Volkswagen has debuted its fair share of concept cars over the years, and many have made their way to production, such as the new VW ID.4 from the ID. Crozz, but there are a few that haven’t, despite how cool they may have appeared.
Here are eight VW concept cars that were shown on an auto show floor but then were put away forever:
Italdesign Machimoto
Debuted in 1986, this futuristic open-top roadster combined the stylings of a motorcycle, convertible and, weirdly enough, a family car.
It was based on the Golf GTi 16V platform and built with flexible seating for six to nine passengers using tandem motorcycle-style saddle seats. Steering was controlled by a wheel that could transform from a handlebar into a traditional steering wheel.
Resembling an amusement ride test car, passengers were advised to wear a helmet.
Scooter
Also debuting in 1986 was the Scooter concept, which Volkswagen describes as “a nimble, three-wheel, front-wheel drive car with an engine located in the front and a two-door coupe body.”
This featherweight vehicle with gull-wing doors weighed around 1,400 pounds and was capable of putting out 40 horsepower.
Futura
Even then, the Futura concept car from 1989 impressed with numerous high-tech functions and features.
This futuristic mini-van with gull-wing doors debuted in 1989 as an Integrated Research Volkswagen since it was equipped with groundbreaking technology including distance sensors, parking and braking assistance functions, a navigation system, an on-board computer, and an electric parking brake.
Its engine was rated at 82 horsepower and featured an evaporation cooling system and mechanical supercharger.
Many of its elements inspired the features found in the production ID.3 that was shown at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor show.
W12 Nardo
This supercar was designed to test a new type of engine, the W-configuration that went on to break records and supply power to VW models and the Bugatti Veyron.
The supercar was introduced as the W12 in 1997 and then re-introduced as the Nardo in 2001. An Italian design team was in charge of designing the car to accommodate VW’s Syncro 4WD system and a 12-cylinder engine in a W-configuration.
The engine was rated at 600 horsepower and pushed the W12 Nardo to 60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds.
In February 2002, the concept supercar drove 24 hours straight, covering 4,909.8 miles – at the time the furthest any car had traveled in that amount of time.
Magellan
Part car, part SUV and part truck, this concept created in 2002 by Volkswagen’s Design Center in Spain was for outdoor enthusiasts. It features 19-inch wheels, air suspension, a roomy interior that could house 6 passengers, and a removable navigation system dubbed as the “G.P.S. to Go.”
EcoRacer
In 2005, Volkswagen attempted to create the most economical sports car of all time and named it the EcoRacer.
“EcoRacer was a unique looking vehicle with a carbon fiber body and a powerful diesel engine mounted in the middle of the frame that could reach 136 hp and 62 mph in 6.3 seconds, with a top speed of 142 mph,” Volkswagen describes the sports car.
“The roof of the EcoRacer was its most unique feature – the driver could transform the EcoRacer from a coupe into a convertible by removing the hard top and then convert it to a speedster by removing the windscreen and frame,” the automaker notes.
XL Sport
A speed enthusiast’s dream, the 2014 XL Sport was a hyper-efficient sports car equipped with the world’s most powerful 2-cylinder engine, propelling the coupe to 62 miles per hour in just 5.7 seconds.
The car features wing doors hinged at two points that allow passengers to open them both upward and forward.
Atlas Tanoak
Volkswagen debuted the rugged Atlas Tanoak pickup at the New York International Auto Show in 2018 after hinting for years that it was going to bring a truck to the US market.
Based on an extended-wheelbase from the Atlas SUV, this dual-cab pickup featured a V6 engine, the ubiquitous modular transverse chassis, an 8-speed automatic transmission, and 4Motion all-wheel drive.
As with all of the Bond, James Bond movies, 007 isn’t the only star. Cars also star in the No Time To Die, and Land Rover has released behind-the-scenes footage of a chase scene from the film involving a pair of Range Rover Sport SVR sport-utility vehicles.
The video provides “a taste” of the action as the stunt team explains why, as Land Rover puts it, “Range Rover SVR was perfect for the job.”
The team was led by Chris Corbould, a two-time Oscar winner, and stunt coordinator Lee Morrison, who is quoted in the news release saying “I was really keen to shoot a Bond chase sequence off-road, in a really challenging environment and the Range Rover Sport SVR was the perfect choice for this part of the story. We shoot everything for real so we’ve pushed it to the absolute maximum and the pursuit promises to be one of the memorable set-piece moments of the film.”
The SVRs used in the movie were selected for “stealth and capability,” we’re told, and are done in Eiger Grey paint, with the optional Carbon Pack, and Narvik Black 22-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, should want to duplicate your own.
“The Range Rover Sport SVR takes luxury performance to new heights with enhanced driving dynamics and a powerful 575 horsepower supercharged V8 engine, making it the perfect choice for the role,” Land Rover notes. “It can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds (0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds) and has a top speed of 283km/h (176 mph), making it the fastest ever Land Rover.”
Land Rover also said the vehicles used in the movie were on standard factory suspension.
There are all sorts of car shows and concours held across the country and around the world, but one is different for at least two (or three) reasons. It’s the EysOn Design show, which is held at the former home of Edsel and Eleanor Ford on the shorts of Lake St. Clair in suburban Detroit.
But what really separates this show are the facts that it is staged by auto company designers, and by the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology, and among the awards are those given by visually impaired persons make their decisions after going over the cars with white cloth gloves.
The theme for the show, which is scheduled for September September 17 (a driving tour), September 19 (the 33rd EyesOn car show), and September 21, (a new EyesOn event at the Motor Bella new car show in Pontiac, Michigan) is “Marques of Extinction: Significant Designs of Bygone Brands.”
“The goal for EyesOn Design 2021 is to pay homage to the brands, both American and foreign, that are no longer in production, highlighting their significant influence and unique contributions to automobile design,” chief judge Glen Durmisevich writes in an event news release.
“Although they have either gone out of business due to technical obsolescence, were driven to bankruptcy during the Great Depression, merged with a competitor to survive or were redundant models in a shrinking marketplace, these defunct automobile brands all had a significant impact on automobile design over the years.
“To date, more than 1,000 automobile manufacturers in the United States have gone defunct. In the early 1900s, the automobile began taking its own shape, moving beyond its horseless carriage roots. Many new start-up endeavors, of which almost none survive, were hoping to take advantage of the growing market for this exciting new means of transportation. Many of them introduced vehicles that contributed significantly to the early evolution of automobile design. Early electric powered cars and steam driven cars would fade away, losing out to gasoline powered cars.
“By 1908 there were about 250 viable automobile manufacturers here in the US; By 1929 that number had dropped to 44. It would continue to rise and fall through the decades. Today there are 14 global corporations that control over 60 major automobile brands around the world. We proudly pay tribute to the last design influence of many of these bygone brands.”
The 1962 Studebaker Lark is owned by Sandra Studebaker, an 8th-generation descendant of the founding family. Now in her 80s, Studebaker, has bicycled across the country (LA to Boston), run marathons (race walking a half-marathon on her 70th birthday), earned several college degrees, and worked as a hospital librarian. Her son, Curtis Cryderman, restored the Lark, but died at the age of 41. In a tribute to her late son, Sandra Studebaker continues to display the “Lady Lark” at Detroit area shows.
Among the vehicles to be featured this year are the 1961 Dual Ghia L6.4 prototype, the 1963 Kaiser Dragon, a 1957 Studebaker Dream Roadster that was shown on the 2019 Hot Wheels Legends Tour, and a 1962 Studebaker Lark owned by Sandra Studebaker, an eight-generation descendant of the company’s founding family and restored by her late son, Curtis Cryderman.
Motor Bella to be new kind of auto show
Soon after EyesOn, Detroit’s new-style new-car show, Motor Bella, is scheduled for September 23-26 the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan.
Motor Bella plans to provide a tour “through the ever-evolving world of mobility” where you can try an electric car, ride a utility vehicle up rocky terrain, or experience a sports car accelerating from 0-to-60 in 3 seconds as you “pick out your next new ride.”
The show also will feature AutoMobili-D, a showcase of next-generation automotive technology and startups.
Motor Bella also will be the location for the EyesOn show awards ceremony.
