It’s a cycle and a sports tourer and an exhilarating drive into motoring history: After almost 60 years of inactivity, the famous 3-Wheel Morgan has been reborn, with the Valley’s Brighton Motorsports the exclusive Arizona dealer. “This is not a new car or concept; it is a vehicle that was originally produced in 1910 through 1953 by Morgan Motor Company, and now Morgan is re-introducing it back into production,” says Karen Mustoe, who, with husband Shane, owns Brighton Motorsports and Brighton Ranch Paint & Body in the Scottsdale Airpark. “And, because the 3-Wheeler is powered by a motorcycle engine from S&S […]
KEEP READING >Your luxury and performance vehicles should ride on luxury, too, and Diko Sulahian’s WTW Corporation provides a full line of custom wheels to ensure that. His Santa Fe Springs, Calif.-based company manufactures Giovanna, Gianelle Designs, GFG and KoKo Kuture lines, which are cast and forged wheels he released and named after his three children as they were born. And, next month at the annual SEMA show, Nov. 1–4, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Diko will be introducing new innovative wheel designs and products for all his brands. “Our technology and manufacturing process provide flexibility, reliability and light weight in custom […]
KEEP READING >The FF, the new grand tourer from the magicians at Maranello, is the first-ever four-seat, four-wheel-drive car from the Prancing Horse. Revealed at the 81st Geneva Car Show March 1, this potent V-12 Ferrari is also versatile, as suitable for highway touring as it is for taking the children to and from school. Recently, at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver Felipe Massa commented: “It’s a car I like very much, indeed: the perfect combination of performance and usability. I have a son who’s just over a year old now, and this is a Ferrari that you can […]
KEEP READING >McLaren Automotive — on the same campus as McLaren Racing and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team — is finalizing the shipping list for the all-new 2012 McLaren MP4-12C, scheduled for delivery to North America in October. The 12C is revolutionary in design, construction and performance, says Tony Joseph, the company’s North American director. “Developed around the driver, the 12C was designed by McLaren from a clean sheet of paper with everything for a reason. Completely bespoke, there are no shared parts with any other vehicle.” Influenced by the iconic McLaren F1 — which set the world land speed record […]
KEEP READING >The 2012 SLS AMG Roadster — Sky and stars above, 563 horses below, and in front the road awaiting the driving signatures you want to etch into it. With its long hood, rear-biased glasshouse, long wheelbase and wide track and styling celebrating the company’s legendary 300 SL coupes and convertibles, the new two-seater car from Mercedes-Benz is the excellence you’d expect from the standard bearer of luxury, class and performance. Scheduled for a Sept. 13 premiere at the International Automobile Show in Frankfurt and to the United States market shortly after, the SLS Roadster is the second car to be developed […]
KEEP READING >Porsche is going green — in the fast lane. Earth consciousness and asphalt-scorching performance will ride together in the company’s planned 918 Spyder Hybrid. Combining a high-performance gasoline-powered engine with plug-in electric-drive technology, the mid-engine two-seater debuted as a concept car at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March 2010 and later appeared in the United States. “People responded quite favorably, enough so that we are going to put the car into production,” says Dave Engelman, product communications manager for Atlanta-based Porsche Cars North America. He notes that in the last year dealers for the Stuttgart-based company have already taken 900-plus […]
KEEP READING >Growing up, having a hot Camaro was great. Putting a Camaro top down on a hot day was better. The new 2011 Camaro convertible went on sale in February, beginning at $30,000. If you remember when American muscle flexed on street, boulevard and highway, or you want to create 21st-century Camaro memories, take a drive to your local Chevy dealership, and take a drive. This new convertible snugs right into the line of one of America’s great performance cars. Unveiled at the Los Angeles International Auto Show, the convertible also starred at the recent Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, as the purchase […]
KEEP READING >Lotus of Scottsdale has opened. Stop in; it will accelerate your world. In the former Penske Pre-Owned Ferrari building, 6855 E. McDowell Road, in Scottsdale, Penske Automotive is celebrating the opening of Lotus of Scottsdale. The facility is adjacent to Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati, also a Penske-family showroom. More than 150 dealerships nationwide, 325-plus worldwide, carry the Penske name. The Valley’s new Lotus dealership comprises 12,000 square feet including seven service bays and a parts department, with two sales associates and one sales manager under General Manager John Schlitt. The street-legal vehicles available at Lotus of Scottsdale are the Elise, Elise SC, Elise […]
KEEP READING >Forty years, 1,300 cars — and millions of guests and viewers. This year, Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale Auction celebrates four decades serving the collector-car hobby at WestWorld of Scottsdale, Monday, Jan. 17, through Sunday, Jan. 23. Gates open at 8 a.m. each morning, and bidding continues into the evening until the last docketed vehicle sells. “Our 40th anniversary event celebrates the automotive passion that has transformed this hobby,” says Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson — “The World’s Greatest Collector Car AuctionsTM”. He notes that a book will be available at the auction commemorating those 40 years. “We are expecting more than […]
KEEP READING >Start your engines for the most exciting Russo and Steele yet. The Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auction celebrates 11 years serving the car-collector hobby with its annual Scottsdale event Jan. 19–23, 2011. This year’s expanded auction will be at 18601 N. Scottsdale Road, just south of the Loop 101 Freeway in North Scottsdale. This year’s Russo and Steele features a new 50,000-square-foot Losberger main structure, incorporating all the event elements: the signature R/S auction in the round, indoor vehicle staging, vendors, sponsors and amenities. More than 650 European sports and American muscle cars, hot rods and customs will be auctioned, including […]
KEEP READING >A Cadillac that rips from standstill to 60 mph in four seconds? Sure, there have been powerful Caddys before: the 16-cylinder-equipped superstars of the early ‘30s; those dual four-barrel big blocks of the ‘50s; the 500-cubic inch monster Eldorados of the 1970s. But the 2011 CTS-V Coupe — Cadillac’s first two-door since the 2002 Eldo — goes where those vehicles had not gone before. The new 2 + 2 centerpiece of the GM’s top marque will attract the next generation of enthusiasts to the company, known as much during its 108 years for innovation as for uncompromising luxury. The super-coupe uses […]
KEEP READING >Inspired by the Saab Aero-X concept car, the new Saab 9–5 may change your concept of premium sedans. The totally restyled car from the Swedish manufacturer is now inventoried and for order at Legends Cadillac Hummer Saab, 7901 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. in Scottsdale. Combining crisp practical Scandinavian design and the carmaker’s heritage of quality engineering for driver comfort and enjoyment, the 9–5 exceeds even the high standards of a model introduced in 1999. Continuing the “9” theme designating previous Saab models, the second generation 9–5 debuted Sept.15, 2009, at the Frankfurt Motor Show and is the first Saab offered […]
KEEP READING >For the ancient Egyptians, the scarab represented the heavenly cycle. Today, the Scarab is sacred to racing car enthusiasts — and this legendary vehicle has returned to the showroom of Brighton Motorsports in the Scottsdale Airpark, 15650 N. Northsight Blvd. A handcrafted performer that can be outfitted for street or track, the continuation Scarab features an aircraft-aluminum body, handbuilt chrome-moly tube frame and suspension and head-turning aerodynamic styling. Prairie Village, Kan.-based Scarab Motorsports is reproducing the classic roadster, which first appeared in 1958. Shane and Karen Mustoe, principals of Brighton Motors, are the exclusive worldwide marketer and distributor. Scarab Motorsports is […]
KEEP READING >The new Ferrari 458 Italia — Begin with the legacy of Enzo Ferrari. Design a sinuous, sexy body by Pininfarina. Ensure supercar status at Fiorano with seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher. And, call on the Penske Automotive Group team at Scottsdale Ferrari-Maserati, led by General Manager John Schlitt, to service and maintain the newest Prancing Horse from the masters at Maranello. The two-seat mid-engine berlinetta is new in engine displacement and design, with F1-inspired improvements in aerodynamics, handling, instrumentation and ergonomics. Its numerical component references cylinders (8) and displacement (4.5 liters or 274.5 cubic inches). And “Italia,” well, this […]
KEEP READING >With the LFA, Lexus moves into the super-fast lane. When production begins in December of the LFA luxury sportscar, the company that is known for premium sedans will also be talked about for a sports car to suit the somewhat less buttoned up. This isn’t your father’s Lexus, for sure: The rear-wheel drive 4.8-liter V10 engine produces 552 horses and 354 pound feet of torque to about 202 mph. Acceleration is clearly world class at a track-tested 3.6 seconds from 0–60 mph. Potently, the double-overhead-cam LFA redlines at 9,000 rpm. Easily, it’s the fastest Lexus ever produced — announced by various tones […]
KEEP READING >Fast isn’t Koenigsegg fast. The Swedish company’s new supercar, the Agera, reaffirms this, with grace and power. Jet quick, its 910 horses and 850 foot pounds of maximum torque launch you, and a passenger, if he or she dares, to 62 mph in 3.1 seconds, with an estimated top speed of 245 mph — if you dare. Just a few months ago at the Geneva Auto Show, Christian von Koenigsegg debuted the Agera, and the dual-turbo car has impressed more than just the Swiss since. Scheduled for production this fall, the Agera celebrates 15 years of production for the elite Swedish […]
