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While Irv Gordon is already retired, he’s taken to accruing miles on his already impressively well-traveled Volvo 1800 like it’s his job. It took a while to rack up the first million miles, but the second million came more quickly, rolling the odometer over in Times Square back in 2002. Now Gordon is headed for 3 million a mere eight years later. Only big rigs put on a million miles more quickly, and even that might be debatable.

“Who would have thought such a decision, to buy a Volvo, would have created so many opportunities?” Gordon tells Autoblog. Some of his favorite miles out of the 2.8 million currently showing on the odometer (he was at 2.6 million the last time we checked) were his first trip across the United States and a trip to Europe where the 1800 and its intrepid driver drove from the United Kingdom into Sweden to see the car’s original birthplace before rolling on to other continental hamlets and accruing 5,000 miles in a month.

Irv’s 70 years old now, and he wouldn’t mind selling his beloved red Volvo coupe. Asking price? “A dollar per mile,” says Gordon. Despite what Irv calls “some very interesting offers,” nobody has offered him his asking price. That’s okay with Gordon, who acknowledges that his Volvo is the star. “Once I sell the car, no one will invite me anywhere any longer,” he quips.

Should the right buyer for the trusty red 1800 come along, Gordon knows what he’ll do. “It’d be nice to have a car with all the new creature comforts to travel in, and who knows, should I live another 10-15 years, I could put a million miles on my next vehicle and start the cycle all over again.”

While unlikely, putting three million dollars in his bank account would make those long treks more comfortable, affording fine hotels and gourmet dining versus at times sleeping in the 1800 to save some bucks. Gordon’s not complaining, “I have indeed been a very fortunate fellow,” he says. You have to respect his commitment to the little Volvo coupe that was originally purchased as a refuge from a pair of demonically unreliable Chevrolets, too. A retirement lifestyle that would allow one to travel in style and worry less about finances is a nearly universal goal, too. Gordon’s got a leg up on all of us, having put in the seat time to earn a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records and turn a stolid, stylish Swede into a wheeled pension plan.

[Source: AOL Autos Photos: Josh Max - Irv Gordon]

Irv Gordon’s Volvo P1800 closing in on 3 million miles

      

Tags: Car, chevrolet, Coupe, EDGE, Europe, ford, Other, photo, Photos, Square, Sweden, Time

Tanner Foust took the top spot in the first-ever Rallycross competition in the United States this past weekend, piloting an all-wheel-drive Rockstar Engergy/Etnies Ford Fiesta.

Rallycross has existed around the world for years, but the sport officially debuted in America at the 2010 X Games, where it was called Super Rally. Foust just happened to win gold in the inaugural X Games competition, too. Rallycross mixes circuit racing, off-road racing and rally competition on a short course, featuring jumps, hills, unbanked turns and quick transitions between different road surfaces. Two more Rallycross events are scheduled to take place this year, all of which will be held at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Foust has been participating in European Rallycross events for quite some time, and he’s also gained exposure by competing in Formula Drift and previous X Games competitions. What’s more, Foust is one of the hosts for the U.S. version of Top Gear. Somebody get this guy a vacation.

Look for the next U.S. Rallycross event to take place on October 2-3 and follow the jump for the full release about Foust’s win along with a brief video of Tanner ripping down the front straight with his rear bumper flapping in the wind.

[Source: Tanner Foust]

Continue reading Tanner Foust wins first RallyCar Rallycross event in U.S. [w/video]

Tanner Foust wins first RallyCar Rallycross event in U.S. [w/video]

    

Tags: Car, drift, Europe, ford, game, Games, Official, photo, Photos, ring, super, tanner foust, Time, U.S., Video

When it comes to a German-American face-off, you could do a lot worse than pitting the BMW M3 against Ford’s 5.0-liter V8 powered Mustang. How much worse? How about a comparison test between a base Porsche Boxster and Ford’s turbocharged, torque-steering Focus RS.