Ferraris featured at Chattanooga
The Chattanooga Motorcar Festival has announced a special display of 14 Ferraris for its event October 15-17. The Ferrari grouping is being offered as preview of the Italian sports car producer’s 75th anniversary in 2022.
Among the Ferraris to be showcased are a 1948 166 Spider Corsa, a 1954 250 Monza, 1967 275 GTB/4S NART Spider and a 1985 288 GTO.
Cadillac to be showcased in Las Vegas
Cadillac will be the featured marque at the Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance, scheduled for October 21-24, with the concours taking place in a “Field of Dreams” setting at the Las Vegas Ball Park, a Triple-A baseball facility in Summerlin.
Among other judged classes are American post-war oddities through 1974, Supercars 1971-1990, and Race Cars. Display classes include Japanese Cars 1946-1990, Ferraris for the Road 2011-Present, Very Limited Production/Concept/One-Off, and one called Vegas Strong restro-mods.
McNab featured collector at Hilton Head
Bob McNab will be the featured collector at the 2021 Hilton Head Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival November 5-7 in South Carolina, the event announced.
“Bob and Mitzi have been faithful exhibitors over several years,” concours chair Merry Merry Harlacher is quoted. “Their ongoing participation has helped make this event what it is – a display of incredible vehicles overlaid with our signature Southern hospitality. Bob’s shown a memorable collection of American Performance cars and motorcycles, performance car enthusiasts are anxious to see what they are bringing each year.”
Among the McNab collection vehicles to be displayed are a 1953 Chevrolet Townsman station wagon, a 1965 Allstate Cheyenne moped, a 1969 Ford Torino 428 Cobra Jet and a 1986 Dale Earnhardt Wrangler NASCAR Chevrolet Aero Coupe.
Gurney Eagles to star at Road America
Gurney Eagles will fly again at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin | Road America photo
Road America has announced that the featured marque at its WeatherTech International Challenge with Brian Redman vintage racing weekend July 14-17, 2022, will be the AAR Eagle, with a special reunion planned for the cars produced by Dan Gurney’s shop.
“Having the AAR Eagle serve as the featured mark for 2022 is a fitting tribute for the event as Eagles have raced at the fabled four-mile 14-turn circuit since the ‘60s,” the Wisconsin track said in its announcement. “Since its inception, Dan Gurney’s All-American Racers established itself as one of America’s most successful race car constructors, amassing wins in series as diverse as sports car, Formula 1, and Indycar.
“Between 1965 and 2012, the company produced 106 Indy Eagles, and by 1973, just eight years after the first Eagle flew at Indy, nearly 60-percent of Indy 500 teams ran the Eagle chassis.”
Dutch gearing up for Dakar
07/09/2021 – Dakar Tour Netherlands
07/09/2021 – Dakar Tour Netherlands
The Dutch contingent for Dakar
With more than 200 people from the Netherlands entered into the 2022 Dakar Rally, and many of them in the Dakar Classic category for vehicles from the 1980s and ‘90s, event organizers recently staged a special “pre-scrutineering” program on their home turf. More than 20 vehicles were examined by rally officials and event details were shared in preparation for the competition scheduled for January in Saudi Arabia.
The Dutch competitors were the first to be informed that on-site scrutineering will be held on the Red Sea coast before the competitive event launches from Ha’il.
The Dutch Team De Rooy has a long history with the rally, though Gerard de Rooy said he has yet to decide if he’ll drive a new and advanced truck or if he’ll opt instead for the double-cab DAF his father drove in the rally in 1984.
“I climbed inside a few days ago and brought my 6-year-old son with me,” de Rooy told rally officials. “He’s the same age I was when I saw it for the first time. This truck is part of my life because the Dakar is part of my life.”
Custom motorcycles at Carlisle
Larry Collette’s 1951 Harley-Davidson FL won People’s Choice honors | Progressive IMS Outdoors photo
Usually, vehicle shows at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania are managed by Carlisle Events, but the facility recently hosted the third round of the Progressive IMS Outdoors J&P cycles Ultimate Builder custom bike show series, where the People’s Choice award was voted to a 1951 Harley-Davidson FL done in 1970s chopper style by Larry Colette.
Other winners were Jack Deagazio’s 1964 Harley-Davidson Chopper (Freestyle), and a pair of Tom Keefer’s customs, a gold-leaf painted 2001 Harley-Davidson (Custom Street) and a Harley-Davidson FL created using a 1944 Harley Knucklehead (Custom Classic)
2021 car show and concours calendar
The following are dates currently set (but subject to change) for a variety of concours d’elegance, car shows and driving tours scheduled during 2021:
September
1-30 – Cars at the Capital, Washington, D.C.; 12-17 – Revival AAA Glidden Tour, Saratoga Springs, New York; 17-19, Goodwood Revival, UK; Oregon Festival of Cars, Bend; Vail Automotive Classic, Colorado; 18 – Ford Model A Day, Hickory Corners, Michigan; Hot Wheels Legends Tour, Houston; 18-19 – The Bridge, Long Island, New York; Taste of Motorsports, Sonoma, California; 19 – EyesOn Design, Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan; Dayton Concours, Ohio; RADwood, Seattle; Simply BMW, Beaulieu, UK; 21-26, Motor Bella, Pontiac, Michigan; 24-25 – Cadillac-LaSalle Fall Festival, Hickory Corners, Michigan; 24-26 – Detroit 4Fest, Mt. Holly, Michigan; Goodguys Lone Star Nationals, Fort Worth; 25 — Autumn in the Mountains, Mills River, North Carolina; 26 – Catskill Conquest Rally, Saratoga, New York; Camaros at the Corners, Hickory Corners, Michigan; Simply British Classics, Beaulieu, UK; 29-October 3 – Fall Carlisle, Pennsylvania; 30-October 3, American Speed Festival, Pontiac, Michigan; Audrain Newport Concours & Motorweek, Rhode Island
October
1-2 – Euro Fest, Ridgeland, Mississippi; La Jolla Motor Car Classic, California; 1-3 – Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, Italy; Goodguys Del Mar Nationals, California; 6-9 — AACA Eastern Fall Nationals & Flea Market, Hershey, Pennsylvania; 6-10 – Zoute concours, Belgium; 8-9 – Z Nationals, Road Atlanta; 9 – RADwood, Austin, Texas; DesutscheMarques Oktoberfest, Hickory Corners, Michigan; 13-14 – Goodguys Get-Together, Pleasanton, California; 16 – Gilmore Fall Color Tour, Hickory Corners, Michigan; 17 — Packard Proving Grounds fall open house, Michigan; 19-21 – Goodguys Southwest Nationals, Scottsdale; 21-24 – Las Vegas Concours d’Elegance, Nevada; Auto e Moto d’Epoca, Padua, Italy; 22-25 – Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, Connecticut; 23 – RADwood, Greenwich, Connecticut; 29 – Fort Lauderdale Concours, Florida
November
2-5 – SEMA Show, Las Vegas; 7 – Exotics on Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Simply Smart, Beaulieu, UK; 11-15, AACA Southeastern Fall Tour, North Carolina; 11-13 – AACA Special Western Nationals, Phoenix; 12-13 — Carlisle Events at Lakeland, Florida; 14-17 – AACA Western Divisional Tour, Arizona; 15-17, Chattanooga Motorcar Festival, Chattanooga, Tennessee; RADwood, Los Angeles; 28 – VW Santa Run, Beaulieu, UK
One of the best-looking small-bore British sports cars ever was the Triumph TR4. With a design by Giovanni Michelotti, the lines of the car are nothing short of perfection and define the era of the 1960s better than any other affordable sports car.
The TR4 is a civilized roadster for the era, having roll-up windows and a convertible top that does a better job than most other British tops of the era at keeping the rain out. The interior of the TR4 is also well-finished with leather seats and a lovely dash layout with chrome-surround classic gauges that transport you back to the 1960s.
The TR4 also has a strong racing history, including finishing first in class at the 1961 Sebring race, first, second and fourth in class at Sebring in 1963, and another class win there in 1966. They were also quite dominant in SCCA racing in the U.S. fielded by Kas Kastner and Bob Tullius, who were the ones who took the cars to Sebring as well.
