The CarGurus Blog

I’m going pretend today that I’m loaded. Not the kind of loaded that sometimes happens on a crazy Saturday night, but the kind of loaded that would allow me to give you money to buy a car.

Why would I do such a thing? Because I like cars. And I like you. And I’d like you to have the car you’ve always wanted. In fact, maybe instead of saying I’m just pretending, maybe it’s more like I’m planning ahead (hey, you never know).

So in my little fantasy world I have $100,000 that is yours; but the deal is you have to spend it all on a car. What are you going to buy?

You could buy new and pick up a screamin’ fast BMW M6 or Porsche 911. You might even be able to score a deal on a Maserati Quattroporte or Aston Martin V8 Vantage. You could go for a fully optioned Jaguar XK or a wildly customized Ford Mustang (Saleen Dark Horse, anyone?). The options are limitless.

I’d also have a rule that you can only buy one car. I wouldn’t want my money going towards something practical, like 5 Honda Fits.

You could look towards the used market though! A 2004 Lamborghini Gallardo could be in the running, as could an ‘04 Ferrari 360 Modena (minus the girls, pictured above). Or maybe you skip the luxury/exotic thing altogether and go for something classic like this 1970 Dodge Challenger RT or this 1934 Ford Coupe.

What else in that price range would catch your eye? The floor is yours! Let’s hear what car you’d buy with my money.

Keep in mind though, you’d have to pay the insurance and any 5-figure maintenance bills that Ferrari requires. Even in my fantasies, I’m not that loaded.

-tgriffith

Car Minded, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat

Mercedes McLaren SLR

Here is some really hot news that you can celebrate over the weekend. Our gurus have learned that silver remains the world’s top choice in car colors—for the ninth year! If that doesn’t make you want to buy a German car right now, you have no racing blood in your veins.

In a variety of hues, silver paint lies on top of one of every four vehicles sold in the U.S. and covers 35 percent of new European cars and 34 percent of Asia-Pacific cars. We have this on good authoritiy from Jane Harrington, manager of color styling and automotive coatings for PPG Industries, as reported in the Detroit News and on MSNBC.

However, Jane didn’t really tell us why silver has remained so popular—other than saying it “looks great on any car, shows off all of the lines and helps people blend into the crowd.” What? Helps people blend into the crowd? Our take is that silver is popular because people want their cars to look like money. Anyhow, here are some great-looking silver cars, courtesy of flickr.

Ferrari F430 Spider

1962 Silver Corvette

BMW Alpina Z8

Buick Skylark

Which do you like best? Why do these cars look good in silver?

—jgoods

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat

Clunker?

The official Cash for Clunkers website has released a list of cars that were traded in on the program, and some the vehicles on the list are downright shocking.

Most are not… there are at least 60,000 Ford Explorers on the list, most of them from the early to mid-90s, though a couple of 2008 models were turned in.

But check out these cars that were on the list, and keep in mind that the law requires the engines of these vehicles to be permanently disabled. Try not to weep:

• 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Volante (I found one for sale here for just $69,500. )
• 2006 Audi A4 Cabriolet Quattro (OK, so it’s not a supercar, but still…)
• 1992 BMW 850i (For sale here for $24K.)
• 1987 Buick GNX (Only 547 were ever built.)
• 2007-2008 Chrysler 300 AWD (There were 3 of these.)
• 1987 Excalibur Autos Phaeton (No joke, but still hard to believe.)
• 2000 Jaguar XK8 convertible (I would’ve gladly paid that guy 5 grand for his car rather than see it killed just to get $4,500 off a Hyundai.)
• 1985 Maserati Quattroporte (You just don’t junk a Maserati.)
• 2005 Mazda RX8 (Still worth about $15K)
• 1997 Rolls-Royce Continental R (Ever heard the words “Rolls-Royce” and “clunker” in the same sentence?)
• 2008 Scion xD (Wait a minute. This thing is rated at 29 mpg, for one thing. Secondly, it’s still worth about $16K. How’d this one slip through?)

You can see the full list here, but I’m warning you, it’s got everything. Corvette and Camaro fans may want to stay away.

Would you have taken any of these cars off owners’ hands before they were sent to the crusher?

-tgriffith

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Car Politics, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat, Trucks & SUVs

I know there are a ton of Camaro fans clicking through the CarGurus pages lately, so this news should reach lots of happy readers:

According to the good folks over at Edmunds InsideLine, the C7 Corvette will feature that long-lost but much-loved design feature known as the split window. Pretty cool, huh?

Funny how the split window, which was featured only on the 1963 ‘Vette, has created such a loyal and fanatic following… vaulting the prices of ‘63 Corvettes into the stratosphere.

Visibility on those vintage ’63s, though, was another issue, something that, in modern times, can be addressed with cameras and sensors. While those are no substitute for seeing with ones own eyes, they at least make the split window feasible, so I’m all for it!

What I’m not sure about are those monster modern-day tail-fin tunnels on the back. Hopefully those are toned down a little come production time… or maybe Chevy will just throw a jet engine into each one for a little extra thrust.

What do you think: Are you glad to see the return of the split window, or has the retro design trend finally gone too far?

