’19 CORVETTE GRAND SPORT: INDY 500 PACER!

Posted on April 1, 2019 by MartynL

This is the 16th time a Corvette will lead ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ since 1978. The ‘19 Corvette Grand Sport will serve as the Official Pace Car for the 2019 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, leading 33 drivers to the green flag on May 26 for the 103rd running of the legendary race. It marks the 16th time a Corvette has paced the Indy 500, starting in 1978, and the 30th time a Chevrolet has led the field dating back to 1948, when a '48 Fleetmaster Six convertible was an Indy 5...

‘19 BMW X5 XDRIVE50I: DRIVING MACHINE!

Posted on March 31, 2019March 31, 2019 by MartynL

BMW proves again that a big SUV can move, handle and comfort like a luxury sports car, and sound great doing it – at a price, blogs Dan Scanlan. Yes, even a 5,617-pound BMW X5 xDrive40i sports activity vehicle is a driving machine. BMW installs a 3-liter twin-turbocharged inline 6-cylinder with 335 horsepower for its base X5, but gave our 50i a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 with 456 horsepower, with 8-speed Steptronic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive. Yes, you can go econo with ECO PRO to ...

RANGE ROVER VELAR SVAUTOBIOGRAPHY: DYNAMIC EDITION!

Posted on March 25, 2019 by MartynL

Latest Velar SVAutobiography showcases high-zoot supercharged horsepower & heritage plus stunning styling. It’s truly dynamic. Designed as the pinnacle of the lineup, Range Rover's Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition has been developed by Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (SVO). A supercharged 550 horsepower 5.0-litre V8 engine powers it, and it boasts a range of unique design enhancements. The new model will make its North American debut at the New York International Automobile Show ...

COUGAR ELIMINATOR: RARE 428 SUPER COBRA JET!

Posted on March 23, 2019March 23, 2019 by MartynL

Rare ’70 Cougar Eliminator has all the right stuff: Top performance 428 SCJ engine with dealer-installed upgrades and special order black paint. Back in 1983, when Jay Williams was cruising to college in a swaggering ‘69 Mercury Cougar Eliminator, die-hard car guys joined clubs to meet up with like-minded gearheads. Club publications were where they got their news and leads on potential purchases. It’s also how Jay Williams first came upon this hyper-rare ebony ‘70 Mercury Cougar Eliminator wit...

McLAREN CARBON FIBRE CHASSIS: ADDING LIGHTNESS!

Posted on March 22, 2019March 22, 2019 by MartynL

In the spirit of Colin Chapman, McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) has produced its first lightweight carbon fibre Monocell chassis. The first prototype carbon fibre Monocell, the tub that forms the main structure of McLaren cars has been shipped from the company’s new £50m innovation and production centre in Yorkshire to the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey. Codenamed ‘PLT-MCTC - 01’ - which stands for ‘Prototype Lightweight Tub, McLaren Composites Technology Centre -...

SANTA BARBARA DRAGS: THE RACE OF GENTLEMEN (WEST)!

Posted on March 20, 2019March 22, 2019 by MartynL

Revisiting the way it was in 1949 when modified Ford Flatheads and Fours ruled the roost at the Goleta Drags – only updated to include later-model cars and OHV V8s. Our intrepid reporter and consummate carguy, Jim Palam, brings us coverage of TROG (WEST). It took some doing, but after 70 years drag racing returned to its American birthplace – Santa Barbara, CA. It was back in 1949 that the first planned and permitted drag race took place on an access road at what is now Santa Barbara Airport. T...

2019 AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS: SHOWTIME!

Posted on March 16, 2019March 16, 2019 by MartynL

After more than two decades, the unstoppable Bill Warner and his minion of magicians continue to outdo themselves year after year. Maureen & Mike Matune were on the show field representing CGC. And this is what it all comes down to: the Best in Show presentation. How the judges are able to distill a field of automotive jewelry into two choices is awe-inspiring. Taking home the Ritz-Carlton trophies this year were the ‘57 Ferrari 335 S of Cavallino Investments and the ‘35 Mercedes 540K Autob...

HEACOCK INSURANCE: CARS & COFFEE AT AMELIA!

Posted on March 15, 2019March 26, 2019 by MartynL

When one of the premier Concours in the country also boasts a Cars & Coffee, you can expect Concours quality cars. That’s exactly what the Matunes found when covering Amelia. Normally each year we attend the Saturday morning seminar while at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance (AICE), but this year we decided that was too much like school. So instead, we went to Cars & Coffee at the Concours sponsored by Heacock Insurance. We weren’t disappointed with our choice to play hooky! Let’...

SARASOTA, FL: 2019 EXOTIC CAR FESTIVAL!

Posted on February 24, 2019February 24, 2019 by MartynL

In just three years, the Ferrari Drivers Group Sarasota has created one of the truly premier car shows in Florida. Best of all, 100% of proceeds from its event weekend goes to charity. The Exotic Car Festival, produced by Joe Brielmann and Jurgen Otto, principals of the Ferrari Drivers Group Sarasota and members of the Sarasota Café Racers, benefits The Flight To The North Pole Foundation. A non-judged car show on Lakewood Ranch’s Main Street is the centerpiece of the weekend program that inclu...

RAM AIR V GTO – THE MYTH & THE MAGIC!

Posted on February 21, 2019 by MartynL

Like Chevrolet’s ZL1 Corvette and Buick’s Stage II Gran Sports, Pontiac’s Tunnel Port Ram Air V has been the subject of urban legends for decades. It’s all about myth & magic. According to Tom Nell, a Special Projects Engineer at Pontiac in 1971, “Pontiac’s Ram Air V or Mark V was the first Pontiac engine since the 1963 Super-Duty 421 to be developed around the concept of performance and durability, outside the realm of normal usage.” Many of the same high-performance engineers responsib...