According to the dealer memo:

"We look with anticipation as the dealers begin selling the refreshed 2009 Impreza with new added features such as a moonrood included in the premium package, interior changes for the ivory interior and a new model called the Impreza GT. This model will be an automatic vehicle with the 224 hp engine from the WRX. The new WRX will get an upgraded suspension, will only be available with a manual transmission, an STI-type front grill, a standard aero package, and the big news being the engine with its estimated 265 hp rating. In addition, look for the new gray color on the wheels and interior treatment with its red stitching on the steering wheel and seats."

No. We don't like the nav system. It looks terrifyingly like a repainted Chrysler unit. Also...umm...well...actually, that's pretty much it. Hmm, well, anyway — let's just get back to the awesome, shall we?

The briefcase shelf in the back even folds down for trunk pass-through action. What's that? Those are seats? Oh. Ouch. We also get a peek under the hood at the direct-injected 4.3-liter V8 that'll be making the well-heeled sing the praises of it's 424 horses of goodness. Anyway, take a peek for yourselves folks, 'cause that right there is how you make a damn fine-looking automobile. [AutoMobilsmo.it (translated)]

Those kind of numbers are usually reserved for the elite, which explains the car's $80,000 price tag, plus whatever the dealer thinks he should add for his, you know, trouble. [5.0 Mustangs and Super Fords]

Although we know function is more important than form on a racing car, but if the latter is any indication of the former, BMW will have a real winner with the new M3. Of course, a 485 HP 4.0-liter V8 powering a 2535 lb car will more than likely help as well. We mean, can someone please tell BMW to forget that whole "flame-surfacing" thing and just put widebody kits on all their street cars? [BMW]

As you'd expect — they both got lost. But, as you'd also expect, the GT-R beat the boys in public transit — by 3 minutes and 12 seconds.

But, despite the win, Clarkson struggled to love the GT-R — the way it looks, the way it drives and for being "without soul." He just "...wished it would — at road speeds — run its hand down my pants and give it a little rummage."

But, in addition to Godzilla, Clarkson took the world's most beautiful car on earth* — the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione — around the Top Gear track and thought it was absolute rubbish. While that may or may not be the case, we're in total agreement with Clarkson on at least one thing: "Buying this car for it's dynamic abilities is like buying a porn film for its plot." We couldn't agree more, Jezza.

*As judged by myself, of course.

This tester seems to be using the same style of breadvan-inspired camo used to disguise the Ferrari California. While we can enjoy a good convertible on a nice sunny day, we'd actually rather have something with the long roofline of this testing mule. But it doesn't really matter, since we won't be able to afford one until that power-folding roof has become a manual folding hardtop, and then someone drives it into an overpass.
[AutoExpress]

You're shopping for a British Malaise machine, yet want to avoid British Leyland products? How about a Jensen, from the period of the company's last gasp? We're not talking about an Interceptor here, because that Chrysler engine is just too reliable- no, we've found something much better for you. How would you like to own one of just 509 Jensen GTs ever built, for a mere pittance of $5,950? Can you believe it? You get the 16-valve Lotus 907 engine (also known as the "Torqueless Wonder"), only 55,000 miles on the clock, and enough Lucas Electric components to keep you busy for the rest of your life a few weeks. The seller says it "runs great," so you figure we're giving you an easy one. Right?

That Jensen is pretty cool, but if you're going to drive a car with a Lotus engine you might as well go all Lotus, right? And not some newfangled Esprit or Europa- no, it's got to be a featherweight 60s Elan. Say, like this '69 Lotus Elan Plus 2S, which has a Steal It Now price of only five grand. Like the Jensen, it has only 55,000 miles, though that's mostly because it's been sitting for 18 years. Don't let that scare you, though, because British cars are like fine wine, just getting better as they age in a damp cellar somewhere. Don't worry about the electrical connectors or fuel system needing 100% replacement; you'll have plenty of time to worry about those issues as you try to track down replacements for the missing hood and bashed-in windshield. You get an original engine block and some carburetors, which means you're more than halfway there in the powerplant department. What could go wrong?

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7:29.03 - Nissan R35 GT-R
The calling card of the new Nissan GT-R is technology witchcraft. On paper, you wouldn't expect much from a 3800lb car with a V6. But on the track, the grip of the trick AWD system channeling 480 HP from the twin-turbocharged engine is pure magic.

