Category Archives: cars

April12012
1 Comment
automotive, business, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

Detroit Auto Show: vintage photo archives

Before the days of saturated bloggers filling up the press days of modern Auto Shows, we often forget that only serious journalists were really taking photos and writing up the major international auto shows.  Before digital cameras, blogging, websites, etc—–these photos were mainly issued in newspapers and magazines, and hence we don’t see a lot of vintage auto show photos.

Car & Driver have posted a huge archive of Detroit Auto Show photos and they really are fantastic.  They range through many years, and show how cars were displayed in a different time!  Very cool.   Make sure you check out the link at the bottom to look through the entire archive they have up on their site:

1926

1966

1932

1978

1975

1967

1985

1967

1965

check out the archive here: Car & Driver

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
April12012
1 Comment
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

1970 Vauxhall SRV.

This thing is beautifully swoopy!  Don’t be fooled—it is a 4 door as well.  Surely nobody ever did another 4-door with the aerodynamics of this bad boy ever again.   electric air suspension, state of the art adjustable aerodynamics, adjustable interior (with fixed seats!).  Amazing how ahead of its time this Vauxhall concept was.  If only Vauxhall could have come even close to manufacturing something as lovely.

check out this insane interior!

Here’s a great quick video tour done by Jon Quirk (photographer of a couple photos above) of the concept; which fortunately still exists!

src: jonQuirk, lotusEspritTurbo

Tagged , , , ,
April12012
2 Comments
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

foto of the day. Bagheera.

Matra-Simca Bagheera with two furry women.

src: influx

Tagged , , , , ,
April12012
1 Comment
art, automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

art of the day. B20 GT.

One of the finest coupes ever made—-the 1954 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT.

src: shorey

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
March312012
1 Comment
automotive, cars, iedei, men, racing, vintage

foto of the day. M63

The magnificent Alpine M63

src: unknown.

Tagged , , ,
March302012
1 Comment
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

Elan +2S

The Lotus Elan—-a car i love, but largely ignore.  I have to say….this 2+2 is beautiful with a much nicer roofline than the original Elan, IMO—-and very nicely appointed interior.  It’s on sale…..for only $40k!  Come on and buy it….you only live once.

This car is completely restored and is a 1971.  Follow the link at the bottom for more info:

the car is on sale at Hyman Ltd.

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
March302012
1 Comment
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

interior of the day. Boomerang.

Look at that dash cluster and the steering wheel! WOW.

from the 1972 Maserati Boomerang Concept (ItalDesign)

src: carstyling

Tagged , , , , , , ,
March292012
Leave a comment
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, racing, vintage

foto of the day. Bonnet.

the 1962 Rene Bonnet Djet—-mid-engined (one of the first mid-engined production cars, along with the 550 spider), and essentially what would evolve into Matra Djet afterwards.  Mid engined and super cool.

Interestingly enough, Matra (plastics/industrial company) was not even involved with this car as it was developed, however supposedly bought Bonnet in 1963/1964 after Rene Bonnet (developer of the Djet and race car driver) hit financial trouble— and then Matra evolved the Djet into a street going sports car.

This beautiful photograph was taken by Dirk De Jager

src: supercars.net

Tagged , , ,
March282012
Leave a comment
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men

blurry Murcielago.

I don’t see too many Lamborghini Murcielagos on the freeway….so i got excited when i saw one blasting past me on the I-495W freeway.   We see so many photos of these ‘supercars’….but they always look so much more striking in motion….the Murcielago looked fantastic.

And yes, the photo is blurry as hell!

Tagged , , , , ,
March272012
4 Comments
Advertising, automotive, business, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

It’s 1975 and you are at a german Alfa Romeo dealership.

Here are your options!

src: lov2xlr8

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
March262012
2 Comments
automotive, cars, gift ideas, iedei, men

Carnology: a board game for petrolheads.

Well that’s a great idea!  I’m sure most people’s families and friends would be miserable if we all whipped out this board game during holiday gatherings; but those of us whose blood runs on motor oil would be quite pleased and excited!

From what I gather, and I have not actually played this game—-the game revolves around identifying various models of automobiles and rummaging across the board to reach a checkered flag.  I’m not sure how many times this game can really be played, as i’m guessing one game and most of us would learn whatever we didn’t know—-however the idea should be applauded and i’m sure it would make a great gift for those of us whose brains are floating in brake fluid.

I also applaud the Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato I see printed on the board itself, amongst others…

check out the site and info to buy it ($40) at:  Carnology

src:  stipistop

Tagged , , , , , ,
March262012
3 Comments
automotive, business, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

Pininfarina NSU Ro 80 Concept

This is the 1971 Pininfarina NSU Ro 80 Concept, shown with a working rotary engine debut’d at the 1971 Torino Motor Show in Italy.  This thing looks way ahead of its time for 1971, in fact I see shades of future cars in its design;  Aston Martin Lagonda, 1980’s Cadillac Deville, 1980s Oldsmobiles—-but NSU was dissolved into the modern day Audi after 1977, when the last Ro 80 was sold.

This Pininfarina design points towards how a super modern and ahead-of-its-time car like the original Ro 80 may have evolved if NSU had continued.   Obviously Audi do have some nostalgia for this idea, as the Pininfarina NSU Ro 80 concept is currently stored within the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt.

srcs: madle, carStyling,

 

Tagged , , , , ,
March252012
2 Comments
art, automotive, cars, design, iedei, men

foto(s) of the day. Clio.

In my list of all-time favourite Top 5 hatchbacks, this would have to be in the list.  The superb Renault Clio V6

src: collaVerglas

Tagged , ,
March242012
2 Comments
Advertising, art, automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

brochure of the day. SM

How beautiful are the funky 70s photos in this brochure of the exquisite 1973 Citroen SM!?

src: lovxlr8

Tagged , , , , , ,
March242012
1 Comment
Advertising, automotive, business, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

ad of the day. “styling so hairy….”

I think my Detroit roots are catching up with me these days—-as i’ve been thinking more and more about cars like the AMC Javelin. I’ve always found the design of the Javelin to be….well…..challenging.  While there’s no denying that the Mark Donahue Trans-Am Javelins looked incredible….the street version has always been challenging!  All in all though, i think it’s a tremendously unique design.  Very appropriate for its era.  Look at those wheel arch bulges!

You have to love a car whose ad calls its styling “hairy”!

 src: hugo90

Tagged , , , , , ,
March232012
Leave a comment
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men

foto of the day. brown car.

I’ve always wanted to drive a brown car….and today when I dropped my A3 off to get its 15k service, they gave me a 2012 Audi A4 ‘service loaner car’ in a colour known as “teak brown”.  It’s actually quite a nice colour.  I do find the light tan leather interior very irritating though….i don’t think I could ever live with a car that has such a light coloured interior ackage….even the headliner is light tan.

Anyways…it’s always nice to drive somebody else’s car around!

Tagged , , , , , ,
March212012
1 Comment
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, racing

video of the day. 918.

Supercar nut Harry Metcalfe from Evo Magazine is taking a tour around the working prototype of the Porsche 918.

I am loving the idea of this….2 electric motors and a V8…look at where the exhaust pipes exit!  PDK double clutch gearbox…..and just a bang up to date technological masterpiece under development.   I was never a fan of the Carrera GT, but this i’m properly excited about.

src:  evo

Tagged , , , , , , ,
March212012
2 Comments
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

foto of the day. Studio GT

What is it? it is the 1968 Neri & Bonacini Studio GT Duo Litri

The excellent Automobiliac site introduced me to this unknown gorgeous wonder yesterday!  I was taken aback by how such a beautiful car could be made and be completely unknown to the world!!!  Bradley alludes to this being like a “Mini Miura” and yes I very much agree….there’s a lot of wonderful going on here, especially with a Lancia Fulvia V4 stuck inside as the source of power….if you haven’t heard a Fulvia V4 before, you must do so!

This one seems to be roaming around the Greenwich Concours—-why didn’t I see this last time I was there!?

More pics and info at Automobilac

photo src:  supercars

Tagged , , ,
March212012
Leave a comment
automotive, cars, iedei, men, racing, sports

video of the day. 2012 Sebring 12 hours.

DRIVE has done a fantastic job editing this……these days, my absolute favourite form of motorsport is endurance racing……watch this 15 minutes and you’ll see why!

Tagged , ,
March202012
2 Comments
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, racing, rally, sports, vintage

the first quattro rally car.

Octane has taken some cool photos of the first rally spec 1980 Ur quattro prototype rally car….although the car needs more dirt on it!

src: more pics and read the great write-up about the car at Octane

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
March202012
13 Comments
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

EA 276: 1969 VW Golf (MK1) prototype.

I remember seeing a photo of this ages ago…but just saw it again after a long time.  I find it interesting how the rear side view seems to have inspired the Peugeot 205 in many ways.  I also find it interesting that the front end design presented here in 1969 seems way ahead of its time!  As a whole though, I think it’s safe to say that the proper MK1 Golf which presented itself a few years later is a much more cohesive, proportional design than this one is.  This 1969 prototype is also FWD, front-engined as the production MK1 would be…

This car is currently stored at the VW Museum in Wolfsburg, Germany

src: historyOfCars

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,
March202012
3 Comments
automotive, cars, design, iedei, men, vintage

Montreal in the Jungle.

I think i’ve mentioned this many times before….but the Alfa Romeo Montreal is just so cool.  Epic cool.  The Montreal pictured here just looks mint…want, bad.

These are some great shots taken by Stoelen7 who also runs a very nice blog entitled Steininge

Tagged , , , , , , ,
← Older posts
Newer posts →