The Pick of the Day is a 1962 Triumph TR4 finished in Wedgewood Blue with a correct black leather interior.
According to the Hilton Head, SC private owner advertising this TR4 on ClassicCars.com, it is “not perfect but a real nice one.” They go on to state that it has all original chrome in good condition, and the engine has been upgraded to a set of twin Weber downdraft carbs and an Abarth exhaust system.
The car is completely rust-free, the seller says, and recently received new floor pans, inner and outer rocker panels, new clutch and clutch hydraulics, a new master cylinder, completely new and correct interior including Suffolk leather seat covers, new top, a new grille, wiring harness, an alternator conversion, new battery, horns, all new cooling hoses and fuel lines, new brake pads, and new speedo and tach cables.
A nice thing about this ad is that the seller also included pictures of the car during restoration, giving the prospective buyer a better idea of what has been done to the car.
The TR4 is being sold with four spare wire wheels, lots of additional spare parts and a factory workshop manual, the ad notes.
The car drives great with no slop in the steering or suspension, and it is ready to be driven now while the new owner adds the finishing touches to make this TR4 a truly excellent example, the seller adds.
The asking price of $25,995 is right in line with what a TR4 in this condition.
To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
“First launching in 1964 on the General Motors A-body platform, the GTO was initially an option package for the Pontiac LeMans and later became a standalone model in 1966,” says AutoHunter on the GTO’s listing.
This example was subject to a body-off restoration between 2011 and 2012 in which the convertible was repainted in the factory shade of Fontaine Blue and given a replacement, power-operated white convertible top. The body also wears quad stacked headlights, hood scoops, bright moldings and trim and a dual exhaust system at the rear.
Take a virtual test drive in this GTO by watching the video below:
“The interior was refurbished with correct Parchment vinyl seating and door panels, contrasted by replacement black carpeting and Pontiac-branded floor mats,” the auction adds.
Additional interior amenities include a faux woodgrain trim, factory air conditioning, push-button radio and a cue ball shift knob.
Power comes from a rebuilt 389cid Tri-Power V8 that was overhauled during the restoration. The engine is linked to a Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission which replaced the car’s original 2-speed automatic.
The odometer shows 70,761 miles, although the seller notes true chassis mileage is unknown.
This Pontiac GTO’s auction ends September 20 at 11:20 a.m. PDT.
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information on the car and to see a gallery of photos.
(Editor’s note: During the month of September, we’re publishing a series of articles about selling a collector car. Today, collector car auction Barrett-Jackson’s staff photographer Tim Heit shares his tips for capturing the best photos of your car.)
Photographs play a significant role in the auction process, helping us both evaluate and market your car. In addition, seeing exceptional photos of your vehicle will inspire confidence in potential bidders ‒ bidders who may purchase your car without ever having seen it in person. During our 2015 Scottsdale auction, for example, Internet and phone bidding accounted for 4.7% of our total vehicle sales. That may not sound like a lot, but it translates into $6.5 million in auction vehicle purchases. Photography matters.
Location, location, location
Drive your car to the rear of a supermarket, department store, warehouse ‒ any place that is a large, blank canvas on which to place your car. Keep the following in mind:
Don’t shoot the vehicle in your driveway, or on grass or snow.
Make sure there are no people or other cars in your shot.
Avoid trees or signs in the background.
Light source
Example of a poorly planned photo.
Most consignors will use the sun as their light source. Shade is recommended (for even lighting), or natural light just as the sun rises or sets. This is especially important when shooting the engine and interior.
Background
Remember: you are trying to sell a vehicle, not capture an image of a stunning landscape. The photo at left is an example of a poorly planned photo: the car is cut off, the angle is too high, the photographer’s shadow and handicapped signs are in the image, there’s a busy background, the lighting is uneven and there are unwanted reflections on the car. The photo below it was taken at the same time of day, 200 feet away from the first location. The lighting in this location is even and the shot was taken from more of a distance, avoiding unwanted shadows in the picture and allowing the entire car to be in the frame.
Example of a well thought-out photo: find a simple location, then back up and shoot low.
Reflections
You have just spent thousands of dollars and countless hours in the paint booth. The last thing you want to do is have reflections of parking lines (see the image above), another car, or your bright blue trash can visible on the side or hood of your collectible.