7:26.40 - Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
The instant legend. Keep in mind, there was reportedly a strong headwind on the main straight, which could have actually slowed things down a bit. Could the ZR1 possibly set an even faster time in the future?

6:55 - Radical SR8
With only about 360 HP, the Radical is not about raw power. Its strengths instead are a race-style chassis, complete with real downforce-generating spoilers. Or course, since the car only weighs about 1430 lbs, the Radical has an incredible power-to-weight ratio. A slightly less powerful 320 HP Radical SR3 Turbo has even run a 7:19 lap. Though we doubt you'll find one being valet-parked at the country club, the Radical is technically streetable. As such, it is the fastest road-going car around the Nordschleife.

6:11.13 - Porsche 956
If the ZR1 is fast, then this is warp speed. it's the fastest official lap time ever recorded on this configuration of the track. What makes it even more amazing is that this was 25 years ago, back in 1983.

[laptimes]

In addition to the base price, options include Super Silver Paint ($3,000), an iPod connector ($360) and floor mats ($280). [via AutoFiends]

PRESS RELEASE

2009 Nissan GT-R Supercar Deliveries Set To Begin July 7th,
70 Percent of First-Year Allocation Already Sold

NASHVILLE (June 27, 2008) - Nissan today announced that deliveries of the all-new 2009 Nissan GT-R are scheduled to begin on Monday, July 7, 2008. More than 1,700 of the exotic 480-horsepower GT-R supercars, or approximately 70 percent of the first year allocation for the United States market, have already been spoken for since the announcement of a pre-sale ordering program last January.

The 2009 Nissan GT-R has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)* of $69,850 for the GT-R and $71,900 for the GT-R Premium model. Destination & Handling (D&H) is $1,000. The GT-R is available only through officially certified Nissan dealers that have met a number of strict sales, service and facilities commitments, including dedicating a master technician to GT-R service. A searchable listing of the 671 GT-R Certified Nissan dealers is available to consumers on nissanusa.com.

"After years of speculation and anticipation, the wait for a U.S.-spec Nissan GT-R is over," said Al Castignetti, vice president and general manager, Nissan Division, Nissan North America, Inc. "GT-R is one supercar that more than lives up to its promise, with independent testing by the leading auto enthusiasts magazines and online sites producing performance results that only a handful of production cars have ever attained - much less at a $70,000 MSRP."

A 2009 Nissan GT-R, equipped with a standard 480-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6 engine and advanced 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, recently set a lap time of 7 minutes 29 seconds at the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife, one of the fastest times achieved by a production-spec vehicle to date.

About the 2009 Nissan GT-R
The all-new 2009 Nissan GT-R, the fifth-generation of the legendary Nissan supercar, is a multi-dimensional performance machine that lives up to the concept of "the ultimate supercar that can be driven by anyone, anytime, anywhere."

It features an all-new 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 producing 480 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, backed by an all-new, paddle-shifted, GR6-type dual clutch rear transmission. The Nissan GT-R is built on an exclusive, all-new Premium Midship platform. This new platform enables the use of a world's first independent rear transaxle ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system, which places the transmission, transfer case and final drive at the rear of the vehicle, optimizing weight distribution and maximizing handling capability.

The Nissan GT-R's functional styling utilizes advanced aerodynamics, evoking the lines of a well-trained athlete. GT-R's hybrid body construction combines steel, carbon fiber and die-cast aluminum, and features a low coefficient of drag of 0.27, while achieving high front and rear downforce. GT-R's four-passenger cabin features a sloping "aero blade canopy" roofline and curved C-pillar "sword edge," as well as GT-R's hallmark four-ring taillights, functional rear carbon fiber underbody diffuser, rear spoiler and large, integrated quad exhaust tips.

GT-R's interior balances functionality with a sense of ease and comfort. It features sculpted performance bucket seats for an optimal driving position, a cockpit-style instrument panel with a large center-mounted tachometer and multi-function display - which includes mechanical and driving information, as well as an on-board driving recorder.

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.infiniti.com.

* MSRP excludes applicable tax, title and license fees. Dealer sets actual price. Prices and specs are subject to change without notice.

...We still intend to offer the six-speed manual transmission as an option on the GXP model released late this year, however we have no current plans to offer the manual tranny on any other G8 model. It's possible there was some confusion over the GT vs. GXP...

