Janis Joplin’s psychedelic Porsche set for Sotheby’s auction

The 1965 Porsche 356C 1600 Cabriolet that Janis Joplin drove as a daily driver throughout California will be part of the RM Sotheby’s exclusive “Driven by Disruption” sale in New York City on December 10. The vintage sports car is described by an auction representative as, “without question one of the most important Porsches of all time.” Joplin purchased the Porsche in September 1968, but she decided the original Pearl White finish was slightly too conservative. She engaged Dave Richards, a friend and roadie with her band, Big Brother and the Holding Company, to customize the car with a kaleidoscopic

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Porsche goes electric to chase Tesla dominance

Porsche, the sports car manufacturer well-established in performance and craftsmanship, is now seeking to establish a market to counter the dominance of Tesla in the luxury electric car segment. Porsche recently unveiled its first electric concept, the Mission E, at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Observers commented it looked like a futuristic version of a Porsche 911. The German carmaker said the four-door Mission E will be able to drive approximately 310 miles on a single charge. Porsche said the model should take 15 minutes to charge to about 80 percent of its capacity. The Tesla currently requires about 30 minutes

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2016 Honda Civic gets sporty

Honda has introduced, via YouTube, the 2016 Honda Civic sedan, the 10th generation of the enduring compact car. The sedan trim is among several new Civic models that will debut in the fall of 2105. The coupe, high-performance Si models, a 5-door hatchback and the first Civic Type-R model for the U.S. market will also be unveiled later this year as part of the new chapter in the Civic’s 43-year history. The 2016 Honda Civic will feature two all-new engines – including the first application of Honda turbo engine technology in the U.S. These powerful and fuel-efficient new engines combine

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2016 Acura MDX: More technology, comfort for luxury SUV

Although it’s not a new generation, the 2016 Acura MDX has several updates from its one-year-older predecessor. The new edition of the luxury sport utility vehicle has a nine-speed, push-button automatic transmission and a revised all-wheel drive system. A frameless rearview mirror and several technology features are also new. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The three-row, seven-passenger Acura MDX feature a 3.5-liter, 290-horsepower with the aforementioned nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but my weekly driver featured the optional all-wheel drive. There’s a lot of competition in luxury SUVs and buyers can make diverse choices. With the Acura MDX,

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VW made $600 car for China, but did world’s cheapest car vanish?

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A new cheap single-seat car, introduced several years via a prototype, was scheduled for release recently China and would have made the Tata Nano, the not-too-long ago world’s cheapest car, seem expensive. Made in Hamburg, Germany, and shown only to Volkswagen stockholders in secrecy, the unnamed vehicle was said to 4,000 Yuan or the equivalent of $600. That’s about one-third of the cost of the original Tata Nano, the India-made vehicle that debuted via much publicity in 2009. (But has anyone heard anything further about arguably one of oddest-looking vehicles in history?) The new vehicle, built in Germany, was predicted

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Carsquare.com: the easiest, best way to buy or lease a car

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Carsquare.com is a new website that provides something previously absent from the online car-buying experience. Whether a consumer is looking to purchase a new car in a specific price range or interested in reading used car reviews, Carsquare.com features a diverse offering — from the best used car tools to educating yourself about buying a new car to generating a specific vehicle’s used car history check. The Carsquare.com platform aggregates information from the best automotive industry companies available on the Internet and has developed relationships with Carfax, eBay Motors, CarsDirect, Usedcars.com, MyCarMatch, LotLinx, Swapalease.com, and others. The new portal provides

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2015 Honda CR-V: Best crossover SUV gets better

In its 21st year, the Honda CR-V is mature, a standard bearer in the sport utility market. The 2015 edition further defines the top-selling people mover. The 2015 edition isn’t a new generation, but there’s plenty new. For starters, the 2.4-liter, 185-horsepower engine is now the same as the Accord’s direct-injection, four-cylinder with a continuously variable transmission. The exterior styling has been refreshed. And, so, too has the interior. New are a front console armrest, rear climate vents, a 7-inch touchscreen linked to the LaneWatch blind spot monitoring system on the higher-level trim. The Touring trim also has upgraded safety

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Model-T still reigns among best Ford cars ever made

The Ford Motor Company has celebrated numerous milestones. Its current achievement is the 2015 Mustang, now 50 years old. The iconic sports car’s success at its half-century mark brings to mind many other Fords. More specifically, since Ford‘s debut in 1903, the manufacturer has made so many automotive industry revered vehicles, it’s hard to pick the carmakers’ best. It’s a subjective choice, certainly. The Best Car Ever Made in History Choosing the best car ever made in history is a complex and subjective endeavor, as it involves weighing a myriad of factors that span technological innovation, design, impact on the

