Sports Cars

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#191, Monterey Auto Week tuned up, ready for restart

A few events have been amended,  few postponed for another year. But by any name, Monterey Auto Week to Classic Car Week, and with events from The Little Car Show to the Concours d’Elegance, it’s back. The all-encompassing showcase of automobiles and many related areas returns after a one-year COVID-19 hiatus. The festivities begin August 6 and continue through August 15 at multiple locations throughout the Monterey Peninsula. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James it all during this Episode #191 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. We’ll be on-site for four days beginning Aug. 9. Plans include a podcast from the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel (Aug. 10) and The Little Car Show (Aug. 11) in Pacific Grove. Aston Martin will

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Kaiser Darrin, 1954: Best Of Show At Concours On The Avenue

It was one of the first cars I noticed, and after looking at an estimated 200 other vehicles, the 1954 Kaiser Darrin was still my favorite at the recently concluded Monterey Auto Week. The Concours on the Avenue in Carmel was only presented for the second year in 2008. But it has come into its own, particularly with cars like the Darrin Owner John Nirenstein of Tiburon, California, showcased it on Tuesday, Aug. 12, the second day of the event. Kaiser Darrin: Art Decco on wheels Nirenstein, participating in the event for the first time. He bought the car 10 years ago and took 22 months to restore it. While soft jazz played in the background, the car got plenty

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2021 BMW M3 Competition: worthy showoff, fat wallet needed

A guy in a gas station parking lot with a stern look that quickly turned to a big smile asked if we could switch cars. Another onlooker boasted he had the best BMW ever made but that mine looked pretty good. Unsolicited commenters hated the matted exterior color and split “kidney grilles.” Other onlookers couldn’t offer superlatives fast enough. Key Takeaways Sixth-generation M3 debuts with 503 hp and 479 lb-ft: A turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six paired with an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive delivers a 3.5-second 0-60 mph run. Price escalates from $73,795 base to $104,245 as-tested: Carbon ceramic brakes alone add $8,150, with the M Carbon Exterior Package another $4,700 and the M Driver’s top-speed increase $2,500. Polarizing design draws

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2021 Aston Martin Vantage: stunning, fast, flawed

There’s no way around it. Something’s not right with the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage. And what would James Bond have to say about it? Sean Connery as Agent 007 was often portrayed escaping from criminals and saving the world while driving an Aston Martin. But how could anything but perfection be the vehicle of choice for the epitome of espionage elegance? Bond film aficionados know the secret agent often drove an Aston Martin DB5 in films, although the tuxedo-wearing purveyor of cool drove other models, including the Vantage. 2021 Aston Martin Vantage: Pricey Options As awkward as it may read, the Vantage is the British carmaker’s entry-level vehicle with a top-line price of about $200,000. The MSRP is $147,000 and

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2020 Lexus RC F: Strong luxury sedan, rivals stronger

Introduced in 2015, the Lexus RC F is the third vehicle in the Toyota luxury brand’s performance-oriented lineup. Like its sedan, SUV and speed-geared siblings, it has plenty to offer. The Lexus RC F has aggressive styling, 19-inch wheels, quad exhaust tips and a carbon-fiber roof panel. The engine is a naturally aspirated 472-horsepower 5.0-liter V8. It has Brembo brakes, improved and more aggressive suspension tuning and is rear-wheel drive. Key Takeaways 472-hp naturally aspirated V8 resists the turbo trend: The 5.0-liter V8 pairs with Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels, a carbon-fiber roof, and quad exhaust tips for a 4.3-second 0-60 run. $64,900 base escalates past $80,000 as-tested: Optional Navigation ($2,725) and Premium ($5,350) packages drive the total beyond $80,000, bringing

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2021 Toyota Supra: looks great, rough road ahead

Two decades after its original production ceased, a new old sports car re-emerged 18 months ago. Few consumers noticed the Toyota Supra. Less than 3,000 of the 2020 fifth-generation offering, a collaboration between the Japanese automaker and BMW, sold. The revised 2021 edition offers promise for a new wave of buyers interested in the luxury sports car first unveiled in 1978. A full year of sales will more than double the estimated 3,000 purchases from the vehicle’s initial six months back on the market in 2019. It’s encouraging considering the final year of the Supra’s initial tenure in the United States in 1999 resulted in only 24 sales. Toyota Supra gets second chance The Supra was all the rage in

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New Corvette mid-engine beauty rocks auto world

The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray for decades has been labeled “America’s Sports Car.” It’s served as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 a record 16 times since 1978. And for 40 years, the Corvette has been made in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The General Motors plant is as nationalistic as any manufacturing city. It shares geographic headquarters with other iconic American companies — Holley to Russell, Camping World to Fruit of the Loom. But Chevy has expanded its motoring preferences outside of Kentucky and its seven bordering states. The debuts of the 2020 C8 Corvette and its 2021 sibling, both delayed in production by the coronavirus pandemic, feature what Chevy considered for decades — a mid-engine. With diminishing sales for several

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VW icon: 23-window bus for beach bums, hippies

