Attract more customers by enhancing vehicle details page with engaging content

Merchandising means “presenting a product to the market by carrying out organized, skillful advertising, using attractive displays”. There are a set of rules and required skill sets to merchandise vehicles to those who are able to touch and feel, experience a car first hand. There are also a separate but related set of strategies that ought to be followed when displaying a car to those shopping on the Internet. To be successful in engaging buyers, you need to provide a “virtual test drive” via a well designed Vehicle Details Page (VDP). Having more than 90% of vehicle buyers starting their car buying online, vehicle sellers need to get savvy at creating compelling VDPs, and understand how to build confidence in their buyers’ mind about their business practices.

There are many examples of nice looking, comprehensive listings on eBay Motors, but most still think of online listings as static replicates of old classified print ads with a few pictures, two sentences and a phone number.

As we work with the most successful dealers on the site we see what works and what doesn’t. Let us share a few best practices on how you need to position your cars and your dealership on eBay to increase your chances of success. This will not be all encompassing but it’s a start:

1) Almost goes without saying, but high number of quality photos do more for engagement of a potential buyers attention more than anything. Having close ups of details (console, rims, scratches), as well as your wide shots tells the buyer you are transparent and there will be no surprises when you get the car. Our research shows that listings with 40+ images are 70% more likely to sell than those with less. If the car has a moonroof, take a picture of it closed and open, to show that’s in working order. Same with navigation units, DVD screens, convertible roofs etc. if you have keys, owners manuals, service receipts take a picture of those too.

Good example of successful listing (detailed description, large gallery of quality photos): Rotisserie Restored 1970 Challenger HEMI Convertible

2) Don’t expect an options list to sell you the car. Tell as much of the story of the car as you can, think about what type of person might be interested in the car; your description of the vehicle should paint a picture of owning the vehicle. Think about how would the car be used e.g.: “this minivan will provide the comfort and safety for weekly your trips to Grandma’s house”, “boost the credibility of your success with this luxury sedan”, etc…

3) Intersperse your VDP with what we call Digital Call to Action features. These are not just your phone number or email addresses presented at multiple places in the listing. They also address the buyers’ possible questions or concerns and prompt to act on those. Imagine as the looker is scrolling through the 40+ photos and getting more and more captivated by your car. Now instead of making him or her scroll back to the top to find your phone number, why not insert a photo of you or your dealership with a call to action and phone number e.g.: “If you would like to find out about how to obtain low rate financing for this vehicle, call Justin at …”. You will want to put the buyers’ at ease about things like help with shipping, warranties, third party inspections. This could also be a good way of vaunt about your dealership, e.g.: “Buy this car from the most recent President’s Award winning Ford dealership, call …” or “Our low overheads allows us to sell this car to you well below book value, call to find out our Reserve price”. Another good thing to keep in mind that the buyer may have a car to trade in, if you are interested in buying their trade, do mention it.

Selling cars online is still in its infancy but we already have data on what sort of things are working, and how our processes and mindsets should be evolving. Dealers should be versatile in making adjustments to their online merchandising strategies as engaging buyers has always been a moving target.

To learn more about listing strategies visit the eBay Dealer Hub by clicking the link.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte S and S Q4: Master of Evolution

Likes:

• Intelligent Technology
• Impeccable Performance

Dislikes:

• Quirky navigation

Maserati hasn’t had a V6 engine in a long time and never in the company’s history offered all-wheel drive. Say hello to both in the new Quattroporte S and S Q4. The all-new, twin turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine is assembled by Ferrari and delivers another distinct price and performance point for the longer, faster and wider 4-door sedan. Dubbed Q4, the AWD system offers the responsiveness of a traditional Maserati rear-wheel drive vehicle combined with added safety and security assurance.

To explore the technologies, luxury accouterments and Italian design philosophy of the latest Quattroporte, we flew to Italy for a day of testing at Fiat’s Balocco Proving Grounds which feels more like Stanford’s campus than a vehicle test track. FYI, Fiat owns both Chrysler and Maserati so you’ll find shared technologies between their vehicles such as the 8.4-inch touchscreen multi-media center in the Quattroporte that we know as Uconnect in Chrysler vehicles.

The Langhe track that we challenged the Italian maestro on is 12.89 miles long with 135 tight and wide turns and miles of K-rail. A few laps behind the wheel was convincing enough on the agility of this 4,500 pound long-body Maserati. I was hitting corners and accelerating like a GranTurismo MC Stradale. Then former World Rally Champion Alex Fiorio took the wheel and handled the sled like Jack Frost on ice and even managed to get all four wheels off the ground, landing in symphony with the direction of the track. Remarkable to say the least, and nope, no scraping of the undercarriage whatsoever.

Maserati is very proud of this vehicle and has 6,100 orders collected. Last year they sold 6,200 cars total and wishes to aggressively up the ante to 50,000 vehicles annually in the next few years. Very ambitious, the Quattroporte and upcoming Ghibli will certainly help the company meet their targets.

Offered in both the GTS (V8 engine) and the S (V6 engine) the Quattroporte features AWD for the first time, but only on the V6. And please do not expect a hybrid rendition of this model because the technology is not a part of the company’s vision. Maserati prefers the numbers achieved in diesel engines.

With deliveries currently taking place in the US, base MSRP for the 523-horsepower V8 RWD Quattroporte GTS is $140,500 and $102,500 for the 404-horsepower GDI V6 AWD Quattroporte S Q4, the model we drove in Balocco. With a new powertrain, transmission and gearbox, Maserati is confident they have a more competitive full-size, luxury touring sedan. Together with the ZF 8-speed automatic and innovative engine design the sport sedan sees a 28 percent improvement in fuel efficiency.

When deep beauty is encountered what behavior would you exert to obtain it? Fortunately, Maserati has never had qualms attracting car lovers to their brand. Yet, in competitive global markets expectations from today’s tech-savvy and opulence-seeking connoisseurs have to be met.

Rightfully so, they engineered the upper body of the Quattroporte with 60 percent aluminum, inclusive of the doors, hood, trunk and fenders. The mission was focused on obtaining the proper aerodynamics with the altered physique. It’s now 10” longer with 4” of additional rear legroom and garners 30 percent increased luggage volume. However, there is no automatic trunk close mechanism.

Quattroporte V6 and V8 models are distinguished by their exhaust outlets, with four circular pipes indicating the V6 and two wider tips referencing the V8. In Sport mode a by-pass valve opens and lets out ferocious audio, but even without engaging Sport the same will happen when accelerating over 3,000 RPM.

A 6-piston front and 4-piston rear Brembo brake system (standard in Black) is utilized on all three wheel packages including the standards 19s and optional 20s and 21s. The 21-inch wheels are forged alloy and weigh the same as the 20s.

Riding in the back is just as spacious as an Audi A8L or Jaguar XJL while dual seats can be ordered to replace the bench seat. The dashboard uses a magnesium frame and houses the aforementioned infotainment system which comes with a standard rearview camera, standard harman/kardon 10-speaker, 600-watt audio system and guidance technology by Garmin, which didn’t always work in my favor while scouting Italian country roads.

Opt for the up-level 15-speaker, 1280-watt Bowers and Wilkins Surround Sound and crisp, concert-like rhythms are delivered spectacularly throughout the cabin. The shift paddles, gear lever frame and LCD trim are all aluminum. Two leather types are available with the optional, higher grain leather covering more area. A rear window shade and side electric blinds, standard sunroof, and the choice of six surfaces altogether including a carbon fiber package rounds out interior comforts.

I always find it clever when auto manufacturers are able to manifest lavish, full-size sedans in every sense, yet instill the performance and character of sport cars. Q4 for example offers the Quattroporte S greater high-speed confidence and safety for inclement weather. First, the car has a perfect 50/50 weight distribution with both engines; uses a double wishbone front suspension and multilink rear; and Skyhook has been significantly improved. Skyhook is Maserati’s sophisticated damping system, which manages all vehicle dynamic parameters. To the left of the gear selector are five driver buttons for your specific style of driving. For example, in Sport mode the transmission will not upshift until the vehicle hits the rev limit.

The Magnum AWD leaves the front wheels passive until needed to help with traction and then are instantly and intelligently engaged. Q4 is paired with stability control and ABS intervention, but there is no left to right torque vectoring and the system is not predictive. I specifically enjoyed the instrument cluster which displays the monitoring of the actual torque distribution in real time. Drivers cannot turn off the mechanical system but can turn off the electrics as Alex did to showcase how effective Q4 is on its own. Without the electronics, Q4 shifts torque to the front if oversteer takes place and consequently to the rear when understeer is detected.

The new Quattroporte is ready for the big leagues and certainly will not disappoint. Once you’ve manhandled it like a WRC champ in the afternoon and later impress the ladies delightfully in the evening you too will become an Italian master of evolution.

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About Automotive Rhythms
The lifestyle auto network that blends your favorite new cars, trucks, SUVs & bikes with music, sports, fashion, & technology. We are “The Urban Automotive Experience!”

In some of my previous blog posts, I’ve mentioned the Jaguar that I use as my daily driver, so I figured it was time to give that car some much-deserved love. It’s a 2013 XFR in a really dark British racing green, with lots of metal flake in it. Thanks to the fine folks at Jaguar, I got my hands on the first one available in the U.S. back in October. It was so new when I got it that it didn’t even have a window sticker, because the EPA numbers hadn’t even been worked out yet.

The XF line’s been refreshed once again. And Ian Callum and his team have nailed a perfect balance with their design work. Jaguar’s had kind of a love/hate relationship with their grilles in the past. Sometimes they got so small they didn’t look like a Jaguar anymore. Other times they got so big and bulbous that they looked like they an aging Hollywood starlet with one too many collagen injections. This year, they got it right. The grille looks classy, but it’s also aggressive somehow. The same is true for the overall coachwork.

While other car companies are embracing turbocharging, Jaguar is doubling down on supercharging. The XFR’s engine is a supercharged V8 that makes 510 horsepower and 470 ft-lbs. of torque. All of that torque comes in handy, since, at almost 5,300 lbs. gross weight, there’s a lot of metal to move here. And this engine will chirp the rear wheels when you get on it, doing 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. The XFR stops well, too. The front rotors are almost 15 inches and the suspension is dynamic.

They’ve got a vented hood on the supercharged version and I’m happy to say all of the vents are functional. The motor isn’t completely hidden, not that anybody that owns this car will be adjusting the valves. And truth be told, there’s nothing to upgrade. It’s completely turn-key. There’s no reason that you would bother adding a pulley, swapping out a chip or changing the setup on the air intake.
It’s sporty, but not in your face sporty. It’s got a little diffuser in the back down low and a little bit of a tail on the back. And it’s not overly-badged, like, “Hey everybody look at me, I’ve got a supercharger.”

There aren’t a whole lot of options available for this model, because it comes pretty well loaded. The “base” model XFR starts at around $83,000. The version I have is about $85,000.

If there’s one thing Jaguar knows, it’s how to design a beautiful interior. And the new XFR plays to that strength. Mine is decked out in two-tone leather, a green and tan with sort of a baseball mitt look to it. I already own the ’99 version of this car (also in green). The ‘99 was as fancy as they came back in the day. There’s nothing wrong with that interior, but the 2013 version is so luxurious that it almost makes my ‘99 feel crude by comparison, which I didn’t think was possible.

The shifter is flush in the center console. When you start the car, it pops up. When you turn on the air, the air vents spin around and spring to life. Do you need that sort of thing? No, but it’s a really nice little extra that makes the car that much more elegant. All of the instruments and gadgets are intuitive. They’re all where you expect them to be. Interior and trunk space is really generous.

For the person who’s looking at getting an M5 or a Mercedes E63, but wants something with a little more personality than a German car, this is a good choice. German cars are great, but sometimes they’re a little too “all business.” In a sea of BMWs or Audis, the XFR really stands out.

You’d really be hard-pressed to find this much speed and this much comfort in any other car. The Jag has become a straight up European supercar in its own right. It looks like it belongs at the country club as much as the race track.
This is about as drive it everyday as 510hp gets. Everything works, everything looks good, everything hauls ass. Thanks a ton to Jaguar for getting me this car. It’s a dream come true.

Hear more from Adam Carolla by subscribing to CarCast on iTunes or visit CarCastShow.com

Like most, when we start to think about our next car we go to the internet for advice. We read reviews of specific models appealing to our lifestyle, try to find out what’s the lowest price we should be paying, which dealerships in town have better reviews, and so on and so forth. For most people it is still a scary proposition to visit a dealership and be subjected to the back-and-forth of negotiations. They would rather walk on hot coals, juggling Samurai swords, than “be introduced to a Sales Manager”. We all look to the dealer to give their expert opinion on what car would suit our needs, and then leave us to make a decision whether we want to buy it or not.

Thankfully, car makers are clamoring for our business, enticing us to buy or lease new vehicles with deep factory incentives. More and more independent and franchise dealerships are paying attention to their online reputation and customer feedback, and they are trying to engage with us via social media.

How we are being sold our next vehicle is evolving. We are now unquestionably in the smart phone era. 10,000 vehicles bought and sold just through the eBay Motors iPhone app each week. Yes there are exotics, classics, and one-off vehicles on there, but for the most part the type of cars that are being sold are commuter cars, minivans, pick-up trucks, new and used family sedans. There, we can read about the actual car that we know is still available (advantages of live listings format), often there are 40-50 photos, even of details/blemishes that may have never even seen if the car was bought in person after work).

We can also find out about the dealer presenting the vehicle. eBay’s transaction based feedback scoring system is a powerful tool to help buyers discern a dealer’s reputation. They can only get a feedback if they have actually sold and delivered a car. Keeping in mind that some sales are completed outside of eBay, Feedback rating still gives a pretty good idea of how well a dealer is likely to take care of their customers. Not to forget eBay’s Vehicle Purchase Protection program. This is an exclusive solution against losses associated with on-site transactions in certain situations such as the vehicle not showing up as described, or without a title. Basically, an in-built “peace of mind” component of buying a car through eBay, that we could hardly find if we walk into a dealership.

Ultimately, finding the right car is no longer limited to the neighborhood dealerships’ inventory. Most of the reputable dealers have people and processes in place to help buyers with shipping, titling, and financing through state lines. The Vehicle Buyer Services hub also helps to shop for a car fully informed.

So it begins, your lifestyle is accentuated with all the joys and modern luxuries a man or woman could possibly ask for. You are blessed to have made strategic business moves and intelligent investment decisions. A paradigm of modern sophistication and social acceptability, you have become an opinion leader and trendsetter amongst your peers. Yet one thing bothers you — the Rosso 458 Spider sitting outside your 10-car driveway is part of a storied history you wish to interpret a bit deeper from a brand perspective. A symphony of interactions transpire in your head and the following week you and the family are seated in First Class headed to Maranello!

Voted the world’s most powerful brand by Brand Finance, Ferrari’s estimated value is stated to be $3.5 billion. The name alone conjures emotions of technology and innovation. And whether you’re a fan of the marque or a Ferrari owner the passion is sequential to childhood daydreams of sitting behind the wheel and taking the checkered flag in an F1 showdown. The Prancing Horse’s stats corroborate your respect for the company and what their messaging means to millions of loyalists represented by 31 F1 World Titles with 14 coming in the past 15 years. “So 2013 starts with an extraordinary car as well as with the new single-seater, the F138. A new year in which Ferrari, as always, knows how to surprise with its ideas, proposals and models,” states Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo.

Upon landing in Bologna you and the family are picked up and whisked away to Hotel La Cartiera – Vignola Village Resort in the suburbs not far away from Maranello, an area where performance vehicles are born and bred. Know passionately as “Motor Valley,” the region also plays home to Lamborghini, Maserati Pagani and Ducati. Of course the testosterone and euphoria are dramatically pumping through your veins. No worries, a few glasses of the finest and rarest Cru in the land, Giramonte by the Frescobaldi family, will certainly mellow your temperament.

The itinerary begins with a visit to the groundbreaking Ferrari Store in Maranello, which recently opened. Here you will choose fine bespoke accessories including their premium Prima Line, the pinnacle of the Ferrari Collection and specifically tailored to owners. Other items of interest include the lightweight super-exclusive Colnago for Ferrari CFB road bike, watches, headphones, sunglasses, two unique hues of Tod’s Ferrari shoes, and Shell FI pit crew uniforms for the boys. The enlarged boutique is magnificently designed with the comfort and professionalism you have come to expect from elite shopping on 5th Avenue or Rodeo Drive. Crafted by some of Italy’s most regarded artisans, Prima is related to the original Prancing Horse of 1949 and is an extension of what Ferrari owners experience when they step out of a 612 Scaglietti, 599 GTB Fiorano, California, 458 Italia, or FF. Soon, the 740 horsepower V12 F12 Berlinetta and carbon fiber V12 LaFerrari will win over your soul and make its way into your collection. Hopefully.

After purchasing a few sport jackets, hats, accessories, and a Granturismo Ferrari Automatic timepiece you head back to town for succulent Italian pasta at Ristorante la Gazzella, sightseeing at the Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and the Fortress of Bazzano, and later reserve a show at the opera to allow everyone to wallow in the moment. The following day will entail double duty as everyone gears up in Ferrari Red for a tour of Museo Ferrari and the factory where Ferrari makes dreams come true. Managed by Antonio Ghini, the exhibit is the only officially Ferrari-run museum and displays 46 historic vehicles from the 1947 125S V12, 1962 250 GTO V12, 2002 Enzo, 2005 FXX, 2009 599XX, to the innovative and high-tech LaFerrari. There is the SUPERCAR showcase, Formula 1 auditorium, a wax figure of Enzo Ferrari sitting in his original office, a mini Ferrari store, an FI simulator to test your racing skills, and much more. Magically, the museum is open seven days a week except Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Your second guided tour will bring you to “The Business.” This is where life is instilled into every sports car galloping around the 61 global markets Ferrari does business in. The factory receives 10,000 visits annually and is more akin to a science lab than a mechanical operation. It’s clean, quiet and quite fascinating. Your wife is pleased by the 165,000 square meters of trees and flowers inside and outside the plant. She also finds out that Ferrari workers are treated like family. They have a medical center on the campus, Formula Benessere, which performs complimentary medical checks for employees and their families, a fitness center at headquarters to keep everyone active, and a summer kid’s camp. As Chairman Montezemolo would say, it takes exceptional men and women to build exceptional cars. As you pass by secret buildings, the “Classic” department and “Personalization Boutique” will be the last stops. Individualizing your vehicle is important business for the company. Here is where 500 owners come each year to make their pride and joy unique. With 100 item options per vehicle, opportunities for variety range from special rims, performance seats, custom steering wheels and distinctive stitching. Since you already own a Rosso (red) hue (40% of all Ferraris), then opt for Canary Yellow. The world is your oyster. The afternoon’s excitement leaves everyone eager for Italian cuisine so the final stop is in Ferrari’s restaurant “Podio” where every day is a winning lunch!

During lunch your tour guide reminds you of the Ferrari theme park that opened in Abu Dhabi in 2010. Hosting the largest logo in the world, the Italian spectacle features a roller coaster with the performance and acceleration indicative of an actual F1 car. No longer looked upon as a kiddie playground, congenial reflections of the family vacation have suddenly shifted from Hawaii to the Middle East. “What a ‘Bella’ world we live in,” is your latest aspiration as you pull away in a half-day test drive of the AWD FF Super Wagon with the whole family!

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About Automotive Rhythms
The lifestyle auto network that blends your favorite new cars, trucks, SUVs & bikes with music, sports, fashion, & technology. We are “The Urban Automotive Experience!”

Roman Pearce: “You know, I think I make a better special agent than you ever did.”
Brian O’Conner: “I guess that depends on how you define ‘special’.”

Roman “Rome” Pearce is the second main character in the film 2 Fast 2 Furious. Childhood friend of Brian O’Conner and future business partner in operating an auto shop. Rome met Brian O’Conner in juvenile detention and they became good friends.

1969 Anvil Mustang driven by Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson)

POWER

• 520 Jon Kaase Racing Boss Nine engine
• Dart aluminum block
• Electromotive fuel injection
• 805 horsepower
• Fuel Safe Cell, Aeroquip lines
• Optima battery

DRIVETRAIN

• Tremec TKO 600 5-speed transmission
• Speedway Engineering full floating rear end with 4.56 gears and Detroit Locker

BRAKE SYSTEM

• Baer 6 piston calipers front and rear

SUSPENSION

• JME Enterprises cantilever coilover system (front)
• Mailer Racing cantilever/push rod coilover system (rear)
• Flaming River electronic rack & pinion steering
• Speedway Engineering sway bars

INTERIOR

• Custom design by Pure Vision

EXTERIOR

• Anvil carbon fiber body panels
• Body reworked by Pure Vision
• Color – Alaska White (Dupont white color  #909)

WHEELS

• EVOD Industries (18×9.5 front, 19×12 rear)
• Continental 275/35 18 (front)
• Continental 345/30 19 (rear)

Fast & Furious 6 charges ahead into theaters nationwide May 24 and is sure to bring viewers on an action packed joy ride.

The sixth installment of the franchise, directed by Justin Lin, offers high velocity and the twists and turns that have kept fans on the edge of their seats with the first five. Dom brings the crew together for one last job, after Luke Hobbs reveals his ex-girlfriend Letty is still alive. However, she is now working for the enemy crew. Dom helps Luke bring Letty and her team to justice.

· Like Fast & Furious on Facebook
· Follow @FastFurious on Twitter #Fast6
· Follow @FastandFuriousMovie on Instagram
· Watch on YouTube
· Follow Fast & Furious on Google+

For more features, photos, and videos of all the cars in the Fast and Furious movie franchise, click here.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Five of the Priciest Cars Transported by uShip Carriers

Whether you’re looking for a Mazda or a Maybach, a simple Honda or a classic Hummer, odds are you can find it on eBay Motors!

With a quick look around, you’re bound to stumble across more than a few high-performance vehicles as well. Interestingly enough, the auction winners for these rare, top-dollar autos often live far from their new purchases. That’s where the “Shipping” tab on each listing comes in, offering instant quotes for auto shipping. Here are five of the most expensive vehicles eBay Motors bidders have won and subsequently shipped across the country.

A specialized auto carrier brought this blue Lambo from Xenia, OH to Tacoma, WA in early 2013. The 2000 Lamborghini Diablo is valued at approximately $180,000, making it the priciest car ever shipped by uShip carriers.

The most recently shipped eBay Motors whip on our top five is this Mercedes-Benz E-Class, estimated to cost around $115,000. An auto carrier hauled the E-Class Benz a total of 1,820 miles from La Jolla, CA to New Orleans, LA.

The current market value of this Ferrari F-430 is around $177,000. An eBay Motors customer paid an equivalent one percent of that price to ship the Ferrari from San Diego, CA to Austin, TX in 2012.

In late 2012, auto haulers carried this 2009 Porsche 911 Carrerato Arizona from Glen Allen, VA. The $150,000 Porsche travelled in an enclosed trailer for the entire 1,300-mile journey.

This vintage Jag was transported from New York state to sunny California by a specialized enclosed auto transporter for classic cars in 2011. Estimated to be worth about $75,000, the green Jaguar E-Type rounds out the list of the top 5 priciest cars sold on eBay Motors and shipped using uShip, one of the shipping providers featured on the “Shipping” tab for each listing.

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This article was contributed by our friends at uShip. uShip is the world’s largest and most trusted transportation marketplace, primarily serving the freight, household goods and vehicle shipping markets.

Harder compound tires, a few off-track spinoffs, and a fast course more suited to FWD race cars were some of the challenges our BTCC race team faced at the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship series of heats at Thruxton. Racing always has its ups and downs. Let’s hope our team can bounce back up after the break.

Below is our BTCC Thruxton Race Report:

The eBay Motors team added more points to its tally despite a challenging weekend of competition in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Thruxton.

Colin Turkington, Rob Collard and Nick Foster all added to their championship totals during the third meeting of the campaign, allowing the team to maintain a top four position in the HiQ Teams’ Championship with nine of the 30 races now run.

The high-speed nature of the Hampshire circuit, coupled with an abrasive track surface, saw the teams all-new NGTC-spec BMW 125i M-Sports running on a harder compound Dunlop tyre for the first time, and it proved to be a challenging experience for all three drivers.

Colin was the quickest in qualifying to secure tenth on the grid, with Rob and Nick lining up 16th and 17th for the opening race; Rob having suffered with a turbo issue that affected his performance during the 30 minute session.

Both Colin and Rob were able to make forward progress in the first race to take the flag in sixth and 13th positions, but it was a more difficult race for Nick, who was tipped into a spin on the second lap that dropped him to the back of the field. The end result was a 24th place finish.

Race two saw Colin run as high as fourth early on, but he was shuffled down the order as the race developed to finish eleventh, two places ahead of Rob who matched his race one result in 13th. Nick meanwhile battled his way up to 15th spot, although he missed out on a points finish after losing a place to Mat Jackson on the final lap.

The final race of the weekend again saw Colin lead the eBay challenge with his second top ten finish of the weekend; the 2009 champion rebounding from a difficult opening lap that saw him drop to 14th to fight back up to tenth. Rob had run tenth himself in the early stages before a spin exiting the final chicane saw him drop to the rear of the field, although he recovered to take the final point in 15th; two spots behind Nick who enjoyed his most competitive run of the weekend to pick up a points finish with 13th.

All three wins in Hampshire went the way of the factory Honda team, with Matt Neal taking honours in races one and two, and defending champion Gordon Shedden winning race three.

Next stop for the eBay Motors team is Oulton Park on the weekend of 8/9 June, with the team planning to use the four-week break before the visit to Cheshire to carry out further development work on the new BMW.

Colin Turkington (6th/11th/10th):
“It’s been a trying weekend for us but the simple fact is that that is where we are at the moment. Thruxton has been a difficult circuit for the BMW in the past and it certainly hasn’t been easy for us this time around. The circuits that are coming up are better suited to our car and hopefully we’ll be able to take a step forwards when we arrive at Oulton Park.”

Rob Collard (13th/13th/15th):
“It’s probably been the most difficult start to a season I’ve had, and it’s been another tough weekend. The problem in qualifying meant I was on the back-foot a bit and I had to push on race day to make up places. In race three, I just made a mistake exiting the chicane and I had no option but to wait for the field to come by so I could rejoin. It’s been tough for us with the tyres and I think they were just too hard for the rear-wheel drive cars as we’ve all struggled. We’ll work hard to improve over the gap and come out fighting at Oulton.”

Nick Foster (24th/16th/13th):
“Thruxton is a tough circuit and it’s suited the front-wheel cars more than us. My spin in race one left me right at the back and when you have lost the tow to the cars in front, it’s difficult to fight back. I battled forwards in races two and three and we made progress, but it’s been a challenging weekend for us all. We have a gap before Oulton Park when we can work to improve the car and do some testing, and Oulton Park and Croft are both circuits where we have traditionally gone well. Hopefully it’ll be the same this time around.”

Likes:

• Technologically Laden
• Euro Themed Interior
• User-friendly MyLink

Dislikes:

• Needs a bit more power

Subsisting within the east and southern regions of Africa, the Impala is evolutionarily unique since its Gazelle nomenclature, from the Zulu language, ascended to form its very own tribe dubbed the Aepycerotini. Chevrolet (Chevy) then took this DNA code and created a full-size automobile that dominated industry sales in the late 1950s. Natural law (Tao) would soon evolve into the form of the next American-born legend.

Before progressing into the 2014 Chevy Impala, General Motors (GM) took a scientific approach to rebuilding the nomenclature of the brand to ascertain it embodied the same characteristics and traits as the prior generations including the all-important first gen models. Though design would play a dramatic role in whether society accepts it as a meaningful replacement or simply a General Motors replica of another model, I must say it honors the spirit of the past while invigorating with a plethora of in-car technology by way of the new MyLink telematics, Euro-quality materials, a meaningful silhouette and plenty of space.

When first introduced I was surprised at what the Impala had become because the 2013 model was so blasé. Enter Ed Welburn, VP of Global Design and the design mastermind behind every GM product that rolls out of the factory. Welburn was emotionally struck when speaking about the hard work and strategic efforts his design team put into recreating the Impala. With ten design centers around the globe, Welburn must transact his thoughts like a six century B.C. sage. After all, the esoteric but infinitely practical book “Tao Te Ching” does say a man of virtue performs his part. The goal with this project was to challenge his artisans with inspiration of the 1965 Impala, “a great car with a great design,” Welburn expressed. Much of that vehicle’s spirit is now instilled within the new Impala, which also will have a healthy influence on future Chevy vehicles and is a true flagship vehicle for the brand.

Chevy offers the 2014 Impala in five trims levels including: LS 2.5L at $27,535; LT 2.5L at $29,785; LT 3.6L at $30,760; LTZ 2.5L at $34,555; and LTZ 3.6L at $36,580. The LT models will comprise the majority of the Impala mix with an estimated 55 percent of sales. Compare with the Ford Taurus, Toyota Avalon, Hyundai Azera and Nissan Maxima. The Impala comes standard with 10 airbags and features the same active safety technology found in high end German cars such as Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Alert, Collision Mitigation Braking, Full Speed-Range Adaptive Cruise Control and much more.

Knowing my Impala LTZ was bedazzled with stylish 20-inch rims ($400), Navigation ($795), Adaptive Cruise Control ($1,695), 11-speaker Bose Surround Sound ($700), and the LTZ Comfort & Convenience Package ($1,035), I jetted around Southern California with security and confidence.

The power in the 3.6-liter V6 was decent at 305-horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque, but I wasn’t expecting to take on anyone at the stoplight either. In combination with the six-speed auto Hydra-Matic transmission the new Impala with the V6 is EPA certified at 19 city and 29 highway mpg. Not bad at all!

A 2.5L 4-cylinder with an estimated 21 city/31 highway mpg launches in a few months and the 2.4L eAssist (25/35 mpg) is coming by year’s end.

Other nifty add-ons included a double pane sunroof, dual exhaust tips, leather interior, rearview camera, rear parking assist, 8-way power seats with power lumbar functionality, a bigger trunk, interior light strips and directional and ambient lighting. But Welburn still wanted more and his designers gave it to him. The dual port, chiseled front end, with a Camaro-like hood and a widened and lowered grille with linear chrome slats connected by the headlights are not afterthoughts but intentional design statements. A chrome molding strip down the body side, muscular wheel arches, a six-window theme surrounded by aluminum trim, and chrome colored side view mirrors finish off Welburn’s statement.

No matter the style or presentation of the consumer, GM ascertained that their connectivity and technological needs would be met. With that in mind the Next-Generation Chevrolet MyLink was implemented in the 2014 Impala and comes with an 8-inch touchscreen within the center stack featuring embedded conventional style push buttons, large touch sensitive icons, and redundant physical knobs. The screen moves up to reveal a storage bin with an iPhone connection so you can simply store the phone away and take control of functions by using MyLink. Or you can tether your phone or nine other devices using Bluetooth or connect with the three USB ports or aux jack.

Additionally, there is storage for up to 1,000 contacts and a valet mode with a four digit code that locks out all personal info such as your stored home address. The display is similar to an iPad and is very user-friendly, safe and convenient.

The drive experience in San Diego with the Impala and MyLink was phenomenal. For example there is an OnStar app, a weather app and a Pandora app. My favorite was the
3-D mapping which virtually recreates the environment being navigated. All of my contacts and media from the iPhone were presented at the tip of my finger via the user interface, which also leaves room for expansion and the adaption of additional apps. In hindsight, Chevy is already paying it forward.

Currently, 70% of Impala sales are fleet based and the goal is for Chevy to flip the algorithm especially since it’s the company’s flagship sedan. Lao Tsu says The Tao is impartial and stays with good men all the time. If the great nomad were around today I’m certain he would apply his thinking to “good autos” and the new Impala certainly falls within that favor.

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Arguably the best handling and most engaging IS that Lexus has ever built.

Likes:

• Improved athleticism closely matches the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• 8-speed automatic transmission borrowed from the IS F is efficient and smooth
• Looking like a sharp-dressed man, exterior styling is chic
• Traditional Lexus standards of quiet, comfort and quality still here
• Foam injected seats are super comfy, contoured nicely and provide ample amounts of support
• Longer body length and sculpted seatbacks allow more legroom than flying economy class. Full-size adults seated in the back can’t complain anymore.

Dislikes:

• Dashboard passenger-side airbag hump is great for resting your Starbucks coffee but spoils the interior design flow
• Electronically boosted steering is light and has less feedback than its European counterparts
• Powertrain déjà vu – same two powertrains move into the 3rd generation IS

Earlier this year Lexus unveiled the all-new third generation IS to the media and public at the Detroit Auto Show. The sharp styling and captivating Lexus grille caught our attention and we eagerly anticipated getting some quality seat time behind the wheel with the new IS. Thanks to Toyota’s hospitality, we got our invitation to preview the new IS and experience a direct comparison against the Audi A4, BMW 335is, and Mercedes-Benz C350.

New for 2014: A stiffer body structure reduces noise and vibration. The redesigned suspension and revised steering system give the new IS better athleticism in the turns without compromising ride quality. And the 8-speed transmission, borrowed from ISF, is fast and seamless transitioning up and down the gears. Turning to the inside, the redesigned IS cabin is fashionable and comfortable and loaded with instrumental technology.

Driving Impressions

Without any direct measuring tools except our butt-meter, we found the new IS to be a capable performer and awfully close to the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C350 in terms of performance and athleticism. The differences in comparison with its European competitors only become noticeable when hammering hard on your favorite back roads or on the race track. The A4 wasn’t even in the game when comparing performance virtues due to its shortcomings in the power department, heavy front end, and softer suspension settings.

As a daily driver, the new IS easy to use and is quite comfortable riding about town or on the open highway. Ride and handling are pretty smooth and stress-free, if not terrifically athletic.

Drivers seeking a more aggressive feel can turn up the wick with the F Sport trim. It has a Sport+ mode which quickens steering response, firms up the suspension, and modifies the transmission’s gear ratios for sportier performance.

At the opposite end of the IS line-up is the IS 250 which uses the same 2.5L V6 as the previous generation model and delivers 204 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque with power being transferred through a 6-speed automatic.

The IS 250 starts at a class-competitive $35,950 and the IS 350 at $39,465 for the RWD versions. Full pricing details and available trims announced HERE.

The RWD IS 350 shifts through an 8-speed automatic, using the same 3.5L V6 from the outgoing model, and delivers 306 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque; a 6-speed automatic is used in the AWD models.

An IS 300h with the hybrid drivetrain is available in Japan, but will not be sold in North America in the near future.

Over $1,400 of previously optional equipment is now standard on the 2014 IS

Standard features on the 2014 IS include automatic climate control, NuLuxe synthetic upholstery, Bluetooth connectivity, an eight-speaker AM/FM/CD/HD radio sound system with dual USB ports, complimentary traffic and weather updates, a seven-inch VGA screen, a proximity key with push-button start, HID headlamps with LED running lights, foglights, a sunroof, cruise control and 17-inch wheels.

Common throughout the lineup is a Drive Mode Select system that tailors the transmission, steering ratio and steering effort to the driver’s preferences. The driver has a choice of Eco, Normal, and Sport driving modes.

All IS models can be equipped with a racy F Sport package, which brings an aggressive bodykit, a firmer suspension with an adaptive damping system, unique interior trim – including TFT instrumentation inspired by the LFA supercar – and more.

Photo credit: Universal Studios

“She’s gotta have those kind of eyes that can look right through the bullshit, to the good in someone. 20% angel, 80% devil. Down to earth. Ain’t afraid to get a little engine grease under her fingernails.”
—Dom about Letty

Leticia “Letty” Ortiz is main female character in The Fast and the Furious series and portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez. She is a highly skilled street racer and mechanic. Letty was Dominic Toretto’s ex-girlfriend. In Fast and Furious 6 Letty appears to be alive.

1973 Jensen Interceptor driven by Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez)

POWERTRAIN

• 6.2L GM LS3 crate engine (376 cu. in.)
• 480 hp
• Magnaflow 3-inch custom stainless steel exhaust system

DRIVETRAIN

• Kilgore GM Turbo 400
• Driveshaft built from 3-inch 0.083 tubing, Spicer 1350 U-joints
• Moser 9-inch rear differential with 4.56 gears and Detroit Locker

BRAKE SYSTEM

• 2009 Mustang GT with EBC pads
• SUSPENSION
• Atlas springs
• Speedway Engineering sway bars
• KYB shocks

INTERIOR

• Sparco race seats
• OMP seat belts
• Autometer gauges
• Roll cage and tin by Sweeney SFX

EXTERIOR

• Mercedes Graphite Gray by A&G Auto Body
• Vented hood
• Flared rear fenders
• Shaved rear bumper
• Stainless grill
• Hella Lighting

WHEELS / TIRES

• Motegi MR224 (17×8 front, 17×9.5 rear)
• Continental 225/40 R17 front
• Continental 285/40 R17 rear

Fast & Furious 6 charges ahead into theaters nationwide May 24 and is sure to bring viewers on an action packed joy ride.

The sixth installment of the franchise, directed by Justin Lin, offers high velocity and the twists and turns that have kept fans on the edge of their seats with the first five. Dom brings the crew together for one last job, after Luke Hobbs reveals his ex-girlfriend Letty is still alive. However, she is now working for the enemy crew. Dom helps Luke bring Letty and her team to justice.

· Like Fast & Furious on Facebook
· Follow @FastFurious on Twitter #Fast6
· Follow @FastandFuriousMovie on Instagram
· Watch on YouTube
· Follow Fast & Furious on Google+

For more features, photos, and videos of all the cars in the Fast and Furious movie franchise, click here.

’55 Chevy Bel Air Resto Project In-Progress

eBay Garage member dhudson49 bought his Chevy Bel Air two years ago as a restoration project. Using eBay as a tool for much of the replacement parts, the restoration seems to be going well. A red and white paint scheme is part of the final plan.

Click the link to leave a comment for dhudson49 if you think he is on track: 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air | eBay Garage

The 36th Mitty brought together cars ranging from 1950s classics to current models.

This year was testament yet again that there’s no better place to live a motorsports daydream than at the Classic Motorsports Mitty at Road Atlanta. This year was one of our best, with action all weekend both on and off track.

The Classic Motorsports Mitty presented by Mazda and Sanctioned by Historic Sportscar Racing, has become a ‘must attend’ for spectators, racers, and enthusiasts. The reason is that Mitty is a whole lot of fun. Those who have attended agree that the Classic Motorsports Mitty understand all about that fun.”

This year saw more than 320 classic and historic cars on hand to race, and the weekend included a great spectator turnout. People lined up at the gate all day Thursday in order to be first in line for the prime camping spots.

David Hobbs, this year’s grand marshal, was available all weekend to share stories and sign countless autographs. The level of fan access to such a racing great is unheard of, and fans went away with the memory of their time spent with the legendary driver.

This is strong praise indeed, since Hobbs has run in Can-Am, Indy, Formula 1 and Trans-Am among others.

Attendants also couldn’t be faulted for not wearing their earplugs: Though loud, the Can-Am reunion race was glorious to attend. Right before the HSR-sanctioned race, 24 Can-Am cars lined up in the infield grid so fans could see the cars and drivers up close.

Despite forecasts that threatened rain, tons of MGs came out to make a big showing for this year’s featured marque. These included everything from T-Series models to MGBs, and even a few rarities, including an MGF and an MG Metro 6R4 rally car brought by David Yando of the Lane Motor Museum. This car was deemed the most rocking car at the 2013 Mitty, and Yando won a custom PRS electric guitar for bringing such an excellent ride.

At noon Saturday, more than 200 MGs, classic Minis and Miatas went on track for their featured marque parade lap, sponsored by Vredestein Tyres.

Another club at this year’s Mitty was Classic Minis United, who hosted a meet for their members. We want to thank Mike Guido for bringing his great club to this event.

The Mitty has also always been known for its after hours parties and this year was no different. Friday night had the traditional Mazda Key Party, a party open to all those with a key to a Mazda car. The attendees got dinner, drinks and a meet and greet with Mazda VIP of the present and the past including Robert Davis, Jeremy Barnes and Miata designer Norman Garrett.

On Saturday evening, all attendees at the Mitty were invited to the Classic Motorsports Fan Fest party sponsored by eBay Motors. The party kicked off with dinner followed by a Q&A with David Hobbs MC’d by Amelia Island Concours founder Bill Warner. Where he entertained guests with many stories of his racing days.  Following the interview, PRS president Jack Higginbotham and his band, the Dirty City Band, performed under the Classic Motorsports tent.

Despite some inclement weather, the weekend was a great time and is a Must Attend event for fans of classic sports and racing cars.

If you want to know more about the Mitty or just want to learn more about Classic Motorsports magazine you can click here to subscribe. Subscribe to Classic Motorsports Magazine now.

By contributing photojournalist Joshua Orozco

There’s nothing quite like Honda Day. Held every year at Atco Raceway in Atco, NJ, Honda Day is partially a drag racing competition, partially a car show, partially a celebration of the Honda brand and sport-compact culture.

What follows is a recap of this year’s Honda Day event, complete with some incredible Honda photos.

By 10am on Saturday, April 13th, 2013, Honda Day was in full swing. The aggressive rumblings of finely tuned motors and the energy of the crowds set the tone early, and this energy did not die down until nightfall. A two-day event, the focus on Saturday was managing the massive crowds.

From just behind the grandstand came a smooth, steady, hip-hop beat. The DJ raised his arms from the back of the stage, surrounded by dancers and backlit by the enthusiastic roar of the race crowd. The people pushed further towards the edge of the stage, arms raised and bouncing in unison, responding to the call ‘Where my Honda Heads at?’

On the other side of the Atco Raceway facility, crowds gathered to see the Hondas assembled in the Top 100 Car Show. A proud collection of owners stood by their vehicles to answer questions and keep an eye on their prized possessions. Onlookers ranging from small children to retirees shuffled by, staring at hoodless rides with massive turbochargers, sleek intercoolers, and an incredible variety of customizations.

As expected, this year’s Top 100 Car Show featured a wide variety of cars with oversized alloy wheels and tires buried inside quarter panels, with a drastically negative camber. Knows as a “stanced” look, these cars are becoming increasingly popular.

Honda Day draws race teams that have traveled from Florida all the way up to Montreal, and as far west as Ohio to compete. . . . and this is the cream of the crop. Some of the fastest 4 cylinder motors in the world are running today, not just the East Coast.

A long line of slammed and heavily modified vehicles line the back fence of the racetrack. These Hondas and Acuras are all in the sub-9 second race class, and they are impressive. Massive drag slicks protrude from the fenders, thundering exhaust systems and screaming turbos nearly overwhelm the senses, and a mass of race crews and spectators are milling about.

The sub 9 second race class is impressive. Almost every vehicle features custom paint jobs with sponsor decals, interiors that have been stripped down to nothing more than a seat and a steering wheel, and driver safety systems that include roll bars and drag chutes. Drivers are clad in helmets and fire retardant clothing, while anxious members of the race crew double and triple check every detail, waiting for the qualifying round of drag racing to begin.

Standing only several feet away from pre-race burnouts, I am overwhelmed by a quickly moving cloud of smoke that smells of burnt rubber. The wind carries it over the grandstand, but does not seem to phase the anxiously waiting crowd. As the tree flashes green, you can hear a collective gasp as a pair of super Hondas shoot down the strip.

The crowd’s heads collectively turn to the right to follow the action with cell phones and cameras in hand. A massive cheer erupts as the quarter mile times and trap speeds are displayed on the boards. In essence, this is the defining moment of Honda Day: A spark of energy ignites an explosion of culture, music and the Honda Head lifestyle.

If you haven’t been to an event like this, you owe to yourself to attend. Even if you’re not a fan of the Honda product, the energy of the place is intoxicating.

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Author Joshua Orozco is a professional photojournalist who attended this year’s event on behalf of HondaPartsOnline.net, a website offering OEM Honda parts at wholesale prices.

One of the cars in my collection that I haven’t given much attention to yet is the Bob Sharp-built pace car that was used the Camel GT series starting in the mid-1970s.

Bob Sharp was building a Z car to run in the IMSA GTU class in 1975 and was also hired to make the pace car for the series. Made from two 260Z chassis with what amounts to 240Z bodywork, Sharp’s IMSA car and the pace car were essentially given the same set up. They got the same wing, huge flairs and G nose, along with a roll cage and fuel cell. The main difference was the pace car got a passenger seat for ride-alongs and they didn’t use race bushings on the suspension, so it would have a little smoother ride. Both cars were powered by a Nissan overhead cam 2.8L straight six with three Mikuni carburetors that is supposed to make over 300hp. The transmission is a 5-speed Nissan Comp Option 2 direct drive.

The pace car was used in the Camel GT series for years. After its career as a pace car ended, some reports say it was used for racing lessons at Road Atlanta. Eventually, it was just left on the grounds of the track, neglected and rotting. I’ve seen photos of it from 1986 with its wheels off, hood askew, just sitting in the dirt. It’s a shame that it fell into such sorry shape. But at the time, well, it was a Datsun, which was one strike against it. And the parts weren’t really worth anything. It wouldn’t have made a good race car, since it was too dated to compete anymore and it wasn’t old enough to be “vintage” yet. So, there it sat.

It changed hands a few times and finally was redone in the Bob Sharp red, white and blue livery, as a clone of Sharp’s competition version of this car. (That car had been wrecked at Road Atlanta in 1976.) As a part of that refurb, the fenders were shaved down to match the flairs on the IMSA car. It was run in VARA and SVRA vintage races for 12 years with this setup.

I bought it about three years ago. It was agreed by all (including Bob Sharp) that it needed to be put back into the Camel livery. It was a painstaking process, since we were working mainly from pictures. In addition to matching the original paint job and graphics, we had to build the flairs back up to their original width.The rims were originally almost as deep as they are tall—14” x 15”.

You can’t go wrong with the Bob Sharp livery, but brown, burnt orange and yellow is the way this car was meant to be. With those colors, plus the impossibly wide flairs and a cigarette company logo, this car is a perfect snapshot of racing in the ‘70s. Ugly is in the eye of the beholder with this car.

It’s interesting how all of this peripheral stuff is entering the vintage racing hobby. Before, all anyone cared about were the actual race cars. Now, if you get your hands on a transporter and restore that, it’s a big deal. Some of those go for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Pace cars are kind of an extension of that. I mean, this is a race car. It’s one of one ever built and it led the field at a ton of races. Yet, in terms of competing, it has no race history whatsoever.

What’s this car worth? What will it ever be worth? I really couldn’t tell you one way or the other. Out of every car in my collection, that’s the only car that I don’t think I could guess the value of. I really have no idea. Luckily, I didn’t buy it to flip it, or as an investment of any kind. I just got it because it’s a cool piece.

The Sharp cars and the Newmans are pretty well respected now, but their genius hasn’t been fully recognized yet. They’re really going to go down as pioneers some day. Race history or not, the fact that it’s Bob Sharp-built and one of one makes it really cool.

I have no particular plans for it, aside from it being a cool conversation piece. It’s probably eligible for vintage racing, but I doubt it would be let into Monterey. Even if it did, there’s no good category for us Z guys anyway. We wind up getting lumped in with way faster cars. So, if I’m going to have a 935 or a Dekon Monza blowing past me all day, I’ve got other Z cars I’d rather beat on. I have no desire to see those huge fenders get all chipped up.

Hear more from Adam Carolla by subscribing to CarCast on iTunes or visit CarCastShow.com

eBay Listing: 1973 Porsche 914

When you hear the phrase “Poor man’s Porsche,” many cars come to mind. But, ask any ‘Porschephile’ which was the one of the first low budget mid engine Porsche/Volkswagen cars, and many would reply, “the Porsche 914 of course.”

The 914 was and still is a somewhat affordable way to enter into classic air-cooled Porsche ownership. Porsche and Volkswagen produced the cars from 1970-1976 in collaboration with each other. The cars were fitted with 1.7, 1.8, and 2.0 liter engines, all in an air-cooled flat four boxer configuration, a design most commonly associated with Volkswagen products of that period. The 914/6, however, was fitted with a six cylinder Porsche sourced 911 engine, with similar suspension and brakes of a 911 Porsche. If you like the concept of a mid engine low slung sports car, this classic Porsche is the one to consider.

Today’s featured 1973 Porsche 914 has a fuel injected 2.0 liter engine, Saturn yellow paint, with ad listed Riviera Dealer installed wheels, but the pictures show Fuch Alloys. The car comes with two full sets of wheels, Fuchs and Rivieras according to the owner. The car also has reportedly only had two owners. If you are in the market for an unrestored Porsche 914, this car would be a decent place to begin your search.

Click now to read the auction listing description and view the photo gallery: 1973 Porsche 914

eBay Listing: 2007 Chevrolet Corvette C6RS

This year marks the Corvette’s 60th anniversary and we expected a lot fanfare throughout the year celebrating this iconic American sports car all of which began with the January announcement of the 2014 Corvette Stingray (C7). For those who want to attend the anniversary functions with a bit of pizzazz, they may want to consider rolling up to the festivities in a Corvette C6RS built by Pratt & Miller Engineering – the team responsible for a list of GM factory team wins in the American Le Mans Series of races.

In 2007 GM commissioned Pratt & Miller to build a street version of their winning GT1 C6.R race car that was to be presented to a special customer. A total of seven C6RS Corvettes were built, matching the seven American Le Mans Series GT1 manufacturers championships won by the factory-backed Corvette race team. Car #001 was given to Jay Leno. Car #003 — which took 18 months to build at a cost of more than $330,000 — is now on eBay with a starting bid of $95,000.

How does a $75,000 (2007 price) Corvette transform into a $330,000 supercar? First you have to order a new Z06 and have it shipped to Pratt & Miller where the first order of business is to do a complete tear down. Fully disassembled, the C6 Corvette’s factory body panels are replaced with carbon fiber body panels made from the same mold as the GT1 C6.R race car giving it a 1.6-inch wider stance and 1/2 inch lower ride height.

The factory 505 horsepower 7.0-liter “LS7″ V8 is sold on eBay (joking) and replaced with a KATECH 8.2-liter, all-aluminum V8. Essentially, KATECH milled the 8.2-liter small block V8 engine from a single 600 pound block of aluminum and tuned it to produce more than 600hp and 600 lb.-ft. torque.

What really sets the C6RS apart from any other factory Corvette is the bespoke leather interior artfully hand-stitched by John Caravaggio. The leather covered carbon fiber seats are beautiful in addition to being functional and comfortable. The steering wheel is wrapped in European Alcantara and feels “mah-velous, darling”.

If owning 1 of 7 C6RS Corvettes isn’t unique enough for you, then consider the center console glove box signed by all the team members from the Corvette factory racing team including race car driver Ron Fellows, principals, and team personnel.

And the new owner gets the C6RS California license plate as part of the deal. Something Jay Leno couldn’t get because the original owner was first in line at the DMV ordering his vanity plate.

Click the link to read the complete auction listing and view more photos: 2007 Chevrolet Corvette C6RS by Pratt & Miller

Shokuji J-tin is a low-key San Francisco Bay Area gathering of vintage Japanese car organized by two young men who have a passion for cars that were running on the streets before they could crawl. The following are some outstanding examples of vintage Japanese machines that were built by nostalgic car enthusiasts who have a genuine passion.

As promised in Part 1, we featured cars that are NOT Datsuns this time around.

1973 Toyota Corolla SR-5 Transformed to TE27 Levin “Mango”

Patrick Ng purchased his Corolla in 2003 for the purpose of building a car for nostalgic purposes but held off on his project for one year while he helped a compatriot, Ed Dizon, finish his JDM ’72 Toyota Celica. That unselfishness came back with dividends upon completion of the Celica because Ed returned the favor by working with Patrick on his Corolla. After undergoing a two-year process of building a period-correct Corolla in his garage, Patrick’s Corolla was transformed from a family car to a high performance street racing machine – Corolla Levin.

The original 1600 motor was a 1.6L [2T-C] rated at 88hp. Transformation to a Corolla Levin meant the factory engine was replaced with a 1.8L engine [2T-G] that features TRD twin cams, 44mm Solex side-draft carbs, mild port of the heads, and a high-rise TRD header.

The 3.5-inch lowered stance is possible with an all-TRD suspension, designed by the manufacturer for this car. The undercarriage is fully detailed with MacPherson struts, upgraded TRD race springs, eight-way adjustable shocks at the rear and almost to-die-for blue TRD leaf springs. Color is PPG Lamborghini Orange.

PK-Studio gives us a closer look at Patrick’s 1973 Toyota Corolla Levin

Rotary Powered 1974 Toyota Corolla

Father-son team of Ruben and Carlos labored many hours to build a fantastic Monza Green Corolla – twice. One of the unique features of this Corolla is the 12A rotary engine that was pulled from a 1983 Mazda RX-7 FB.

Engine details include Weber carbs and MSD dual coil ignition. Performance is enhanced with a lightweight flywheel and stage 3 clutch mated to the 5-speed manual transmission. Sparco harness and Celica seats cradle the driver and passenger.

A 100 percent of the work, including changing the original color from yellow to Monza Green, was done at home. As mentioned earlier, the entire car was stripped and rebuilt a second time, which took 3 months to complete.

Ron Cizek’s “Checkered Past” ’40 Ford Wins Del Mar Street Rod d’Elegance Crown

Del Mar, CA – Ron Cizek’s “Checkered Past” ’40 Ford from Bennington, Nebraska recently won the Goodguys 2013 March Performance Street Rod d’Elegance Award. The Cranberry-hued ’40 Ford was first introduced to the hot rodding world back in March when it won the prestigious Ridler Award at the Detroit Autorama. It gets its name from a decades-long dirt track lineage.

Although Cizek himself originally started the build three years ago as a “weekend project”, it was finished and coach-built by his partner Andy Leach and the talented team at Cal Automotive Creations in Omaha, Nebraska. Leach apprenticed for six years under the watchful eye of Troy Trepanier prior to joining forces with Cizek.

Checkered Past is the shop’s first completed concept-to-finished-show-car project, stamping them as major players to keep an eye on going forward. Winning the Ridler then the Street Rod d’Elegance crown has been pulled off by only a select few over the years. Sitting on the ground, the car has a perfect profile. Like all big show cars, it’s been hand crafted and reshaped while keeping a fair share of its factory lines. Leach and his team wedge-sectioned the car one inch from front to back then chopped the top 3/8” for the perfect hot rod rake. The hood and fenders have been reshaped as were the meticulously hand-shaped running boards. Finishing off the front end mods is a custom grille with thinned out headlamp rings.

The motor in “Checkered Past,” assembled and prepped by Erik Hansen, accelerates the heart rate just looking at it. Atop the ’53 Mercury flathead sits a 4.71 GMC blower – the entire package coated in a muted gold anodize to match the gold one-off Halibrand style wheels. The original chassis was boxed and beefed-up to accommodate the Tremec 6-speed transmission, independent rear suspension, custom A-arm front suspension and disc brakes on all four corners.

Boss Interiors of Iowa stitched the saddle brown English Leather upholstery with suede inserts. The stock ’40 dashboard (found on E-Bay) features subtle modifications and custom gauges.

Tying the coupe together is an eye-pleasing cranberry red hue. Charlie Hutton’s Color Studio painted the car in three stages, blending red, gold and brown. The gold & red combination works perfectly for the car.

For the ’40 Coupe’s big win, Cizek will receive a custom toolbox from Snap-on as well as travel accommodations to the Goodguys 16th Southwest Nationals November 15-17 in Scottsdale, Arizona to join the “Champion’s Arena” display featuring Goodguys’ Top 12 Cars of the Year. Fellow finalists for the Goodguys 2013 March Performance Street Rod d’Elegance award included Harold Chapman Jr (’33 Ford), Jerry Kjensrud (’39 Chevy), George Sepulveda (’38 Ford) and Roger Hill (’39 Chevy).

About Goodguys:
Based in Pleasanton, CA – Goodguys Rod & Custom Association promotes and produces the world’s most dynamic automotive events. Founded by lifelong hot rodder Gary Meadors in 1983, Goodguys is the world’s largest hot rodding association with over 70,000 active members worldwide. Goodguys events feature thousands of hot rods and customs, tricked out trucks, mighty muscle cars and classics sprawled throughout venues such as lush fairgrounds, super speedways and large outdoor stadiums. The cars, vendor exhibits, the Goodguys AutoCross, live entertainment and colorful people create a festive atmosphere charged with electricity. In 2013, Goodguys celebrates its 30th Anniversary staging 19 events across America. Goodguys events range from two-day affairs attended by 30,000 to 40,000 people to three day extravaganza’s attracting over 100,000 auto enthusiasts. In addition to events Goodguys publishes the award winning Goodguys Gazette – a 250-page all-color monthly tabloid size magazine. For more, visit www.good-guys.com. To find us on Facebook, visit: http://www.facebook.com/#!/goodguysrodandcustom

About the Author:
John Drummond, a Bay Area native and resident, serves as Communications Director for the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association. A 23-year veteran of the Goodguys team, Drummond has seen it all in the realm of modified American muscle and hot rods. Prior to his current position of Communications czar for all things Goodguys, he served as Editor of the monthly Goodguys Gazette Magazine. Over the last few decades, Drummond has contributed content and feature articles for various performance automotive industry magazines, books and television shows. His first hot rod was a lowered 1957 Plymouth Belvedere. He’s a member of the National Auto Sport Association as well as an avid Mercedes Benz enthusiast, having owned and modded several AMG cars in his spare time.

Likes:

• Bold and distinctive exterior styling
• Outstanding handling, pleasant ride
• Powerful, fun-to-punch-it HEMI V8
• Intuitive Uconnect with 8.4-inch screen
• Advanced all-wheel-drive is available

Dislikes:

• HEMI V8 plus a heavy right foot equal poor fuel economy
• Some controls are “hidden” in the Uconnect interface
• Plain cloth upholstery doesn’t compliment the sporty styling

There’s a hint of retro nostalgia in the modern Dodge Charger, especially an all-black beast like our test vehicle. It makes us immediately think of the ’68 black Charger R/T that the bad guys drove in the movie Bullitt. That vintage black two-door was all engine; its 375-hp 440 could smoke the tires and rocket to 60 mph in a gas-guzzling flash, but beware of corners. Anyone who’s driven a ’60s or ’70s Chrysler muscle car knows that they are powerful and fast – and stylish too – but they generally steered like boats in choppy water and braking performance can give you a fright.

Fast forward to today’s Charger R/T, built as an aggressively sporty sedan with coupe-like styling. Its scalloped sides and hood, full-width taillight shape and Coke-bottle beltline are all successful styling elements from the classic Chargers. The modern interpretation still exudes style and powerful presence, but it can handle corners in a way that defies its generous size and considerable weight. It has a 370-hp HEMI engine and 5-speed automatic transmission that deliver power to the pavement with well-engineered proficiency.

Driving Impressions

From a standstill or when we needed to make a quick pass on the highway, kick-in-the-pants power is always reassuringly underfoot. From past experience, we expected a grin-inducing punch from our Charger AWD R/T’s powerful HEMI V8. But the big surprise from this car is the excellent handling.

Clearly, former Chrysler owner Daimler’s influence is still showing, because there’s a distinctively Germanic feeling in the tight, precise steering and firm, yet compliant, fully independent suspension. We’ve often commented that Mercedes and other premium German brands seem to have an exclusive knack for engineering just the right blend of comfortable ride and good handling. Well, this Dodge has it too.

We drove the Charger hard on winding mountain roads and it responds like a much smaller, lighter car. It corners flatly and sticks precisely where you point it, even at speeds that would make a lesser car’s tires howl. Stab the gas on the next straightaway and the car eagerly lunges forward. Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifting offers easy manual gear selection. Power and finesse are what make this sophisticated muscle car especially fun to drive.

Of course, driving a HEMI V8-powered, 4,450-lb AWD sedan aggressively means more frequent visits to the gas station. Despite “fuel saver” technology that allows the engine to deactivate four cylinders while cruising, EPA rates our test car at 15/23 mpg city/highway. During our drive, we averaged 18.1 mpg. Considering the performance, we’re not complaining. The rear-wheel-drive model’s efficiency is slightly better at 16/25 mpg, which Dodge claims is best in class for a V8. Dodge recommends mid-grade fuel for the V8.

The optional new AWD system is completely seamless in its action, although we could monitor which wheels were getting power via a pictogram on the instrument panel. Normal driving leaves the system in rear-drive mode, but any wheel slip immediately engages the front axle without driver input. The system also automatically activates AWD if the driver uses the windshield wipers, turns off the stability control system, uses the paddle shifters, or if the temperature is below 37 degrees.

Exterior Design

While the expressive exterior styling of the Dodge Charger may not appeal to everyone, we like its bold, assertive look that’s so unique among mainstream sedans. Our test car was especially head-turning in black with the AWD Sport Appearance Package that includes an all-black cross-hair grille, rear spoiler and dazzling 19-inch polished aluminum wheels with gloss black painted pockets. These are black wheels done right: they have just enough bright trim to accent the dark painted surfaces.

The Charger’s signature full-width rear taillights, outlined with 164 individual LEDs, pays homage to the wide taillights of the first 1966-67 Charger and the taillight shape of the 1969-70 Charger. It simply looks cool, especially at night. The integrated dual exhaust outlets complete the high-performance look. The overall impression of the car is just a little sinister with a heavy dose of bad-ass.

Interior Features

There was a disconnect between the menacing looking exterior of our Charger AWD R/T and the rather pedestrian black cloth upholstery on the interior. There are several advantages to cloth seats, such as the way the cloth grips your body in fast corners and how it breathes better and stays cooler than leather on hot days, but this sporty car deserves bolder looking seats. That’s easily remedied with some astute choices on the options sheet. Choosing an R/T Plus with sport seats and Radar Red leather upholstery would help give our car the extra “wow” it deserves. Ventilated leather is an option as well.

The back seat gives up a bit of headroom and outward visibility to the sloping roofline, but it was sufficiently roomy and comfortable. For those seeking a more accommodating rear cabin, the chassis-sharing Chrysler 300 may be a better choice.

Chrysler’s user-friendly Uconnect system has an enormous 8.4-inch touchscreen with easy-to-operate audio, navigation, vehicle settings and other controls. Many other carmakers should take a lesson from Uconnect in designing a navigation system that is so easy to operate, with intuitive, clear controls. The screen has a row of icons along the bottom of the screen to select modes, except when the rear camera is engaged. Then the driver is presented with a full screen view of what’s behind the car, along with virtual parking guidelines.

Instruments and dashboard controls are straightforward, with a couple of exceptions. It’s necessary to summon the “Controls” screen on the Uconnect system in order to activate the heated seats or engage the Sport Mode for more performance-oriented transmission response. Not especially difficult, but it requires extra steps.

Our test car was also equipped with a premium audio system called Beats by Dr. Dre. Featuring a 552-watt amplifier, 10 speakers and a subwoofer enclosure in the trunk, the audio quality was powerful and clear, as long as the bass setting was cranked down a bit.

What others are saying about the Charger

Edmunds.com notes that there are few choices for car shoppers seeking full-size sedans with performance credentials, other than the Chrysler 300 and Ford Taurus SHO. But they recommend the Charger for its “superior performance and more distinct personality.” The review explains, “While more typical large sedans are better suited to most buyers, the 2013 Dodge Charger earns its place as the choice for driving enthusiasts.”

Kelley Blue Book reviewers say some may find the Charger’s styling a little too “boy-racer,” but they praise the Charger’s wide model range, options and available powertrains, including AWD, noting that “you’ll find a Charger to fit just about any need.” Editors also like the performance aspect, concluding, “If a snarling V8 and razor-sharp handling seem like they’d conflict with your need for a safe, roomy and affordable family sedan, the 2013 Dodge Charger is ready to prove you wrong.”

Bottom Line

Equipped the right way, the Charger looks like a much more expensive car than it is. A friend guessed that our test car was “around $50K,” but its actual price as tested is a competitive $35,880. That’s a lot of car for the driving enthusiast on a budget.

While we love the power and sound of the Charger R/T’s power HEMI V8 engine, we’ve also had the chance to drive the still-potent V6 which is just a little less powerful, but much less thirsty. If we were filling out an order form for an affordable Charger, we’d specify the Charger SXT Plus with 300-hp V6, 8-speed automatic transmission, Rallye Appearance Group, red or tan leather interior and other carefully chosen options. We’d still have a hot-looking, high-performance American muscle car with loads of equipment for $30-something thousand dollars, along with an EPA fuel economy rating of 19/31 mpg city/highway. For the money and the performance, it’s hard to beat the Charger.

2013 Dodge Charger R/T

• Engine: 5.7-liter HEMI V8
• Transmission: 5-speed automatic
• Horsepower: 370 hp @ 5,250 rpm
• Torque: 395 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm
• Fuel Economy: 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg
• Base Price Range: $26,990-$47,245 (with destination charges)