Granted, the rationale for the shoot-out came down to cost. Across the pond both the Boxster and the Focus sticker for about the same amount. But that’s about where the similarities end. Almost.

While the Focus channels over 300 horsepower to the front wheels, it also tips the scales 3,200 pounds. Compared to the 2,900-pound, 255-hp, rear-driven Boxster, Ford’s hottest hatch comes off as rather portly, although both manage to run to 60 mph in under six seconds.

But beyond the stats and the all-too-important lap time, the real question is how best to spend your sports car money and which vehicle is the most entertaining to drive. For that, you’ve got to jump.

Continue reading Video: AutoExpress pits Ford Focus RS against Porsche Boxster

Video: AutoExpress pits Ford Focus RS against Porsche Boxster

      

Tags: bmw, BMW M3, Car, feature, features, focus, ford, ford focus, ford focus rs, horsepower, iCan, M3, mustang, Porsche, porsche boxster, ring, SIM, tC, test, Time, UK, V8, Video

That didn’t take long. As soon as the Ferrari 599 Spyder post went live this afternoon we started hearing from multiple sources that Ferrari did indeed preview a 599 “Roadster” in Monterey a few weeks ago and that the letter posted on Luxury4Play is authentic. It shouldn’t be that surprising, after all, we did a post predicting the unveiling a while back.

Apparently the invitees had to negotiate a tricky path after clearing a security gate to get to the venue. They all had to sign NDAs and their phones and cameras were confiscated. The car that was presented to them was a 599 convertible with a part-time fabric roof that included a removable glass panel for the back window. It was described as an occasional use roof, making this more of a barchetta than a spider in Ferrari parlance. Actually one person described it as nothing more than a piece of fabric that connected to both sides of the body. We’re thinking a Porsche Boxster Spyder-type arrangement.

This particular 599 roadster was rosso fuoco – a rare and expensive multi-layer red – and had silver buttresses. It also had a new wheel design. The best news about this new model was that the engine will come from the recently unveiled 599 GTO and that the convertible will weigh no more than the current 599 GTB coupe. It will be priced at a premium over the GTO and will be limited to just 100 units. There was no indication of what this new model will be called, but Barchetta and SuperAmerica were used on the 550 and 575 convertibles, so maybe one of those will be resurrected…or possibly another name from Ferrari’s past, like Monza. Sales were tentatively promised for Summer 2011.

That was quick – Ferrari 599 Roadster preview confirmed

    

Tags: 2011, 599, 599 gto, boxster spyder, Car, Coupe, design, gto, Other, Porsche, porsche boxster, Porsche Boxster Spyder, preview, review, ring, sale, security, Spider, spyder, super, Time

Chris, Sam, Alex and Dan convene for Episode #193 of the Autoblog Podcast. We cover the Ford Boss Mustang and Roush supercharger package, the latest Chevrolet Volt fuel economy dust-up, the BMW 1 Series M Coupe, Mazda’s apparent new design language and the Lotus Evora S and Evora IPS. We finish it off by talking about snow tires, that most summery of topics. It’s an a quick 51 minutes, See you next week!

Autoblog Podcast #193 – Hot Mustangs, Volt Mileage, 1 Series M, Mazda design and Lotus Evoras

In the Autoblog Garage:

Honda CRZ
Lexus RX450h

News:

• BMW 1 Series M Coupe
• Volt sub-30 mpg claim
  
• Mazda Shinari concept
  
• Roush Mustang supercharger
  
• Lotus Evora S and IPS
  

Hosts:
Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Shunk, Alex Nunez

Runtime: 50:59

---

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
[RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #193 – Hot Mustangs, Volt Mileage, 1 Series M, Mazda design and Lotus Evoras

      

Tags: 2011, Apple, Audi, bmw, BMW 1 Series, chevrolet, concept, Coupe, design, ford, honda, iTunes, lexus, Lotus, mazda, mp3, mustang, review, super, test, Time, Video

We may have obsessively covered the cars of Pebble Beach Week out in Monterey, California, but it appears that we – and everyone else in the media – may have missed one.

If a letter sent to a Ferrari owner is to be believed (and we’re not convinced it should be), the automaker held a special gathering for a select group of owners to view a 599 Roadster prototype. The letter, which you can view at Luxury4Play.com, thanks the attendees for their “first feedback” on this “upcoming limited edition product.” There’s no way to verify the authenticity of this letter, but if we’re honest, it looks kinda-sorta legit.

Ferrari usually does a pretty good job of keeping these things under wraps, and since we didn’t get to see the 599 Roadster during our time in Monterey, we wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up at a future auto show (Paris, perhaps?). We’ll keep our eyes peeled.

[Source: Luxury4Play via 0-60 Magazine]

Was a Ferrari 599 Roadster present at Pebble?

        

Tags: 599, Car, cars, ring, Time, Twitter

In our last long term update, I mentioned that my wife and I took the 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT on a two-week road trip up to New England. Our ultimate destination was Bar Harbor, Maine, though a stop in New Hampshire on the way home became our most memorable vacation moment of all time.

After spending Fourth of July at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, we decided to drive up Mount Washington and visit the Mt. Washington Observatory at its summit on our way out of town. I knew little about Mt. Washington, but my wife had visited this tallest peak in New England as a child and claimed she and her family had hiked up to the summit.

The story goes her father had convinced them all to hoof it up to the top rather than hitch a ride on the mountain’s Cog Railway by offering them each the price of the train ticket as bribe money. Sounding like something my father-in-law would do, I trusted my wife’s memory was accurate and imagined a post card-quality bluff, easily scalable by a trio of children and their persuasive father.

This is the story of how wrong I was, and how the 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT fared as our mule on the harrowing eight-mile ascent up the Mt. Washington Auto Road.

Photos copyright (C)2010 John Neff / AOL or their respective owners (see gallery for credits)

Continue reading 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT: Taming the Mt. Washington Auto Road

2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5GT: Taming the Mt. Washington Auto Road

    

Tags: Car, ECID, gto, photo, Photos, ring, subaru, tC, Time, update, Wikipedia

Chrysler is set to debut its American-spec Fiat 500 at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show with the first examples being sold near the end of 2010. During the 2011 calendar year, Chrysler hopes to sell 50,000 of the Mini Cooper fighters, including the 500 Cabrio, which goes on sale sometime in 2011.

Built in Toluca, Mexico, the 500 will be sold through a network of 165 dealers across the United States, mostly in cities that have the largest small car markets. Will Chrysler be able to move 50,000 of the new Fiats? That’s mildly ambitious, since the Mini brand only moves about 50,000 Coopers annually. Still, consider our fingers crossed.

[Source: Associated Press via Google]

Report: Fiat wants to sell 50,000 500s in the U.S. through 165 dealers

      

Tags: 2011, a1, Calendar, Car, chrysler, Fiat, Google, iCan, M5, Mexico, photo, Photos, ring, sale, Time, U.S.

Take off your rose-colored glasses, CRX fans

Okay, so the 2011 Honda CR-Z isn’t exactly the modern-day CRX redux that we were all hoping for. Mildly upsetting, yes, but perhaps this disappointment tarnished our initial impression of this newest hybrid offering from Honda. We still have many questions about its form and function, but need to accept the fact that times have changed, Honda’s product strategies have been realigned to the times and the CRX shall remain a modern classic – especially the Si. Besides, this little two-seat hybrid isn’t really all that bad. Really.

What we have here is an inherently good vehicle that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. It only has two seats and its EPA fuel economy numbers are underwhelming. A Ford Fiesta, for example, is more functional, less expensive and gets nearly the same combined fuel economy – at least compared to a manual-equipped CR-Z like our tester.

But don’t write off the CR-Z completely. It may be a tough sell when looked at from a big picture perspective, but on its own, it’s a pretty good little whip. Follow the jump to find out why.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Steven J. Ewing / AOL

Continue reading Review: 2011 Honda CR-Z

Review: 2011 Honda CR-Z

    

Tags: 2011, A4, epa, ford, fun, honda, hybrid, photo, Photos, POI, review, ring, test, Time

Remember the documentary “Who killed the Electric Car?” Director Chris Paine created the film in 2005 and 2006 to bemoan the decision of some automakers to kill off their electric car programs. It’s now five years later and Paine and company are back with a vengeance videotaping “Revenge of the Electric Car.”

In the original film, General Motors was reviled for its decision to deep-six the innovative EV1 all-electric two-seat car. But thanks to the impending production of the Chevrolet Volt, GM is now considered one of the reasons that the EV is on the comeback trail. Paine and his crew were allowed access to The General’s Detroit Hamtramck plant to witness – with cameras rolling – the assembly production of pre-production Volt number 100. And to think that five years ago Rick Wagner and his crew would have been more likely to lend a size 14 boot to Paine’s rear end than allow him to film inside one of the company’s most important plants. My how times have changed.

There is no solid timetable for the release of “Revenge of the Electric Car” right now, but the documentary will likely align very well with the release of the Volt and Nissan Leaf, which are followed by an electric Focus not long after.

[Source: Revenge of the Electric Car]

Revenge of the Electric Car coming to a theater near you… sometime

      

Tags: AMC, API, Car, chevrolet, electric car, ElectricCar, focus, general motors, gm, nissan, NOS, NOVA, Time, Video

Officially confirming what we’ve all but known for some time now, Kia announced this morning that its West Point, Georgia plant will add a second vehicle to its production line, the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe. The move will also be paired with the addition of a second shift beginning October 1, although limited production of the Santa Fe is earmarked to ramp-up on September 27.

The move hasn’t been driven by a need to consolidate as much as it is Hyundai-Kia’s need to find capacity to keep up with demand. The Sorento crossover, which is also produced at the plant, is currently Kia’s hottest-selling model, and Hyundai needs additional room to build more Sonata sedans at its Alabama facility, so it makes good sense to dual the two, especially as they share a sizable amount of components.

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, which opened just last November, has an annual capacity of some 300,000 units, so there’s room to grow. For more details, click past the jump for the official press release.

[Source: Kia]

Kia confirms Hyundai Santa Fe to be produced alongside Sorento

    

Tags: 2011, ARM, Hyundai, kia, Official, POI, ring, test, Time

My daily driver is lowered. Really low. Like damn-near-touring car low. Almost every car I’ve owned over the last decade has benefited from some kind of suspension setup that dropped its ride height. Traversing speed-bumps and steep driveways has always been a slow-speed, one-wheel-at-a-time affair for me. But with all these different cars with their low clearances, I’ve never had as many problems with scraping as I have with our long-term Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition.

The first time it reared its ugly head wasn’t in a parking lot or on a curb, but during my initial blast down a favorite backroad. I went into a banked right-hand bend, and as the left suspension loaded up, I heard a faint scraping noise up front. I figured it was a fluke until it happened a second time. Then a third. After the drive, I stopped to scope out the damage and found the paint stripped down to the base coat under the left bumper.

Since then, it’s only gotten worse, but it’s not the lower fascia that’s taking the brunt of the abuse.

There’s a small lip on the plastic underbody tray that gets caught on driveways and a marginally steep curbs, and after a few dozen scrapes, the four plastic clips holding it to the bumper are approaching their breaking point. It’s not a major issue, but hearing plastic meeting asphalt on a regular basis is enough to make anyone cringe.

As such, I make it a point to reverse into driveways steeper than a few degrees and slowly pull out, careful to drop one wheel, and then the next, when leaving. Yes, this is a sporty sedan. And yes, some concessions need to be made. But with a suspension that’s barely lower than a stock TDI, it’s the front fascia – and specifically this underbody tray – that’s to blame. And considering this is the same kit pulled from VW’s TDI racers, a slight modification to the lower valance might have been in order for street duty. While it’s more than just eye candy and has been optimized for increased airflow over the standard Jetta, the Cup Street Edition’s lower valance must live in the real world, and so far, the real world has left its mark on our long-term tester.

2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition: How low is too low?

    

Tags: API, Asphalt, breaking, Car, cars, duty, photo, Photos, POI, review, ring, test, Time, UK, volkswagen, vw

BMW’s new Joy ad campaign looks to have made it to China with the M3 Tiger – or as one Autoblog commenter called it, “the M3 by Ed Hardy.” Part of the continued celebration of a quarter century of M3s and the year of the tiger, the limited edition coupe took part in a photo shoot with a supporting cast so excited about the car they spend most of their time airborne.

On a more mundane note, the Fire Orange Metallic M3 will have black exterior accents and 19-inch wheels, while black Novilla leather will coat the inside and orange tiger heads are embroidered into the headrests. Only 250 M3 Tigers are set for production, and that may be 249 more than the world needs. Hat tip to Ragan!

[Source: Moko]

More BMW M3 Tiger Edition photos surface

      

Tags: bmw, BMW M3, Car, China, Coupe, M3, photo, Photos, Time

Saab has already talked up its hopes for entering the forthcoming 9-2 in a future installment of the World Rally Championship. But before it can, the 9-2 needs to exist. And before that can happen, Automotive News reports that Saab needs the technology and money from a partner automaker. A recent rumor surfaced that Saab was talking to BMW about building the 9-2 on the Mini chassis. At the same time, another rumor came to light that Saab was discussing using Mini engines for the next 9-3.

Now word has it that Spyker’s Victor Muller is in talks with three companies about getting the help necessary to build the 9-2. Muller hasn’t disclosed the companies’ names, but we assume one of them is BMW. The hook is that the cost of the 9-2 wasn’t included in the turnaround plan, so Saab needs its chosen partner to injects some cash as well. The model has yet to be officially confirmed, of course, so at this point, it isn’t even clear that a teardrop Saab will get off the ground at all.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Report: Muller in talks with three automakers about Saab 9-2 revival

      

Tags: Audi, bmw, concept, CTS, Official, Other, photo, Photos, POI, ring, Time

According to the latest reports, Opel will be taking its name, not just its cars, to at least four new markets around the world. Standard practice has been to rebadge Opels as one of General Motor’s other brands in countries outside of Europe, but company heads believe it’s time to market Opel’s European roots, especially in China.

The German automaker sold 4,000 cars in China last year, and to that end, Opel spokesman Andres Kroemer says “We will market Opel as a European designed car in the premium segment. There are a growing number of Chinese who like European cars and have the money to afford them.” By comparison, Audi, a luxury darling in China with local production facilities, sold more than 130,000 cars, and it’s clear that Opel’s launch will eventually be followed up by local production in China for better competitive footing.

In addition to joining the world’s largest auto market, the Opel brand will head to Australia and South America in the near-term, as well as other Asian markets after that.

[Source: Deutsche Welle]

Report: Opel expanding outside of Europe, headed for China, Australia

      

Tags: Audi, Car, cars, China, design, Europe, ford, gm, Mac, opel, Other, test, Time

We’ve seen some fine passes in our day, both by professional shoes like Michael Schumacher or Ayrton Senna, as well as unnamed trackday heroes. The pro stuff is great, but sometimes, nothing succeeds like a course full of bangers with nothing to lose. Case in point, this dirt track pass captured on amateur video at the Courses de Bazous St. Ferdinand Autoquad in Quebec. We’re not sure it was intentional, but simply put, we’ve never seen a move like this one.

Due to the graininess of the video footage and the condition of the cars involved themselves,, we’re not entirely sure what the overtaking car is (perhaps you can help us out with a guess in comments), but it appears that the racer being ‘passed’ is an old Honda Civic hatchback. Have a look for yourself after the jump. Whoop-de-do indeed! Hat tip to Duy.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Overtaking redefined

Video: Overtaking redefined

    

Tags: Car, cars, feature, honda, Mac, POI, SIM, tC, Time, Video, YouTube

Any time Hollywood’s current go-to car guy, Fireball Tim Lawrence, is involved in a project, you know it’s going to be a rolling masterpiece. So when AutoTrader Classic invited us to see Fireball’s latest creation ahead of its public debut at the SEMA show in November, we jumped at the chance. Make the jump for yourself to get up close and personal with The Redster.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Frank Filipponio / AOL

Continue reading AutoTrader Classics unveils Fireball Tim’s 1951 Chevy 3100 “Redster” ahead of SEMA

AutoTrader Classics unveils Fireball Tim’s 1951 Chevy 3100 “Redster” ahead of SEMA

    

Tags: Car, chevy, iREB, photo, Photos, test, Time

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) just wrapped up its battery of batterings on the 2011 Buick Regal, and the results have netted “Good” ratings for front, side, rear and rollover impact protection.

Additionally, the Regal is the seventh vehicle from General Motors to earn a Top Safety Pick award, which includes the aforementioned rollover test where the Regal excelled. Buick’s Euro-born sedan was able to withstand almost five-times its weight – up from the federally-mandated standard of 1.5 times.

The Regal joins its Buick sibling, the LaCrosse, along with the 2011 BMW 5 Series, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis, Toyota Avalon and Volvo S80 as a Top Safety Pick in the large car segment. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading IIHS awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick

IIHS awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick

    

Tags: 2011, bmw, BMW 5 Series, Car, Crash, ford, general motors, gm, Hyundai, photo, Photos, ring, test, Time, toyota

This is the text of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Here’s the quiz: if police attach a GPS device to your car and track you using that device, without having got a warrant to do so, is the Fourth Amendment violated?

And here’s the issue: an Oregonian named Juan Pineda-Moreno had such a thing happen to him and was convicted of growing marijuana after police tracked his car to a suspected growing site. Pineda-Moreno appealed, citing the fact that on two occasions DEA agents placed tracking devices on his car while it was in his driveway – which he considered private, not public, property – and therefore breached his Fourth Amendment rights.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, ruling that Pineda-Moreno didn’t have any signage or barriers around his property to clearly indicate that it was private property, and since “an individual going up to the house to deliver the newspaper or to visit someone would have to go through the driveway to get to the house,” why couldn’t the DEA? Further, the court ruled that the underside of his car isn’t private because “[t]he undercarriage is part of the car’s exterior, and as such, is not afforded a reasonable expectation of privacy.”

Of course there are all kinds of legal chicanery involved, so read the decision (it’s short) if you really want to know how it went down (for instance, DEA agents attached GPS devices on seven occasion, five of those in public places, not Pineda-Moreno’s driveway) and then decide for yourself whether Orwell has lifted a finger from the grave or not. Hat tip to Sea Urchin

[Source: Time via Engadget]

Police not violating 4th Amendment by placing GPS on your car when it isn’t in your garage?

      

Tags: 599, Bing, Car, CTS, ECID, ford, GPS, iCan, Time, U.S.

The inaugural Baltimore IndyCar race set for Labor Day weekend next year has a new friend: the American Le Mans Series. ALMS will host a race the day before the IndyCars race, with trials being run the same day as IndyCar qualifying. Nothing else has been revealed at the moment, with the folks in charge, Baltimore Racing Development, having scheduled a press conference for September 2 to officially announce the double bill.

This will mark the first time in nine years that ALMS visits the D.C. area, and if ALMS communications director Bob Dickinson gets his way, it could be first opportunity for U.S. racing fans to watch the Peugeot 908 diesel-hybrid running the series in anger. Hat tip to hoov23

[Source: Baltimore Sun]

Report: ALMS race to join Indy Car in Baltimore

      

Tags: 2011, Car, cars, hybrid, iCan, NASCAR, Official, ring, tC, Time, U.S.