Quick Saloons(Speedy Grocery Getters)

     I was in a discussion about modern sports cars and my friend, John, is a technician for a luxury Japanese brand and he felt the LFA was a wonderful vehicle but over priced. He went on to voice his opinion about the highly anticipated Acura NSX. The thought being, they better come with maximum horsepower and efficiency. Ferrari and McLaren have entered the hybrid arena with great offerings. The new McLaren P1 is outrageously fast and efficient and, in my opinion, one of the most esthetically pleasing vehicles to go into production since the original Ferrari Dino.

McLaren P1

This car pulls the passion out of you and puts it into the ignition. I had the pleasure of seeing the McLaren MP4-12C up close and personal. Simply amazing but, until that point, I always thought these vehicles were ridiculously over priced but the tech and the craftsmanship that goes into them, Wow! Value is assessed by supply and demand, the P1 will be expensive because the demand will remain high and the supply will be remain low due to the quality aspect of the build. Perfection takes time. The P1 is a rear-wheel drive, mid-engine design that uses a carbon fiber monocoque, which is fancy talk for, light, fast and expensive. But expense is relative to income and lifestyle and if you have the means, you would be an idiot not to own a P1. There are many more sports cars also worthy of ownership but what if you have a family?

BMW M5

     For me, I need something powerful and awe inspiring, yet with four doors. What then? I could go with the Porsche Panamera it is available in many configurations and has plenty of room for a family. But I always thought is was an ugly car. I can't get past the hatch back thing.



Aston Martin Rapide

Audi S8

 Or maybe a BMW M5, also fast and similarly priced to the Porsche, a great euro-muscle car with four doors. But the truly discerning drivers will agree, Aston Martin Rapide or Maserati Quattroporte. When at those price points, why mess around, these are the best of the best. The Rapide has a V12 engine which produces 550hp and has a top speed of 190 mph with acceleration from 0 to 60 in well under 5 seconds. The Quattroporte features new Ferrari-built 3.8LV8 producing 523hp with an eight speed automatic transmission. The US market also gets and all wheel drive V6. Those are a couple of fast grocery getters.
The Audi S8 is also a great choice at a lower price point, but I could go on and on, and you probably have a few I didn't think of but consider the "bang for the buck". Here in the States you can't drive but so fast, no Autobahn, so it would be nice to have lots of power but annoying to only be able to "hit" it every once and a while, but if the family is with you most of the time then that is all you will have. Once and a while. Enjoy life, be safe and "mash the gas".

Core Vette Summer

Mark Hamill

     Today, a friend asked me for an automotive reference. He is making a movie and he needed a Corvette that would fit his criteria. I though he was going to remake Corvette Summer.
I didn't know but if he did, he had to use Mark Hamill again. Luke, use the right hand drive Luke. Whoa, I know mixing movie references but I digress. The first Vette I thought to use was the 1963 Grand Sport, I always thought that was a great looking car, its rare because it was all but a prototype with release numbers.


1963 Corvette Grand Sport

He thought that would be a bit too much and he suggested a 62 Vette, nice.


1962 Corvette

All the 60's Vettes are still highly sought after and that makes me wonder if the beauty of the latest 2014 Corvette Stingray will last the test of time?
The first  Corvette was introduced in the 1953. It was originally designed as a show car for the 1953 Motorama display at the New York Auto Show, it generated enough interest to coax GM into making a production version. The name came from a lightly armored war ship used my multiple countries for coastal patrol. Now it known only as the classic American sports car's moniker.
The 2014 Vette uses an LT1 6.2 L V8, making 460hp. It features direct injection, variable valve timing, and an active fuel management system. Fuel injectors are located under the intake manifold. The Corvette remains rear-wheel drive. Transmission choices include a 7-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The new Corvette certainly has the makings of a great automobile and uses technology that was developed by GM and is widely used throughout the automotive "landscape". Features light magnetic ride control and suspension. Ferrari uses this technology these days too but don't be fooled, that tech is American not Italian.
The reason cars are "set up" the way they are today is because of the Cadillac. The reason you have a brake pedal in the center, the clutch pedal on the left and the gas pedal on the right is due to an early Cadillac and a configuration that people liked enough that the other manufacturers followed suit. Prior to this, there were many different automobile operational configurations.

1903 Cadillac

Cadillac is the reason you can get into almost any car in the world and know its basic operation, if you have a drivers license. In 1906 Cadillac was the first to sell a totally enclosed car and in 1912 they were the first to have electric ignition and headlights.
Real American ingenuity is still at work with the new Vette. I my opinion it is the absolute best Corvette that has ever been produced.


2014 Stingray

All the past complaints were addressed, the plastics in the interior, gone. The lack of interior quality, gone and replaced by hand stitching and quality materials. What you would expect from a world class car. Also the plastics which all but replaced the fiberglass on the exterior body panels are gone, kinda. Now, GM used some kind of process that blends carbon fiber and plastic to make those body panels much stronger, giving a quality feel and solid body parts. Great job GM.
The main complaint is that the Vette has been perceived and an old man's toy, so. Old men are usually the demographic that can afford to but your vehicles in bulk. There are only so many Justin Beibers who are young and rich enough to swing the 50 to 70 Gs to buy these cars. All expensive sports cars are old men's toys, deal with it and keep them moving off the show room floors.