A high-point in 1980s automotive technological innovation and excess, this 1988 Aston Martin Lagonda is one car that tends to divide people into groups of “love it” or “hate it” We tend to think that the car’s wide, flat, boxy lines are rather elegant, it a bit overly severe.There’s no arguing about the Aston’s being a technological tour de force however, as it boasted features like LCD screens , and a voice warning system that wouldn’t be seen on lesser cars until a decade later.
Part of the very last fourth Lagonda series the 1988 car is one of only 105 made between 1987 and 1990, and would seem to represent the best of the marquee. Nice ornamental Dubai plate comes with the auction as well, perfect for that extra exotic touch.
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Now that GM has given a hybrid powertrain to the new-for-2008 Malibu, Chevrolet’s mid-size runner has a lot more to bring to the table and offers a real stiff competition for the Toyota Camry. We like the Malibu’s styling and interior refinement, but after a week in our test fleet, we’re having doubts about the Chevrolet competing with the likes of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive.
Click through the jump for our full driving impressions and click the images below to open a gallery.
While the words “Cadillac” and “Nurburgring” don’t classically go hand-in-hand General Motors is apparently out in Germany proving that its CTS-V can hold its own with just about anything orbiting the Green Hell., and they’ve got the photo to prove it.
GM announced early this afternoon that driver John Heinricy was able to pilot the LSA V-8 powered V car to a potentially record-breaking time of 7:59:32, which is said to be the fastest “documented” lap by a sedan…ever. We’re even more excited to hear that one of Cadillac minions caught the lap on a video that is set to be released within a few days.
+ Autoblog: Green Hellraiser: Caddy CTS-V storms Nordschleife in 7:59:32
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We’ve just taken delivery of a spanking new Volvo C30 hatch and thought that the stylish Swede would be the perfect subject for this week’s Ask It segment. It’ll be hard to argue with the small Volvo’s looks as we think the car is one of the prettiest hatchbacks on sale today, but questions about the ultimate functionality of the design might not go amiss. Let us know what you ponder when you hear “C30”, in comments.
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Italian styling house Aznom has used the Mini Clubman, a car destined to be customized ad nauseam we feel, as the basis for this rather ostentatious and bizarre variant called the Chateau.
The Chateau offers a clutter of weird wood trim pieces, including side-view mirror surrounds that look for all the world like the polished halves of coconuts. Exterior non-woody surfaces are finished in iridescent brown and gold paint, creating a very 1970’s rec room vibe. But perhaps the strangest addition to the Chateau Clubman is the retro-fitted shockproof wine cellar in the back, capable of transporting your favorite vino undisturbed wherever you need to go.
We will admit that we’re fans of the 18-inch TSW “Pace” alloys, and we’re certain that all 12 owners of these very limited edition Mini’s will be mobbed with interested parties wherever they go. At least they’ll be able to calm they’re addled nerves with a glass of Beaujolais. Cheers.
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While our eBay Motors tastes usually run more to the complete car style, occasionally we do find ourselves wandering the wide and wild aisles of the “Parts & Accessories” category.
There, amongst the second-hand short block Caterpillar diesel motors, and multiple hundreds of General Motors crate engines, we stumbled upon this perfectly ridiculous tuned Audi 20-valve, turbocharged, 2.3-liter, inline-five. In addition to a custom Borg Warner turbo and aluminum intercooler, the bored out powerplant can boast a fully balanced forged crankshaft, forged rods and bearings, and a fully ported and polished cylinder head. Those adds, in addition to a list of parts far too long to repeat here, will reportedly deliver the new owner with 900-plus German-engineered horsepower. Now, if we can just find a go-kart big enough to mount it in…
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Opel has officially pulled the sheet off of its new Insignia, which is liable to come to the U.S. after its European launch as the newest version of the Saturn Aura. While we thought that we had seen all there was to offer on the sleek four-door sedan, our friends at CarPix have delivered up a few images of a brand new variant to the range, a five-door hatchback.
The totally undisguised hatch, possibly to be known as the CombiCoupe or Fliessheck, mimics the lines of the sedan everywhere but the rear section. The liftgate of the new Insignia looks to be of good size, and promises to add a measure of utility to the car that won’t be possible with a mere truck. Why doesn’t everyone offer a five-door?
No word of course about whether this configuration could make it to American Saturn dealers, though the GM brand’s recent willingness to stock its showrooms with straight Euro copies is encouraging. Tell us what you think of the car, after browsing our gallery below, in comments.
Whether or not you’re stirred by Hyundai’s new Genesis sedan, or more probably the rear-drive Genesis Coupe, it hard to argue that the company hasn’t made massive strides in a relatively short period of time.
While holding court with a group of journalists at a lunch in Namyang, South Korea, Hyundai President of Research and Development, Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, reflected on the company’s origins and its future. Lee pointed out that when Hyundai was young it relied on Mitsubishi to supply it with basic four-cylinder powerplants for its vehicles. These days however, the Korean automaker actually supplies engine technology for the 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter units of both Mitsubishi and Chrysler, building around 1.7 million such in 2007.
Interestingly Lee also told a story about a meeting with Dr. Dieter Zetsche of Mercedes-Benz, at this year’s Beijing Auto Show.Zetsche had announced that he would like the prestigious three-pointed star to partner with Hyundai for four-cylinder engines. Reflecting Lee said, “I am not sure we want to share our technology.” And the world turns.
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Spring mornings don’t start out much better than this. Nevermind the persistent April drizzle and the mist rising from Michigan’s Huron River. We’ve just been handed the keys to a mint 1990 Porsche 928 S4 with marching orders from a very understanding classic car owner.
Our thoughts on the 2008 Dodge Charger R/T AWD are pretty unanimous. We are big fans of the 340-horsepower Hemi V-8 under the hood but the fun starts to diminish when the road begins to curve. As for interior refinement, our test car was loaded up with all of the bells and whistles anyone could want, but the build quality and materials used just aren’t as nice as something we could get from Europe or Japan.
Click through the jump to read our staff’s impressions of the Charger and click the images below to launch a gallery.
This Suzuki Cappuccino is a classic example of a sports car in the Japanese Kei car segment, diminutive in its homeland and utterly tiny in comparison to most American vehicles.
The two-seat roadster is powered by a 657cc DOHC three-cylinder engine which was officially rated at 63 horsepower, though the seller claims that its output is likely closer to 100 horsepower. In either regard the small mill is more than enough to provide spritely acceleration to a car that weighs about 1,500 pounds.
The little Suzuki also offers a roof system that allows a driver to choose between a full hard top, a targa-style removable center panel, and a fully open convertible. It’s also likely to be a real head turner, both for its cuter-than-a-Miata looks, and its absolutely charming size. The main drawback for buyers here would seem to be the premium being charged for the Cappuccino’s rarity; it carries an OBO price of $15,900. For the discerning (and short) collector only.
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Never underestimate the power of old Toyota 4×4s and a snorkel that’s just long enough. Put on your swimmies and click the video above for an amazing automotive mud bath.
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
First Look At Possible New MG TF
So Long Super Aguri: Financial Woes Cause Formula One Team to Call it A Day