KEEP READING >Power, Beauty, Soul. Aston Martin devotees — 007 included — know that these defining characteristics drive them to their chosen vehicle, and you’ll know quickly that the marque’s new four-seater satisfies these conditions admirably. The company’s first four-door sports car in its august 87-year history, the aptly named Rapide accommodates four adults while embodying the thoroughbred legacy of its stable mates and forebears. Built on the DB9 platform — for long-time owner David Brown and the generation of his signature cars — but elongated slightly to 197.6 inches for the rear doors, the new Rapide will inspire new Aston Martin drivers […]
KEEP READING >If there’s any image sexier than a topless Maserati, call Scottsdale Ferrari/Maserati with your svelte candidate. Chances are Gary Simon and his sales crew will still choose the new magic from Modena. The Penske Automotive Group dealership, 6825 E. McDowell Road, has a 2010 GranTurismo convertible demonstrator, so stop down and see it. After taking a drive top up or down, take a long look, from all sides, at a beauty that the Roman gods would have been happy to take to the foot of Olympus. Designed by Pininfarina, the all-new Maserati droptop has arrived, and, if you’ve arrived, too, you […]
KEEP READING >The car is brutal fast. Not just fast, as in road legends such as Murciélago, ZR1 and GT40. Enzo fast. Veyron fast. Carrera GT and Koenigsegg CCXR fast. And-then-some fast. The mid-engine Ultima GTR is the fastest accelerating and decelerating production vehicle in the world at — hold on — 9.4 blistering seconds. Manufactured by Ultima Sports Ltd. of Hinckley, Leicestershire, England, this is the road-legal supercar that recently bested the $3 million Ferrari FXX, piloted by seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher around the Top Gear test track. It beat the Ferrari’s record at work, then traveled back home along […]
KEEP READING >The artists at Forgiato have reinvented the wheels. Norman and AC Celik, the cofounding brothers of the Sun Valley, Calif.-based company, have introduced two premium lines — Monoleggera and Reventón — to their exclusive portfolio of highline wheels. Forgiato (“forged” in Italian) manufactures luxury alloy wheels for high-performance vehicles such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Built in their factory/warehouse to jewel-like specifications, Forgiato’s 20 custom wheel styles are available in various sizes and almost unlimited finishes. The new lines are both one-piece artworks. Introduced in early 2009, the Monoleggera, retailing at $6,000 a set, is a one-piece […]
KEEP READING >Where else but Barrett-Jackson? The 1930 Ford Model A in which John Dillinger and criminal cohorts fled from Melvin Purvis and the FBI in April ’34; Buddy Holly’s ‘58 Chevy Impala, purchased in the days before the day the music died; and a 1952 Watson Roadster customized by Blastolene and powered by a 900-plus-horsepower Patton Tank Engine packing 1,500 foot pounds of asphalt-tearing torque . . . Where else but Scottsdale Barrett-Jackson 2010 will you experience the thrill of such superb examples of vehicular Americana on the road to new homes? Here, too, you’ll see 1,200 additional collector cars and a […]
KEEP READING >For anniversaries, ten may be tin for some couples, but for Russo and Steele, it’s pure gold. The Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auction will celebrate 10 years serving the car-collector hobby with its annual auction Jan. 20–24, 2010, under the signature white tents at 18601 N. Scottsdale Road, just south of the Loop 101 Freeway. This year, founders Drew and Josephine Alcazar will offer more than 600 European sports cars, American muscle cars, hot rods and customs at their all-reserve event. “For sure, it’s a milestone to achieve, and we have so many contributions from friends, family and volunteers to […]
KEEP READING >The new Devon GTX: a moving experience, standing still. The first vehicle from Devon Motorworks, the 650-horsepower rear-drive American supercar was unveiled at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Aug.15. A synthesis of flowing sculptural design, coachwork details, superlative engineering, road/race athleticism and a passion for the legacy of great sports cars, the Devon GTX will be limited to a first-year production of 36, with deliveries beginning March 2010, says Scott Devon, founder and owner of the Los Angeles, Calif.-based industrial-design company. The Aria-Group, led by founder Clive Hawkins, will produce the carbon-fiber-body two-door from a studio in Irvine, Calif. […]
KEEP READING >The child should always outperform the parent. So is it with the Spyker C8 Aileron, the newest car from the Dutch super-sports-car manufacturer, which holds fast to the company’s almost century-old motto, “Nulla tenaci invia est via,”: “For the tenacious, no road is impassable.” Tenaciously redesigned from the company’s first-generation cars, the Spyker C8 Laviolette and the Spyker C8 Spyder, the Aileron celebrates with them the company’s aircraft and racing heritage, evidenced by the signature propeller and wheel logo. Spyker began building horse coaches in 1875 and followed with its first car in 1898; the company later built fighter aircraft and […]
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