercedes-Benz website! Go here to configure a Mercedes-Benz AMG model!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
If you are a fan of The Car Blog on Facebook, you already know the benefits. You get updates on every post, news from where our writing team is going and what we're covering next, full photo galleries from events and posts, and special mini-posts. Currently on our page you can see full coverage of the 64th annual Zero-60 Garage Birthday Bash sports and exotic car show, as well as the full photo galleries from Iola, the Kohler International Challenge, Big Three Performance Car Show 2009, Bergstrom Premier Exotic Car Show, and also cars that our staff spots on their commutes and trips! If you don't care, skip over this post. If you do care, visit our Facebook Fan Page today!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Every year for one weekend in July, both the ultra-rich and amateur racers get together at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for high-octane races and events of every kind. From the muscle car class to the F1 racers, there's something for every gearhead alive. Those who prefer trailer queens can attend the Saturday evening concourse, which has almost every car imaginable and many you're never heard of. People flock from all over the world to attend and race in these events, and some of the most rare, valuable, and strange cars are on display and in the races. This is the Kohler International Challenge.
This year's Challenge was sponsored by Ford, and they brought on the firepower. The Falken/Monster drift Mustang driven by Vaughn Griffin, Jr. did exhibition laps in between races, making a loud enough sound to be heard from the other side of the track. Ford brought along a full line of Mustangs, including the new 2011 GT 5.0, which started deliveries to dealers earlier this month, and numerous Mustang race cars in drag, drift, and NASCAR Nationwide guises. Also along for the ride was a European Ford Focus RS, which us Americans have craved after for a long time but never have received. Though the next-gen Focus has already been revealed this year at NAIAS, a flock of admirers still crowded the RS. All Ford vehicles got into the track for free, a marketing ploy that was probably covered in cost by Ford. Consequentially, there were far more Mustangs than there were of any other muscle car, five of which were GT350 race cars raced by famed Cobra Automotive. There were many Shelbys there, real and fake, and three of them managed to crash during the weekend's largest race, the amateur muscle car race. In fact, when a GT350 clone hit the wall hard in turn eleven of the track, the race had to be stopped. A Cobra replica and a real GT350 experienced mechanical failures, but the vast majority of the fifty-plus car race finished.
Also in great show was classic, pushrod V8 Can-Am cars like Dan Gurney's Mcleagle and timeless Lola racers. These things were the most brutish cars in the field, if not the fastest. Going 170 to 180 miles per hour down the straights, they fielded an extremely competitive race right up until the end, with lead changes almost every lap of the 4-mile fifteen-foot course. They also managed to deafen all spectators who watched in awe from the stands or from the pathway next to the safety fence. There were about twenty to thirty of these priceless gems, most of them powered by American big-block motors. There were a couple oddities like the 1962 Dolphin-Porsche Porphin and the only Shelby Can-Am car ever built, and they raced very competitively and many competed in the concourse, too.
Some of the stars of the races, though, were the screaming, 15,000-rpm F1 and Le Mans race cars. Everything that competed in F1 and race endurance Le Mans after the early days was open to run in this event, and there were Sunoco-sponsored F1 racers of the eighties, the one-and-only Aston Martin-powered Riley MkXI Daytona prototype, and even the #2 Audi R10 TDI that one 12 Hours of Sebring in 2006 and 2007 and 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2008! These shrill, loud cars wound through the curves with little effort, seemingly in complete control of the situation whether they were in the lead going over 200 on the straight or far behind, crashed in the sand pits. Of course, that's exactly what the drivers of these beautiful beasts are trained and paid for, right?
There were many more classes that raced, too, including GT3, Formula 5000 (shown in the to photo), Classic Sports Car racing, and more. You could spend the weekend just in the parking lot of this event, where we found a real Shelby Cobra nonchalantly parked, a variety of Aston Martins, Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis, etc, extremely tuned production cars, and not-quite-legal yet still licensed race cars. To Check Out The Full Gallery of the Kohler International Challenge 2010, visit our Facebook fan page and go to photos.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Iola is a huge event each year in the heart of the Midwest with thousands of cars, tens of thousands of visitors and enthusiasts, and its signature massive swap meet. The car that really caught my eye this year was the 1926 Rickenbacker roadster owned by Ron and Donna Jones of Greeneville, TN. It is a real stunner with beautiful brasswork highlighting the front end. Unfortunately our pictures do not do the car justice (click on The Car Blog’s Facebook Fan Page link to the right and then go to the photo section for lots of Iola photos).
One very interesting detail are the streamlined brass headlights with vertical light slits. I am not aware of any other Rickenbacker with these lights, and they appear to be exactly the same as those on some 1930 Cord L-29’s. How is it that these lights are on this single 1926 Rickenbacker and then do not appear again until four years later on the Cord L-29?
One very interesting detail are the streamlined brass headlights with vertical light slits. I am not aware of any other Rickenbacker with these lights, and they appear to be exactly the same as those on some 1930 Cord L-29’s. How is it that these lights are on this single 1926 Rickenbacker and then do not appear again until four years later on the Cord L-29?
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Iola Old Car Show And Swap Meet 2010: The Wild, The Weird, And The Wonderful Show Up To Classic Car Mecca
With annual attendance of over 40,000 spectators, the Iola Old Car Show and Swap
meet is a pretty big deal in the classic car world. You can find anything from a Pacer to a
Packard and everything in between and beyond at this gigantic event that makes enough cash
each year to pay for property year-round. Any car you can think of may show up. Among the
starts of this year's car show, auction, car corral, and swap meet in Iola, Wisconsin were a '26
Rickenbacker coupe layered in brass, a Race-modified VW Bug, and Alice Cooper's old '69 Shelby
GT350H. Every year in sleepy northern Wisconsin, the best of the best unite with the worst of
the worst and the average in this local show that has grown into the national classic car Mecca.
Starting in the Car Corral, you will definitely notice some odd and unique cars for sale. A
Lincoln KB, Lotus Europa, Fox Ford Mustang, and a Corvette-powered Austin-Healey can all be
found up for sale. One of the cars that caught our eye was this: A very early, late-Sixties
Lamborghini Espada. For those of you not familiar with the Espada, it is an absolutely gigantic car
by exotic-car standards, even in the time it was released. The Espada is about 15 feet long, with
enough length to make a Chevy truck next to it look short. This particular Espada was in
drivable, but not anywhere near showable condition. At a NADAGuides value in perfect condition
of $56,000 and an asking price of $20,000, this car would not be a good deal considering
restoration costs.
Moving on from there, the main show area had a few very interesting exhibits, including the first public showing of the comeback car for Nickey Chevrolet of Chicago. The new Nickey Camaro is inspired by the '67 Corvette, with the signature Stinger hood. With performance packages ranging from 500-700 horsepower, though it may not pack the same punch as similar Hennessey kits, they come with more history and pedigree. The car they had on display was number one of one so far, but according to some reps from Nickey, they had a few checks waved in their face, so look for more coming up from Nickey Chicago.
Next up, one of the GM Futurliners used in GM's Parade of Progress made a rare appearance, complete with working motor and tours of the cockpit for a little bit of change. This four to eight-million-dollar vehicle was Futurliner number 10, which was saved years back as well as four others by Joe Bortz from the fate of being turned into a restaurant. Yes, somebody was at one point going to turn this piece of history into a restaurant. The car is currently owned by a big insurance company and is used for PR events and major car shows such as Iola.
The theme this year at Iola was Sensational Sixties, and Sixties-era cars came out in storm. Over 5,000 cars attended the public show this year, including unusual ones such as this Mopar with a from-the-factory flower roof and interior. It caused many of the attendees of the show to have flashbacks of their days 0f childhood and neighbors, friends, and family with similar cars. Overall, the show was as big a success as usual, and look forward to features on specific cars in the coming days!
The theme this year at Iola was Sensational Sixties, and Sixties-era cars came out in storm. Over 5,000 cars attended the public show this year, including unusual ones such as this Mopar with a from-the-factory flower roof and interior. It caused many of the attendees of the show to have flashbacks of their days 0f childhood and neighbors, friends, and family with similar cars. Overall, the show was as big a success as usual, and look forward to features on specific cars in the coming days!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
On the way to filling up the tank this morning, seeing that red Cobra replica below (oops, gave it away) was a surprising start to the day and a omen of what was to come. A bit later in the morning we decided to head out to the Zero to 60 Garage in Sherwood, WI, (http://www.zeroto60garage.com/) as we had heard that they open their place to the public on Saturday mornings and we wanted to see what was going on there.
Wow! Beautiful cars. Nice shop. Very cool folks. And did I say Cobras? There is the showroom was an authentic 427 Cobra and rolling into the driveway was a '64 289 (pictured above). No replicas here. And then there were the Ferraris, a 550 Maranello and a 288 GTO, a Mitsubishi rally car, and miscellaneous Camaros, 'Vettes, and a '57 Chevy for good measure.
On July 25th from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Zero to 60 Garage is having its 64th Birthday Celebration and Car Show. If you are in the area this is one you will not want to miss. All makes and models are welcome and you can contact the shop directly for details.
Wow! Beautiful cars. Nice shop. Very cool folks. And did I say Cobras? There is the showroom was an authentic 427 Cobra and rolling into the driveway was a '64 289 (pictured above). No replicas here. And then there were the Ferraris, a 550 Maranello and a 288 GTO, a Mitsubishi rally car, and miscellaneous Camaros, 'Vettes, and a '57 Chevy for good measure.
On July 25th from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Zero to 60 Garage is having its 64th Birthday Celebration and Car Show. If you are in the area this is one you will not want to miss. All makes and models are welcome and you can contact the shop directly for details.
Almost since the reign of the Cobra ended in the late Sixties, replicas have popped up everywhere, but there are also many original cars that still exist. The Shelby Registry shows only a few cars that are missing, which means almost every original car that came out of Shelby/American is still in existence somewhere. Most people prefer to keep their cars as investments, locked up in warehouses and air conditioned garages, but some also like to drive them, and drive them hard. Though most original Cobras are stock, theres a small cult of well-off guys and a couple gals who modify them just because they can. It's these people who everyday car guys often admire the most.
Two of the staff at The Car Blog were driving around today and found this specimen at a local diner. One took photos with his phone, and the other (yours truly) was skeptical. We did our research later, and found whether is was fake or not. So you guys show us your skill: Is it real or fake? What are some reasons it is? And if it's fake, What replicar company made it?
Saturday, June 19, 2010
The current design of the Dagger GT calls for a 106" wheelbase on a chassis designed by Alan Wisniewski, who seems to have suddenly come out of retirement. Motivation will be provided by a Nelson Racing Engines Twin Turbo 572, a motor found in many race cars and in the pages of the latest Hot Rod Magazine. The motor makes around 2000 horsepower on race fuel and about 1300 on pump gas, creating about the same amount of torque in the process. With this serious power, and car could go pretty fast, but this will go seriously fast, coming in at a curb weight of only 3000 pounds! Let's all hope that this one succeeds.
If you've been wondering why The Car Blog has been so silent recently, here's your answer. We've been re-organizing and streamlining the site so it looks better for all of us and for all of our readers, and this is the result. We hope you like The Car Blog v5.0!
Sincerely,
The Car Blog Team
Thursday, May 27, 2010
You want it, don't you? Our very own dorkstar has penned this Photoshop of a Nissan GT-R Shooting Brake, and it looks positively mean. Let's hope Nissan sees this and make one.
Friday, May 7, 2010
You know you've seen them: Honda Civics, Accords, Mitsubishi Eclipses and Lancers, all with stupid, matte, tacked on stuff that just makes them look ugly. Some of the cars in these videos are actually fast, but most are just tacky things that make the Honda Civic look bad.
First, we have a nice little Mazda Miata with some humongous tires hiding underneath it. This car is a joke, and hopefully the stock tires of some Nittos were put on in sometime after this video.
Second, we have a car that is possibly more tacky than the Miata, but at least it has some real power. Yet again, power can be ruined by looks sometimes! The owner of this Nissan 350Z obviously has very little taste. Sure, it's a Z (I have pride; I own a 240Z), but the flames and blue headlights ruined it. And don't even get me started about the wheels!
Last of all, we have a bunch of guys trying to act tough in a ricer with lights all over it and a de facto TV in the back. This Boxy car (is that an early Nineties Escort hiding in there?) has some major customization to it, with plastic blue Gauge covers, new seats, and other add-ons that scream I WISH I WAS A RACE CAR BUT HAVE NO HOPE OF BEING ONE! Make sure you watch the whole video for a surprise ending. Hint: It has something to do with the exhaust.
People are crazy. Makes for some good video.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
As you probably know by now if you are a regular reader of The Car Blog, we have a Facebook Fan Page, so you can see when we have a new post and check out full photo galleries from our different stories!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Over spring break the fam rented a 2010 Jeep Cherokee Laredo 4x4 to drive around OBX, NC. My basis of comparison is our 2008 Honda Pilot AWD, my wife’s everyday driver.
The Jeep had a beautiful black metallic paint job, and generally looked really nice. The interior was nicely appointed and generally comfortable, but was less roomy than our Pilot. This was especially true behind the back seat where the forward-sloped rear window dramatically cuts into interior space. Also, the distance between the back seat and the rear hatch at the cargo floor was significantly less than that of our Pilot. As a result there was much less space for cargo in the Jeep. The Pilot actually has a third-row seat; no way would a third seat fit in this Jeep.
On a related note, one thing I have never understood is why doors on US-made vehicles always seem to be 20-50% thicker and heavier than doors on similar foreign vehicles that have equal side crash protection. This directly impacts interior space and ease of exit and entry. This was certainly the case with the Cherokee as compared to our Pilot. In addition, the Jeep’s doors were designed so they opened a bit too far and with the hand-grasps so far aft that you had to lean WAY out of the vehicle to pull the doors closed. Also, the mechanisms that hold the doors open were all far too weak and the doors regularly swung shut on unsuspecting arms and legs - a bit of a pain. You would think that after 100 years of car design they would have figured out something this elementary.
Both the Jeep and our Pilot have V-6’s with a towing capacity of 3500 lbs. Our Pilot has consistently averages 20-21 mpg in mixed driving and usually gets 23+ on the highway. The Jeep’s average mileage for the week in mixed driving was just over 17 mpg even though the official rating is 21 mpg. Pretty unimpressive.
This Jeep is supposed to compete heads-up with the Pilot, and the newer version of the Pilot is nicer than our 2008. At over $36,000 for this Grand Cherokee, it just does not stack up unless one is a diehard Jeep fan. I sure would like to have that black metallic paint job on my Pilot, though.
The Jeep had a beautiful black metallic paint job, and generally looked really nice. The interior was nicely appointed and generally comfortable, but was less roomy than our Pilot. This was especially true behind the back seat where the forward-sloped rear window dramatically cuts into interior space. Also, the distance between the back seat and the rear hatch at the cargo floor was significantly less than that of our Pilot. As a result there was much less space for cargo in the Jeep. The Pilot actually has a third-row seat; no way would a third seat fit in this Jeep.
On a related note, one thing I have never understood is why doors on US-made vehicles always seem to be 20-50% thicker and heavier than doors on similar foreign vehicles that have equal side crash protection. This directly impacts interior space and ease of exit and entry. This was certainly the case with the Cherokee as compared to our Pilot. In addition, the Jeep’s doors were designed so they opened a bit too far and with the hand-grasps so far aft that you had to lean WAY out of the vehicle to pull the doors closed. Also, the mechanisms that hold the doors open were all far too weak and the doors regularly swung shut on unsuspecting arms and legs - a bit of a pain. You would think that after 100 years of car design they would have figured out something this elementary.
Both the Jeep and our Pilot have V-6’s with a towing capacity of 3500 lbs. Our Pilot has consistently averages 20-21 mpg in mixed driving and usually gets 23+ on the highway. The Jeep’s average mileage for the week in mixed driving was just over 17 mpg even though the official rating is 21 mpg. Pretty unimpressive.
This Jeep is supposed to compete heads-up with the Pilot, and the newer version of the Pilot is nicer than our 2008. At over $36,000 for this Grand Cherokee, it just does not stack up unless one is a diehard Jeep fan. I sure would like to have that black metallic paint job on my Pilot, though.
Photo from: http://www.cornermotors.com/
Friday, April 23, 2010
First, we see a Hummer H2, spotted in Virginia, which seems to be owned by somebody who likes to garden, but not very much. It has a large trailer attached to it which isn't being used to its' capabilities. Hmm, sounds like most Hummers...
Then we have this Porshce Panamera, which was spotted in Russia, was carrying a crappy Russian trailer along with it. This is definitely something you expect to see even less than a Hummer actually using its' capabilities.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
The Folks at Delahaye USA first surprised the world in 2008, when they restarted a name that hadn't been around since the famous Delahaye/Delage, maker of coachbuilt French automobiles, went down the drain in 1954. They said they intended to produce replicas of a famous Jacques Saoutchik-designed Delahaye cabriolet with modern conveniences such as a 500 ci Chevy V8, air conditioning, and power everything. The price brought most potential customers down from their nostalgia high, though, when it was announced that what most people percieved as a larger kit car was going to cost them $500,000. Since then, only one customer has bitten, commissioning a red droptop with gold trim in the traditional Delahaye fashion.
But you're not here about that car, are you? You saw that big, curvy boattail and the name obviously avoiding copyrights. You saw the word perfect in the title of this article. You know that there's something better than a Chevy-powered Delahaye, right? Well here it is: Delahaye USA has begun running ads in duPont Registry for a brand new project, one sure to blow their last car out of the water in perfeormance, styling, and above all, price. This obviously doesn't mean they're going to start shipping out new/old Bugatti's like Camry's all across the United States, but getting a near-perfect car for half the price of their old one doesn't sound bad, does it? That's right, Delahaye USA has created a stylized version of the famous, fabulous Bugatti Type 57 with BMW V-12 power and a beautiful body made of carbon fiber all for $250,000, half the price of the less pretty Delahaye (sorry, Saoutchik)! I know I shouldn't voice an official opinion before I see the car in person, but this is one of the most worthy cars ever to carry the Bugatti badge, even if it's not a "real" Bugatti. I'm telling you that this is more real than the Piechmobiles that we call Veyrons! Topping off the exterior styling and performance is the interior, which is possibly the only interior to make red and crocodile leather look elegant and subdued, with a thin, four-spoke chrome steering wheel and a relatively low number of guages (6) for such a sumptuous car. All in all, if you're not salivating at this point, there's something wrong with you. This is possibly the best car to come to the market since the coachbuilt era of the Thirties, and whoever came up with its streamlined, slightly modernized shape is a genius. This, my friends, may be the perfect car. You know, except in its name, the Bugnotti.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
You know it's happened to you. You'll be driving around one day in whatever area you live in, and all the sudden you notice a car you haven't seen before such as a BMW Isetta or the Lamborghini Gallardo shown above. You regrettably forgot your camera or phone or whatever you'd need to fittingly obsess over the vehicle, so what should you do? Here are a few tips for when you are stalking tracking down a car.
First of all, you need to know where and when you see the car. If you see it only once or at a gas station, chances are it was passing through your area and doesn't necessarily reside there. On the other hand, if it shows up regularly at a local business, such as a coffee shop, chances are you can easily catch them there and start a conversation with camera in hand to take photos. If you think that the business you see the car at is the workplace of its owner, you don't want to approach them about it at that time to avoid looking like a stalker. If you see the car often at the person's home, just go biking a couple days a week and wait until one day when the person is out polishing their car or doing lawn work or something. Using all of these methods, you can probably successfully approach the owner of a car you love and start a conversation about the car. You can also get all those obsessed photos!
If the first step doesn't work (such as with a situation where the car is driven to work at an office), take note of the business. If it is an automotive business, you may be in luck. Often these types of businesses have sections on their websites dedicated to customer and employee cars. From this you can find out more about the car and get photos. If the business isn't automotive or doesn't have such a feature on their website, you can sometimes still get contact information for the business and ask about the car in an e-mail. It may set off a few stalker alarms for the owner, but it also means you can get a private peek at the car if the owner doesn't put a restraining order on you.
Another situation, which I've run into often, is when the car is a project sitting in somebody's yard. The most direct route is to go up to the door and ask about the old car in the backyard, but some people may be a bit less than inviting to you. On one occasion I was checking out a car at an abandoned home when the property owner, who I'd never seen at the house before, rolled up. He was pretty nice and didn't have a gun, but it could've been a lot worse. A way around this is to look up the address online and get a name. From there you can look up an e-mail address and, if not, a phone number to contact the person. I discovered a '39 Ford pickup, a 1950 Chevy Panel truck, a '48 Oldsmobile coupe, and many others in my time using this method.
So what are you doing staring at this web page? Get out there and obsessively follow cars! Using these methods, you're guaranteed to get that photo of the car you see in the parking lot. Or, of course, you could bring your camera along with you when you go driving...
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Thanks DuPont Registry for linking to one of our stories. This interweb stuff is the next big thing, I'm telling you.
When cruising around the farmland of the US, you expect to find the usual piles of rotting Chrysler Imperials and Corvairs behind people's barns and abandoned near old quarries, but it's not often that you find something like this! Two of us writers for The Car Blog were going on an expedition to track a 2010 Shelby GT500 that had moved into the area we were in when we spotted what looked like a lone barn with a few cars by it. Since it was only a mile away from where we thought the GT500 was located, we decided to take the road that led to the barn and find out what was there. What we found was a whole lot more than a few cars next to a barn, and even more than we originally imagined when we pulled up.
Instead of just a few rusting Eighties Oldsmobile sedans or aforementioned Imperials, which are pretty common finds around here, we discovered just under 200 cars, most of which were Volvo's or Jaguars. What? Who do you know that goes around buying up over 100 Volvos, 80 Jaguars, and many other random cars just to let them rot? As I trespassed on explored the property I began to figure it out. There was a shop in one corner of the lot, and the structure I thought was a barn was actually basically a giant rack of parts ranging from a bumper for an Austin Mini to the front body shell of a Series One Jaguar E-Type.
Speaking of E-Types, there were two complete cars and six body shells lying around the property. One car, a white Series One Coupe, was in very good shape for a car that has probably endured many a midwest winter, with pretty much everything but the trim and headlight covers in place. The other car, a Series Two 2+2, was not so lucky. It had no rear window and had tires piled on it, denting the bodywork. The six body shells were scattered throughout the property neatly, with the Series One shells being lined up exactly parallel to each other side by side near the parts rack, the Series Twos stacked in two stalls of the parts structure, and a lone Series Three shell on the corner of the property opposite the shop building. There was also a row of maybe fifty Jaguar Mk1, Mk2 sedans sitting in the snow, just waiting for a new owner!
Oh, but the Volvo's! There were over 100 of the quirky Swedes on the property, ranging from a rusted-out 1959 PV544 to a 1984 240 Turbo coupe to a red 2000 V70 wagon! The owner of the cars seemed to pay the most attention to late Eighties and early Nineties wagons, which have in the past few years achieved cult status, especially in college towns, but most of the Volvos there seemed to have one defining feature: There were parts stacked inside almost all of them! From Jaguar Carbs to manuals for Alfa Romeos, the cars seemed to have inherited parts from the barn. Interesting....
Among the other cars on the property were three first-gen Alfa Romeo Spiders, two Guilietta Pininfarina convertibles, two Guilias, a 1963 Austin Mini, a Lancia Fulvia coupe, and a few cars even we can't remember. There was also a random Packard or Cadillac ambulance and a '77 GMC truck that snuck in there somehow.
Seeing that the person who owned the property had Jaguar E-Types, Alfa Romeos, and other extremely collectible cars outside, I naturally wondered what they have inside their shop and the three shipping containers next to it. This will require another visit.
P.S. We never found the GT500.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
You seem to come across the less-desirable Chevelle models a lot in the Midwest, such as the six-cylinder and base V8 cars, but it's not every day that you find one that goes for up to $71,000 or more at auction just sitting abandoned at a business that is used daily. Yet here was a 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 with tons of much sought-after options, just sitting at Airpro heating and cooling, rusting in the cold while the employees of the building next to it heat peoples' homes. An odd thing about this is that the car is just down the street from Big 3 Performance in Green Bay, which specializes in customizing GM performance cars of the Sixties, including the recently-released Jim Wangers Edition 1968 Pontiac GTO.
The entire staff of Airpro always seems to be out on heating emergencies or whatever they fix, so I never got any owner info on the car, but I can bet that the same person who owns the car also owns the wrecked F150 monster truck next to it. The car seems to be relatively solid except for the left rear fender and part of the right floor, and most of the interior pieces are there. It would be a very good candidate for restoration or customization, and hopefully it will find a good home or be restored by its current owner. In its current condition alone it should be worth a couple grand at least, but once it is restored it will be well worth the investment. I sent an e-mail to Airpro so make sure you stay tuned for updates on the car, but for now, just admire it in its rustiness.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
This week I took a little business trip to Baltimore. At the Hertz counter I was handed the keys to a new Corolla. I figured if I got pulled over I could claim sudden unintended acceleration. Bonus!
I don’t care much for the styling. Somehow they found a way to make it look just plain, kinda slab-sided, and somehow rinky-dink. So anyway, I’m obviously going to be stylin’ around town.
I open the door, go to climb in and bash my leg on the end of the dash assembly protruding into the door space, something I then proceeded to do over and over again through three days. Obviously a behavioral and/or coordination problem on my part.
I pulled out of the rental car place onto the main drag and up onto 195. The immediate driving impressions were:
- The car was nice and quiet at highway speed, and
- There was no, and I mean absolutely no, on-center feel.
Hit a truck rut, shoot to the left. Too much road crown, swoop to the right. No road feel whatsoever. How can I possibly simultaneously cruise, talk on the cell, and tune the radio in this thing if I always need a hand on the wheel? But seriously, this thing was stupid numb and required constant attention.
Then I hear on the radio on the way back to the airport yesterday afternoon that Toyota is considering recalling Corollas for some kind of power steering problem. Go figure.
I don’t care much for the styling. Somehow they found a way to make it look just plain, kinda slab-sided, and somehow rinky-dink. So anyway, I’m obviously going to be stylin’ around town.
I open the door, go to climb in and bash my leg on the end of the dash assembly protruding into the door space, something I then proceeded to do over and over again through three days. Obviously a behavioral and/or coordination problem on my part.
I pulled out of the rental car place onto the main drag and up onto 195. The immediate driving impressions were:
- The car was nice and quiet at highway speed, and
- There was no, and I mean absolutely no, on-center feel.
Hit a truck rut, shoot to the left. Too much road crown, swoop to the right. No road feel whatsoever. How can I possibly simultaneously cruise, talk on the cell, and tune the radio in this thing if I always need a hand on the wheel? But seriously, this thing was stupid numb and required constant attention.
Then I hear on the radio on the way back to the airport yesterday afternoon that Toyota is considering recalling Corollas for some kind of power steering problem. Go figure.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Usually cars as rare as the Dual-Ghia are lovingly restored or in perfect original condition, and almost all of them eventually end up at multiple Concours events, but occasionally one comes along that has slipped through the cracks of fanatical attention. Some of these cars were left to rot instead of being pampered, and sometimes they deserve to be left that way. This 1957 Dual-Ghia, being sold by Hyman, LTD or St. Louis, Missouri, is one such vehicle. It will probably be bound for full restoration, but the car deserves, even if never driven again, to remain in this condition as a piece of art. The car is amazingly intact with even the original convertible fabric still in place, which goes to prove the workmanship of Dual Motors and Ghia, and it should be kept the way it is for the sake of the odd beauty it has in its weathered condition.
I couldn't get any info from Hyman about how they came to acquire such a car, but it appears that it was stored indoors somewhere where most of nature couldn't get to it, such as a shed or a garage of a deteriorated old mansion on the outskirts of Vegas, where this car was born to cruise. The original Dodge V-8 seems to be completely intact, if a little dusty, and the interior is missing side panels but nothing else. The car has 40,000 (or 140,000, though not likely) miles on it, which means most of the major parts should be original to the car. The important part, the coachbuilt Ghia bodywork that tends to be expensive to replicate, seems to have only surface rust except some areas around the rear fenders, and is free of any major dents. Overall, for $39,500, a new owner could make a profit off of restoring it, as most of the unique pieces are in good condition, as well as the mechanical systems. But that, as mentioned before, is not the point. Whoever buys this car should put it on a stand as-is or clean up the motor and use it as a cool conversation piece at exotic car shows among the many restored Dual-Ghia's you'd see at a Vegas exotic car show or a Concours.
For those of you not familiar with the Dual-Ghia, it was largely influenced by the 1954 Dodge Firearrow III, Firebomb, and other Ghia-built Chrysler concepts of the Fifties. Motivated by a Dodge D-500 V-8, it was a hot performer for the time, and the body, designed and built by Ghia in Turin, Italy, was a knockdown. Original plans called for 150 units per year, but the company lost money on every one built and after creating 117 cars, 13 of which were prototypes and 2 of which were hardtops, Dual Motors ended its partnership with Ghia in 1958, two years after building its first car.
So will somebody restore this rare Dual-Ghia? Or will some relatively affluent person come along that has the mindset of barn-finders everywhere and keep it the way it is as a beautiful piece of Italian craftsmanship in deteriorated condition?
Monday, February 8, 2010
Remember in February when The Baltimore Sun did a report on the fastest road-legal car in existence? If you click on the title of this post you will.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
On a never-ending search for a project car (before I found my Datsun, of course), I ran across an ad for a car you don't see often from a brand that always seemed to change names, and decided to check it out. If for some reason you haven't read the title of this post, the car was a 1961 Rambler American Custom Convertible, part of the second generation of the American series. This car was noted for its quirky styling and its economy, mopping up the Compact class of the Mobil Gas Economy Run in late 1960 with an average of 28.35 MPG over a 2,000-mile course. At a NASCAR-sponsored event called the Pure Oil Economy Trial the car managed an amazing 51 MPG, which is still a very good number today, not that you'd get that in daily driving, though. This generation had a run from 1961 to 1963 and included sedans, wagons, coupes and convertibles in four trim levels: Deluxe, Super, Custom, and the top-end Custom 400, which was only available as a convertible and for some reason, instead of a coupe, a four-door sedan.
Anyways, when I got to the place with the car at it, an abandoned radiator shop in Green Bay, I couldn't tell what trim level it was at the time because A: It was under quite a few tarps, B: It was deteriorated beyond any hope, and C: Who in the world actually can tell the trim levels apart on a 1961 Rambler American? The car had too much rust for my liking and was lacking a motor, so I didn't consider it much. The cost of parts would have bankrupted me for such a relatively rare and worthless car.
Though it wasn't for me, I hope somebody bought it, as I saw it loaded onto a trailer a few weeks later. Hopefully it was headed to a heated garage somewhere, not a scrapyard. Remember, if you want to see any of your personal finds on The Car Blog, just email us at carnut1blogspot.com@gmail.com and we'll post it if it's worthy.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Feb 20, 2009: Saab finally admits to not being profitable under General Motors and files for bankruptcy in Sweeden. World waits in wonder.
Jun 11, 2009: After months of waiting and Saab mulling around in bankruptcy court, Koenigsegg announces that they will buy Saab from the general and produce the cars using GM technology until they get the resources to develop an all-new range.
Jun 16, 2009: A tentative agreement with Koenigsegg is reached, Saab fans everywhere hope for the Saab Aero X concept to become a reality.
Aug 27, 2009: 2010 Saab 9-5 officially released by not-GM; anticipation for a new kind of Saab begins.
November 24, 2009: Koenigsegg suddenly reverses their decision; Saab deal is off. Sound familiar? Think back to Penske.
December 1, 2009: At the same press conference where Fritz Henderson resigned, an announcement is made that there is still interest in Saab from other people; GM says it will entertain bids through the end of December.
December 2, 2009: Spyker announces that it is interested in Saab, a wise move for the troubled company. The company, which had lost money for almost a decade straight, saw a 25% rise in stock price in a day and if the bought Saab would get $600 Million in European loans.
December 13, 2009: Beijing Automotive made a deal with GM to build the Saab 9-3 and 9-5 cars at their factories in China, but doesn't indicate if they want to take over the entire company eventually.
December 18, 2009: General Motors announces that they are killing Saab and not entertaining any more offers. They outline a 3-month wind-down plan for the brand.
December 20, 2009: European papers report that Saab may not be dead. They say that Spyker may be making a last-minute effort to get the car brand from GM.
December 20, 2009: Spyker raises its bid for Saab, GM says no decision will be made before the end of the year.
December 21, 2009: Anand Mahindra, owner of the Indian Mahindra truck brand, indicates in a tweet his interest in Saab.
December 23, 2009: Saab of Milford sends an E-mail out to their customers that Spyker has bought Saab, much speculation follows.
December 29, 2009: A Saab board member claims the deadline for the Saab sale has been extended, Saab enthusiasts everywhere are seen to have increased pulse.
December 30, 2009: The General announces that Saab production will resume starting at the new year.
January 5, 2010: The Sell Our Saab rally is held by avid Saab enthusiasts in Detroit to convince GM to sell to Spyker, or anyone for that matter, as long as the brand is out of the hands of General Motors.
January 8, 2010: Bernie Ecclestone of Formula One fame teams up with an investment firm in Luxembourg to submit a bid to buy Saab.
January 26, 2010: The General announces a deal with Spyker for Saab will be the final episode in the 6-month-long corporate fiasco, hopefully Spyker won't back out like Koenigsegg did. As a last-ditch dramatic effort, GM requires the Spyker CEO to quit in the deal.
So there you have it, every season of the Save/Sell/Kill/Get Rid Of Our Saab right here. Hopefully I won't have to add another one (not-so-subtle hint to Spyker).
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
This is one car that definitely doesn't deserve the fate of being relegated to the Electric avenue, filled with boring Chinese compacts that aren't getting anywhere soon. The Revenge Verde may get 100+ miles per gallon, but that doesn't mean it's not an exciting car. One look at this rolling sculpture and you'll be transfixed. There aren't many details available yet, but their eco hybrid version will get 400 HP, the Ford Performance version will have 605 HP, and the GM version will have 638 HP. The car has been advertised in the duPont Registry as renderings, but the car obviously looks even better in person. Revenge designs is mostly known for tuning Pontiac GTOs and Solstices, but they have made one supercar, the GTM-R, in the past.
In other news, I've given up tagging my posts.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
You like what I found? On the way back from the Detroit Auto Show on our way down and around to Wisocnsin, all of our bloggers were preparing ourselves for Gary, Indiana by plugging our noses, when one of us saw a blue building with some cars around it. Thinking it was just another lot filled with eighties Oldsmobiles, we were pretty surprised when we got closer and we saw a rusty White Rolls-Royce, a Maserati Biturbo, a DMC and many other not-quite-yet classic exotic cars. We barely avoided going on the toll road, enraging a Hummer driver by veering to the regular highway at the last instant. We took the first exit possible, turning back the other way and getting off at the exit at the Bass Pro Shop. We took Ameriplex Drive all the way to the end, by which point it was closer to a dirt path than a road, and there it was. It looks like somebody had hauled out unwanted (we have no clue if they were legitimately traded) exotic cars from Chicago to hoard on a lot ten miles East of Gary. There was a Bentley, at least one Rolls-Royce, a Maserati Biturbo, a boatload of BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes, a couple Porsches including a remarkably clean '76 911, a Delorean DMC-12, an out-of place 300ZX and MG Midget, and a random '70 or so Buick sedan. With all these exotics outside the building, it makes you wonder what's inside.You can see most of the cars below. Make sure you don't weep...
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