Category: Auto-Moto

Though not giving us the production version on the Frankfurt stage that many of us expected, Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann took a moment while introducing the new Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale to confirm the Sesto Elementois indeed headed for production.

“The excellent feedback and the numerous requests we’ve had from our customers have really convinced us to embark on the challenge of producing a vehicle with unique characteristics. We are proud that what a year ago was just a ‘technology demonstrator’ of future super sports cars, even though in working order, will become a small series reality. Only 20 units of the new Sesto Elemento super sports car will be produced, and will be destined only for track use. We’re planning to deliver the first cars at the beginning of 2013.”

Sucks we won’t see any of these on the road, but with 20 sent around the world, I’m at least hoping one may turn up at a few more auto shows or even next year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance ‘Concept Lawn’ display.

No word yet if the previously reported ~$3.4 million price tag rings true or not. Follow the jump for Lamborghini’s press release.

Well, this just sucks!

A Shelby Cobra, ’47 Studebaker pickup, ’66 Pontiac GTO, several mid-’50s Chevrolets as well as a dozen Corvettes have been destroyed by the wildfires sweeping across Texas, and all were owned by one man. John Chapman, 70, had his entire 175 classic car collection reduced to ashes.

Despite the loss, John says his house and family are safe and continues on to say you can either laugh or cry. He’s chosen to laugh.

I’d be crying.

High on our list of reasons we love living in Southern California, and particularly the ritzier parts of Los Angeles, is the sheer abundance of collector cars out and about on a daily basis. Whether they are classics or the most modern of super and hypercars, when combined with LA traffic and sometimes questionable driving ability, bumps and bruises are bound to happen from time to time.

See what happens when a Ferrari California driver thought it was wise to pass a tour bus on the right only to have the gap closed and be forced into the curb. This occurred moments ago at the intersection of Camden and Wilshire Blvd here in the heart of Beverly Hills.

This one-off Corvette will cross the auction block at 2:35 pm on Saturday, May 22 in Indianapolis, IN.

The ‘63 Harley J. Earl Corvette Convertible features a 327 cubic inch engine, 4-speed manual transmission, distinct dual instrument panels as well as unique side-exit exhaust that sprout from behind the front wheel wells. Chrome trim, exterior emblems, interior control knobs and four-wheel disc brakes that are all pre-production 1965 parts.

“This is an unbelievable opportunity for racecar drivers, collectors and enthusiasts to own the vehicle that was specifically built for the namesake of the Harley J. Earl Daytona 500 Trophy,” said President Dana Mecum. “Created by General Motors as a gift for their former designer Harley J. Earl, this one-of-a-kind factory special convertible is a unique piece of Corvette history that we are excited to auction at our Indy event, right in the heart of motorsports country.”

For those not familiar with the name or his legacy, Harley J. Earl, influenced by the British and European sports cars of the time, is responsible for the original Corvette. As General Motors’ designer, he began design work secretly on ‘Project Opel’. With help from Chevrolet general manager Ed Cole, the ‘53 Corvette was rolled out into American history. As a friend of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., Earl designed the prestigious Daytona 500 winner’s trophy and had it sculpted inside his Michigan design studio.

In February of ‘63, this special edition Corvette (Shop Order 10323) also served as a parade car for the Daytona 500.

Be sure to check out the other lots available at Mecum’s 2010 Spring Classic.

Canepa Design has 1980 BMW M1 on their hands and is asking $250,000 for you take it away. Of the 456 that were produced, this example is white with black interior, has 26,999 miles on the odometer and looks to be in pristine condition.

Given the company’s location up near the Monterey Peninsula, the timing of this particular vehicle being offered for sale certainly coincides well with so many individuals arriving in the area for this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and all that comes with it. Are you lucky enough to snatch it up?

This past weekend saw a multitude of car shows across the country. One of which was the 10th Annual All GM Show at Woodley Park in Van Nuys, CA. The park is home to a number of shows throughout the year and Jay Leno is rarely a stranger to any of them. And as it was a collaboration between Leno and General Motors, he decided to bring out the EcoJet for yesterday’s show.

Powered by a Honeywell LT 101 jet engine, the turbine runs on both biodiesel and JP-4 jet fuel (stored separately in tanks on each side of the vehicle), provides roughly 650 horsepower and sounds truly awesome. Fortunately, we caught up with Jay just as he fired up the EcoJet and drove off.

London’s summer art fairs attract some of the world’s wealthiest collectors. After last year’s closing of the 75-year-old Grosvenor House event, June 24–29 will see the first ‘Masterpiece London’. It joins the Kensington Gardens and Olympia arts and antique fairs to showcase some of the world’s most sought after works of art.

Sitting alongside Picasso and Renoir creations, Masterpiece London will be the first to introduce classic automobiles to the mix. A few of the vehicles up for bid are a ‘32 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix racer estimated at $4.5 million, a Brooklands-winning $2.2 million ‘36 Bentley 4.5 liter, an inaugural race winning ‘59 Aston Martin DB4 GT Prototype piloted by Stirling Moss, a rare pre-war Masterati 6CM and a recently restored AC ACE from 1957.

Despite the desirability of these vintage automobiles, amazingly they’re actually some of the least expensive works included in the Masterpiece London. Prices for many of the Picassos, Renoirs and other impressionist pieces are expected to bring upwards of $22 million each!

A source within Bugatti has reportedly confirmed to Auto Express that the company has built a purely electric powered hypercar. It is based on the chassis of sister company Bentley’s Continental GT, pumps out 800 horsepower, has twin-electric motors and generates 1,600 lb-ft of torque that is instantly available from any speed.

Currently undergoing testing, it is being used within the company to demonstrate the technology of what is possible with electric cars. No doubt, they’re working closely with Audi and their well received e-Tron concept vehicles.

Everyone knows Bugatti currently has their sights extremely focused on the future. The Veyron is closing in on the end of its production run, rumors of a 1,200 horsepowered ‘Super Veyron’ have resurfaced and the company is still debating whether or not to bring the 16C Galibier uber sedan concept to production. Could this electric beast end up to be another model in the works if consumer demand warrants such a vehicle? Ettore did it with the meant-to-be one-off Type 56 back in the ’30s.

Despite whatever happens with Bugatti’s experiment, we have no doubt we’ll see its successes filter down to Bentley, Lamborghini, Audi and even VW rather soon.

One-of-a-kind 1963 Harley J. Earl Corvette Corvette

Last month, we profiled Harley J. Earl’s one-off 1963 Corvette. Minutes ago, it crossed the block at Dana Mecum’s 23rd Original Spring Classic in Indianapolis and sold to the highest bidder for $925,000.

Quick refresh – The ‘63 Harley J. Earl Corvette Convertible features a 327 cubic inch engine, 4-speed manual transmission, distinct dual instrument panels as well as unique side-exit exhausts that sprout from behind the front wheel wells. Chrome trim, exterior emblems, interior control knobs and four-wheel disc brakes that are all pre-production 1965 parts.

The vehicle was created as a gift from General Motors to Harley for his contributions to the Corvette program over the years and of course his responsibility for pitching the program and creating the original ‘53.

Check out the gallery below for detailed shots.

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Looking at the list of consignments, Dana Mecum’s 23rd Original Spring Classic Auction is turning out to be quite the event. In addition to the highly collectible ‘63 Harley J. Earl Corvette Convertible, many of the vehicles crossing the block between May 19 and 23 several are high-profile film and television stars in their own right.

Lots T260 and T261 are the two beauty cars created for the 2009 blockbuster The Hangover – A 1965 Mercedes-Benz 220SE Convertible and a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Convertible; the latter owning the honor of carrying Mike Tyson’s tiger in the film; however the interior appears to be in fantastic shape.

Also up for bid is the Shelby Cobra we first saw in the trailer for 2008’s Iron Man, which subsequently got crushed as Tony Start first learned to fly. It was of course a replica, but more accurately just a shell. In fact, two Cobra Kirkham Body Shells were created in case they had to shoot the scene twice. Both the unharmed and crushed shells are to be sold on a bill of sale.

Other television and film vehicles turning up in Indianapolis this year are the two Mustangs from the revived, but since rightly canceled, Knight Rider series on NBC (both the 2005 standard Mustang and the 2008 transformed version), the ‘62 Cadillac first seen in the Golden Girls movie, the last known remaining 2001 Buell (though dressed up to looks like an Indian) police motorcycle from 2003’s Terminator: Rise Of The Machines, the ‘73 El Camino from My Name Is Earl, the ‘72 Cutlass Coupe from Prince Of Motor City, and a race car Charlie’s Angels film.

Be sure to tune in to Discovery’s HD Theatre for television coverage of the event. Of the vehicles mentioned above, only the ‘72 Cutlass is scheduled not to appear before the cameras