MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
Zoom Info
MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4. Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick. Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much. Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right? Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock. The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi. Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details. The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare. For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack. The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual. On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver. Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down. Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above). In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design. No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely. On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined. At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive. And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have. The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably. After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market. You can see more photos here.
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MotoReview: Buick Verano Turbo Premium

Gone are the days of gas guzzling, big behemoth Buick boats with 8-cylinder engines and beautiful bodies decked in endless blinding chrome. Enter a new age, with the new Regal/GS, LaCrosse, and with the addition of the Verano, there’s a pretty solid lineup of cars for Buick. And the Turbo Premium adds a somewhat affordable alternative to the sport line for other luxury brands like Audi’s A4/S4.

Most don’t know it, but Buick is the oldest active domestic car manufacturer in the U.S. today. The company was founded in 1899 by David Dunbar Buick under the name Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company by William C. Durant, the creator of General Motors. Buick was General Motors’ first car company so one can only assume there would be no GM without Buick.

Since the early years, Buick has been on the higher end of the GM spectrum, second only to Cadillac, and that still hasn’t changed much.

Fast forward 7-decades or so after the first Buicks hit the streets and the compact executive car was born with the BMW 3-Series. Since then, there have been a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Mercedes built the 190, later called the C-Class. Then Audi released the 80, later the A4. Lexus jumped on board in the late 1990s with the IS and recently the Cadillac ATS made its way into the compact executive segment. Some have even called the Premium Verano a compact executive. Could they be right?

Expectations were really nonexistent before the Verano Turbo arrived, but when it finally pulled into the driveway, it had a deep shine from the Luxo Blue paint and it looked charming gleaming in the sun. This particular car was a brand new Verano Turbo Premium with less than 400-miles on the clock.

The base price is under $24,000. The price as tested for the Verano Turbo Premium? $31,695 which included optional navigation and sunroof, as well as standard goodies like; rear vision camera, blind spot alert, heated seats & steering wheel, 6-months of OnStar, keyless/remote start, leather interior, IntelliLink computer system, 18-inch wheels, fog lamps and much more. After selecting the Turbo in premium trim and pricing out every single option available, you’d still be under $34,000. Try doing that in a Lexus or Audi.

Studying the car reveals that everything is a little different, tweaked, foreign… And that makes sense when you realize the details.

The Verano is built on the GM Delta II platform (developed in Germany) which it shares with the Opel Astra, Chevy Cruze/Volt, and Buick Excelle GT (for the Chinese market), and while its closest North American counterpart is the Chevy Cruze, they do not compare.

For starters, the Verano Turbo gets the same 2.0L Ecotec engine as the Buick Regal GS which produces an impressive and surprising 250-hp, 260 ft-lb torque propelling the car from 0-60mph in just over 6-seconds. And thanks to a pretty unique suspension, the Verano handles turns like a sports car, yet the ride is comfortable and you don’t have to clench every time you hit a bump any larger than a crack.

The car is available in all trims with an automatic transmission, but you’ll have to select the Turbo for a manual. The 6-speed automatic was so responsive and quick to shift, you might be happy with the convenience. Still, I want that manual.

On the inside you get a choice of ebony, cashmere, or choccachino with the leather trimmed interiors. You also get all the bells and whistles you want like that IntelliLink system with standard backup camera and available navigation. Although you’ll most likely have to open the manual the first time using the interface, once you figure it out it’s simple. A few bonuses are the locator for the cheapest nearby gas and the Side Blind Zone Alert which is quite literally a life saver.

Keyless push-button start, an electronic e-brake, and well thought-out touchpoints make the driver feel a bit special, although some more premium material choices and construction in other areas of the interior like the dashboard, armrest, and around the base of the seats would feel more luxurious. And no electric seats for the passenger was a bit of a let down.

Thanks to an interesting construction though, the car gets tons of natural light inside even without the sunroof. There are technically 5-window pillars per side of the car which allows for 2-extra small windows on each side (see second to last image above).

In terms of design, it’s definitely a handsome car but it is a bit too much in areas. For instance, the nonfunctional triple-vent details on the hoods (design cue from older Buicks) and the huge chrome strips above the taillights distract from the otherwise simple exterior design. Same goes for the interior, a few too many details, but it’s still a classy design.

No matter how you’re driving, speeding on the highway or idling at a traffic light, you can barely hear a thing. The car is comfortable, quiet, and smooth. So much in fact that it’s very easy to catch yourself going 85+ without even knowing it. One thing you’ll never worry about; trying to build up speed merging on the highway. There’s plenty of torque to merge safely.

On the back twisty roads is where the Verano really differs from Buicks of the past. It has surprisingly tight steering and excels when cornering. It will go anywhere you put it with ease thanks to electronic power steering and Continental ContiPro tires. You’re not used to a Buick this refined.

At times, you might be reminded of other sectors of the market. With the turbo-charged four banger and build quality, you can sometimes feel like you’re in an Asian car. While driving you can sometimes mistake it for something European. But best of all? American comfort. Once you find a good seating position, you can drive for hours without becoming uncomfortable. The seats hold you in just enough without becoming too constrictive.

And it’s very spacious inside for a compact car. If you have a small family, it’s the perfect size. My family (wife, 2-year old, and dog) ditched the minivan for the weekend and took the Verano instead. Not once were we crammed, even with a car seat and our weekend belongings. The trunk will easily hold a stroller or any luggage you might have.

The Verano is at home pretty much anywhere you take it. It’s what you want it to be when you need it. This is for those who want a good, fun, decent looking car at an affordable price but also, those who could care less about showing off the brand badges to others. In a nutshell, the Verano Turbo is for those who want to get from point-A to point-B fast, comfortably, and enjoyably.

After a pleasant and fun weekend with it (kind of miss it), I would have no trouble recommending the Buick Verano Turbo to anyone in the market.

You can see more photos here.