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Tesla Model S sets record as best-testing car in history

Consumer Reports has announced what other automotive publications have also determined in other models of the high-end Tesla. The electric vehicle has tested better than any car in history of the magazine’s respected ratings systems. Specifically, the all-wheel drive the 2015 Model S P85D sedan tallied 103 points in the magazine’s system that by definition doesn’t surpass 100 points. Consumer Reports’ staff reported: “The P85D is brutally quick, with instant acceleration. The car’s thrust is forceful and immediate. Its near-instant g-forces can otherwise be achieved only by leaping off a building—literally.” “That this electric car accelerates from 0 to 60

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2015 Nissan Murano: Driving the USA Pro Challenge #2

The USA Pro Challenge, the fifth-year professional cycling event in Colorado, takes the riders throughout cities large and small. In the past few days, I’ve driven the 2015 Nissan Murano from Frisco to Copper Mountain to Aspen to Breckenridge. The route has primarily been along winding and hilly Interstate 70 that advance through wondrous rock formations. I also drove on a several state routes along flowing rivers and on a few frontage roads and on city streets in Frisco and to the top of Snowmass. My guide was the touchscreen navigation system. I liked the clarity of the seven-inch screen

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2016 Toyota Tacoma stronger, more trims

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The redesigned 2016 Toyota Tacoma will feature a new powertrain, enhanced suspension timing and an expanded range of trim possibilities adding to the appeal of the enduring mid-size pickup. Fortified with additional steel, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma will have enhanced rigidity and more overall strength. The steel was integrated into the body shell using a new hot stamping process that reduces weight. Two engines will be offered: * A 2.7-liter DOHC four-cylinder with VVT-i that will produce 159 horsepower and EPA estimated city/highway/combined mpg for the 4×2 with an automatic transmission is19/23/21. Estimated fuel efficiency for the 4×4 with a

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2015 Nissan Murano: Driving the USA Pro Challenge #1

Newly designed for 2015, the Nissan Murano is a midsize, versatile crossover SUV. It’s available in four trim levels and all with either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. My weekly driver of the USA Pro Challenge, a seven-day pro professional bike race in Colorado, is the SL trim with all-wheel drive. Standard equipment on the base S model includes: 18-inch alloy wheels, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, dual-zone automatic climate control and cruise control. Electronics and entertainment features include Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a 7-inch touchscreen, a rearview camera, smartphone app integration and a six-speaker sound system

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2015 Lexus ES 350: Perfect sedan for a 2,000-mile desert trek

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What car enthusiast wouldn’t welcome the opportunity to drive across three sates, including long stretches in the desert, on wide, high-speed roads? And considering super cars to classics, what would be an ideal car to drive just under 700 miles from Sacramento, California to Logan, Utah? And after eight days in Utah, how satisfying would it be to make the return trip on the ninth day and in one day instead of the two-day departure journey? Performance freaks might select any number of rarities. Perhaps others would prefer a sports car or a gas-guzzling exotic. But what about a vehicle

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Rare Bugatti Veyrons at auction, rare pedal car an option

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The first and last hardtop Bugatti Veyron supercars made, numbers #001 and #300, went up for aution in RM Sotheby’s auction Thursday night, Aug. 13 during Monterey Auto Week. It will be nteresting to note what prices the two rare cars attract as well as the difference between the selling points the two iconic vehicles. The three-day auction, which began with a preview Aug. 12, is being held at the Portola Hotel and Spa in Monterey. The original Bugatti, a 2006, Bugatti Veyron 16.4, is predicted to sell for $1.8-$2.4 million. The second Bugatti, a 2012 Veyron 16.4 Super Sports,

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Sandra Button: Queen of the Concours d’Elegance

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The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was doing fine 30 years ago. It had honored the 100th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz and celebrated milestones of many others carmakers along the way — Bugatti to Ferrari to Maserati. Sandra Pruin (now Button) had also been hired as special events coordinator for Pebble Beach Company to help organize dog shows and golf tournaments — and the Concours d’Elegance part-time. The Conours was already internationally prominent and it remains the apex of Monterey Auto Week. But Button has now orchestrated the event for three decades. And she’s been a keen observer as the peninsula’s importance

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Car art thriving at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

The artistry of automobiles is among the focal points of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Books to movies to songs, the style, history and craftsmanship of cars is celebrated in different ways. The Automotive Fine Arts Society (AFAS) will observe the 30th anniversary of its members’ preferred method — automotive-themed fine art — during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. An estimated 250 works of art by about two-dozen artists will be showcased with the more than 200 cars on display. The work of three guest artists and two visiting artists from Japan will also be exhibited. An invitational-only preview is

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