In the sea of muscle cars and hot rods here at Barrett-Jackson, this streamlined chrome roadster really stood out as being truly unique. Constructed from the wing tip tank of a airplane, the “Lockheed Lakester” is built to resemble a vintage salt flat racer and features a variety of aviation-sourced parts including gunner seats in the cockpit, a vintage airplane steering wheel and an air speed indicator instead of a speedometer. Powering the roadster is a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder mated to a 5-speed manual.
We had no idea what this type of car is worth given that there’s nothing really to compare it with, but there was plenty of interest in the vehicle and bidding quickly rose past the six figure mark, eventually resting at $170,000. With auction fees included, the final selling price was $187,000.
You can see the Lockheed Lakester in detail in our gallery of live photos above.
The time has come for the to find a new owner. Built by Galpin for industrial company SPX, this specially built features a hand-built body that widens the car by an incredible nine inches highlighted by PPG Candy Apple Red paint. Under the hood is a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 producing over 700 horsepower, and it has also been fitted with forged three-piece wheels, a custom suede interior, upgraded exhaust system and more.
Whether it was the look and sound of the car or whether bidders were simply feeling generous, this attention-grabbing pony car nabbed a final bid of $160,000, all of which will be donated to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. You can see our live photos above, or to watch a video of the car being auctioned off in case you missed it on SPEED.
The come-hither has been bolting off dealer lots for obvious reasons that go beyond . One of its noteworthy features for the U.S. market, especially for the segment, is stop/start, which Kia calls ISG for Idle, Stop & Go. Media feedback, however, has convinced Kia that ISG is not quite ready for prime time, so it’s been sent back to the engineers for tweaks.
The same system is also available on the , and that hatchback will be going without for the moment, as well. Apparently, some reviewers found the system’s engagement rough. Kia didn’t give details about the move, either what might have caused the perceived roughness or what remedy it will use to fix it. If you’re holding out for ISG on your Rio or Soul, which is available by checking the special Eco options package, a Kia executive said it will now be arriving in the second quarter.
A new 570 is going to set you back nearly $82k after you add $875 delivery to its $80,930 base price. The luxury version of the wears a new , one that’s big enough to make Rumplestiltskin proud, and it has revised front and rear fascias among the other upgrades that says justify its 1.9-percent price increase.
Among the other new-for-2013 features are an updated Crawl Control mode and terrain-select for the all-wheel-drive system, because what Lexus owner doesn’t enjoy serious rock-crawling? A new multimedia system with the next-generation Lexus Enform system is also part of the deal, which seems much more in line with real-world customer behavior, as Enform allows drivers to use Facebook and Yelp, among other services.
For those LX 570 buyers who just must have it all, there’s also a $1,510 luxury package that adds some higher grade trim and features, and a backseat entertainment system for $2,005.
only sold 3,167 units of the Lexus LX last year, down by about 20 percent.
Our friends at Engadget got up close and cozy with the new Ford Sync Applink interface at CES 2012. has put plenty of time ironing out some of the wrinkles in the voice-command system, and the company’s work has paid off. Applink is designed to allow users to access certain applications on their compatible smartphones without ever having to take their hands from the wheel. It sounds nice in theory, but Ford has had its fair share of issues getting the technology to produce desired results. Judging by the quick video, that’s a thing of the past.
Ford demonstrated how the revised system easily pulls up the new NPR app and how users can easily shuffle through the application’s various features. The app even lets users chose any NPR station in the country. How’s that for snazzy?
For the last several years has partnered with Barrett-Jackson to auction off some very special vehicles for charity. Past cars have included the first production examples of the and as well as special one-offs like last year’s , all of which have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
For 2012 Ford is once again auction off a for charity, but this year’s car is a little different. Up for grabs will be a development car used by SVT to hone the production ‘Stang. This prototype was run extensively at Sebring and the high speed oval at Ford’s Arizona proving grounds and was even driven by Carroll Shelby himself during the development process. The car has some unique features including a full roll cage and Recaro racing seats, but it will likely remain a museum piece as it can’t be registered for road use.
You can read more about this unique 2013 Shelby GT500 going up for auction in the press release .
The 2012 Detroit Auto Show is off to a galloping start. Organizers estimate more than 750,000 people are expected to show up to take in the newest hardware from the world’s automakers. Sunday saw 102,918 people attend the exhibition, which is an increase of more than 3,800 people from last year. Likewise, Saturday turned out to be the largest opening day for the Detroit Auto Show in five years. All told, 195,024 people strolled through Cobo hall to take in the sights. This year, the show features more than 500 vehicles, so there’s plenty to see.
And it’s not just wild exotics and far-flung concepts, either. With key new reveals like the , and Cadillac ATS, visitors can take in models they can expect to see on the sho room floor within a few short months. Be sure to of our show coverage as well as our if you missed them.
isn’t shy about slapping its logo on just about anything it thinks it can sell to fans that will never be able to afford one of its cars. We’ve seen (), , … and now, headphones and iPod speaker docks.
This new deal with Logic3 features six different lines of headphones and earphones and two distinct speaker docks. Logic3 has divided its offerings into two lines: the Cavallino Collection, which is influenced by the Ferrari road cars, and the Scuderia Collection, which is inspired by Ferrari’s F1 racing team.
As is common with these licensing deals, Logic3 promises that it has worked closely with Ferrari to ensure “the marque’s characteristic style, design and personality are captured within every product.”
Perhaps more of a concern here is how closely Ferrari has worked with Logic3 to insure that these new audio products are of a high quality. We’ll note that Logic3 is not Grado Labs, and its reputation among the audiophile community is virtually nonexistent – a search of Stereophile’s website, for instance, didn’t turn up a single mention of the brand.
Ford SYNC is a success. The connectivity software has found its way into four million cars since its introduction in 2007. With European and Asian buyers getting SYNC for the first time this year, and North American offerings like the Fusion and Flex getting it as standard equipment, Ford expects to add nine million more users by 2015.
The prediction isn’t solely based car buyers’ increased access to SYNC; even in the U.S. the uptake continues to grow, to 82 percent in 2011. The percentage of those recommending SYNC has remained stable at 80 percent, but that might also rise with on the way. You can read all about it in the press release after the jump.
.
Audi looks like it’s accidentally let slip the exterior design of its upcoming 2013 A3.The German automaker set about with a static display at Las Vegas’ CES ahead of the vehicle’s expected unveiling at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The display gives the world a sense of what to expect from the luxury compact’s front seats, center console and dash, which features a stand-alone LCD display that rises out from above the instrument panel’s center air vents. Like other Audi displays, the screen features various vehicle menus, including two that show off the full exterior of the three-door model.
Judging from these two quick glimpses at the hatchback, the three-door will feature a new, more aggressive face. From the looks of things, buyers can expect to continue to find a large, signature Audi single-frame grille flanked by more purposeful headlights and sporty air intakes set low int he front fascia. Head over to for a closer look at the vehicle inside and out. Don’t get too attached to what you see, however. Past reports have suggested the vehicle will only debut here in the States.
Saying the Toyota 2000GT holds a special place in our hearts is akin to calling oxygen and water kind of important to our survival. The long-nose two-door was envisioned as a suitable competitor to the likes of the European sports cars rolling out Italy and the UK at the time, and in many ways, the was far superior. Built at a time when Japan Inc. wasn’t exactly known for beautiful automobile designs, the 2000GT may have been influenced by European cars of its day, but it has stood the test of time as one of the country’s all-time design greats. The low-volume coupe is a piece of automotive legend, which is exactly why choosing to use a 2000GT as a platform for an electric conversion strikes us equal parts blasphemous and awesome. But that’s exactly what Japan’s Crazy Car Project has done.
The engineers behind the exercise ditched the standard 2.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine in favor of a 161-horsepower electric motor. A 35kWh lithium-ion battery provides the system with power, and the hood has been covered with photovoltaic cells to help keep the car going. Likewise, the back glass is covered in a transparent solar panel. All told, the system can propel the vehicle to around 124 mph.
Inside, the 2000GT SEV features a modernized interior with plenty of tech-laden gadgets. The vehicle was built in cooperation with Toyota and debuted at the . Let’s hope they started with a real basket case, eh? to see a video of the car in action.
One man’s new toy can be another’s Moby Dick. Typically we’d mean that in a figurative sense, but has taken things one step towards the literal – or literary – with its latest advertising spot.
The commercial centers around a Captain Ahab-like tow truck driver who has, when the roads turn white with deep snow, hooked just about everything on the road. Everything, that is, except the elusive Quattro.
The 60-second spot – called “Ahab” – features the latest , and is scheduled to air tomorrow during the NFL division playoffs (making it something of a junior Super Bowl ad). It will be followed by a 30-second version that will air nationally on other broadcasts, and Audi is building a broader digital content campaign around the ad as well, including a Facebook app to follow. You, however, don’t have to wait for all that to see the clever clip: just .
What Are You Willing To Sacrifice For A Low Price?
The compact car market is white-hot. The new , and have lifted the segment to new levels of refinement while at the same time improving fuel economy to 40 miles per gallon on the highway and beyond. Instead of turning their attention back to trucks and SUVs, manufacturers are going even smaller. Automakers have begun pouring vast resources into the smaller subcompact segment, and the result has been a wealth of all-new models. The , and are all-new or updated and vastly superior to prior subcompacts that still linger in our memories like an unpleasant aftertaste.
has put its subcompact under the knife, too, as the features all-new sheetmetal, revised powertrains and a fresh interior. The previous Versa was known for being larger and less expensive than its competition, and its sales reflected that – it’s been the most popular model in its segment. But we’ve been curious to learn if this latest redesign may help or hurt the Versa’s standing, so we borrowed the keys to a top trim 2012 Nissan Versa SL Sedan for a week to find out.
is rolling out the second generation of its UVO infotainment system before we could really get to know the original, but UVO2 is packing all the advanced telematics and connectivity features of its competitors – or at least it will when it ships later this year.
We had a chance to sample the lower-spec version of UVO2 in an , and overall, it’s an improvement over its predecessor both in terms of polish and features.
Included in UVO2 is automatic crash notification, road-side assistance, service reminders and tracking, along with geo-fencing, speed warnings and a curfew setting that lets you know when the kiddies stray too far, go too fast or stay out late.
Along with the normal raft of music and navigation features, there’s a companion iPhone app that keeps track of maintenance and notifications. It also includes a vehicle finder that automatically logs the vehicle’s last location and lets you find it using a nifty augmented realityfeature. Get more details in the press blast and hands-on video .
is rolling out the second generation of its UVO infotainment system before we could really get to know the original, but UVO2 is packing all the advanced telematics and connectivity features of its competitors – or at least it will when it ships later this year.
We had a chance to sample the lower-spec version of UVO2 in an , and overall, it’s an improvement over its predecessor both in terms of polish and features.
Included in UVO2 is automatic crash notification, road-side assistance, service reminders and tracking, along with geo-fencing, speed warnings and a curfew setting that lets you know when the kiddies stray too far, go too fast or stay out late.
Along with the normal raft of music and navigation features, there’s a companion iPhone app that keeps track of maintenance and notifications. It also includes a vehicle finder that automatically logs the vehicle’s last location and lets you find it using a nifty augmented realityfeature. Get more details in the press blast and hands-on video .
We just wrapped up the , but has already moved on to Geneva. The German automaker announced today that it’s going to be showing a new line of what it’s calling “M Performance Automobiles” at the in March.
These vehicles will sit between standard Bimmers and M vehicles in the lineup, and apparently offer more than just cosmetics. While BMW has offered M Sport appearance packages over the past two decades, today’s announcement specifically mentions “exclusive engine variants” and suspension tweaks among the upgrades M Performance models would offer. Given the mention of both all-wheel drive and diesel models in the announcement, it seems like the new line is specifically geared towards both of those features that BMW likely believes would tarnish or just wouldn’t be appropriate for an or .
We’re awaiting a reply from BMW on what this announcement means for the U.S. market, but we imagine the M Performance cars sold here might resemble something like the 2003-2006 ZHP performance package sold on the E46 . These cars carried M badging, a unique interior, sport fascias, upgraded wheels and tires, a six-speed manual, 10 extra horses, a higher redline, revised gearing, and a stiffer suspension. There’s also the possibility that the first recipient of the new designation could be the that’s already been teased by the Bavarian automaker.
Want to know how highly regarded the multiple-award winning is? At the recent Auto Expo in Delhi, India Maruti showed a concept that is, to our eyes, extraordinarily reminiscent of the small English SUV – although we’ll readily admit the glasshouse is a tweaked version of the current .
Called the XA Alpha concept, some reports say that it’s underpinned by the Swift platform, while that the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy off-roader, based on the Jimny, provides the chassis. For comparison purposes, the XA is just and narrower than an Evoque, but the same height as the Evoque four-door.
Plans for production are said to rest with audience reception, which appears to have – understandably – been quite positive. If and when a production version does arrive, you can probably kiss the suicide doors goodbye, but it is offered with four-wheel drive and “a range of K-Series petrol engines and 1.3-liter DDIS engine.” Click the link for more photos of the flexible Indian flyer.
dropped plenty of jaws with the company’s MKZ Concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, but the vehicle may have been a bit hotter than the company intended. Something seems to have gone awry with the showcar’s electronics as it sat on the show floor. At some point, thin puffs of smoke began wafting from the driver’s side door panel. No actual flames were spotted or damage reported, but something tells us someone is going to have some explaining to do in Dearborn (the screencap above appears to be an unnerved Joel Piaskowski, Ford’s exterior design boss).
The Lincoln MKZ Concept heralds things to come from the production version of the vehicle set to debut later this year. The vehicle features the resurrection of the push-button transmission, the likes of which we haven’t seen on a production vehicle since the late ’60s. Lincoln promises to roll out drivetrain details as we get closer to the 2012 New York Auto Show. Here’s hoping they can keep the vehicle from going all flambé between now and then. In the mean time, to see the video of the concept smoking on stage.
The was only just unveiled at the and here it’s already in a Gran Turismo 5 video. The newest take on an ecological supercarfeatures Honda’s recently pointy concept-design language, as well as a V6 amidships getting help from three hybrid motors and Acura’s SH-AWD.
The real thing has been promised three years hence, but if this stab at it does get to production, we have no doubt we’ll be seeing a lot more of it before then. The next phase in the NSX-fest begins , with two minutes of the supercoupe on an angry run through GT5 vistas.
The brand has been in the doldrums for years now, but Ford’s luxury arm is looking to stage a comeback (again) starting with the all-new . The brand’s mid-size offering will be arriving in dealerships later this year, and we’re getting our first glimpse of what’s to come with this, the MKZ Concept that makes its debut at the .
The MKZ Concept features an all-new clean sheet design that head designer Max Wolff calls “simplicity with just a few strokes.” The MKZ continues to feature the latest version of Lincoln’s split wing front fascia, with a pair of tidy, multi-unit LED lights that flow out out of the grille. The body side design features a sharp crease at the beltline that helps the concept look wider and more athletic, and looking at the MKZ concept in profile reveals a sweeping roofline that looks unique and refined. We’re big fans of the svelte side mirrors, which are about as thick as a strip steak and completely independent from the A-pillar. The concept also features a stunning, full glass roof that integrates into the body structure.
The mirrors and the lightly tinted glass roof won’t necessarily make their way to production (along with those oversized wheels), but the proportions of this MKZ is likely a spot-on match for the production model. Lincoln tells us that the concept features a 112-inch wheelbase – five inches shorter than the 2012 model. The concept is also wider than the 2012 model by more than an inch.
The extra length should allow for a lot more interior volume, but many concept models show off a cabin that is more Buck Rodgers than production-ready. That’s not the case with the MKZ concept, as Lincoln chose to show off duds that are likely very close to the model we’ll soon find in dealerships. Among the interesting touches are a dash that features rich materials and beautiful wood accents, a new steering wheel design that features perforated leather and a new take on MyLincoln Touch.
The center IP ditches the analog gauges in favor of a ten-inch thin film transistor LED instrument panel with sharp-looking graphics. The center stack shows of an eight-inch LCD screen with the now familiar MyLincoln Touch graphics, plus a touch-sensitive and knob-free set of HVAC controls. The most interesting part about the center console is the absence of a shift lever. Transmission controls are instead aligned vertically along the left edge of the stack, clearing up oodles of space for front row occupants. The center console also houses the push-button start and glove box release buttons.
Ford hasn’t given much information about the mechanicals under the hood of the concept vehicle, but the MKZ will feature the same Lincoln Drive Control and Continuously Controlled Damping adjustable suspension as the 2013 and . to read over the Lincoln press release, and be sure to peruse the high-resolution images in the gallery above.