[G8nation]

We got to talking 'round here in the Detroit office about what kind of other "delete options" automakers should be offering. Ben wants a stripper model available of like every car imaginable. Andy has a penchant for family-hauling death traps — you know, like a short-wheelbase Town & Country without ABS brakes. And me? I wished that I'd had the option of deleting the trunk CD changer from every Jeep product I ever spent time behind the wheel of. But what about you? What's your one check box you wish you could have dropped a mark on? Fair warning — we may take the best responses and put them together in one of our "award-winning" top-whatever lists.

We caught our first glimpse of Honda's Acura NSX replacement earlier in the week, and now, adding to our 2009 Porsche 911 'Ring footage from earlier, the guys at Bridge To Gantry have snapped these new shots. They think there's a high-revving V10 under the hood, but whatever it is it's gonna be fast. How do we know this? Because Honda CEO Takeo Fukai has demanded that the development team make the NSX faster than both the Nissan GT-R and the Lexus LF-A. That would mean a Nurburgring lap time better than the GT-R's 7:29, though the LF-A may be even faster than that. Of course, the NSX having the 5.5-liter V10's 550 HP connected to Honda's Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive has to help.
[BridgeToGantry, Inside Line via WorldCarFans]

Spy Report

We caught a prototype for the 2010 Mustang Convertible with a large chunk of its rear camouflage removed, giving us our first uncovered look at the new 'Stang's tail-lights, rear spoiler, and it's revised rear badging.

The new Mustang's rear lamps have two vertical white bars breaking up the expanse of red found on the current models tail-lights. The new treatment does away with the segmented look of the current lights, for a slightly cleaner look. The internal bezels on the red lenses will also provide more dynamic, eye-catching lighting elements.

While current Mustang convertibles have a raised rear wing supported by two posts, the new 'Stang will get a smoother lip spoiler that extends directly from the top of the rear deck. The center-mounted brake light is also wider and slimmer than on the current car. The overall result appears be a cleaner, smoother, more refined look.

The final update we can see involves the large circular rear badge. The current badge has some notchy, retro detailing, while the prototype's badge displays smoother, more modern surface development.

LTDScott caught it first, but now the notice has spread. Even though Chris Ihara, the founder of late model Mustang site Corral.net, was equipped with the seriously high horsepower Shelby GT500KR, we still managed to eek out a win by way of our hind ends. Now the Corral boys want, if not answers, then at least the opportunity to do a little good-natured ribbing of Mr. Ihara. But, for the record, we think they may be confusing our vehicular preferences with those of Top Gear USA co-co-host Eric Strommer. [Corral.net]

For starters — unless you're running evenly-matched top fuel dragsters against each other what you'll do down at your local drag strip isn't actually "drag racing." It's really called "bracket racing" which is a form of drag racing that allows for a handicap between predicted speed of the two cars running side-by-sde. Basically, it means that even if you're running your mom's Honda Odyssey on the strip, you can still win running next to a Ford Mustang GT because of a premium placed on consistency of performance of the driver and car rather than on raw speed. With that said, here's the official "How To"

Step 1: Pay Up

Drag racing ain't free. The first step, once you've arrived at the dragway, is to pay the folks in charge. Different classes carry different charges, so it's a good idea to call ahead and find out how much you'll be paying. Once you've paid for entry and track fees, proceed to the pits

Step 2: Park and Unload

Pit areas vary wildly. You'll find everything from beautifully laid concrete marked with trailer lanes to muddy grass perfect for sinking into. If you've brought your drag toy in a trailer or plan on working on your car there, it makes a lot of sense to show up early and get a prime piece of real estate — it can make the difference between a comfy dry weekend and a messy pain in the ass. if you've just driven in, take all your junk out of the car and give it a once over. Make sure it meets all the safety requirements of the class you're running in and give it a little clean-up.

Step 3: Inspection

Now it's time to take your car over to the inspection booth. These guys are here to make sure the car you brought won't pose a danger to either you or the rest of the race field. They'll go through your ride with a fine-toothed comb and point out things sub-par, or they'll give you the thumbs-up. When your car has passed, you'll get a color-coded inspection sticker proving you're safe to run. Another thing they'll do is have you fill out your race card. The race card is where you declare the class you'll be running in, your personal info, details on the car, and whatever other details you think the commentator in-booth might like to know about when adding "color to the strip."