-tgriffith

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, General Chat

You know, most car commercials are pretty predictable, not to say boring. So I found it kind of interesting that Porsche recently released some great footage of how a Panamera commercial was made. Particularly since the last Panamera commercial I saw was really blah. But the cars and the closeups in the videos below are fascinating.

According to PorschePurist.com,

The shoot used 16 cars from Jerry Seinfeld’s collection and another 15 more from the likes of Roger Penske, Brumos, Mat Drendel and others. While the commercial was filmed at a former Marine Air Base in El Toro, California, it will be altered to look [like] the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Now the cars are running, some 50 of them. I have to say the Panamera looks like it came from a different universe.

As a footnote, we should add that Avis locations throughout Germany are going to make the Panamera available for rental beginning October 1. Autoblog opines that the rates are “a surprisingly reasonable €189 per day from Monday to Thursday. If, on the other hand, you plan to hit the autobahn for a weekend getaway, the tariff goes up to a more Porsche typical €567.”

Wow, what a bargain: $835 a day to drive this machine. Pick up your phone and call Avis today! Would you do it if you had the bread?

—jgoods

Auto Racing, Car Industry News, Car Minded, Classic & Vintage Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat

Inside the Porsche museum

Whether you’re into the latest exotics, extravagant classics, original American muscle, or have an appreciation for the bizarre, there’s a car museum that caters to your tastes.

Visiting museums in person is the best way to experience them, but since traveling the globe in search of automotive lore is impractical, we’re proud to present you with the websites of some that should be on the top of your “to visit” list. In no particular order, here they are:

1. The Porsche Museum, Stuttgart, Germany

Open since January 2009, this is perhaps the most state-of-the-art auto museum in the world. Divided into three main areas, visitors can follow the chronological history and development of Porsche.

2. The Volo Car Museum, Volo, IL

No, not Volvo. The Volo Car Museum in Illinois makes the list because of its Hollywood collection, featuring the original Batmobile, K.I.T.T., the General Lee, and many more.

3. The National Packard Museum, Warren, OH

Compare their website to Volo’s and you’ll get a sense of how vastly different car museums can be. From the 1903 Model F to the 1958 Packard Hawk, these are true classics.

4. Hostetler’s Hudson Auto Museum, Shipshewana, IN

Three words: 1954 Hudson Hornet. Okay, one number and two words, but this car alone is worth the visit!

5. National Auto Museum, Reno, NV

Cars from 1892 all the way to 1994 grace the halls of this automotive hodgepodge. Want to see what a 1937 Airomobile Experimental looks like? How about a gold-plated 1981 Delorean? These, plus Ferraris, Fiats, and more await you in Reno!

6. The Aston Martin Heritage Trust Museum, Oxfordshire, England

Housed in a 15th-Century barn, some of the best (Lagonda, anyone?) British cars ever assembled are here.

7. Galleria Ferrari, Maranello, Italy

It’s a Ferrari museum at the home of Ferrari. Do I need to say any more? Well, okay: From famous F1 racers to nearly mythical sports cars, this is pure automotive heaven. (If you don’t speak Italian, look for the “English version” button on the website.)

8. Lamborghini Museum, Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy

I just figured, you know, since you’re in Italy, you might as well check out the other Italian supercar maker.

9. The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI

A 9-acre display floor with 40-foot ceilings does justice to the automotive spirit that invented the American auto industry.

10. The National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, KY

I just put this one up here for my die-hard muscle-car horsepower-loving friends. I easily could have mentioned this Mustang museum or a Camaro museum, but I couldn’t find one. If you know of one, let me know!

Do you have a favorite car museum?

—tgriffith

Car Minded, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat

Bentley reminded the audience of its racing heritage on Sunday when it revealed its latest Mulsanne to the world at Pebble Beach.

Sitting next to the covered Mulsanne was a piece of history: a 1930 Bentley 8-Liter, an almost impossibly enormous and thoroughly period vehicle that still somehow evokes the same design language—large round headlamps tight to the grille, a play on oval shapes—we recognize today as being uniquely Bentley.

Now, it seems, the company is content to build luxo-tanks for the very wealthy and those whose tastes incline to the ostentatious. Witness the Mulsanne, now the company’s top-of-the-line replacement for the Arnage (Bentley has always been good at crafting ultra-smart Euro-names; Mulsanne is the long straightaway at Le Mans).

Well, a lot of people seem to love this car, judging by the raves in the auto press today. Still, not all reactions have been favorable, including my own, as you may have gathered. Here’s a comment from Afaque on TopGear’s article:

Looks like the premiership rooney-esque chavs are having their influence on the Bentley. I love the original Bentley 8-litre for its raw brutalness. This is just a chavved up shiny blingy thing… Get rid of those shiny wheels, the shiny grills, the shiny side mirrors and the shiny paint and all the other shiny bits and then it might look a little more tasteful!

Well, my friend, it looks like the blingmeisters are in charge. They aren’t about to produce anything as elegant as the vintage ’50s Continental coupe (right), or even the 1985 Mulsanne (below right), which had a certain staid-but-perfect style about it. The new car’s headlights are simply the last word in the brutality of bling. Imagine facing down these searchlights on the M-6 at night. Blimey.

