Karl on Cars
Retro Revivals
September 1, 2009
As I prepped for a Sunday morning motorcycle ride it struck me that I had two classic models in my driveway: Chevrolet Camaro and Norton Commando.
Of course one of those models is brand new with less than 2,000 miles on it, and the other has effectively been dead for 35 years (yeah, I know there have been mulitple aborted attempts to bring Norton back, and it's supposedly coming back yet again...).
This inevitably led me to ask myself: Karl, if you could revive any vehicle brand what would it be?
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (12)
- Karl Brauer September 1, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Motorcycles, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
August 18, 2009
I just got back from The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and the Monterey Historic Races.
Like any automotive enthusiast I enjoyed the events immensly, but I picked up a new nugget of wisdom regarding petrol-themed activities:
If an automotive event has more parking attendants than judges (or track workers), it may be getting too big for its own good.
I say this after spending the last 3 days crawling between Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and The Lodge at Pebble Beach.
In my opinion the time and effort required to enter and park at Laguna Seca is acceptable, though I'm betting it still breaks my "Parking Attendant" rule. I was able to get from the main gate to my parking spot in 40 minutes, which is right before my patience meter goes into Red Alert mode. And considering the genuine feel of the classic racing action (once you're parked and taking it in) I feel the Monterey Historic event hasn't lost its soul. It remains worth the time and effort it takes to attend.
But Pebble Beach...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (3)
- Karl Brauer August 18, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Auto Shows, Ford GT, Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
- Technorati Tags:
- Pebble Beach Monterey Historics
July 14, 2009
I recently spent a week's vacation driving a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T. It was my mount of choice for a family vacation that took me through New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania (it's near Tionesta and the Allegheny National Forest in the photo above).
Yes, you read right: a 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T was my requested family car for a vacation. The same two-dour, Hemi-powered muscle coupe that is supposed to represent high-performance and heritage in the Dodge line-up.
Now why would I subject myself (and my family) to a week of pounding out hundreds of miles in a modern hot rod? For the same reason my wife drove a 1970 Plymouth GTX for over two years after we were married, and a 2002 Mini Cooper for 18 months when our kids were ages 2 and 4. Of course it's obvious -- I like torturing them.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (15)
- Karl Brauer July 14, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals, Road Trips, Talk Back Tuesday
- Technorati Tags:
- 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T Family Car Cool
April 28, 2009
With the death of Pontiac official I'm experiencing the same emotions any nostalgic car guy is feeling. Surprise? Shock? Disbelief? Hardly. Try relief. Like the kind you feel when you're favorite aunt finally rests in peace after suffering years of painful terminal illness. If you're a remotely functional car guy you've seen this coming since...well, that's the question.
When did the concept of Pontiac going away first strike you as a likely possibility? When did Pontiac jump the shark?
How many of you just shouted "AZTEK" at your screen? That's a reasonable response, but I would suggest the first indications of Pontiac as a "damaged brand" came much earlier.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (27)
- Karl Brauer April 28, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Muscle Car, Pontiac, Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
- Technorati Tags:
- Pontiac Aztek Fiero
April 21, 2009
In case you missed it, the Ford Mustang turned 45 last Friday. It was August 17, 1964 when the car debuted at The New York's World Fair, effectively creating a new category of vehicle -- the Pony Car.
In the next three years over one million Ford Mustangs were sold. Think about that for a minute -- one million units in three years. We're not talking a million full-sized trucks or four-door family sedans. The Mustang was a two-door coupe with clearly sporting intentions. That would be like selling one million Hyundai Genesis coupes in the next three years (like the original Ford Mustang, the new Genesis is a sporty, rear-wheel-drive coupe that offers good value and performance).
Now I like the Genesis coupe, and judging by our site traffic reports and anecdotal evidence so do many of you. But one million units in the next three years? Not gonna happen.
But then a lot of things have changed over the past four-and-a-half decades. GM once owned over two-thirds of the U.S market with mulitiple models hitting the million-plus mark in three-year sales. Back then many Americans had never heard the words "Honda" or "Toyota" (let alone "Hyundai"), as both the manufacturer and model count was substantially lower. Did you know there are over 40 manufacturers and 330 U.S. vehicles for sale as 2009 models?
Which brings me to today's question: Could a future performance car ever see the level of economic and cultural success that the Mustang has seen over the past 45 years?
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (30)
- Karl Brauer April 21, 2009, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cars in Entertainment, Ford, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
- Technorati Tags:
- Ford Mustang Sales Success Pony Car GM
September 10, 2008
It's that time again. Time to buy a long-term car for the Edmunds fleet
. As you probably already figured, we're adding the always-worth-a-few-page-views Dodge Challenger
to our parking garage.
We waited for the 2009 model year to widen our engine and color choices (and to avoid the idiot dealers asking stupid money for the '08s, many of which are still on dealer lots -- HA!).
So we know we're getting a 2009 Challenger, but beyond that we're still considering our options. What should we get?
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (38)
- Karl Brauer September 10, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
- Technorati Tags:
- Dodge Challenger
April 28, 2008
There aren't many 55-year-old models on sale in 2008, but Chevrolet's Corvette is officially approaching early retirement age, and in terms of pure performance it's never been better. The 1997 introduction of the C5 model catapaulted Chevy's sports car onto the world stage as an exotic challenger. The Z06 model upped its game to exotic slayer, leaving me at a loss for words to describe the 638 horsepower ZR1 coming in a few months.
So, has the Corvette ever jumped the shark? Well, yes.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (26)
- Karl Brauer April 28, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cars that Jumped the Shark, Chevrolet, Retro Revivals
April 21, 2008
As one of the oldest existing vehicle nameplates in the automotive universe it seems only fitting to ask the inevitable question: When (if ever) did the Ford Mustang jump the shark?
I'm going to take the suspense out of this discussion and tell you up front when I think the Mustang topped out: 1969. That's actually one year after my favorite Mustang of all time -- 1968 Shelby GT500KR -- but there were enough exciting models in 1969 to validate the model's sustained health. The Boss Mustangs (302 and 429) both hit showrooms that year, as did the Mach 1. The 428 Super Cobra Jet was going strong, and Shelby still had a couple models in the line-up (though I don't like them as much as the '68 versions).
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (24)
- Karl Brauer April 21, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Cars that Jumped the Shark, Ford, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
April 18, 2008
Seemed like a fitting end to "Dodge Challenger Week" around here, so I drove my old bomb home for this weekend. Also seemed fitting to provide a fair picture of the old girl, without flourescent lights or parking posts in the background (I posted a similar photo back in August of 2006).
It's interesting -- 1 and 1/2 years ago I blogged about how much modern cars have improved and how old cars really feel old when you drive them. But this is the first time I've driven my 1970 Dodge Challenger after driving the 2008 Dodge Challenger. You know what? The new one drives better -- but not as much better as I think it should. The biggest improvements are (in order of magnitude) body-roll control, steering accuracy and braking confidence. I actually expected that order to be reversed, but steering on the new Challenger isn't as good as I'd hoped, while the steering and brakes on my old one seem better than they should be. Body control remains floaty on the purple car, even with brand new shocks.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (16)
- Karl Brauer April 18, 2008, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
December 12, 2007
I can't believe I'm going to say this -- but the 2007 Ford Shelby GT500 is too much of a muscle car for me. Maybe I should add, "...old-world muscle car..." to that statement for better clarity. I just had possession of a GT500 convertible for a couple days, and I was fully ready to hand the keys off when my allotted time was up.
A comparison between this car and a 1971 Hemi 'Cuda can not be avoided. Both cars make approximately 500 horsepower. Both cars weigh approximately 4,000 pounds. Both cars use a live-axle rear end. And both cars are about as subtle as 50 Cent lyrics when their engines rev past 5,000 rpm.
Problem is, I don't have much interest in driving a 1971 'Cuda convertible these days, and the same holds true for the most radical version of Ford's new Mustang. In both instances, a more balanced version of each car is available (AAR 'Cuda in one case, Bullitt or Shelby GT in the other).
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (20)
- Karl Brauer December 12, 2007, 7:00 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
August 15, 2007
As a confirmed automotive fanatic I should know the first rule of motoring in a British car -- even if it's really an American-made kit car based on a British car. But when the Westfield XI's fuel gauge read just over 1/4 of tank while pulling out of the Edmunds Parking Garage I figured I had a sufficient margin of error.
WRONG! The gauge was still reading 1/8th as the 70 horsepower, 1275cc Rover engine sputtered to silence about 10 miles from home. My first-response service technician (also known as the missus) arrived within 20 minutes, and the Westfield XI was soon rolling again under it's own power, though at 1,180 pounds I seriously considered pushing it to a gas station myself.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (5)
- Karl Brauer August 15, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Retro Revivals
August 13, 2007
Since my first encounter behind the wheel of a Ford GT pre-production car in the Fall of 2004 there have only been two cars that have made me think, "Okay, if someone stole my GT in the middle of the night and left one of these in its place I wouldn't cry too much." The first was the Ferrari F430, the second (much more recently) was the 911 GT3. The GT3 is just so pure and so immediate that, although quite a different experience from the Ford GT or the Ferrari F430, that 911 is simply too much fun to ignore.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (7)
- Karl Brauer August 13, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Porsche, Retro Revivals
July 31, 2007
You may have seen a recent L.A. Times story
about the possible revival of the DeLorean Motor Car. As someone who is often excited by the prospects of reviving a great car from the past I have to tell you -- I think this is a terrible idea. Why? Because the DeLorean was not
a great car from the past. It was more like a great promise not kept. The exotic proportions and gullwing doors essentially wrote a check the weak 2.8-liter V6 couldn't cash. Yeah-yeah, it had a starring role in Back to the Future
, and as a child of the '80s even I thought the car was cool...when I was 15. I've since grown up (sort of), as have my automotive sensibilities. If people want to make fun of the Ferrari Testarossa as an example of "When 80's icons attack!" how do they feel about the DeLorean? At least the Testarossa had a powerful 12 cylinder buried beneath the cheese-grater flanks.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (51)
- Karl Brauer July 31, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Retro Revivals, Talk Back Tuesday
May 23, 2007
After three days in a BMW 335i coupe the transition to Dodge Charger SRT8 Superbee is a bit jarring. First, this car feels BIG compared to the lithe 3 Series, and if you allowed first impressions to dictate your opinion you'd file the Charger in the "unwieldy boat" bin and move on. But just like that first Chrysler 300 SRT8 I drove back in 2005, the Charger version is downright surreal in its ability to turn 4,100-pounds of Detroit iron into two-tons o' fun when the road goes twisty. Not as rewarding as the 335i, of course, but good enough to...well...in theory at least, embarass G35 sedans on the twisty parts of PCH (again, in theory).
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (8)
- Karl Brauer May 23, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
April 25, 2007
Honda recently invited a group of journalists to view a collection of historic Honda vehicles. The collection started out as just some random vehicles that the company was saving because...well, they knew they should. This included vehicles like the first scooter sold in the U.S. (1959 Honda C100 Super Cub), or the 1971 Honda Z600 that predated the Civic. Both models, along with historic race cars and a wide spectrum of Acura models, have been sitting in a warehouse for years. But now Honda has created a sort of Honda Museum with the cars arrayed in a well lit room with clean tile floors. So far only the race models are placed on elevated display stands, but soon an elevated terrace for displaying up to 30 motorcycles will line the walls.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (7)
- Karl Brauer April 25, 2007, 6:00 AM
- Categories:
- Motorcycles, Retro Revivals
April 23, 2007
...is how many times they'll buy the exact same toy!
What started out as a "can't think of anything better to do" trip to Target with the eight-year-old son turned into an $85 bill for a Hot Wheels Sizzlers "Giant 'O' Race Set." I should probably clarify a couple points here. First, while Sizzlers have been around for close to 40 years I've never owned one before. I was too young to be into them in the late 1960s, and they were pretty much gone by the time I was old enough to care (I faintly remember some commercials for them). Second, as much as I like the idea of what these toys are, it was the combination of the original, 1969 packaging and the availability of several very cool cars (among them a 1967 Ford GT Mark IV) that forced me to buy.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (5)
- Karl Brauer April 23, 2007, 6:01 AM
- Categories:
- Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
April 13, 2007
Finally got some seat time in the new Mini. Actually, the 2002 Mini was the new Mini, so I guess this is the Super-new Mini. Our test car was a yellow Cooper S with the manual transmission and sport package. As the former owner of a 2002 model I'm happy to report that most of that car's greatness remained intact. Despite the changes made to make the car more pedestrian-impact friendly you'll be hard-pressed to notice the exterior differences. The car is still a ball to drive on twisty roads, and the 172 horsepower, turbocharged engine makes it lively (if a bit abrupt) when punching the throttle. But the steering effort has changed for the worse in my opinion. It's both lighter and less progressive than before (meaing the weight doesn't change as much as it should when you increase the steering angle of the front wheels). I wouldn't call it bad steering feel, but it's not as confident or inspiring.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (10)
- Karl Brauer April 13, 2007, 6:02 AM
- Categories:
- MINI, Retro Revivals
February 14, 2007
Drove home in our long-term Ford Mustang last night -- my first real road time in it since all the modifications were completed for the "Ford Mustang versus GT500
" story (previously I'd only driven it around the block in Santa Monica). The car is cool on several levels. First, like any modified vehicle, all the aftermarket parts don't work seamlessly. If you try to roll into the throttle it will sort of buck and lunge; if you floor the throttle a noticeable cloud of unburned fuel goes out the back; and if you take it to redline the throttle cut-off hits with a loud "BANG" from the tailpipe as the engine goes lean and backfires...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (2)
- Karl Brauer February 14, 2007, 7:09 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
October 18, 2006
I like the new Dodge Charger more and more every time I drive it. I know there's a hardcore group of Charger fans who have never forgiven the new car for having four doors, and I'll admit I wasn't a fan of the idea myself. But this car is just soooo good on so many levels. The steering is exceptional in terms of feel and precision, and the ride quality manages to be comfortable and controlled, despite the car's weight and size. Just like the current Mustang manages to maintain what was cool about the original's look and attitude -- while injecting all that's great in the modern world of automobiles, the Charger manages to feel large and powerful like the old one, but also controlled and confident,
unlike the old one (thank you Mercedes-Benz!). The wife took it to drop off the kids at school and came back asking about price and availability. Of course she was already sold on our long-term Magnum, and this is just a flashy, sedan version of that car.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (14)
- Karl Brauer October 18, 2006, 8:38 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
October 12, 2006
Drove the 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T in today, and it again occurred to me how radically my vehicle standards shift -- depending on what I'm driving. For instance, the 36-year-old Dodge has amazingingly precise steering, minmal road noise and excellent throttle response -- for a 36-year-old Dodge. Compare it to our long-term Chevy Cobalt and it just plain sucks (actually it might still have lower road noise at highway speeds, depending on whether the long-term Cobalt's sunroof is working or not that week). As old muscle cars go, this Challenger R/T has some of the best driving characteristics I've ever experienced...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (2)
- Karl Brauer October 12, 2006, 8:16 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
October 9, 2006
Last week marked the end of production of Ford's exotic GT, based off the Ford GT40 race car that won Le Mans four times in a row from 1966 to 1969. The original car was a testament to American (and British and Australian) capabilities. It was also a testament to Henry Ford II's desire to beat one very renowned Italian sports car maker. The new car was a testament to Ford's ability to still make a world beater when it put its mind to it...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (0)
- Karl Brauer October 9, 2006, 8:57 AM
- Categories:
- Domestic Manufacturers Problems/Challenges, Ford, Retro Revivals
August 11, 2006
I am at the Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan this morning. The primary reason I'm here is to cover (and be a part of) the Ford GT Rally. This rally was set up by the Ford GT owners, but Ford has stepped up to totally support the event with plant tours, interviews with Ford GT team members and a photo shoot of all the owners' cars in front of Ford World Headquarters (we just finished the shoot, and there were over 70 GTs in attendance).
Unfortunately I didn't drive my GT out from L.A...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (1)
- Karl Brauer August 11, 2006, 2:07 PM
- Categories:
- Ford, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
August 7, 2006
Okay, so it isn't all new. The interior is still 100 percent stock (and pretty much mint and much of the paint is original as well (as is the vinyl top).But I did reclaim my 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE last week after some body work and mechanical upgrades that had it in the shop for the past three months. A few metal patch panels were put in near the wheel wells to fix the rust, and everything below the side stripes was repainted in the factory FC7 Plum Crazy shade of purple. Shortly after retrieving it I put on a set of American Racing Torque Thrust D 16X8 wheels, with 255/50 tires in back and 225/50 tires in front (replacing the 14X5.5-inch road wheels and 70 series, whitewall tires -- yuck!)...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (5)
- Karl Brauer August 7, 2006, 8:26 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
June 12, 2006
I had the good fortune of visiting the newly opened Mercedes-Benz Classic Center
in Irvine, California this weekend. The M100 club was having their annual meet in Los Angeles and, obviously, it made sense for them to visit the Classic Center and take in its many features and amazing cars. Personally, I just love the idea of a place were I can either buy or service a classic M-B product. I saw the garage area, complete with hydrualic lifts, and was told there are approximately 40,000 parts available for cars dating back to 1945...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (1)
- Karl Brauer June 12, 2006, 2:59 PM
- Categories:
- Retro Revivals
March 24, 2006
But this one ends on a slightly happier note:
March 21st, 10:15 p.m. -- Picked up by my Denver-area Mopar Gurus at the Denver International Airport in Plum Crazy car (notice security guards eyeing it suspiciously). On trip back from DIA a loud screeching sound comes from under the hood, followed shortly by sparks coming out from the front of car. We pull over and find that the air conditioning pulley has seized, but the belts are continuing to do their darndest to try and spin it. Result? It's glowing red hot and small bits of liquid metal are starting to drip off the bottom. My Mopar expert quickly notes, "Never seen that before..." then we turn off the engine, let things cool down (complete with snow scooped up from the parking lot) and then start the engine again. Now the pulley is turning again so we complete the drive back to their house and swap out the pulley after confirming the bearing is fried (apparently, they don't like glowing red hot...). We unplug the air compressor to keep that from happening again.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (5)
- Karl Brauer March 24, 2006, 9:57 PM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
March 23, 2006
I've had approximately three hours sleep in the past two days, but both the Challenger and I have arrived safely on the West Coast. The Challenger was driven under it's own power from Denver, and it was the full-blown adventure you'd imagine when driving a 36-year-old muscle car, that you've only had for 10 days, on a 1,000-mile journey over the Rockies...in March. I'll put full details (and some photos) up tomorrow, but here's a shot of the car taken a few hours ago after a much-needed bath and some quick carb/distributor tweaking. I got it running very well, and then let the wife take her first drive in it tonight...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (5)
- Karl Brauer March 23, 2006, 9:54 PM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
March 13, 2006
I finally rolled into Denver after 470 miles in the Challenger. The fuel gauge wasn't working when I left Lincoln, Nebraska, and the speedo quit 95 miles out. But otherwise the car had been running better with each mile, almost like it was awakening from a 12-year slumber. The AM/FM toggle switch on the radio was obviously gummed up, but by flipping it back-and-forth a few times I got both bands working. The charging system was also proving intermittant at first, yet it seemed to operate more consistently as I rolled west. But when I got to Denver the real fun began.
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (3)
- Karl Brauer March 13, 2006, 5:51 PM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
...in a Plum Crazy Dodge Challenger R/T SE on a beautiful, sunny Nebrska day.
This much fun can't be legal...and I'm sure in some way isn't (like using the tags from Dad's Mercury Sable). The gas gauge doesn't work, which wasn't a problem...until the speedo cable snapped 95 miles out of Lincoln. No odometer or fuel gauge can make planning gas stops tricky...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (3)
- Karl Brauer March 13, 2006, 8:37 AM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
March 9, 2006
Ugh! I'm sick, okay! Just sick! Hey, at least I admit it, which hopefully puts me at the first step of the 12-step program...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (0)
- Karl Brauer March 9, 2006, 3:43 PM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
February 24, 2006
I just saw a report that GM will quit making the GTO in June. Apparently they sold less than 12,000 Goats last year, and the platform is being phased out. I must say I won't miss it. I liked the drivetrain, but steering/handling wasn't as good as it should have been, and of course the styling was BOOORRRINNG...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (0)
- Karl Brauer February 24, 2006, 3:08 PM
- Categories:
- Ford, Retro Revivals
February 23, 2006
Those lucky dogs at The German Car Blog
got up close and personal with the Miura Concept during a recent visit to Audi headquarters in Germany. Plenty of good detail shots here that give you more of a "real life" perspective, versus the "overly-staged show car perspective" seen in all the press photos. Supposedly this concept car will never see the light of a showroom, but in my not-so-humble opinion Lamborghini should build this!!
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (0)
- Karl Brauer February 23, 2006, 4:43 PM
- Categories:
- Lamborghini, Retro Revivals
February 16, 2006
Mercedes-Benz had one version of every generation of SL in Mallorca. Most of them came directly out of the Mercedes-Benz museum in Germany (wonder what that shipping bill was...) and they were all in fabulous condition, of course. I've actually driven many earlier SLs because I worked as a vehicle handler at a used Mercedes dealership shortly after I got my license. Also, my brother owned a 1958 190SL and I drove a 300SL Gullwing at a Mercedes event a couple years ago...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (5)
- Karl Brauer February 16, 2006, 9:42 AM
- Categories:
- Retro Revivals
February 15, 2006
We haven't driven the new 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL yet, but I was just informed that we'll start out tomorrow driving classic SLs, including the 190 SL, the 230SL and maybe even a 300SL. I was really looking forward to driving the revised, 2007 version on the island of Mallorca, but experiencing these older versions in this locale with be a truly special event. The island really is the essence of classic, old-world European culture surrounded by sprawling vistas of mountains and coastline.
I'll give more details (and photos) tomorrow...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (1)
- Karl Brauer February 15, 2006, 4:29 PM
- Categories:
- Retro Revivals
February 3, 2006
It's no secret that I'm a modern-day Mustang fan. Actually, I like the classic ones, too (1968 GT500KR is my all-time favorite). But the oldest one I ever owned was a 2001 Bullitt Mustang, and that was only for about one year -- and 1,900 miles. I loved the car, but never had a reason to drive it. And I ultimately decided that if I'm going to own a pure toy car, a car that gets treated like a museum piece, it had to be something more than a Ford Mustang. That role is now filled, but after driving our long-term Mustang
yesterday, for the first time in at least three months, I'm once again smitten with how well Ford executed on this modern-day pony car. Our long-term test period with the Mustang is officially over, but we're keeping the car in hopes of doing aftermarket modifications and covering them on the site. However, even in stock form, I hope Dodge and Chevy are paying close attention to this vehicle. I feel like the new Mustang works on two levels:
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (8)
- Karl Brauer February 3, 2006, 10:25 AM
- Categories:
- Ford, Muscle Car, Retro Revivals
January 13, 2006
I must say that the Lamborghini Miura Concept
is one of my favorite cars to debut in the last two weeks. It's yet another blatant rip-off of a classic shape...and yet another beautiful vehicle I'd love to see in showrooms. The guys over at The German Car Blog
uncovered some cool wallpapers available for download, and I might just have to update my desktop as a result. If you've been following my blog you already know I put this car as one of my personal five all-time most attractive vehicles
...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (7)
- Karl Brauer January 13, 2006, 8:44 AM
- Categories:
- Retro Revivals
November 30, 2005
Is it just me, or has Ferrari lost its way over the last six years? Oh, certainly not in terms of performance. The 360 was better than the 355, and the new F430 is better still. Same can be said of the 612 versus the 456 and the 575 over the 550 (once they stiffened up the 575's suspension...the first 575s were too wallowy around corners).
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (5)
- Karl Brauer November 30, 2005, 8:16 PM
- Categories:
- Ferrari, Retro Revivals
November 23, 2005
An topic in last week's Automotive News, and discussed on Jalopnik
, stated that Saab is considering a new two-seat sports car, and is planning to show a concept at the Geneva Auto Show. The obvious qeustion is -- Doesn't Saab have bigger challenges than trying to produce a narrowly-focused two seat sports car? The obvious answer is -- YES! But the flipside is that Saab needs major help, and the first step (IMHO) is to give the brand back some personality (versus saddling it with rebadged Subarus and Chevys)...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (2)
- Karl Brauer November 23, 2005, 12:30 PM
- Categories:
- Retro Revivals, Saab
November 22, 2005
This one is a no-brainer. Use the 1 Series platform, vintage styling (don't let Bangle near it!!) and one of the new turbo powerplants that will be in the next version of the Mini. SMG should not be available, only a traditional five- or six-speed manual. Cost must be less than $30,000 (preferably less than $25,000)...
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (0)
- Karl Brauer November 22, 2005, 5:46 PM
- Categories:
- Retro Revivals
November 18, 2005
We'll have sketches going up next week, and spy shots shortly thereafter (also shown at right, added 11/23), but I just saw the photos and if you think the new Mustang looks like the old one you ain't seen nothing yet.
Actually, think Ford GT in terms of using old-for-new inspiration. Everyone will see the car at Detroit, but imagine a "Foose-ized" (as in Chip Foose)1971 Dodge Challenger.
Pretty cool!..
Continue reading...
- Posted by
- Permalink | Comments (14)
- Karl Brauer November 18, 2005, 1:53 PM
- Categories:
- Dodge, Retro Revivals
