Concept cars have long history at Pebble Beach

Concept vehicles, sometimes with variant names like show cars, prototypes and dream cars, are made by manufacturers for two related reasons. Car enthusiasts thrive on viewing new cars, the more outrageous the better. Carmakers also rely on concept cars to gauge the public interest in a new vehicle. Can it potentially advance from the bright lights of auto shows to dealership showrooms to public driveways? General Motors designer Harley Earl is generally credited with inventing the first concept, the Buick Y-Job, in the late 1930s. Earl took his increasingly popular concept on the road in the 1950s in Motorama shows

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Oldest Indy 500 car set to race at Monterey Historics

Forty years after it debuted as a gathering of old friends in old cars, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will again offer its yearly reverence to racing i n the Monterey Historics. This year’s edition, the fourth year with its new sanction and title sponsor, will likely feature the enduring event’s most diverse field. About 550 cars from nine countries and spanning 81 production years will participate April 14-17. Cars from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States are entered. Vehicles are accepted based on the car’s authenticity, race provenance and period correctness.

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Jaguar global scoop: Project 7 spy photos

The much-touted F-Type Project 7, the fastest and most powerful car ever manufactured by Jaguar Land Rover, is debuting this week, but The Weekly Driver caught an early glimpse. One day before its launch during, we noted the 575-horsepower, supercharged five-liter V8 with a eight-speed automatic. It was the subject of test shoot along the Pacific Ocean in Pacific Grove. A film crew from Long Beach, California, and Great Britain equipped with a video drone, filmed the Project 7 on repeat loops on the curved back roads of the quaint town. The backdrop was ideal: blue skies, no wind and

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Concours on the Avenue: rare cars, rare owners

Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar and Woodys, the classic surf cars, were featured among the rare cars  and unheralded automobiles Tuesday during the Concours on the Avenue on the streets of downtown Carmel. The first major showcase in the weeklong celebration of automobiles on the Monterey Peninsula progressed August 12 as it has throughout its now eight-year tenure. The crowd of humans and dogs was well behaved . . . perhaps only outdone by the enthusiasm of car owners. They polished their cars, revved their machines’ engines and eagerly talked about their prized possessions. Plenty of pristine Porsche 911 and 356s lined

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Tony Stewart accident: Manslaughter or mistake?

The death of Kevin Ward, Jr., on Saturday night Aug. 9 at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in upstate New York immediately brought further attention to the increasing tension involving the aggressive habits and tempers of drivers like Tony Stewart. Ward, 20, was fatally injured when he was struck by a sprint car driven by Stewart. The incident occurred after the cars of Stewart and Ward cars collided on the track. Ward spun out into the outer wall of the track, but within seconds he climbed out of his car and looked for Stewart’s car to express anger.  The race had continued

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2014 Mazda MX-­5 Miata: Racy, fun, agile

Nobody ever seems to get tired of sports cars. The Mazda MX-5 Miata didn’t look exotic when it arrived for the 1990 model year. But it turned lots of heads because it was the first modern-looking small sports car in years, complete with retractable headlights. Once-popular affordable sports cars such as the dated British MG and Triumph were long gone. The Miata actually was a clever copy of the 1960s-1970s British Lotus Elan sports car. Both were a blast to drive. But, while the low-volume Elan was troublesome and known to few Americans, the heavily promoted, high-volume Japanese Miata was

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REVIEW: 2015 Lexus NX goes bold, gets racy

Lexus continues to keep filling upscale vehicle market niches. I didn’t really expect to find a Stabilo Therm flask with a set of crystal shot glasses in the new 2015 Lexus NX, although this newest compact crossover vehicle is plenty luxurious–and practical. The luxury crossover market has been growing steadily since Lexus created that market with its 1998 RX model. With the new NX, Lexus feels that it has a good shot at attracting much-desired younger buyers–singles and couples 30- 40 years old. It’s a boldly designed crossover with either a potent turbocharged engine or fuel-saving hybrid model, along with

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2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport: Quiet SUV efficiency

Now in its second year, the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is the smaller of the two Santa Fe offerings. It remains much the same as last year’s debut model with a few minor upgrades. The small, five-passenger option in Hyundai‘s restyled Santa Fe lineup, the Sport is the five-passenger version of the larger Santa Fe that replaced the poor-selling Veracruz. In addition to one less passenger and a smaller engine, the Sport is eight inches shorter than the Limited. But there are many similarities among the siblings. Most notably, the SUVs both offering a smooth ride. Hyundai‘s new design

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PREVIEW: 2015 Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster

Aston Martin will globally debut its 2015 V12 Vantage S Roadster and the carmaker’s Design Prototype 100 (DP-100) will make its North American debut during the Pebble Beach Automotive Week beginning August 14. The V12 Vantage S Roadster is equipped with the latest 565 horsepower Aston Martin AM28 6.0-liter V12 engine. It features state-of-the-art Bosch engine management, which allows the car to reach 201 mph and accelerate 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds. When it arrives in markets around the world later this year the new sports car will become the luxury British marque’s most potent, fastest and fastest-accelerating series production

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2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek gets debut hybrid trim

Subaru, the manufacturer of all-wheel drive vehicles that define versatility, has long been a favorite among mountain dwellers and those who live where inclement weather is a daily routine. The carmaker’s rugged reputation expanded this year with the debut of the 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid. The five-passenger crossover is Subaru‘s first full hybrid, and its unveiling occurs one year after the gas-only Crosstrek joined the Subaru lineup. Read Now: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek The Weekly Driver’s Test Drive The new Hybrid, one of four available trims, starts with the standard features of 2.0 Premium and 2.0i Limited editions. The Premium model’s

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2014 Lexus LX570: Comfort, style, luxury

Some folks just gotta have a big, roomy vehicle. The 2014 Lexus LX570 SUV is a big fella, with room for eight in a luxurious cabin and all-terrain mobility. It’s plenty rugged, being based on the durable, upscale, go-anywhere Toyota Land Cruiser. Car-based crossover vehicles are capturing much of the old traditional SUV market, but the big, handsome four-wheel-drive LX570 is a reminder that some folks want–or need–a big vehicle with lots of room. With this Lexus, they get 8-passenger seating and typical Lexus luxury. A large SUV such as the four-door LX570 lets occupants sit high, with good all-around

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Never mind Tesla, Prius, Elio. Buy the Flatula Backfire

Forget the Tesla. Forget the pending Elio. Don’t even consider a Toyota Prius. The most efficient, least expensive and environmentally ideal car is the new Flatula Backfire. The Flatula Backfire runs on natural gas, much like the Honda Civic CNG. But it runs on the natural gas its passengers provide. The manufacturers are marketing the car with catchy slogans that make a lot of sense. “It runs like the wind, but it is your wind,” is clever. But more cleaver is the closing line of the video make to debut the cat to the world: “It’s not just a SmartCar,

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Lexus signs on as USA Pro Challenge official vehicle

Automobile manufacturers have long been associated with bicycle racing sponsorship. The latest carmaker to join list is Lexus. The luxury brand has been named as the official vehicle of the USA Pro Challenge. The two-year arrangement with the fourth-year race will include several components. Through the Lexus Champion Giveaway, the brand will provide the overall race winner with a three-year lease for a CT 200h hybrid. Additionally, Lexus will be the presenting partner for the Sprint Jersey, which has been worn by some of the top sprinters in the world, including Cannondale’s Peter Sagan. The USA Pro Challenge, August 18-24,

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Live from the 2013 LA Auto: New cars, concepts, pretty women

Live video footage from the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show.

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REVIEW: Maturity arrives for 2014 Kia Soul

Nearly a decade after the Honda Element debuted, the Kia Soul joined a few other brands in the car-in-a-box lineup in 2010. The niche group gained a lot of attention, good and bad, for their uniquely styled exteriors. But the 2014 Kia Soul is now maturely immersed in the auto scene. It’s no longer a novelty item, especially since gaining its first redesign. New this year is increased attention to the quality of the materials used in the interior as well as improved cargo space, now 61 cubic feet. The Kia Soul has always offered a hefty list of standard

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2015 Toyota Yaris debuts as Euro-styled entry level sedan

The 2015 Toyota Yaris has debuted with a new European-themed design, several new additional interior and exterior features and a manufacturer’s suggested retail price range from $14,485 to $17,620. The price range extends from three-door L with a manual transmission ($14,485) to the five-door SE with a four-speed automatic ($17,620). Like like the previous-generations, the 2015 Toyota Yaris comes in 3-door and 5-door liftback configurations. It features an aggressive new look with a horizontal chrome grill treatment that appears to continue into the headlamp. The 1.5-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder DOHC engine equipped with variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i) produces 106

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