Step 4: Wait

After you have your car all approved and registered, return to the pit area and wait. It takes a while for the rest of your competitors to make it through the process you just did. The track crew also has to prepare the surface for maximum stickiness, and, in general, everybody just has to get up and get going. So while you wait, put your number on the car, maybe do a little decorating, take a nap, do a little tuning on your car, check out the competition, have some track food, or just hang out and enjoy the breeze. But keep your ear listening out for your class, because there's nothing worse than hearing an announcement of your license plate and that your car's being towed. That's not the kind of dragging you're here for.

Step 5: Practice.

When the time is right (usually a scheduled time), the track will open for practice. This is an open competition lineup where you pull through the staging lanes and give your rig a try. Drag racing is a lot trickier than you might think. It's easy to mash the gas and go quick on the street, but when the clock is running, it's a lot more technical, so practice makes perfect. In fact, let's go to video:

This was my third run, so I'd gotten the jitters of the first time down the track through and I was starting to learn how to react and launch. As you can see, you get slotted in lanes. Each lane is numbered and corresponds to a staging path. When you enter the staging area, a track official will ask your class and point you into the lane. This track has three staging lanes, and each lane is divided into two sides. There's a lane 1L and 1R, 2L and 2R, etc., for lane one, left side, lane one, right side, and so on. As cars ahead of you move up, you pull forward. When the track official waves you forward along with your running buddy, you have to make a choice: to burnout or not to burnout.

Ahead of the starting line there's a concrete pad called the "water box." Track hands hose it down with water to make burnouts fun and easy. The purpose of the burnout is to clean the crud off your tires and heat 'em up for maximum stickiness. A standing burnout doesn't make much sense if you're running street tires, so either drive around the box to avoid wet tires, or just do a peel out to get the funk off.

Next, you pull up to the line. Make sure your helmet is strapped on tight, traction control is off, and the windows are up. As you advance, there are two sets of staging lights — called by some the "Christmas tree" — your tires need to be between them before the Christmas tree lights will start. Advance the car 'till the first set of lights goes on, then slowly move forward until the second set lights up — then carefully inch forward until the second set turns back off. A this point you've found the front of the lights, and you need to back up just enough to turn that second set on again. Now wait for your opponent to do the same.

When you're both set to go, make sure your car is in the forward gear of your liking. Hold the engine at optimum RPM and pay attention to the Christmas tree. Depending on your class, the tree works differently. For bracket racing, they use a "five hundred tree" or a set of lights that takes half a second to go from yellow to green. For this tree, it's recommended to launch as the final yellow light goes off in order to achieve a decent reaction time. If you jump the gun, you "foul," and your run, no matter how good, doesn't count for squat.

So the lights go and you're off. In a manual tranny car, carefully watch the tachometer and know where your shift points and engine cutoff are at. Shift as quickly and accurately as possible. If you're driving an automatic, just mash the gas and point the car in the right direction.

In this run, I managed a 0.67 s reaction time, which isn't great, but far better than the 1.01 s. the other guy got. And, due to the magical vaugeness of the Hurst short-throw shifter on this car, I managed to hit second gear instead of fourth — not what you want when shifting at almost a hundred miles an hour. Nonetheless, despite my supercharged GT being at a 140 HP disadvantage to the GT500 car and me stinking up the shift, I only lost by 0.8012 seconds with a 14.29 time. This is why it's called practice.

After you've crossed the finish line and are all excited, don't forget to slow down. You've got to make the turn off the track and go to pick up your time slip. This will tell you what just happened so you can critique your performance, think about ways you can improve and have bragging rights back at the pits.

Step 6: Qualifying
Like above — do what you just did in practice, but do it better because this time it counts. In qualifying, your times are used to slot you in your class brackets — when bracket racing, the important part isn't speed, it's consistency. If you can run 13.9 all day every day, you'll do very well in your class. Why? Because bracket racing uses offset timing on the lights to equalize fast cars against slower ones. Speedy cars will be delayed at the line and have to catch up and pass to win.

Step 7: Mark Your Dial-In Time

Dial-in time is that great equalizing figure we just talked about. After you've made a couple runs, you should get an idea of how fast you go. This time gets written on your windows so the tower workers can read them and put them in the timing computer. In this way, the race is offset on the fly. Depending on the class, you may or may not be able to change your number as you go. The important thing about your dial-in time is not to go faster than that time — otherwise you "break out." The break-out exists to prevent guys from saying they're slower than they are and effectively cheating to victory. Now is it becoming clearer why consistency is all-important?

Step 8: Have fun!
Now sit back and relax while listening for the track announcer to call your class. As you're called, proceed to the staging lanes and the track workers will assign you a lane and your opponent will line up next to you. When you're at the line just remember the lessons from earlier in the day and be careful to race against yourself, not the guy in the other lane. That's a great way to lose your concentration and mess up.

Here's a run from the first round of our bracket, where everything clicked and I won against a Shelby GT. The other fellow wrote up a dial-in time substantially lower than mine and couldn't quite make up the ground. A little longer track and he would have had me. But how fast was I? Pretty decent with a 0.31 s reaction time (which doesn't matter in bracket racing — only the time from light-to-light counts) and 13.95 second quarter-mile at 100 MPH. Far from my best run though.

So there you have it folks. How to drag race. We found out although it's still easier than running 'round the windy stuff, it's a lot more difficult than just pointing the car down a track and hitting the gas. We recommend checking out some of the events in your area, if not to race, then at least as a spectator.

Still, it's a convertible and the top still looks intact, so it will stay on the road. Perhaps some ambitious owner will get the bodywork done at some point... or use it as a parts car for a nicer Dart convertible.


The "GT" badging means this was the top trim level for the Dart in '69; the GT came standard with a Slant Six, though the dual exhausts on this example suggest the presence of a V8 under the hood.


The '69 Dart GT with optional 273-inch V8 listed for $2,976 new. That was 39 bucks more than the 302-equipped '69 Mustang convertible and $330 more than the '69 Corvair convertible. Yes, you could still buy a Corvair in 1969, though hardly anyone did so; actually, the 327-equipped $2,941 Camaro convertible is a better comparison.

Things started off brisk enough with a full field run at 4:30 in the afternoon. All the guys had been warming up in the morning and were eager to put their skills to the test. The field of cars and experience varied widely, starting with a Ford Mustang Bullitt with hot cams and some other goodies and going all the way up to a full-bore Shelby GT500KR. In attendance were:

• 
  
• Christopher Ihara - The Corral - GT500KR
• Jason Reiss - Race Pages - GT500
• Shaun Bailey - Road & Track - Shelby GT
• Don Roy - Mustang Enthusiasts -Mustang GT
• Doug Glad - CarCraft.com - GT500
• Mark Houlahan - Mustangs & Fords - Mustang GT
• Steve Turner - 5.0 Mustangs & Super Fords - Factory Five Coupe
• Sam Abuelsamid - Autoblog.com - GT500
• Evan Smith - Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords - GT500
• Dave Freiburger - carjunkietv.com - Factory Five Roadster

Just goes to show you that in bracket racing, the size of the check isn't as important as the skill in the hand that signs it. Also, that qualifying runs do not make the win. Congrats to Mark for a good show, and thanks go out to Ford for letting us hacks beat on some of their cars for the weekend.

Wait, what's that? How fast did I go? Well, considering my first run of the day was a 14.88 at 100.41 MPH and a 0.49 reaction time, I'm pretty happy to report that, by the end of the day, I managed a 13.54 at 104.87 with a 0.1799 reaction time. Not too shabby for a days work, if I do say so myself.

LMP1 Class
The big news here was that the trio of Peugeots fell to the #2 Audi Sport North America car driven by Capello, McNish and Kirstensen. Hmm... the Audis winning Le Mans. Where have we heard that before? In case you were curious it was Audi, Pug, Pug, Audi, Pug, Audi. The drama continued all the way to the end with both the #2 Audi and the #7 Peugeot finishing on the same lap.

LMP2
Though not as exciting as some of the other classes, the LMP2 did feature the first Le Mans appearance by the Porsche RS Spyder. And how did the RS Spyder perform? The #34 in pimptastic purple won first, piloted by Van Merksteign, Verstappen and Bleekemolen. Sadly, the #41 Porsche piloted by Nielsen, Elgard and Maasen came in second. Why is that sad? Because their names are so much easier to spell.

LM GT1
The big showdown in the GT1 class was between the Gulf Oil Aston Martin and the Yellow Corvettes for class dominance. This year it was the 009 DBR9 of Brahbham, Garcia and Turner taking down the #63 C6R of O'Connell, Magnussen and Fellows for a second GT1 victory in as many years. As with the Audi-Pug race, this one also finished on the same lap. For the scorekeepers, that's Aston, Vette, Vette, Aston.

LM GT2
The GT2 was quite the happy story for us as the Risi Competizione Ferrari F430 GT driven by Salo, Melo and Bruni owned the Porsche 911's. Why do we care? Those are some Houston, Texas boys and right now Houston sports fans will take any victory from any Houston team. Second place went to the Ferrari F430 GT campaigned by BMS Scuederia Italia. The final for GT2 was Ferrari, Ferrari, Ferrari, Ferrari, Porsche, Porsche.

[Photo: Getty Images/AFP, LeMans.org]

Spy Report
After last-week's first shots of the 2010 Shelby GT500 Mustang, we have spotted another prototype—this time with better conditions and more revealing camouflage that has revealed a few new details. The camouflage on this latest prototype gets some new grille-mesh, which gives us our best look yet at the GT500's front fascia. We can now clearly see the outer edges of the grille, the aggressive mesh treatment, and new, pie-shaped auxiliary lights placed at the corners of the front grille. The Cobra badge still sits offset in the grille of this prototype, but it's taped over in black, and is just barely visible.

The revised frontal camouflage is also pulled tighter to the front bumper, and the round fog lamps are now exposed, giving up another detail destined for the new Shelby's face. While the prior Shelby GT500 prototype was wearing the wheels from the current model, the latest test car was wearing new open-spoke five-star wheels, and the rear rubber looks notably wider than the front.

A close pass-by photo has raised another question about the specs of this prototype—namely the type of seats that will be used on the Shelby GT500 Mustangs. The passenger seats appears to be curiously covered in what appears to be the same material used to camouflage the dashboard design. The test driver's seat was uncovered, and could be identified as a Sparco EVO2—a very serious high-performance seat. A roll cage is also clearly installed in this prototype. Outfitted as it is, this Shelby looks nearly competition-ready.

A roll cage in any prototype doesn't necessarily mean anything, as certain tests require extra protection, but have nothing to do with an actual production application. Similarly, the aggressive driver's seat could be in place for some special, aggressive track testing, and may not be production-bound. It's the presence of the "bag" covering the other seat that has us more than a little curious. The prior Shelby prototype was outfitted with relatively conventional seats, and were completely uncovered. Then again, the interior was also completely uncovered, so we may have just caught a uniquely uncamouflaged interior. Perhaps the seat cover is only hiding some cool Cobra embossing—we can only speculate at this point.

What was clear was that these latest shots of the Shelby GT500 gave us our best look yet at its front fascia, and it's level of specification made it ready for some serious high-performance duty. Whether the spec-level captured here is destined for production is the real question—a question that only Ford insiders can answer at this point.

You want a genuine right-hand-drive, straight-from-Japan R33 Skyline GT-R, don't you? Of course you do! A 250-horse twin-turbocharged 2.6 six (which is eager to be boosted up to ridiculous power numbers using off-the-shelf components and well-known tuning tricks), all-wheel-drive, and JDM-only prestige that will leave jaws dropping in your wake. You could take your rapidly-eroding dollars and attempt to put together enough yen to get one shipped over from Japan... or you could buy this 1996 Skyline GT-R (go here if the ad disappears) right here in California! No, you're not allowed to buy it just for the RB25DETT engine (although we'd certainly approve of a Honey Bee B210 with such a powerplant)- you need to fix this car! We don't know how much the seller wants for it, but you can tell by his tone ("Don't waste my time. Serious buyers only!") that he or she means business. It's only got 10,000 kilometers on the clock, so the question is: was it hooned to death and wrecked in Japan, or was it hooned to death and wrecked over here? You'll have plenty of time to contemplate that question as you deal with layer after layer of state and federal bureaucrats, all of whom will disapprove strongly of the idea of you registering your Skyline for street use in North America, and all of whom will treat the car's sketchy lien-sale paperwork as being moderately radioactive. Oh yeah, the seller can't say whether it runs or not! Thanks to Jonee for the tip.

The last time we saw a Lagonda in this series, it stomped an Alfa Romeo Giulietta into a heap of rusty scrap metal in the poll. We thought maybe we'd save this '83 Lagonda to do battle with a Citroën, but then figured the horror of registering the Skyline, coupled with undeniable coolness, likely puts it on the same level as the Aston Martin. The best thing about this Lagonda is that it has the full-on electronic dash, which makes ordinary Lucas Electrics look downright bulletproof. And you know how much its price tag was in 1983? $150,000, which seems utter lunacy even before you convert it to the 2008 inflation-adjusted figure of $323,529. This car's auction has no reserve and is currently bid up to just $4,000; we may be looking at the ultimate in car-value depreciation here... which is bad news for the seller, but great news for you! Now, those of you who don't know Malaise Era British cars may be scoffing at the idea of this beautiful, fully-functional Aston Martin as a "project" car, but we guarantee it was a Hell Project the moment it left the assembly line (if not before then). You'll be lucky to get it up your driveway and soon-to-be sulfurous garage under its own power (four carburetors on a British DOHC smog V8- cue evil laughter). Thanks to UDMan for yet another great tip!

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We caught this prototype for Ford's redesigned 2010 Shelby GT500 running the streets of Detroit. Though its exterior was still heavily camouflaged, a few key styling elements that will separate the GT500 from lesser Mustangs were visible. The prototype's undisguised interior also revealed some more features destined for the 'revamped 'Stang in general, and on the Shelby GT in particular.

A close look at this Shelby GT prototype reveals that the Cobra grille badge will once again replace the galloping Mustang, and will sit offset to the right. Although it's not always easy to distinguish between false padding and the real sheet metal beneath the camouflage, it appears that this Shelby will get a more aggressively bulged hood, and deeper front air dam.

At the rear, the camouflage slipped free from the bottom of the rear bumper, and pulled up a bit to reveal some very distinctive detailing. The revamped Shelby sports an aggressive lower valance that emphasizes flares and sharp sculpting over the current model's clean, understated treatment.

This interior on this prototype was the first one we have seen free from the heavy fabric covers, providing our first unobscured look at the new Mustang's dashboard design. We can finally confirm that the current Mustang's dual-cowl dash top will be carried over in the redesign. We've also gotten our first look at a portion of the new 'Stangs center console, and we can make out a much more graceful transition from the dash face to the center stack—a small detail, but one that will certainly help to give the Mustang's interior a more refined look. Finally, we can clearly see that the steering wheel will once again be adorned with a large Cobra badge, this time finished completely in bright brushed metal.

It's now clear that the next Shelby GT500 will receive a thorough visual overhaul, but whether the car will also see a commensurate mechanical transformation is currently unknown. New engines will bow throughout the Mustang line, with an upgraded 5.0-liter V8 to replacing the current cars 4.6-liter unit, while six-banger 'Stangs will also be offered with Ford's promising 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 reportedly exceeding 300 horsepower. Engine tweaks to the next Shelby GT could be in the works as well, especially with the serious influx of muscle car competition thanks to the arrival of the Challenger and Camaro to U.S. showrooms.

We have SickWrathTerror over at the Motive Mag Forums to thank for sharing this photo of one Infiniti G35 owner apparently unaware that the 2009 GT-R was going to be available in the states. [Motive Forums]

I spotted this B parked while going out to dinner a few weeks back (on the same commercial strip where we saw the '71 Karmann Ghia). The sun was setting and I was using a borrowed camera, but I was able to capture this super-rare machine.


Yes, MGB fans, I know you can make these cars drive pretty well with huge swaybars, sticky tires, and more power... but in stock form they'll get blown away by your average mid-70s Civic.


That Pininfarina design sure is pretty, though! These things sold new for about $3,600 back in the early 70s, which was $1,300 more than a Datsun 510 and about $900 less than a BMW 2002.

"lost control of the 205mph £330,000 ($643,600) supercar just after he left home with wife Linda yesterday."

It SPUN through 180 degrees and HURTLED backwards through a wooden fence and a thick hawthorn hedge before coming to rest in a children's playground.

One witness claimed Anthony...lost it as he showed off to onlookers by revving the engine of the Carrera GT - which can do 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds.