Surely it won’t happen….but quite a nice design daydream!
http://www.andrewmorandi.com/2010/02/quick-winter-break-project-auto-union.html
Abarth Simca 2000.
IEDEI prefers small coupes over everything else in the automotive world—-and part of the reason I get so obsessed with the idea of small rounded coupes is because they have so much character. This one is no exception! the Abarth Simca 2000.
Capable of handing the Porsche 904 it’s own ass as well! Impressive. 202 hp in such a tidy little package.
Most people associate Abarth with Fiat, but a very successful liaison was also formed with Simca. The French company was partly owned by Fiat, and when they wanted to appeal to a younger market with a more sporting image, they turned to the Italian giant for help.
Fiat in turn went to Abarth, who received sponsorship from the larger company. A deal was struck whereby Simca shipped floor pans of their 1000 Sabour to Abarth, who then cut 4″ out of the chassis and built handsome lightweight aluminum bodies around them.
The engine was an all-Abarth 1300cc four-cylinder twin-cam unit which produced up to 140 bhp and was mounted in the rear, while suspension was nearly stock Simca 1000, incorporating a transverse front leaf spring with telescopic dampers and upper wishbones and rear semi-trailing arms a la Porsche.
With this car, Abarth won the World Championship for Makes in 1962. The racing version of the Abarth Simca was developed throughout the 1960s, and the winning design was found to be more than a match for its competitors. In two-liter, 202 bhp specification, the Simca Abarth was easily able to beat the Porsche 904 on the track and won the European Mountain Climb Challenge outright.
http://www.sportscardigest.com/car-profile-abarth-simca-2000/#ixzz1IgpH7KNo
50 second sounds.
I’ve heard the car in person, and it’s even better than in any video…
Vodpod videos no longer available.video of the day. Montreal.
One of my favourite Alfas—-and in a beautiful owner. Nicely narrated introduction to the Alfa Romeo Montreal
TT-RS tunnel run.
nice dark tunnel + epic Audi TT-RS + water = EPIC.
ALSO—there is a video showing some of the footage here (what a sound!):
http://www.abhd.nl/video/racen-door-de-noord-zuid-tunnel/
big thanks to Lukas for sending the tip! Apparently this was being filmed for a Dutch TV show called ‘AutoRAI’ (click to enlarge fotos)
for the full set of fotos, go here:
http://www.autoblog.nl/image-gallery?file=Audi/TT-RS_tunnelrun/
foto of the day. M6
Like the Porsche Panamera, this is another car whose styling really didn’t sit well with me when i first saw it—–but a car which REALLY grew on me over the past few years. I love the weird back end, and and I think they have plenty of road presence and attitude. A stellar $90k car now available 2nd hand in the $40-50k range. 500hp and a hell of a performer…a shark.
“spring” drive
some of us from the QW TT entourage went out for a drive on Saturday. Obviously as you can see there is still snow in places! But a beautiful day, and some wonderful roads with some of the best cars made in recent years——the TT is still a magical car to own and drive…
(foto taken by IEDEI)
(foto taken by Sal Coppola)
art of the day. A110.
illustrated by Guy Allen. see more pics and link to more info at Motoring Con Brio
vintage scca rally pics…
these photos were taken by a gentleman named Dan Hirschfield on a “Kodak Instamatic”. cool.
rest of the pics: http://www.realautosport.com/OldPics/Hirschfeld/
lunchtime spotting: rare test mule!
parallel parked, of course.
6 ultra rare Bertone concepts to RM Auction
Wow. Never thought these would be in auction; apparently Bertone is really suffering…and are supposedly liquidating their museum. How sad.
Included are the unbelievably cool father-of-the-Lamborghini-Espada—–the Lamborghini Marzal—– as well as the Original Lancia Stratos Zero Concept. The Lamborghini Bravo concept has also always been one of my favourite ‘lost’ concepts from the 70s wedge-shaped revolution.
list of the 6 cars:
1967 Lamborghini Marzal
1963 Chevrolet Testrudo
1974 Lamborghini Bravo Concept
1978 Lancia Sibilo
1980 Lamborghini Athon
1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero
source: http://www.rmauctions.com/PressRelease.cfm?PressID=771
Panamera.
EDIT: THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOL’S JOKE!
Yes I will take the bold step—-against all the opinions which say it is ‘ugly’ i will come out and say that I think the styling of the Porsche Panamera has grown on me significantly, to the point where I really am digging the looks of it now. When i first saw it in test mule form, I was deeply disturbed. When the production version was introduced last year—-i thought Porsche missed the boat a bit, however after seeing it in person I thought it was an ‘interesting’ design albeit not entirely convincing. After some time and many more instances of exposure, I’ve had an epiphany; I think this is one of the most unique, compelling, and bold car designs in recent years. I think Porsche really made a bold step in designing it, and I can honestly say I love the way the Panamera looks in real life. I think pictures don’t do the car justice—-it has much more presence than pretty much ANY 4-door sedan on the road today. The interior, additionally—is one of the nicest interiors I have ever sat in.
Here is a wonderful Sportec-tuned SP560 Panamera. I think it is all types of hotness—-yes I know some of you will laugh at me—but i’m glad many deride it, so the resale value will fall dramatically! plan in effect….
video of the day. ALMS GT2 class @ Laguna Seca 2009
What an amazing bit of racing…..make sure you watch the whole thing…
foto (s) of the day. B20 figure skating.
apparently Lancia is a sponsor in the 2011 figure skating championships in Torino….and brought out a beautiful B20 Aurelia Coupe to the festivities.
Lancia Flavia 2000 HF.
more of it! love this car, don’t see/read/hear much about it at all either.
foto of the day. RS4
Audi RS4 (B5) Avant
hired chinese men destroy a lamborghini gallardo.
this is disturbing. a bit more backstory below…
photo and story:
“The businessman from Qingdao says the engine of his Lamborghini Gallardo failed to start on November 29, 2010, just six months after he bought it. As any other car owner would do, he contacted the Lamborghini dealer in Qingdao, and the trailer of a maintenance service provider entrusted by the dealer was sent to carry the car to a designated maintenance shop. When his Lamborghini was returned, the owner noticed the engine problem still hadn’t been fixed, and that the bumper and chassis had been damaged, probably during the towing.
When the owner pointed out the problems at the maintenance shop, they denied his claims and simply ignored his consumer rights, so the owner tried to work things out with Mr. Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Lamborghini’s China division, with the auto-maker’s after-sales service manager for Asia-Pacific region, and even with brand owner Volkswagen Group, but no one took responsibility for what had happened.” The rest can be told in the photos below.”
As the story goes—he hired a bunch of men to destroy his Gallardo——to get back at Lamborghini China.
IEDEI 