For beach bums and touring musicians, alpine explorers to free-spirited travelers of yesteryear and today, the elusive Volkswagen 23-window bus — was and is as good as it gets. Known to U.S. buyers as the “Deluxe Microbus with Samba package,” the 23-window bus was originally designed as a vehicle to tour the Swiss Alps, offering up to nine passengers maximum visibility.   But it was quickly adopted by families, campers and members of the counterculture. The van features a collection of unique windows including eight skylights, two curved rear windows, a retractable skylight, and a coveted split windshield. Produced between 1951 and 1967, the first-generation Microbus was budget-friendly and built for sightseeing adventures. The four-cylinder engine was placed in the

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Mazda MX-5 Miata still reigns at age 32

There’s little room, the trunk is tiny, body and cargo space minimal. It’s difficult to enter and exit, and it’s loud. Welcome another edition of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, nearly everyone’s favorite 32-year-old lightweight roadster. For 2020, the best-selling sports car in history is a continuation of the fourth generation introduced in 2016. It’s stayed much the same, with a few refreshes along the way. The two-seater is available in Sport, Club and Grand Touring trims, all propelled by 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engines with 181 horsepower. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on all models and a six-speed automatic transmission is optional. The standard transmission option shifts smoothly and propels the sports car from 0-to-60 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds.

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2020 Aston Martin Vantage: James Bond sports car cool

The video is in black-and-white, the quality marginal, the premise pure action and preposterous fantasy. But it’s James Bond driving an Aston Martin DB5 in the movie Goldfinger, and after 56 years it’s still fun to watch. Perhaps only equaled in brand association by Volkswagen in the hippie movement, Aston Martin is secret agent 007’s getaway car. James Bond, played by Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, drove many other vehicles during the series’ 25 films. None represent the character’s automotive prowess more than his Aston Martin chase scenes throughout the years. The latest film “No Time To Die,” was delayed from a spring release to November because of the coronavirus. It will feature four Aston Martin vehicles to commemorate the

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Underdog 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia excels

Automobile manufacturers try to outmaneuver each other every year for advertising honors during the Super Bowl. Prices escalate and commercials succeed and fail with carmakers’ futures at stake in million-dollar-minute increments. Fiat Chrysler gambled a few years ago with its Alfa Romeo brand — and won. It promoted the new Giulia, showing the sports car blazing along winding country roads, past vineyards and through a tunnel with narration provided by a sultry voice. The commercial, titled “Dear Predictable,” needles Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz, the German frontrunners, while touting the Italian alternative. Alfa Romeo sales falling The second of the carmaker’s one-minute spot ends with the sports car powering toward the horizon. The moderator softly states, “You know what they

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James Bond films mean Aston Martin scenes but no DBX

Whenever a new James Bond movie is released, a conversation with Ian Fleming would be fascinating. Is secret agent 007’s portrayal still recognizable from the author’s first book published nearly 70 years ago? And what would he say about the movies’ automotive coolness, the Aston Martin driving scenes? Fleming died 56 years ago in his native England. Scotsman Sean Connery played the debonair character in the first five Bond films (and seven overall). He began driving an Aston Martin DB5 in the third film, Goldfinger (1964). Connery is now age 89 and long ago retired. He presumably has priorities other than a shaken (not stirred) martini, fast cars, a perfectly tailored tuxedo and always-present beautiful women. But he’s James Bond,

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2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250: Finally!

Introduced in 2014, the Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 is an entry-level luxury sedan styled like a coupe and priced to sway new buyers from Audi and BMW. Redesigned for 2020, criticisms of poor ride quality, stiff seats and limited interior room have been addressed. In addition to the CLA 250, the new generation of the sedan is now also available in AMG CL 35 and AMG CLA 45 trims. The AMG CLA 35 also uses a more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (302 hp and 295 lb-ft) and is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch as well. Mercedes-Benz CLA 250: Three Trims The CLA 45 gets the biggest power bump to its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder (382 hp and 354 lb-ft). It’s connected

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$2 million Bentley made from ancient wood sold out

Even by Bentley standards, the British automaker known for its rare combination of elegance and performance, the just-unveiled Mulliner Bacalar reeks of pretentiousness. The $2 million open-topped cars will feature an interior made from 5,000-year-old trees and be powered with 650 horsepower, a 12-cylinder engine, with all-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The small production vehicle — only 12 will be made — was scheduled for its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The annual prestigious event was scheduled to begin March 5, but it was canceled due to concerns about the coronavirus. Like many other manufacturers that altered plans, the new Bentley was unveiled online. All 12 Bacalar cars have already been pre-sold to customers, who will work with

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2019 Lexus IS350, a worthy sporty sedan failing

Comfort, superior ride quality and luxury aren’t often strong sports car characteristics. Feeling the road, shifting gears and making the best of a rugged minimalist interior provides a good chunk of the appeal. The 2019 Lexus IS350 rejects the norm. Defined as a five-passenger small sedan, the IS350 matches a quiet, relaxing and comfortable sedan with an aggressive-looking sports car. It’s ready for some country road shenanigans or long, smooth freeway hauls. The Lexus IS (Intelligent Sport) debuted in North American in 2000; the 350 variant arrived in 2008. Its third and current generation was unveiled in 2013, with a revamp in 2016. While 2020 models have just emerged, the still-available 2019 offering remains largely unchanged from recent years. Three-beam

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