Embarrassing Replica of Rolls Royce Phantom Built on BMW 750i V12 E32

This custom monstrosity of a Rolls Royce Phantom replica is based on one of the last elegant BMW 7-Series models, the late 1980s-early 1990s E32, and was found for sale on a Polish used car website. There are so many things wrong with the build that we don't know where to start, but the flashy Rolls Royce sticker on the steering wheel could take the prize for being the worst item on the car...

Find of the Day: Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione Spider for $310,000

Found hidden amongst a bunch of used, older generation Alfa Romeo models in Autotrader's used car listings, is this extremely rare 8C Competizione Spider. The 450HP V8 Italian exotic has been put up for sale by Connecticut-based Miller Motorcars, with the dealer stating it is a one-owner example driven a mere 825 miles since new and that it's one of 20 cars made for the U.S. market out of a total

ItalDesign’s Nazca Reborn in Sabino Leerentveld Homage

Ever since the demise of BMW’s M1 in 1981, designers and illustrators alike have speculated on the look of a possible successor to the Bavarian automaker’s only mass produced, mid-engined vehicle. Some – like industry stalwart ItalDesign – have gone so far to build full scale, drivable mock-ups. One such speculative mock-up was ItalDesign’s Nazca M12 of 1991 featuring a mid-mounted V12 and BMW’

eBay Find: Luigi Colani’s 1970 Lamborghini Miura Le Mans Concept Car

Unveiled in 1970, the Lamborghini Miura Le Mans was an out-of-this-world concept car, envisioned by legendary Italian designer, Luigi Colani. According to Colani’s website, the design study was a “two-part hybrid car”, with a Miura chassis rear section and front passenger cabin designed “like the cockpit of a glider”. It was used as a show car for about four years, when it suddenly went under

Audi UK Launches Online Heritage Showroom

It’s nice to see that modern cars are evolving at an astonishing pace, incorporating innovative gadgets, advanced safety features and powerful engines, but, once in a while, you just want to spend some time looking up older models. This can be frustrating, as information about certain cars can be pretty scarce and not entirely accurate, to say the least. That’s why we salute Audi’s decision to

Mercedes Celebrates 25 Years of 4MATIC Four-Wheel Drive and Other Vehicle Dynamics Systems

In 1986, Mercedes launched the 4MATIC four-wheel drive system on a test ground in Rovaniemi, Finland, alongside two other, equally important vehicle dynamics components: the automatic locking differential (ASD) and acceleration skid control (ASR), which used the sensory technology made available through the anti-lock braking system (ABS), first introduced by the German maker in 1978. In a press

1964 Dodge Hemi Charger Concept Car Hits the Auction Block, Again

You are looking at the first Dodge ever to use the Charger nameplate, the 1964 Dodge Hemi Charger Concept Car. Developed in late 1963 on Polara underpinnings, it was used by Chrysler to showcase its newest engine at the time, the now iconic 426-cubic inch (7.0-liter) Hemi V8. Owned by several collectors over its 47-year existence, this rare piece of automotive heritage is going to be auctioned

Flashback: Steve McQueen Drives the 2005 Ford Mustang... 25 Years after His Death

In 1980, the world lost a cultural icon. Steve McQueen, the star of such films as Bullitt and Le Mans, had died. Metastatic cancer had claimed the life of the King of Cool. Still, the legacy lives on. The actor’s love of cars and motorcycles was well known. McQueen competed in many motor races including the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Baja 1000. He also owned several semi-unique vehicles

eBay Find: 1981 E23 BMW 735i Touring Prototype [with Video]

Yep, that’s not a typo: BMW did actually build an E23 735i Touring and it showed it at the 1980 Frankfurt Auto Show to gauge the public’s reaction. Unfortunately (or not), the car didn’t make it into production and was slowly forgotten, up until ten years ago. That’s when this example, one of only two custom built prototypes, first surfaced on eBay with 8,179 miles (13,163 km) on the odometer.

My Top 10 Cars of All-Time - U.S.A.

In the past I’ve covered my picks for the best cars of the 1980s and ‘90s. Now it’s time for my Top 10 cars of All-Time, whereby I pit country against country. Our six contenders are the U.S.A., Britain, Japan, Germany, Italy and France. Will you side with American muscle or French flair? Can Japanese perfection trump Italian passion? Or do you choose German engineering over British ingenuity?

Classic Flashback: The Ferrari-Powered 1986 Lancia Thema 8.32

All the talk about the Fiat Group's plans to re-badge the redesigned 2011 Chrysler 300 (see our high-res gallery here) and re-brand it as the Lancia Thema in Europe, brought to mind the original Thema of the mid-1980s and -1990s, and especially, the Ferrari V8-powered 8.32 model. Introduced at the 1984 Turin Motor Show, the Thema was Lancia's flagship sedan, sharing the "Type Four" platform

Blast from the Past: Chevrolet’s Stunning 1973 Aerovette Concept

How do you replace a motoring icon? In the years leading up to 1968, U.S. automaker Chevrolet was dealing with this very problem with their venerable Corvette. The first and second generation Corvettes, designed by Harley Earl and Larry Shinoda respectively, were stylish and innovative creations that drew countless fans from the automotive community. The answer lies, in part, with the Aerovette:

eBay Sleeper: 1979 Chevrolet Malibu with Pontiac GTO 5.7-liter LS1 V8

Now that Pontiac is officially gone, one way of keeping the heritage alive is to salvage whatever parts you can find. We don’t know if that’s what the owner of this 1979 Chevrolet Malibu thought, but, nevertheless, he did swap the original engine with a modern 5.7-liter LS1 V8, sourced from a wrecked GTO, while keeping the styling of the car pretty much stock. Engine aside, the old-school

Hofele-Design Takes on First Generation Porsche Boxster with 986 Speed GT Package

If you happen to own a first generation Porsche Boxster 986 and want to improve the roadster's looks - in the traditional sense of the word and not in the way some replica makers propose (i.e. this Boxster based Lamborghini), you may want to take a look at Hofele-Design's new Speed GT styling package. The "Speed GT" body kit for Boxster comprises of a new front bumper with larger air intakes

Automotive Flops: Renault’s Quirky 2001 Avantime Coupe-MPV

The automotive industry has seen many flops during its century-long existence, most of them due to poor thinking and execution. Every once in a while, though, some truly innovative vehicles receive the axe simply because they were ahead of their time. Renault’s Avantime is one such an example. Built in cooperation with Matra, the coupe-MPV was unlike anything else on the road when it was

Retour vers le futur: Renault's Amazing 800HP Espace F1 MPV Prototype

I don’t have children, but I bet school runs can become pretty boring. However, if parents could get their hands on a Renault Espace F1, I’m sure they'd sing to a different tune when they'd return back from school... Unveiled in 1995, this über-Espace was not your typical soccer-mom transporter. Created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the French MPV and Renault’s decade-long involvement in

1985 BMW 557i with Corvette V8 Heart Transplant

Owning a mint condition E28 BMW 5 Series would be a dream come true for most bimmer fans. However, the owner of this Euro-spec 1985 528i was probably not impressed by the stock 2.8-liter powerplant’s 184-ponies, so he performed an engine swap. If it was up to me and money wasn't an object, I would've probably tried to fit a V12, but the 1999 Chevy LS1 V8 isn’t a bad fit either - that is, if you

It Came From Japan: Ferrari F40 Stretch Limousine

Pop quiz, hot shot; what’s better than a replica Ferrari F40? If you said an actual Ferrari F40, then you are dead wrong. The correct answer is a replica Ferrari F40 limousine. Fortunately (for us), such things actually exist. So where would one find such an automotive monstrosity? In Japan, of course! You know, the country that brought us the Mitsuoka Orochi, melon flavored chocolate and a

Concept Flashback: Alfa Romeo’s 1996 Nuvola Prototipo V6 Sports Coupe

Welcome to the story of the Alfa Romeo Nuvola Prototipo, one of the most gripping concepts to wear the famous Visconti Serpent badges in the past two decades. Unveiled for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in 1996, the Nuvola Prototipo was named after Tazio Nuvolari, the legendary Italian motorcycle and racecar driver who competed for Alfa in the 1930s. The Nuvola had all the essential

Back to the Future: Formula One Racecar Lapping the Nürburgring Circuit in 1967

The Nürburgring circuit is called “The Green Hell” for a good reason. Measuring 24.4 km (15.2 miles) in today’s combined version that uses a part of the Formula 1 track, it’s not an easy circuit to master. Complete a fast lap was even more difficult in the late ’60, when Formula 1 was nowhere near the high-tech parade it represents now. Back then, fearless drivers raced cars with skinny tires