Source: motoriginal.com

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… no seriously though. Every so often, an overzealous, middle-aged man with too much time on his hands goes out and Frankensteins some useless, ridiculous, automotive contraption that gets its 15 minutes of fame for being outlandish then disappears from the spotlight and vanishes forever. This is not one of those times. This is what Matt Riese aka “David Lorean” calls his resume’. He spent 4-years of his life building it and a year before that conceptualizing. Before he began, he had no clue how to build a hovercraft, but he learned as he went. And with a little help from Kickstarter, he was able to raise over $5,600 to start the project which, of course, wasn’t enough to finish. Riese took side jobs to fund the rest of the project and in 2012, the DeLorean hovercraft was complete. Since its completion, it has been on car blogs, websites, news stations, it’s even been on TV during a San Francisco Giants game, and now it’s finally on Motoriginal. Riese did such a great job with the construction, it could easily fool you into thinking it was a real DeLorean at first glance. But a deeper look reveals pink foam, fiberglass, glue, and paint making up the body. It’s light enough to float without the engines running, of which there are two. In the front there’s a 6hp lawnmotor motor cranking a horizontal 24-inch fan which supplies the lift while the rear 36-inch fan is powered by a 16hp 2-cylinder Briggs and Stratton utility engine which he’ll soon be upgrading to 23hp. It’s such an inspiration for those wanting to start a project but don’t know where to begin. It was best-selling author John C. Maxwell who said, “You only get ready by starting.” Check out the links below more of the DeLorean hovercraft: Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Facebook | Official Website
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Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… no seriously though. Every so often, an overzealous, middle-aged man with too much time on his hands goes out and Frankensteins some useless, ridiculous, automotive contraption that gets its 15 minutes of fame for being outlandish then disappears from the spotlight and vanishes forever. This is not one of those times. This is what Matt Riese aka “David Lorean” calls his resume’. He spent 4-years of his life building it and a year before that conceptualizing. Before he began, he had no clue how to build a hovercraft, but he learned as he went. And with a little help from Kickstarter, he was able to raise over $5,600 to start the project which, of course, wasn’t enough to finish. Riese took side jobs to fund the rest of the project and in 2012, the DeLorean hovercraft was complete. Since its completion, it has been on car blogs, websites, news stations, it’s even been on TV during a San Francisco Giants game, and now it’s finally on Motoriginal. Riese did such a great job with the construction, it could easily fool you into thinking it was a real DeLorean at first glance. But a deeper look reveals pink foam, fiberglass, glue, and paint making up the body. It’s light enough to float without the engines running, of which there are two. In the front there’s a 6hp lawnmotor motor cranking a horizontal 24-inch fan which supplies the lift while the rear 36-inch fan is powered by a 16hp 2-cylinder Briggs and Stratton utility engine which he’ll soon be upgrading to 23hp. It’s such an inspiration for those wanting to start a project but don’t know where to begin. It was best-selling author John C. Maxwell who said, “You only get ready by starting.” Check out the links below more of the DeLorean hovercraft: Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Facebook | Official Website
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Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… no seriously though. Every so often, an overzealous, middle-aged man with too much time on his hands goes out and Frankensteins some useless, ridiculous, automotive contraption that gets its 15 minutes of fame for being outlandish then disappears from the spotlight and vanishes forever. This is not one of those times. This is what Matt Riese aka “David Lorean” calls his resume’. He spent 4-years of his life building it and a year before that conceptualizing. Before he began, he had no clue how to build a hovercraft, but he learned as he went. And with a little help from Kickstarter, he was able to raise over $5,600 to start the project which, of course, wasn’t enough to finish. Riese took side jobs to fund the rest of the project and in 2012, the DeLorean hovercraft was complete. Since its completion, it has been on car blogs, websites, news stations, it’s even been on TV during a San Francisco Giants game, and now it’s finally on Motoriginal. Riese did such a great job with the construction, it could easily fool you into thinking it was a real DeLorean at first glance. But a deeper look reveals pink foam, fiberglass, glue, and paint making up the body. It’s light enough to float without the engines running, of which there are two. In the front there’s a 6hp lawnmotor motor cranking a horizontal 24-inch fan which supplies the lift while the rear 36-inch fan is powered by a 16hp 2-cylinder Briggs and Stratton utility engine which he’ll soon be upgrading to 23hp. It’s such an inspiration for those wanting to start a project but don’t know where to begin. It was best-selling author John C. Maxwell who said, “You only get ready by starting.” Check out the links below more of the DeLorean hovercraft: Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Facebook | Official Website
Zoom Info
Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… no seriously though. Every so often, an overzealous, middle-aged man with too much time on his hands goes out and Frankensteins some useless, ridiculous, automotive contraption that gets its 15 minutes of fame for being outlandish then disappears from the spotlight and vanishes forever. This is not one of those times. This is what Matt Riese aka “David Lorean” calls his resume’. He spent 4-years of his life building it and a year before that conceptualizing. Before he began, he had no clue how to build a hovercraft, but he learned as he went. And with a little help from Kickstarter, he was able to raise over $5,600 to start the project which, of course, wasn’t enough to finish. Riese took side jobs to fund the rest of the project and in 2012, the DeLorean hovercraft was complete. Since its completion, it has been on car blogs, websites, news stations, it’s even been on TV during a San Francisco Giants game, and now it’s finally on Motoriginal. Riese did such a great job with the construction, it could easily fool you into thinking it was a real DeLorean at first glance. But a deeper look reveals pink foam, fiberglass, glue, and paint making up the body. It’s light enough to float without the engines running, of which there are two. In the front there’s a 6hp lawnmotor motor cranking a horizontal 24-inch fan which supplies the lift while the rear 36-inch fan is powered by a 16hp 2-cylinder Briggs and Stratton utility engine which he’ll soon be upgrading to 23hp. It’s such an inspiration for those wanting to start a project but don’t know where to begin. It was best-selling author John C. Maxwell who said, “You only get ready by starting.” Check out the links below more of the DeLorean hovercraft: Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Facebook | Official Website
Zoom Info
Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… no seriously though. Every so often, an overzealous, middle-aged man with too much time on his hands goes out and Frankensteins some useless, ridiculous, automotive contraption that gets its 15 minutes of fame for being outlandish then disappears from the spotlight and vanishes forever. This is not one of those times. This is what Matt Riese aka “David Lorean” calls his resume’. He spent 4-years of his life building it and a year before that conceptualizing. Before he began, he had no clue how to build a hovercraft, but he learned as he went. And with a little help from Kickstarter, he was able to raise over $5,600 to start the project which, of course, wasn’t enough to finish. Riese took side jobs to fund the rest of the project and in 2012, the DeLorean hovercraft was complete. Since its completion, it has been on car blogs, websites, news stations, it’s even been on TV during a San Francisco Giants game, and now it’s finally on Motoriginal. Riese did such a great job with the construction, it could easily fool you into thinking it was a real DeLorean at first glance. But a deeper look reveals pink foam, fiberglass, glue, and paint making up the body. It’s light enough to float without the engines running, of which there are two. In the front there’s a 6hp lawnmotor motor cranking a horizontal 24-inch fan which supplies the lift while the rear 36-inch fan is powered by a 16hp 2-cylinder Briggs and Stratton utility engine which he’ll soon be upgrading to 23hp. It’s such an inspiration for those wanting to start a project but don’t know where to begin. It was best-selling author John C. Maxwell who said, “You only get ready by starting.” Check out the links below more of the DeLorean hovercraft: Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Facebook | Official Website
Zoom Info
Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… no seriously though. Every so often, an overzealous, middle-aged man with too much time on his hands goes out and Frankensteins some useless, ridiculous, automotive contraption that gets its 15 minutes of fame for being outlandish then disappears from the spotlight and vanishes forever. This is not one of those times. This is what Matt Riese aka “David Lorean” calls his resume’. He spent 4-years of his life building it and a year before that conceptualizing. Before he began, he had no clue how to build a hovercraft, but he learned as he went. And with a little help from Kickstarter, he was able to raise over $5,600 to start the project which, of course, wasn’t enough to finish. Riese took side jobs to fund the rest of the project and in 2012, the DeLorean hovercraft was complete. Since its completion, it has been on car blogs, websites, news stations, it’s even been on TV during a San Francisco Giants game, and now it’s finally on Motoriginal. Riese did such a great job with the construction, it could easily fool you into thinking it was a real DeLorean at first glance. But a deeper look reveals pink foam, fiberglass, glue, and paint making up the body. It’s light enough to float without the engines running, of which there are two. In the front there’s a 6hp lawnmotor motor cranking a horizontal 24-inch fan which supplies the lift while the rear 36-inch fan is powered by a 16hp 2-cylinder Briggs and Stratton utility engine which he’ll soon be upgrading to 23hp. It’s such an inspiration for those wanting to start a project but don’t know where to begin. It was best-selling author John C. Maxwell who said, “You only get ready by starting.” Check out the links below more of the DeLorean hovercraft: Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Facebook | Official Website
Zoom Info

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… no seriously though.

Every so often, an overzealous, middle-aged man with too much time on his hands goes out and Frankensteins some useless, ridiculous, automotive contraption that gets its 15 minutes of fame for being outlandish then disappears from the spotlight and vanishes forever. This is not one of those times.

This is what Matt Riese aka “David Lorean” calls his resume’. He spent 4-years of his life building it and a year before that conceptualizing. Before he began, he had no clue how to build a hovercraft, but he learned as he went. And with a little help from Kickstarter, he was able to raise over $5,600 to start the project which, of course, wasn’t enough to finish. Riese took side jobs to fund the rest of the project and in 2012, the DeLorean hovercraft was complete.

Since its completion, it has been on car blogs, websites, news stations, it’s even been on TV during a San Francisco Giants game, and now it’s finally on Motoriginal.

Riese did such a great job with the construction, it could easily fool you into thinking it was a real DeLorean at first glance. But a deeper look reveals pink foam, fiberglass, glue, and paint making up the body. It’s light enough to float without the engines running, of which there are two. In the front there’s a 6hp lawnmotor motor cranking a horizontal 24-inch fan which supplies the lift while the rear 36-inch fan is powered by a 16hp 2-cylinder Briggs and Stratton utility engine which he’ll soon be upgrading to 23hp.

It’s such an inspiration for those wanting to start a project but don’t know where to begin. It was best-selling author John C. Maxwell who said, “You only get ready by starting.”

Check out the links below more of the DeLorean hovercraft:

Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Facebook | Official Website

Source: motoriginal

Welcome to the 4th installment of will it be a Classic or Not? where I’ll bring up the question of whether the featured car will become (or already is) a classic. Give a simple yes or no answer or answer however you like. Feel free to speak your mind. Today’s car in question is the Chrysler Crossfire which came as hardtop coupe and roadster version in limited, base, and SRT-6 trim. It was in production under the Daimler-Benz ownership from 2003-2007 and shared most of its components with the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It came with a 3.2L V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission sourced directly from Mercedes or 5-speed automatic transmission which both sent power to the rear wheels. 18-inch wheels in the front and 19-inch wheels in the back came standard. The suspension? Double wish bone in the front and 5-point multi-link in the rear but it used somewhat of an antique steering system instead of rack and pinion. The SRT-6 trim added a supercharger which gained 115hp above the 215hp in the base model, as well as a stiffer suspension, better brakes, a rear spoiler, and was available in both the coupe and roadster versions. Unfortunately, like so many Mercedes AMG cars, the SRT-6 was only available with an automatic transmission. Prices on used Crossfires have never really plummeted and still hover around the $20,000 mark with highs in the upper $20k range and lows around $10k. With some retro American design cues and German engineering, Crossfires are still sought after by some collectors and you’re likely to see some being sold at classic car auctions in the U.S. So the question is, will it be a classic or not? Photos via TheSuperCars.org, Car Databases, NetCarShow, CarGurus, & DistroCars.
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Welcome to the 4th installment of will it be a Classic or Not? where I’ll bring up the question of whether the featured car will become (or already is) a classic. Give a simple yes or no answer or answer however you like. Feel free to speak your mind. Today’s car in question is the Chrysler Crossfire which came as hardtop coupe and roadster version in limited, base, and SRT-6 trim. It was in production under the Daimler-Benz ownership from 2003-2007 and shared most of its components with the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It came with a 3.2L V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission sourced directly from Mercedes or 5-speed automatic transmission which both sent power to the rear wheels. 18-inch wheels in the front and 19-inch wheels in the back came standard. The suspension? Double wish bone in the front and 5-point multi-link in the rear but it used somewhat of an antique steering system instead of rack and pinion. The SRT-6 trim added a supercharger which gained 115hp above the 215hp in the base model, as well as a stiffer suspension, better brakes, a rear spoiler, and was available in both the coupe and roadster versions. Unfortunately, like so many Mercedes AMG cars, the SRT-6 was only available with an automatic transmission. Prices on used Crossfires have never really plummeted and still hover around the $20,000 mark with highs in the upper $20k range and lows around $10k. With some retro American design cues and German engineering, Crossfires are still sought after by some collectors and you’re likely to see some being sold at classic car auctions in the U.S. So the question is, will it be a classic or not? Photos via TheSuperCars.org, Car Databases, NetCarShow, CarGurus, & DistroCars.
Zoom Info
Welcome to the 4th installment of will it be a Classic or Not? where I’ll bring up the question of whether the featured car will become (or already is) a classic. Give a simple yes or no answer or answer however you like. Feel free to speak your mind. Today’s car in question is the Chrysler Crossfire which came as hardtop coupe and roadster version in limited, base, and SRT-6 trim. It was in production under the Daimler-Benz ownership from 2003-2007 and shared most of its components with the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It came with a 3.2L V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission sourced directly from Mercedes or 5-speed automatic transmission which both sent power to the rear wheels. 18-inch wheels in the front and 19-inch wheels in the back came standard. The suspension? Double wish bone in the front and 5-point multi-link in the rear but it used somewhat of an antique steering system instead of rack and pinion. The SRT-6 trim added a supercharger which gained 115hp above the 215hp in the base model, as well as a stiffer suspension, better brakes, a rear spoiler, and was available in both the coupe and roadster versions. Unfortunately, like so many Mercedes AMG cars, the SRT-6 was only available with an automatic transmission. Prices on used Crossfires have never really plummeted and still hover around the $20,000 mark with highs in the upper $20k range and lows around $10k. With some retro American design cues and German engineering, Crossfires are still sought after by some collectors and you’re likely to see some being sold at classic car auctions in the U.S. So the question is, will it be a classic or not? Photos via TheSuperCars.org, Car Databases, NetCarShow, CarGurus, & DistroCars.
Zoom Info
Welcome to the 4th installment of will it be a Classic or Not? where I’ll bring up the question of whether the featured car will become (or already is) a classic. Give a simple yes or no answer or answer however you like. Feel free to speak your mind. Today’s car in question is the Chrysler Crossfire which came as hardtop coupe and roadster version in limited, base, and SRT-6 trim. It was in production under the Daimler-Benz ownership from 2003-2007 and shared most of its components with the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It came with a 3.2L V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission sourced directly from Mercedes or 5-speed automatic transmission which both sent power to the rear wheels. 18-inch wheels in the front and 19-inch wheels in the back came standard. The suspension? Double wish bone in the front and 5-point multi-link in the rear but it used somewhat of an antique steering system instead of rack and pinion. The SRT-6 trim added a supercharger which gained 115hp above the 215hp in the base model, as well as a stiffer suspension, better brakes, a rear spoiler, and was available in both the coupe and roadster versions. Unfortunately, like so many Mercedes AMG cars, the SRT-6 was only available with an automatic transmission. Prices on used Crossfires have never really plummeted and still hover around the $20,000 mark with highs in the upper $20k range and lows around $10k. With some retro American design cues and German engineering, Crossfires are still sought after by some collectors and you’re likely to see some being sold at classic car auctions in the U.S. So the question is, will it be a classic or not? Photos via TheSuperCars.org, Car Databases, NetCarShow, CarGurus, & DistroCars.
Zoom Info
Welcome to the 4th installment of will it be a Classic or Not? where I’ll bring up the question of whether the featured car will become (or already is) a classic. Give a simple yes or no answer or answer however you like. Feel free to speak your mind. Today’s car in question is the Chrysler Crossfire which came as hardtop coupe and roadster version in limited, base, and SRT-6 trim. It was in production under the Daimler-Benz ownership from 2003-2007 and shared most of its components with the Mercedes-Benz SLK. It came with a 3.2L V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission sourced directly from Mercedes or 5-speed automatic transmission which both sent power to the rear wheels. 18-inch wheels in the front and 19-inch wheels in the back came standard. The suspension? Double wish bone in the front and 5-point multi-link in the rear but it used somewhat of an antique steering system instead of rack and pinion. The SRT-6 trim added a supercharger which gained 115hp above the 215hp in the base model, as well as a stiffer suspension, better brakes, a rear spoiler, and was available in both the coupe and roadster versions. Unfortunately, like so many Mercedes AMG cars, the SRT-6 was only available with an automatic transmission. Prices on used Crossfires have never really plummeted and still hover around the $20,000 mark with highs in the upper $20k range and lows around $10k. With some retro American design cues and German engineering, Crossfires are still sought after by some collectors and you’re likely to see some being sold at classic car auctions in the U.S. So the question is, will it be a classic or not? Photos via TheSuperCars.org, Car Databases, NetCarShow, CarGurus, & DistroCars.
Zoom Info

Welcome to the 4th installment of will it be a Classic or Not? where I’ll bring up the question of whether the featured car will become (or already is) a classic. Give a simple yes or no answer or answer however you like. Feel free to speak your mind.

Today’s car in question is the Chrysler Crossfire which came as hardtop coupe and roadster version in limited, base, and SRT-6 trim. It was in production under the Daimler-Benz ownership from 2003-2007 and shared most of its components with the Mercedes-Benz SLK.

It came with a 3.2L V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission sourced directly from Mercedes or 5-speed automatic transmission which both sent power to the rear wheels. 18-inch wheels in the front and 19-inch wheels in the back came standard. The suspension? Double wish bone in the front and 5-point multi-link in the rear but it used somewhat of an antique steering system instead of rack and pinion.

The SRT-6 trim added a supercharger which gained 115hp above the 215hp in the base model, as well as a stiffer suspension, better brakes, a rear spoiler, and was available in both the coupe and roadster versions. Unfortunately, like so many Mercedes AMG cars, the SRT-6 was only available with an automatic transmission.

Prices on used Crossfires have never really plummeted and still hover around the $20,000 mark with highs in the upper $20k range and lows around $10k.

With some retro American design cues and German engineering, Crossfires are still sought after by some collectors and you’re likely to see some being sold at classic car auctions in the U.S.

So the question is, will it be a classic or not?

Photos via TheSuperCars.org, Car Databases, NetCarShow, CarGurus, & DistroCars.

Source: motoriginal

The Phantom Menace A while back, I spent the day posting images of famous film cars of the past which you can see here, but none of them are obscure as this. Of the multiple Star Wars edition cars out there which include the 2005 Vader Viper, the 2012 Star Wars Volkswagen Passat, and a 1997 Special Edition Hummer, this Star Wars 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback has to be the coolest. While some may think this is a bit cheesy, you have to know the details… The car was designed by John Sladek at Delphi Auto Design in Costa Mesa, California. It was a one off with customized body features such as a front air damn, fender flares, a spoiler, a moonroof and tinted windows. But the true prize piece was the airbrushed paint job. Star Wars characters are hand-painted and stenciled along the black stripes on the side of the car, which were done by painting a special Aero-lac paint onto some tin foil and in part were transfered the masked off areas on the body panels. There’s also a huge Darth Vader head on the hood which makes it a bit more badass. The car was a promotion and was given away in a sweepstakes which was called the “Space Fantasy Sweepstakes.” So obscure this car is (dumb Yoda reference), nobody knows where it’s located. Could be in the hands of some crazy Star Wars fanatic or it could be in a junkyard somewhere rotting away. Really, the possibilities are endless. Multiple efforts have been made to track the car down, including efforts by George Lucas himself, but none have been successful. Fingers crossed that this car will eventually turn up.
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The Phantom Menace A while back, I spent the day posting images of famous film cars of the past which you can see here, but none of them are obscure as this. Of the multiple Star Wars edition cars out there which include the 2005 Vader Viper, the 2012 Star Wars Volkswagen Passat, and a 1997 Special Edition Hummer, this Star Wars 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback has to be the coolest. While some may think this is a bit cheesy, you have to know the details… The car was designed by John Sladek at Delphi Auto Design in Costa Mesa, California. It was a one off with customized body features such as a front air damn, fender flares, a spoiler, a moonroof and tinted windows. But the true prize piece was the airbrushed paint job. Star Wars characters are hand-painted and stenciled along the black stripes on the side of the car, which were done by painting a special Aero-lac paint onto some tin foil and in part were transfered the masked off areas on the body panels. There’s also a huge Darth Vader head on the hood which makes it a bit more badass. The car was a promotion and was given away in a sweepstakes which was called the “Space Fantasy Sweepstakes.” So obscure this car is (dumb Yoda reference), nobody knows where it’s located. Could be in the hands of some crazy Star Wars fanatic or it could be in a junkyard somewhere rotting away. Really, the possibilities are endless. Multiple efforts have been made to track the car down, including efforts by George Lucas himself, but none have been successful. Fingers crossed that this car will eventually turn up.
Zoom Info
The Phantom Menace A while back, I spent the day posting images of famous film cars of the past which you can see here, but none of them are obscure as this. Of the multiple Star Wars edition cars out there which include the 2005 Vader Viper, the 2012 Star Wars Volkswagen Passat, and a 1997 Special Edition Hummer, this Star Wars 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback has to be the coolest. While some may think this is a bit cheesy, you have to know the details… The car was designed by John Sladek at Delphi Auto Design in Costa Mesa, California. It was a one off with customized body features such as a front air damn, fender flares, a spoiler, a moonroof and tinted windows. But the true prize piece was the airbrushed paint job. Star Wars characters are hand-painted and stenciled along the black stripes on the side of the car, which were done by painting a special Aero-lac paint onto some tin foil and in part were transfered the masked off areas on the body panels. There’s also a huge Darth Vader head on the hood which makes it a bit more badass. The car was a promotion and was given away in a sweepstakes which was called the “Space Fantasy Sweepstakes.” So obscure this car is (dumb Yoda reference), nobody knows where it’s located. Could be in the hands of some crazy Star Wars fanatic or it could be in a junkyard somewhere rotting away. Really, the possibilities are endless. Multiple efforts have been made to track the car down, including efforts by George Lucas himself, but none have been successful. Fingers crossed that this car will eventually turn up.
Zoom Info
The Phantom Menace A while back, I spent the day posting images of famous film cars of the past which you can see here, but none of them are obscure as this. Of the multiple Star Wars edition cars out there which include the 2005 Vader Viper, the 2012 Star Wars Volkswagen Passat, and a 1997 Special Edition Hummer, this Star Wars 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback has to be the coolest. While some may think this is a bit cheesy, you have to know the details… The car was designed by John Sladek at Delphi Auto Design in Costa Mesa, California. It was a one off with customized body features such as a front air damn, fender flares, a spoiler, a moonroof and tinted windows. But the true prize piece was the airbrushed paint job. Star Wars characters are hand-painted and stenciled along the black stripes on the side of the car, which were done by painting a special Aero-lac paint onto some tin foil and in part were transfered the masked off areas on the body panels. There’s also a huge Darth Vader head on the hood which makes it a bit more badass. The car was a promotion and was given away in a sweepstakes which was called the “Space Fantasy Sweepstakes.” So obscure this car is (dumb Yoda reference), nobody knows where it’s located. Could be in the hands of some crazy Star Wars fanatic or it could be in a junkyard somewhere rotting away. Really, the possibilities are endless. Multiple efforts have been made to track the car down, including efforts by George Lucas himself, but none have been successful. Fingers crossed that this car will eventually turn up.
Zoom Info

The Phantom Menace

A while back, I spent the day posting images of famous film cars of the past which you can see here, but none of them are obscure as this.

Of the multiple Star Wars edition cars out there which include the 2005 Vader Viper, the 2012 Star Wars Volkswagen Passat, and a 1997 Special Edition Hummer, this Star Wars 1977 Toyota Celica GT Liftback has to be the coolest.

While some may think this is a bit cheesy, you have to know the details…

The car was designed by John Sladek at Delphi Auto Design in Costa Mesa, California. It was a one off with customized body features such as a front air damn, fender flares, a spoiler, a moonroof and tinted windows.

But the true prize piece was the airbrushed paint job. Star Wars characters are hand-painted and stenciled along the black stripes on the side of the car, which were done by painting a special Aero-lac paint onto some tin foil and in part were transfered the masked off areas on the body panels. There’s also a huge Darth Vader head on the hood which makes it a bit more badass.

The car was a promotion and was given away in a sweepstakes which was called the “Space Fantasy Sweepstakes.”

So obscure this car is (dumb Yoda reference), nobody knows where it’s located. Could be in the hands of some crazy Star Wars fanatic or it could be in a junkyard somewhere rotting away. Really, the possibilities are endless. Multiple efforts have been made to track the car down, including efforts by George Lucas himself, but none have been successful. Fingers crossed that this car will eventually turn up.

Source: motoriginal

The One BMW Chris Bangle Got Right If you don’t know who Chris Bangle is (or was), he was the chief designer for BMW from 1992-2009. His Z9 Gran Turismo concept shaped designs for the 3-series (E90-93), 5-series (E60), 6-series (E63/64), 7-series (E65-68), X3, X5, and X6. That’s right, he’s the guy who designed the über-ugly rear end on the E65 7-series, he put too much junk in the trunk of the E63 6-series, and he’s the one who gave the E60 5-series eyelashes. But in this sea of Bangle Bimmers, there’s one that stands out, the (E85) Z4. At first, it was not well received among BMW enthusiasts or the general public. Other than being available as a roadster or coupe, it retained little from the Z3 and at the time, it looked a bit strange and the headlights & taillights departed from everything BMW. Details like the BMW badge & sidemarker placed on somewhat of a random edge, a big, fat nose, and lines that go places other cars hadn’t gone yet, made it rebellious. But it had something we hadn’t seen on cars for a long time, curves complimented by edges. Back around 2002 (when the Z4 was first introduced), car design was much softer than it is now and there’s no doubt that Bangle had a huge effect on the rest of the car industry. The Z4 is no beauty pageant winner by any means and there’s no doubt that it could have looked better, but the car has become a bit charming over time. It’s muscular, sporty, edgy, has a long hood, wide stance, good proportions and unlike most BMWs, it’s fun & funky. But best of all it’s unique and it’s aging like a fine wine (although it’s only 10 years old). For a BMW, it’s a bit of an outcast, and that’s why it’s such a cool car.
Zoom Info
The One BMW Chris Bangle Got Right If you don’t know who Chris Bangle is (or was), he was the chief designer for BMW from 1992-2009. His Z9 Gran Turismo concept shaped designs for the 3-series (E90-93), 5-series (E60), 6-series (E63/64), 7-series (E65-68), X3, X5, and X6. That’s right, he’s the guy who designed the über-ugly rear end on the E65 7-series, he put too much junk in the trunk of the E63 6-series, and he’s the one who gave the E60 5-series eyelashes. But in this sea of Bangle Bimmers, there’s one that stands out, the (E85) Z4. At first, it was not well received among BMW enthusiasts or the general public. Other than being available as a roadster or coupe, it retained little from the Z3 and at the time, it looked a bit strange and the headlights & taillights departed from everything BMW. Details like the BMW badge & sidemarker placed on somewhat of a random edge, a big, fat nose, and lines that go places other cars hadn’t gone yet, made it rebellious. But it had something we hadn’t seen on cars for a long time, curves complimented by edges. Back around 2002 (when the Z4 was first introduced), car design was much softer than it is now and there’s no doubt that Bangle had a huge effect on the rest of the car industry. The Z4 is no beauty pageant winner by any means and there’s no doubt that it could have looked better, but the car has become a bit charming over time. It’s muscular, sporty, edgy, has a long hood, wide stance, good proportions and unlike most BMWs, it’s fun & funky. But best of all it’s unique and it’s aging like a fine wine (although it’s only 10 years old). For a BMW, it’s a bit of an outcast, and that’s why it’s such a cool car.
Zoom Info
The One BMW Chris Bangle Got Right If you don’t know who Chris Bangle is (or was), he was the chief designer for BMW from 1992-2009. His Z9 Gran Turismo concept shaped designs for the 3-series (E90-93), 5-series (E60), 6-series (E63/64), 7-series (E65-68), X3, X5, and X6. That’s right, he’s the guy who designed the über-ugly rear end on the E65 7-series, he put too much junk in the trunk of the E63 6-series, and he’s the one who gave the E60 5-series eyelashes. But in this sea of Bangle Bimmers, there’s one that stands out, the (E85) Z4. At first, it was not well received among BMW enthusiasts or the general public. Other than being available as a roadster or coupe, it retained little from the Z3 and at the time, it looked a bit strange and the headlights & taillights departed from everything BMW. Details like the BMW badge & sidemarker placed on somewhat of a random edge, a big, fat nose, and lines that go places other cars hadn’t gone yet, made it rebellious. But it had something we hadn’t seen on cars for a long time, curves complimented by edges. Back around 2002 (when the Z4 was first introduced), car design was much softer than it is now and there’s no doubt that Bangle had a huge effect on the rest of the car industry. The Z4 is no beauty pageant winner by any means and there’s no doubt that it could have looked better, but the car has become a bit charming over time. It’s muscular, sporty, edgy, has a long hood, wide stance, good proportions and unlike most BMWs, it’s fun & funky. But best of all it’s unique and it’s aging like a fine wine (although it’s only 10 years old). For a BMW, it’s a bit of an outcast, and that’s why it’s such a cool car.
Zoom Info
The One BMW Chris Bangle Got Right If you don’t know who Chris Bangle is (or was), he was the chief designer for BMW from 1992-2009. His Z9 Gran Turismo concept shaped designs for the 3-series (E90-93), 5-series (E60), 6-series (E63/64), 7-series (E65-68), X3, X5, and X6. That’s right, he’s the guy who designed the über-ugly rear end on the E65 7-series, he put too much junk in the trunk of the E63 6-series, and he’s the one who gave the E60 5-series eyelashes. But in this sea of Bangle Bimmers, there’s one that stands out, the (E85) Z4. At first, it was not well received among BMW enthusiasts or the general public. Other than being available as a roadster or coupe, it retained little from the Z3 and at the time, it looked a bit strange and the headlights & taillights departed from everything BMW. Details like the BMW badge & sidemarker placed on somewhat of a random edge, a big, fat nose, and lines that go places other cars hadn’t gone yet, made it rebellious. But it had something we hadn’t seen on cars for a long time, curves complimented by edges. Back around 2002 (when the Z4 was first introduced), car design was much softer than it is now and there’s no doubt that Bangle had a huge effect on the rest of the car industry. The Z4 is no beauty pageant winner by any means and there’s no doubt that it could have looked better, but the car has become a bit charming over time. It’s muscular, sporty, edgy, has a long hood, wide stance, good proportions and unlike most BMWs, it’s fun & funky. But best of all it’s unique and it’s aging like a fine wine (although it’s only 10 years old). For a BMW, it’s a bit of an outcast, and that’s why it’s such a cool car.
Zoom Info
The One BMW Chris Bangle Got Right If you don’t know who Chris Bangle is (or was), he was the chief designer for BMW from 1992-2009. His Z9 Gran Turismo concept shaped designs for the 3-series (E90-93), 5-series (E60), 6-series (E63/64), 7-series (E65-68), X3, X5, and X6. That’s right, he’s the guy who designed the über-ugly rear end on the E65 7-series, he put too much junk in the trunk of the E63 6-series, and he’s the one who gave the E60 5-series eyelashes. But in this sea of Bangle Bimmers, there’s one that stands out, the (E85) Z4. At first, it was not well received among BMW enthusiasts or the general public. Other than being available as a roadster or coupe, it retained little from the Z3 and at the time, it looked a bit strange and the headlights & taillights departed from everything BMW. Details like the BMW badge & sidemarker placed on somewhat of a random edge, a big, fat nose, and lines that go places other cars hadn’t gone yet, made it rebellious. But it had something we hadn’t seen on cars for a long time, curves complimented by edges. Back around 2002 (when the Z4 was first introduced), car design was much softer than it is now and there’s no doubt that Bangle had a huge effect on the rest of the car industry. The Z4 is no beauty pageant winner by any means and there’s no doubt that it could have looked better, but the car has become a bit charming over time. It’s muscular, sporty, edgy, has a long hood, wide stance, good proportions and unlike most BMWs, it’s fun & funky. But best of all it’s unique and it’s aging like a fine wine (although it’s only 10 years old). For a BMW, it’s a bit of an outcast, and that’s why it’s such a cool car.
Zoom Info

The One BMW Chris Bangle Got Right

If you don’t know who Chris Bangle is (or was), he was the chief designer for BMW from 1992-2009. His Z9 Gran Turismo concept shaped designs for the 3-series (E90-93), 5-series (E60), 6-series (E63/64), 7-series (E65-68), X3, X5, and X6.

That’s right, he’s the guy who designed the über-ugly rear end on the E65 7-series, he put too much junk in the trunk of the E63 6-series, and he’s the one who gave the E60 5-series eyelashes.

But in this sea of Bangle Bimmers, there’s one that stands out, the (E85) Z4. At first, it was not well received among BMW enthusiasts or the general public. Other than being available as a roadster or coupe, it retained little from the Z3 and at the time, it looked a bit strange and the headlights & taillights departed from everything BMW.

Details like the BMW badge & sidemarker placed on somewhat of a random edge, a big, fat nose, and lines that go places other cars hadn’t gone yet, made it rebellious.

But it had something we hadn’t seen on cars for a long time, curves complimented by edges. Back around 2002 (when the Z4 was first introduced), car design was much softer than it is now and there’s no doubt that Bangle had a huge effect on the rest of the car industry.

The Z4 is no beauty pageant winner by any means and there’s no doubt that it could have looked better, but the car has become a bit charming over time. It’s muscular, sporty, edgy, has a long hood, wide stance, good proportions and unlike most BMWs, it’s fun & funky. But best of all it’s unique and it’s aging like a fine wine (although it’s only 10 years old).

For a BMW, it’s a bit of an outcast, and that’s why it’s such a cool car.

Source: motoriginal

Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
Zoom Info
Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
Zoom Info
Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
Zoom Info
Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
Zoom Info
Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
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Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
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Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
Zoom Info
Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
Zoom Info
Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
Zoom Info
Chapter 4: Animal Behavior Part 3: The Felines There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive. Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since. For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born. The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track. Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild. In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV.  The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002. The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down. Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001. Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder. Can you think of any that I may have missed? You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.
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Chapter 4: Animal Behavior

Part 3: The Felines

There’s nothing like a cat. They’re agile, quick, smart, and beautiful. They can be laid back at times but if you tempt them, they will become nastily aggressive.

Car companies have been naming their cars after these felines ever since motorcycle sidecar manufacturer Swallow Sidecar Company started making passenger cars, of which the first was called the SS Jaguar. In 1945, they changed their name to Jaguar Cars Limited and have been solely making cars ever since.

For almost 30 years following the first Jaguar, there were no copy cats (pun intended), but in 1963, another cat was born.

The Chevrolet Cheetah was a project by successful Corvette racing driver who started tuning Chevies like the Corvair & Chevy II. In 1963, he decided to turn his attention to building a new car based on the Corvette to compete with Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The result was a funky, long-nosed, muscular car that fared well on the race track.

Around the same time the Cheetah came out, the Buick Wildcat was released. It had previously been a sportier subseries of the Invicta and only available as a coupe for its first year of production. It was long and sleek and was finely dressed with chrome trim and for its time, it was a bit wild.

In 1966, Puma (of Brazil) began manufacturing a car based on the DKW GT Malzoni chassis. It had a cute little cat-like body hinting to the Jaguar E-Type & Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto. Volkswagen took over the Brazilian DKW operations in 1967 and changed the base model to the Volkswagen Brasilia in the mid-70s. Puma ownership was transferred to multiple companies and new models were built including the GTB and AMV. 

The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1967 based on the Mustang but with more of a feline fascia, nose-piece, and a grille resembling whiskers. Throughout its lifespan, the Cougar took on many forms, including a more luxurious attitude in the ’70s and back to sporty in the late ’80s up until it was discontinued in 1997. Production restarted in 1999 and ended for good in 2002.

The only Italian cat to hit the streets, one wouldn’t have too much trouble seeing a crouching cat ready to pounce in the De Tomaso Pantera’s body. The Pantera was rear-wheel drive and powered by a 351 Ford V8 engine. From 1971-75, Ford actually had the car imported into the U.S. and was sold at Lincoln dealerships. The car had the unpredictable attitude of a cat and would certainly bite you if your guard was let down.

Some other kitties of the auto industry include the Mercury Bobcat (sister to the Ford Pinto) & Mercury Lynx (sister to the Ford Escort), and the Ford Puma which was built in Cologne, Germany and was only available in Europe from 1997-2001.

Update: left out the super bad Sunbeam Tiger, the little cat with V8 power. Thanks to Swissstash for the reminder.

Can you think of any that I may have missed?

You can see all previous “The Art of Naming Cars” chapters here and a continuous write up here. Check back soon for Part 2 of Chapter 4: Animal Behavior. Photos via Corvette Fever, Wikipedia, & various other sources.

Source: motoriginal

Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
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Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
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Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
Zoom Info
Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
Zoom Info
Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
Zoom Info
Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
Zoom Info
Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
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Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
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Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
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Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys. The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally. In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership. Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare. So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose? Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.
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Virtually Insane: Jay Kay’s Car Collection

There are hoards of rich celebrities with cool cars, but few celebrities match Jay Kay and his taste for automotive history. Yes that’s right, the lead singer for Jamiroquai has quite the diverse collection. Kay has had a long love affair with cars and after hitting it big, he went out and spent millions on some rare exotics and some other fun toys.

The ones shown above are as follows; a Lamborghini Miura SV, a one-off Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, one of two Maserati A6G/54 Frua Berlinettas, a beautiful Porsche 356 Speedster, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, an Aston Martin DB5, a black Ferrari Enzo of which he’s written a song about, a Fiat Abarth 1000 which he has named “naughty,” a badass black Dodge Charger, and a Porsche 914-6 that placed 3rd in the 1971 Monte Carlo Rally.

In addition, he has had the only purple Audi RS6 Avant in the world as a daily driver, a regularly driven Audi RS4, a purple Porsche 911 Carrera RS, a Bentley S1 Continental Drophead, a Ferrari 550 Maranello, a BMW 1602 which he has owned twice, and countless others that have been in and out of his ownership.

Like a true enthusiast and not just another celebrity with money to blow, the cars are all driven the way they were intended, regularly, even the most expensive and rare.

So of the ones shown above, which one of Jay Kay’s cars would you choose?

Photos via Driven, Mycarheaven, Car Guy Chronicles, & Dave Rook, various other sources.

America’s Largest Car Museum Opens Tomorrow If you’re from the Seattle/Tacoma area, then you’re more fortunate than the rest of us, because opening tomorrow, June 2, is LeMay Museum, “America’s Car Museum,” located right next to the Tacoma Dome. The building is shown in the first image above. It’s basically a beautifully crafted, four-story warehouse, holding some of the best classic and vintage cars the U.S. has ever seen. The museum was created by family and friends of Harold LeMay, the man with the largest car collection in the world. Every car inside the place was his and after he died, they wanted to honor him and celebrate America’s love affair with the automobile by sharing his collection with others and thank the car gods they did because the collection is extensive. Take a walk through the building and you’ll find well known classics like several Model T’s, some great late-50s MOPARs, and of course some late-60s/early-70s muscle cars. But look a bit deeper and you’ll find some seriously rare cars from America’s past including a single cylinder 1906 Cadillac Model M, a 1926 Oldsmobile Holden 30D, a beautiful 1928 Chrysler Series 72, a 1930 Duesenberg Model J, and a 1948 Tucker! In addition, there are cars from the many companies that weren’t around for too long in the beginning of the 20th century and some European cars like a Delorean, a 1965 Lotus 35, a Citroen 2CV, and a Bristol Bus. Starting tomorrow, it will be the largest car museum in the U.S. They will be having a grand opening all this weekend and for $14, you get a slice of motoring heaven. Photos via LeMay’s Facebook page and information via LeMay’s website.
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America’s Largest Car Museum Opens Tomorrow If you’re from the Seattle/Tacoma area, then you’re more fortunate than the rest of us, because opening tomorrow, June 2, is LeMay Museum, “America’s Car Museum,” located right next to the Tacoma Dome. The building is shown in the first image above. It’s basically a beautifully crafted, four-story warehouse, holding some of the best classic and vintage cars the U.S. has ever seen. The museum was created by family and friends of Harold LeMay, the man with the largest car collection in the world. Every car inside the place was his and after he died, they wanted to honor him and celebrate America’s love affair with the automobile by sharing his collection with others and thank the car gods they did because the collection is extensive. Take a walk through the building and you’ll find well known classics like several Model T’s, some great late-50s MOPARs, and of course some late-60s/early-70s muscle cars. But look a bit deeper and you’ll find some seriously rare cars from America’s past including a single cylinder 1906 Cadillac Model M, a 1926 Oldsmobile Holden 30D, a beautiful 1928 Chrysler Series 72, a 1930 Duesenberg Model J, and a 1948 Tucker! In addition, there are cars from the many companies that weren’t around for too long in the beginning of the 20th century and some European cars like a Delorean, a 1965 Lotus 35, a Citroen 2CV, and a Bristol Bus. Starting tomorrow, it will be the largest car museum in the U.S. They will be having a grand opening all this weekend and for $14, you get a slice of motoring heaven. Photos via LeMay’s Facebook page and information via LeMay’s website.
Zoom Info
America’s Largest Car Museum Opens Tomorrow If you’re from the Seattle/Tacoma area, then you’re more fortunate than the rest of us, because opening tomorrow, June 2, is LeMay Museum, “America’s Car Museum,” located right next to the Tacoma Dome. The building is shown in the first image above. It’s basically a beautifully crafted, four-story warehouse, holding some of the best classic and vintage cars the U.S. has ever seen. The museum was created by family and friends of Harold LeMay, the man with the largest car collection in the world. Every car inside the place was his and after he died, they wanted to honor him and celebrate America’s love affair with the automobile by sharing his collection with others and thank the car gods they did because the collection is extensive. Take a walk through the building and you’ll find well known classics like several Model T’s, some great late-50s MOPARs, and of course some late-60s/early-70s muscle cars. But look a bit deeper and you’ll find some seriously rare cars from America’s past including a single cylinder 1906 Cadillac Model M, a 1926 Oldsmobile Holden 30D, a beautiful 1928 Chrysler Series 72, a 1930 Duesenberg Model J, and a 1948 Tucker! In addition, there are cars from the many companies that weren’t around for too long in the beginning of the 20th century and some European cars like a Delorean, a 1965 Lotus 35, a Citroen 2CV, and a Bristol Bus. Starting tomorrow, it will be the largest car museum in the U.S. They will be having a grand opening all this weekend and for $14, you get a slice of motoring heaven. Photos via LeMay’s Facebook page and information via LeMay’s website.
Zoom Info
America’s Largest Car Museum Opens Tomorrow If you’re from the Seattle/Tacoma area, then you’re more fortunate than the rest of us, because opening tomorrow, June 2, is LeMay Museum, “America’s Car Museum,” located right next to the Tacoma Dome. The building is shown in the first image above. It’s basically a beautifully crafted, four-story warehouse, holding some of the best classic and vintage cars the U.S. has ever seen. The museum was created by family and friends of Harold LeMay, the man with the largest car collection in the world. Every car inside the place was his and after he died, they wanted to honor him and celebrate America’s love affair with the automobile by sharing his collection with others and thank the car gods they did because the collection is extensive. Take a walk through the building and you’ll find well known classics like several Model T’s, some great late-50s MOPARs, and of course some late-60s/early-70s muscle cars. But look a bit deeper and you’ll find some seriously rare cars from America’s past including a single cylinder 1906 Cadillac Model M, a 1926 Oldsmobile Holden 30D, a beautiful 1928 Chrysler Series 72, a 1930 Duesenberg Model J, and a 1948 Tucker! In addition, there are cars from the many companies that weren’t around for too long in the beginning of the 20th century and some European cars like a Delorean, a 1965 Lotus 35, a Citroen 2CV, and a Bristol Bus. Starting tomorrow, it will be the largest car museum in the U.S. They will be having a grand opening all this weekend and for $14, you get a slice of motoring heaven. Photos via LeMay’s Facebook page and information via LeMay’s website.
Zoom Info
America’s Largest Car Museum Opens Tomorrow If you’re from the Seattle/Tacoma area, then you’re more fortunate than the rest of us, because opening tomorrow, June 2, is LeMay Museum, “America’s Car Museum,” located right next to the Tacoma Dome. The building is shown in the first image above. It’s basically a beautifully crafted, four-story warehouse, holding some of the best classic and vintage cars the U.S. has ever seen. The museum was created by family and friends of Harold LeMay, the man with the largest car collection in the world. Every car inside the place was his and after he died, they wanted to honor him and celebrate America’s love affair with the automobile by sharing his collection with others and thank the car gods they did because the collection is extensive. Take a walk through the building and you’ll find well known classics like several Model T’s, some great late-50s MOPARs, and of course some late-60s/early-70s muscle cars. But look a bit deeper and you’ll find some seriously rare cars from America’s past including a single cylinder 1906 Cadillac Model M, a 1926 Oldsmobile Holden 30D, a beautiful 1928 Chrysler Series 72, a 1930 Duesenberg Model J, and a 1948 Tucker! In addition, there are cars from the many companies that weren’t around for too long in the beginning of the 20th century and some European cars like a Delorean, a 1965 Lotus 35, a Citroen 2CV, and a Bristol Bus. Starting tomorrow, it will be the largest car museum in the U.S. They will be having a grand opening all this weekend and for $14, you get a slice of motoring heaven. Photos via LeMay’s Facebook page and information via LeMay’s website.
Zoom Info

America’s Largest Car Museum Opens Tomorrow

If you’re from the Seattle/Tacoma area, then you’re more fortunate than the rest of us, because opening tomorrow, June 2, is LeMay Museum,
“America’s Car Museum,” located right next to the Tacoma Dome.

The building is shown in the first image above. It’s basically a beautifully crafted, four-story warehouse, holding some of the best classic and vintage cars the U.S. has ever seen. The museum was created by family and friends of Harold LeMay, the man with the largest car collection in the world. Every car inside the place was his and after he died, they wanted to honor him and celebrate America’s love affair with the automobile by sharing his collection with others and thank the car gods they did because the collection is extensive.

Take a walk through the building and you’ll find well known classics like several Model T’s, some great late-50s MOPARs, and of course some late-60s/early-70s muscle cars.

But look a bit deeper and you’ll find some seriously rare cars from America’s past including a single cylinder 1906 Cadillac Model M, a 1926 Oldsmobile Holden 30D, a beautiful 1928 Chrysler Series 72, a 1930 Duesenberg Model J, and a 1948 Tucker! In addition, there are cars from the many companies that weren’t around for too long in the beginning of the 20th century and some European cars like a Delorean, a 1965 Lotus 35, a Citroen 2CV, and a Bristol Bus.

Starting tomorrow, it will be the largest car museum in the U.S. They will be having a grand opening all this weekend and for $14, you get a slice of motoring heaven.

Photos via LeMay’s Facebook page and information via LeMay’s website.

Source: motoriginal

Your Own Hand Built Bugatti Veyron, Free That’s right, all 159 parts are free but you do have to assemble it yourself. It only takes a few days to build one with only a few tools that you probably have laying around the house. This is for anyone with the time, know-how, and patience. What’s the catch? It’s approximately 1:6 scale, oh yes, and it’s made of paper. You can download all 44 printable pages from VisualSpicer for free. They ask for donations for those who download, but it’s optional. Prints come with full instructions so assembly shouldn’t be that difficult, just time consuming. There are some pretty impressive builds on the site too. Check out one of the time lapsed build videos which is pretty cool here.
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Your Own Hand Built Bugatti Veyron, Free That’s right, all 159 parts are free but you do have to assemble it yourself. It only takes a few days to build one with only a few tools that you probably have laying around the house. This is for anyone with the time, know-how, and patience. What’s the catch? It’s approximately 1:6 scale, oh yes, and it’s made of paper. You can download all 44 printable pages from VisualSpicer for free. They ask for donations for those who download, but it’s optional. Prints come with full instructions so assembly shouldn’t be that difficult, just time consuming. There are some pretty impressive builds on the site too. Check out one of the time lapsed build videos which is pretty cool here.
Zoom Info
Your Own Hand Built Bugatti Veyron, Free That’s right, all 159 parts are free but you do have to assemble it yourself. It only takes a few days to build one with only a few tools that you probably have laying around the house. This is for anyone with the time, know-how, and patience. What’s the catch? It’s approximately 1:6 scale, oh yes, and it’s made of paper. You can download all 44 printable pages from VisualSpicer for free. They ask for donations for those who download, but it’s optional. Prints come with full instructions so assembly shouldn’t be that difficult, just time consuming. There are some pretty impressive builds on the site too. Check out one of the time lapsed build videos which is pretty cool here.
Zoom Info
Your Own Hand Built Bugatti Veyron, Free That’s right, all 159 parts are free but you do have to assemble it yourself. It only takes a few days to build one with only a few tools that you probably have laying around the house. This is for anyone with the time, know-how, and patience. What’s the catch? It’s approximately 1:6 scale, oh yes, and it’s made of paper. You can download all 44 printable pages from VisualSpicer for free. They ask for donations for those who download, but it’s optional. Prints come with full instructions so assembly shouldn’t be that difficult, just time consuming. There are some pretty impressive builds on the site too. Check out one of the time lapsed build videos which is pretty cool here.
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Your Own Hand Built Bugatti Veyron, Free That’s right, all 159 parts are free but you do have to assemble it yourself. It only takes a few days to build one with only a few tools that you probably have laying around the house. This is for anyone with the time, know-how, and patience. What’s the catch? It’s approximately 1:6 scale, oh yes, and it’s made of paper. You can download all 44 printable pages from VisualSpicer for free. They ask for donations for those who download, but it’s optional. Prints come with full instructions so assembly shouldn’t be that difficult, just time consuming. There are some pretty impressive builds on the site too. Check out one of the time lapsed build videos which is pretty cool here.
Zoom Info

Your Own Hand Built Bugatti Veyron, Free

That’s right, all 159 parts are free but you do have to assemble it yourself. It only takes a few days to build one with only a few tools that you probably have laying around the house. This is for anyone with the time, know-how, and patience.

What’s the catch? It’s approximately 1:6 scale, oh yes, and it’s made of paper.

You can download all 44 printable pages from VisualSpicer for free. They ask for donations for those who download, but it’s optional. Prints come with full instructions so assembly shouldn’t be that difficult, just time consuming. There are some pretty impressive builds on the site too. Check out one of the time lapsed build videos which is pretty cool here.

Source: visualspicer.com

Peter Wheeler’s End of Days Quite possibly the most bizarre vehicle to ever actually be built, the TVR Scamander RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle) was Peter Wheeler’s last project before he died. The project was started in 2003 and has been a work in progress up until now. The idea is a go anywhere vehicle. Rough land, asphalt, and water is no match for the Scamander. It’s a one-off vehicle that was tested on Peter Wheeler’s own farm and is completely amphibious. The details of the “car” are many. It has 11-inches of ground clearance, 11” travel in the front, 15” travel in the rear, double wishbone suspension all around, a pickup truck style bed, a sliding canopy, 3-seats with driver front & center, one seat folds down for a stretcher, and it has a mid-mounted 300hp V6 engine to which a rear propeller is attached. Instead of side & rear view mirrors it has cameras with video screens inside and the driver visibility is unmatched due to panoramic windows and additional windows in the front wheel wells to see exactly what you’re driving over. The Scamander looks like it was built in another galaxy and delivered to earth through a wormhole. This vehicle could probably make its way across Mars (if there was any air and water of course). Can you say Hollywood appearance? The only unfortunate thing, Peter Wheeler never got to see the vehicle finished as he died in 2009 but thanks to his team of extraordinary engineers who have spent most of the 21st century making this vehicle a reality, it’s finally finished. Check out some of the videos on youtube below. video 1 | video 2 | video 3
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Peter Wheeler’s End of Days Quite possibly the most bizarre vehicle to ever actually be built, the TVR Scamander RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle) was Peter Wheeler’s last project before he died. The project was started in 2003 and has been a work in progress up until now. The idea is a go anywhere vehicle. Rough land, asphalt, and water is no match for the Scamander. It’s a one-off vehicle that was tested on Peter Wheeler’s own farm and is completely amphibious. The details of the “car” are many. It has 11-inches of ground clearance, 11” travel in the front, 15” travel in the rear, double wishbone suspension all around, a pickup truck style bed, a sliding canopy, 3-seats with driver front & center, one seat folds down for a stretcher, and it has a mid-mounted 300hp V6 engine to which a rear propeller is attached. Instead of side & rear view mirrors it has cameras with video screens inside and the driver visibility is unmatched due to panoramic windows and additional windows in the front wheel wells to see exactly what you’re driving over. The Scamander looks like it was built in another galaxy and delivered to earth through a wormhole. This vehicle could probably make its way across Mars (if there was any air and water of course). Can you say Hollywood appearance? The only unfortunate thing, Peter Wheeler never got to see the vehicle finished as he died in 2009 but thanks to his team of extraordinary engineers who have spent most of the 21st century making this vehicle a reality, it’s finally finished. Check out some of the videos on youtube below. video 1 | video 2 | video 3
Zoom Info
Peter Wheeler’s End of Days Quite possibly the most bizarre vehicle to ever actually be built, the TVR Scamander RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle) was Peter Wheeler’s last project before he died. The project was started in 2003 and has been a work in progress up until now. The idea is a go anywhere vehicle. Rough land, asphalt, and water is no match for the Scamander. It’s a one-off vehicle that was tested on Peter Wheeler’s own farm and is completely amphibious. The details of the “car” are many. It has 11-inches of ground clearance, 11” travel in the front, 15” travel in the rear, double wishbone suspension all around, a pickup truck style bed, a sliding canopy, 3-seats with driver front & center, one seat folds down for a stretcher, and it has a mid-mounted 300hp V6 engine to which a rear propeller is attached. Instead of side & rear view mirrors it has cameras with video screens inside and the driver visibility is unmatched due to panoramic windows and additional windows in the front wheel wells to see exactly what you’re driving over. The Scamander looks like it was built in another galaxy and delivered to earth through a wormhole. This vehicle could probably make its way across Mars (if there was any air and water of course). Can you say Hollywood appearance? The only unfortunate thing, Peter Wheeler never got to see the vehicle finished as he died in 2009 but thanks to his team of extraordinary engineers who have spent most of the 21st century making this vehicle a reality, it’s finally finished. Check out some of the videos on youtube below. video 1 | video 2 | video 3
Zoom Info
Peter Wheeler’s End of Days Quite possibly the most bizarre vehicle to ever actually be built, the TVR Scamander RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle) was Peter Wheeler’s last project before he died. The project was started in 2003 and has been a work in progress up until now. The idea is a go anywhere vehicle. Rough land, asphalt, and water is no match for the Scamander. It’s a one-off vehicle that was tested on Peter Wheeler’s own farm and is completely amphibious. The details of the “car” are many. It has 11-inches of ground clearance, 11” travel in the front, 15” travel in the rear, double wishbone suspension all around, a pickup truck style bed, a sliding canopy, 3-seats with driver front & center, one seat folds down for a stretcher, and it has a mid-mounted 300hp V6 engine to which a rear propeller is attached. Instead of side & rear view mirrors it has cameras with video screens inside and the driver visibility is unmatched due to panoramic windows and additional windows in the front wheel wells to see exactly what you’re driving over. The Scamander looks like it was built in another galaxy and delivered to earth through a wormhole. This vehicle could probably make its way across Mars (if there was any air and water of course). Can you say Hollywood appearance? The only unfortunate thing, Peter Wheeler never got to see the vehicle finished as he died in 2009 but thanks to his team of extraordinary engineers who have spent most of the 21st century making this vehicle a reality, it’s finally finished. Check out some of the videos on youtube below. video 1 | video 2 | video 3
Zoom Info
Peter Wheeler’s End of Days Quite possibly the most bizarre vehicle to ever actually be built, the TVR Scamander RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle) was Peter Wheeler’s last project before he died. The project was started in 2003 and has been a work in progress up until now. The idea is a go anywhere vehicle. Rough land, asphalt, and water is no match for the Scamander. It’s a one-off vehicle that was tested on Peter Wheeler’s own farm and is completely amphibious. The details of the “car” are many. It has 11-inches of ground clearance, 11” travel in the front, 15” travel in the rear, double wishbone suspension all around, a pickup truck style bed, a sliding canopy, 3-seats with driver front & center, one seat folds down for a stretcher, and it has a mid-mounted 300hp V6 engine to which a rear propeller is attached. Instead of side & rear view mirrors it has cameras with video screens inside and the driver visibility is unmatched due to panoramic windows and additional windows in the front wheel wells to see exactly what you’re driving over. The Scamander looks like it was built in another galaxy and delivered to earth through a wormhole. This vehicle could probably make its way across Mars (if there was any air and water of course). Can you say Hollywood appearance? The only unfortunate thing, Peter Wheeler never got to see the vehicle finished as he died in 2009 but thanks to his team of extraordinary engineers who have spent most of the 21st century making this vehicle a reality, it’s finally finished. Check out some of the videos on youtube below. video 1 | video 2 | video 3
Zoom Info

Peter Wheeler’s End of Days

Quite possibly the most bizarre vehicle to ever actually be built, the TVR Scamander RRV (Rapid Response Vehicle) was Peter Wheeler’s last project before he died. The project was started in 2003 and has been a work in progress up until now.

The idea is a go anywhere vehicle. Rough land, asphalt, and water is no match for the Scamander. It’s a one-off vehicle that was tested on Peter Wheeler’s own farm and is completely amphibious.

The details of the “car” are many. It has 11-inches of ground clearance, 11” travel in the front, 15” travel in the rear, double wishbone suspension all around, a pickup truck style bed, a sliding canopy, 3-seats with driver front & center, one seat folds down for a stretcher, and it has a mid-mounted 300hp V6 engine to which a rear propeller is attached.

Instead of side & rear view mirrors it has cameras with video screens inside and the driver visibility is unmatched due to panoramic windows and additional windows in the front wheel wells to see exactly what you’re driving over.

The Scamander looks like it was built in another galaxy and delivered to earth through a wormhole. This vehicle could probably make its way across Mars (if there was any air and water of course). Can you say Hollywood appearance?

The only unfortunate thing, Peter Wheeler never got to see the vehicle finished as he died in 2009 but thanks to his team of extraordinary engineers who have spent most of the 21st century making this vehicle a reality, it’s finally finished.

Check out some of the videos on youtube below.

video 1 | video 2 | video 3

Source: motoriginal