Please give us your thoughts on the Mulsanne’s looks. Yes, we know it’s a great car mechanically, but who buys such vehicles, and why?

—jgoods

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Car Shows, Classic & Vintage Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat

1934 Packard V12 Coupe-Roadster

It’s way too late to get a reservation now. So instead, we’re going to show you photos of some gorgeous cars and point you to websites that show even more, plus give you a sense of what you’re missing. Events began on Wednesday and will continue through this Sunday, August 16.

Pebble Beach is perhaps the world’s greatest outdoor classic-car show. It’s for certified old-car lovers, but puts all kinds of notable new and old vehicles on display. You can even see the 2011 Infiniti M, which has caused quite a stir, unveiled “virtually” in a live broadcast from the Concours. There will also be an auction, driving events, historic cars racing at Laguna Seca, tours of Pebble Beach and Carmel, and more events and attractions listed here.

Porsche is the featured marque this year. So you’ll see the Panamera and can join the complainers in discussing the just completed VW takeover of the historic sports-car firm.

Two major websites will give you most of the info: this one for the Concours and this one for Monterey. Even if you can’t get there, here are some photos that may tempt you to make the trip next year.

Best of Show 2008: 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C-2900B Touring Berlinetta

Lamborghini Reventon

Best of Show 2007: 1935 Duesenberg SJ Speedster

(I don't know what these are - do you?)

Have you ever entered (or thought of entering) a car in a concours? Tell us about it.

—jgoods

Car Minded, Car Shows, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat

If you’re not into sports cars, you might as well stop reading.

In my mind, while certainly not practical, sports cars are the backbone of all things automotive. They represent the pinnacle of engineering and possibility; but like any other car, sports cars come and go. Here are some we wish would come and then just stay.

Acura NSX

Here’s a piece of trivia: Honda went to Italian design firm Pininfarina in 1984 to design the car that became the NSX. In 2005 the NSX was discontinued… then in 2008 hopes for a next-generation NSX were dashed when Honda cancelled its plans for the car. Now, there’s news again that Honda may create a lower priced NSX, which means it would probably fall out of supercar territory. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather never see a new NSX than see one with that awful Acura beak that’s going around these days. Bring it back right, or let it rest forever!

Infiniti Essence

Come on, Nissan, just build this! The Essence is the best looking concept I’ve seen in a long time… the exterior looks like liquid metal freshly poured over pure muscle. While we probably won’t see a production version of this car, we hope at least it’s a foreshadowing of future Infiniti design.

Toyota MR2

There are many folks who would rather have an MR2 than other sports cars costing twice as much. Maybe the “Toyobaru” project, detailed here, will eventually come through and deliver a car worthy to follow in the MR2’s footsteps.

Ferrari Testarossa

This was THE supercar of the 1980s. What young teen didn’t have the above poster hanging on his bedroom door? The last model year was 1996, so we’ve lived almost 15 years without a new Testarossa… wouldn’t it be great to see what Pininfarina could come up with now? Almost 100,000 copies of the Testarossa were sold, so I’ll bet Ferrari could “pull a Camaro” and reintroduce a classic!

Jaguar F-Type Concept

Jaguar has come a long way in the last few years! The new XJ is sleek and modern, the new XF is holding its own with BMW and Mercedes, and the XK competes with the likes of the BMW M6. Now the company just needs a Porsche 911 fighter, and a concept based off something like this could be just the ticket.

What sports cars from the past do you miss the most?

-tgriffith

Car Industry News, Car Minded, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars

I guess Pebble Beach may be more dramatic, at least geographically, but no one does a concours d’elegance better than Meadow Brook in suburban Detroit. Just concluded at Meadow Brook Hall, the 1920s residence of John and Matilda Dodge, this event attracts many of the world’s great classic cars, as well as race cars, theme cars, concepts, and design cars.

The two best-of-show winners were a 1939 Delahaye 165 Cabriolet by Figoni & Falaschi, which is simply a knockout, and the more stately 1934 Dietrich-bodied Packard V-12 Sport Sedan—both shown here. Looking at these cars, one wonders where all this marvelous individuality and passion has gone. Up in smoke, as Cheech & Chong once observed.

The essence of nostalgia, I suppose, is looking back to an irrecoverable past and a simpler, more “classic” world. Well, Meadow Brook gives you that in spades, whether your nostalgia runs to ’64 GTOs, ’59 Cadillac tail fins, or cars like these, on the MB website.

Looking at these pix, I had my own nostalgic moment, remembering a conference I was part of years ago at Meadow Brook. The furnishings and details of the mansion are still intact, courtesy of Oakland University, and nothing I’ve seen evokes the opulence and style of the ‘20s more than this 110-room palace built for the widow of one of the Dodge brothers who founded an empire.

It’s the perfect setting to recreate, among other things, the contributions of Detroit to the history of the automobile. Some of this can be seen in the video below, courtesy of Freep.com.

Do our present cars – any of them – still have the kind of individuality and strength of purpose these cars do? Leave us a comment.

—jgoods

Car Minded, Car Shows, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat