Specialty cars Archives - Page 6 of 11

Elizabeth Taylor: movies, philanthropy and fast cars

One of the more unique, often overlooked components of the long, varied career of Elizabeth Taylor was her sex appeal in cars. The actress, AIDS activist and philanthropist who died March 23, spent a fair amount of time in movies driving cars. Affairs of the heart, money, intrigue and the politics of romance were all usually part of Taylor’s scenes that also included automobiles. Of course, Taylor’s driving was the creation of Hollywood. Nevertheless, some of her car scenes, including a high speed chase from more than 50 years ago, remain part of “cars in movies” lore. In BUtterfield 8, made in 1960, Taylor, age 28, starred as a call girl. The uppercase “U” in the film’s title is deliberate.

Specialty cars

Ferrari expert picks 15 most beautiful models in history

Marcel Massini is editor of two Ferrari magazines and is a renowned historian on the iconic Italian manufacturer. Correspondingly, the CNBC web site is fond of lists on all kinds of topics, including a topic presented to Massini — selecting the 15 most beautiful Ferrari models of all time. In no particular order, here’s the list. For each listing, Massini briefly describes the car, lists the number made and an estimated value. For one of the 15 Ferrari models on the list, Massini commented: “One-off for King Leopold of Belgium and has a huge motor. Estimated Value: $10 million. Units Built: 1.” The Top-15 Most Beautiful Ferrari in History: 375 Plus Cabriolet (1954) 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta (1967) 250 Testa Rossa

Specialty cars

Cheap, used Bugatti Veyron at auction a salty risk?

It’s unlikely the purchase of a Bugatti Veyron, among the mot revered cars in the world, is ever classified as a bargain. But someone may be about to get a deal on a five-year-old Veyron — if they’re an automotive gambler. There’s less than one day left on an auction site to bid on a 2006 Bugatti Veyron. The car is the infamous vehicle that was driven into a Texas lagoon two years ago. A 25-second video of the car’s high-speed lake entrance was a You Tube sensation. The auction web site lists the car with a cash value of $1.5 million. Among the other statistics listed: coupe, gray, no key and the most relevant — salt water damage and

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Chevrolet Corvette, Cadillac Eldorado, Honda Accord iconic 'antiques' at age 25

Twenty-five years ago, “Top Gun,” and “Platoon,” were among the year’s top movies, while “Cheers” and “Murder, She Wrote” were favorites among television audiences. And it also 1986 when the Chevrolet Corvette convertible, Honda Accord and Mercedez-Benz 300D all began new chapters of their enduring legacies. Cars 25 years old are eligible for the Antique Automobile Club of America car show. As such, here’s a list of key eligible cars from 1986: Acura Integra, Acura Legend, Cadillac Eldorado, Chevrolet Corvette (convertible), Ford Aerostar, Ford Taurus, Mercury Sable, Honda Accord, Mazda RX-7, Mercedes-Benz 300E/300D, Toyota Celica. Some of the best-known cars from 1986 are more significant than others. The Chevrolet Corvette convertible, for example, was important because the famed sports car

News Service, Specialty cars

Jaguar E-Type celebrates 50 years as greatest car ever made

The Jaguar E-Type debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961, and throughout its 50-year tenure often tops industry enthusiasts most beautiful cars ever made lists. Phil Patton, the esteemed freelance contributor to numerous magazines and author of many books about cars and the auto industry, pays homage to the 50th birthday of the Jaguar E-Type in a recent article in the New York Times. Patton details, for example, that “the Museum of Modern Art in New York ratified the E-Type’s significance in 1996, adding a blue roadster to its permanent design collection. It was only the second road car so honored, following a 1946 Cisitalia 202 GT.” Indeed, the Jaguar E-Type is now ripe with a legacy of accolades.

Specialty cars

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sports defines automotive supply and demand: 30 made, 30 sold

Bugatti enthusiasts apparently can make up their minds quickly to spend substantial amounts of money for their favorite car. The elite Italian carmaker has announced all 30 of the new Veyron 16.4 Super Sport have sold — each starting with a base price of about $2.3 million. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport has an eight-liter W16 engine matched with a seven-speed dual-clutch and 1,200 horsepower. It has a top speed of 257 mph. Last June, the Veyron achieved on a test track a new land speed world record for production cars at 268 mph. The Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport is still available. It’s not as quick as the Veryon, but has a stop speed 223 mph. James RaiaA sports,

Specialty cars

Maserati debuts GranCabrio Sport at Geneva Motor Show

After debuting the GranCabrio at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Maserati is using the 2011 Geneva Motor Show to introduce the GranCabrio Sport. Conceived to give the GranCabrio a harder-edged model to sit alongside the GranTurismo S and the Quattroporte Sport GT S, the GranCabrio Sport uses a more powerful and fuel-efficient version of Maserati‘s all-alloy 4.7-litre V8. This configuration of the naturally aspirated engine produces 450 horsepower a GranCabrio Sport is 178 mph and completes standar the 0-60 mph test in 5.2 seconds. The six-speed automatic transmission includes the super-fast MC Auto Shift software and has been developed for the GranCabrio Sport directly from the transmission in the Quattroporte Sport GT S. Like in the Quattroporte Sport GT S,

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Tata has clear urban vision with Pixel concept debut

Tata Motors, which owns Jaguar Land Rover and manufactures the Nano (the world’s cheapest car), has rolled out its Pixel Concept urban car at the Geneva Motor Show. The Pixel is geared toward European and Asian markets where fuel is far pricier than in the U.S and urban streets are crowded. Tata says the Pixel is 10 feet long, “comfortably accommodates four adults.” Its doors open up, rather than out, to avoid cyclists, pedestrians or approaching traffic. The Pixel has a “Zero Turn toroidal traction-drive Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT).” It can rotate one rear wheel forward and the other backward. As such, it has a turning circle of only 8.5 feet. The engine is a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder diesel. With

Specialty cars

Rare GM Futurliner bus set for Indiana auction in May

A unrestored Futurliner bus from General Motors “Parade of Progress” of the 1940s and ‘50s is among the early consignments for the expected roster of 1,000 cars and motorcycles available May 12-15 in Auctions America by RM at Auburn Auction Park in Auburn, Indiana. The Futurliner bus, one of 12 built and eight known in existence, has an estimated value of $450,000 to $600,000. In highly original condition, it has recently been equipped with eight new tires, a new plexiglass windshield and all-new rubber and metal siding. These futuristically styled buses, measuring 11 feet high and 33 feet long, were designed by Harley Earl and originally built in 1940 and refurbished in the early 1950s. They traveled the highways and

Specialty cars

Maybach boasts luxury, security with new armoured limo

Maybach has debuted its new Maybach Guard, an armoured limousine based on the Maybach 62 and featuring integrated safety systems by the German engineers in Sindelfingen. Responding to the needs of businessmen and Heads of State around the world, Maybach reports: “The protection offered is absolutely peerless and discreet: even to a specialist eye it is almost impossible to distinguish a Maybach Guard from the regular Maybach 62 saloon. “When it comes to the performance, the German engineers have surpassed themselves: a special armour – made of highly specialized steel and high-tech Kevlar – is integrated in the body shell and thanks to its lightness, the weight of the vehicle is raised by only 406 kilograms, with no effects on

Specialty cars

1955 Ford Thunderbird (two-seater), 1955-57 Car Review

The 1955 Ford Thunderbird two seater (1955-1957) is among the most iconic American cars. It’s been in television shows, movies and print advertisements and pictured on a U.S. postage stamp. The mass media often has mistakenly called any sporty looking car, like the Ford Mustang, a “sports car.” It’s given the 1955-57 Thunderbird the same description, although Ford stressed from the get-go its “new baby” was a “personal car.” Ford knew the sports cars market was very limited and calling the Thunderbird a “personal car” would give it broader appeal. The 1955-57 “T-Bird” was America’s second mass-produced sports car from a large domestic automaker, behind the Chevrolet Corvette. Smaller U.S. car producers, such as Nash and Kaiser, built a limited

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Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe, 2009 car review

You may not be able to afford a Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe, or even want one, for that matter. But you owe it to yourself to drive one before you pass on. If all you drive are cars such as Toyotas and Chevys, you’ll never get the full picture. The 2009 Phantom Coupe ($400,000) is large, heavy and luxurious. That’s the way Rolls-Royces have always been, so why break tradition? But the car also is powerful, fast and agile on twisting mountain roads near this city, I discovered while driving it at a recent media preview, And that’s not the way Rolls-Royces have always been. The 2009 Coupe should not be mistaken for a Rolls built before Germany’s BMW Group took

Specialty cars

1963-64 Studebaker Avanti Car Review

The rakish 1963-64 Studebaker Avanti was among the most daring 1960s American cars, a modern masterpiece with totally unique American styling that even top exotic Italian auto stylists wouldn’t attempt to do. The Avanti had advanced safety features, when no U.S. automaker particularly gave a darn about safety. Such features included a built-in roll bar, padded interior and door latches that became structural body members when closed. Performance? An Avanti with a supercharged V-8 was one of the fastest 1960s autos. A supercharged model hit 168 mph, while a modified version reached 196 mph — a staggering speed for a 1960s production street car. Some 29 Bonneville speed records were smashed by a supercharged Avanti. Safety? The Avanti (Italian for

Specialty cars

BMW 1956-1959 507 car review

One of the most revered BMW models is the 1956-59 507 sports car, valued at $420,000 if in excellent (and not even show car) condition. Only 253 were built, but at least 200 have survived because the 507 isn’t the sort of auto that’s neglected and then thrown away. BMW made top sports cars in the 1930s, but suffered so much damage during World War II that it couldn’t return to auto production until 1951. The 507 revived its reputation for producing fast, durable, superbly engineered road cars. The 507 had everything you could ask from a sports car. It had sensational styling that still looks great and could do 0-60 mph in 7 to 8.8 seconds, depending on gearing.

Specialty cars

Lexus video: Super car does donuts around super model

Like manufacturers featuring stunning models at auto shows, the same equation works in print and in video marketing. But throw in a performance Lexus and add a little suspense, and it’s a great way to sell cars — or at least yellow bikinis. In the video below, champion drifter racer Rhys Millen guides the Lexus LFA super car around super model around Rianne Ten Haken. Photographer Yu Tsai explains his concept in the video, Rhys does an extraordinary job getting the Lexus close to the model. And Ten Haken? She just stands there and then comments she had no idea how close the car was. Of course, the dilemma is whether those watching the video will even care about the

Specialty cars

Bugatti Veyron gets another honor — 'meanest' car

Manufacturers take pride in “green” cars honors and automakers like Honda, Nissan and Toyota aggressively use the accolades in various marketing and public relations campaigns. But not so much exotic carmakers like Bugatti and domestic truck manufacturers Ford, Dodge and Chevy. They’ve all been awarded positions on the dubious list of the “meanest” cars — the country’s biggest environmental losers. Bugatti‘s position on the top of the bad list is nothing new. It’s a notorious gas guzzler, which the Italian manufacturer doesn’t much care about since the Veyron is among the most exclusive and fastest cars made. Among gas guzzlers, the Veyron’s 8 mpg in city driving is the lowest average of any car and the only single-digit average. So, while

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