Equipment
Over the past year, Barrett-Jackson has seen a steady increase in consignors using cellphones to take photos. It is not optimal, but it cannot be ignored that smartphones will account for nearly one trillion photos in 2015. In the three examples below, you can see the difference between an iPhone 6, a $150 Canon “point and shoot” and a Nikon D600 DSLR. Notice how the front of the car is distorted in iPhone versus the Canon, and even more so when compared to the Nikon. However, if a smartphone is all you have, here are a few important tips:
Photo taken with an iPhone 6
Hold phone in landscape mode. (Remember, your photos are displayed on high-definition screens during the auction. A portrait orientation will not fit the HD screens properly.)
Don’t use digital zoom (pinch-to-zoom); there are only a few phones that have optical zoom.
Make sure your camera lens is clean.
Avoid shooting in low-light scenarios; this will cause blurriness and loss of detail.
Use natural light, not the flash
Use a Camera App. Yes, the iPhone’s built-in camera app has improved from version to version. But there are companies out there that only focus on photography, such as Camera+ and Camera Awesome.
Don’t use filters or effects. They do not help represent your vehicle’s true color or condition.
For those of you with more advanced cameras, here are a few key tips to consider:
White balance. Auto white balance can be a blessing and a curse. For this article, the sun is used as the light source, which can mean direct sun or shade. Either way, choose one of these white balance settings for more consistent color.
File type. JPEG is the most common file type for digital cameras. However, not all JPEGs are created equal. Most cameras use the terms JPEG Fine or JPEG High.
Resolution. Choose the largest size available. We’re looking for at least 2MB per image. This varies from camera to camera: it may say Large, 12MP or 4000 x 3000.
Use a long lens. If you use a DSLR and have a 105mm or 200mm lens, use it. This will compress the background and let the focus be on the car. If you use a point-and-shoot camera, it is very important that you turn off digital zoom. You want to capture what the camera lens sees, not what a computer chip thinks it sees.
Avoid using a wide-angle lens. For the interior and engine shots you don’t have much option. But for the front, rear and profile angles, a wide-angle lens will change the proportions of the car and even cause distortion.
Photo taken with a Canon A2200
Photo taken with a Nikon D600 W/105MM
Composition
Barrett-Jackson requires five standard shots of your vehicle: front 3/4, rear 3/4, side profile, engine and interior. The online consignment application includes clear examples and diagrams of exactly how to achieve these shots. The front 3/4 is by far the most used and best representation of your car. The three most common mistakes are that you cannot see enough of the front of the car, the car is cut off in the frame and the camera is positioned too high.
Angle
Every car has a stance; the height of your camera is the No. 1 factor that will accentuate its attitude. The most common shots seen are from 4 to 5 feet in height, looking down on the car. If you take the same shot from a lower angle, 2 to 3 feet off the ground, you are now on the same level as the car’s center, and with a non-professional camera you will reduce the distortion. The angle is key in showing off the proportions of your vehicle. Every vehicle is different, but a go-to rule for most vehicles involves the right rear tire: if it is visible behind the front left tire in your image (see the photo taken with the Nikon above), you’ve got the angle right.
During the recent Monterey Car Week, BMW North America loaned me a new 2021 M3 to travel around the Northern California peninsula. I was both excited and worried.
I had not previously seen the car, let alone driven one, but I’d heard so many comments about how the grille was too big. Though in the same breath, people also said how well the car drove.
My M3 week behind me, I am here to say that I simply love the car, and I even love the grille.
To get the whole grille bit out of the way, I will say that the color of the car is a great determiner of how people might react to the enlarged grille. My friend Jason Cammisa simply hates it (more on that later), but on the car I drove in Monterey, an M3 finished in Isle of Man Green, I thought the grille looked fantastic.
Yes, the styling of this new M3 is a bit over the top and very aggressive, but the M3 as a driver’s car that needs to be recognized as it emerges in the rearview mirror of slower vehicles. The bright shade of green, the big grille, and especially combined with the Kyalami orange and Merino black leather interior, this M3 was more frequently praised than panned by those who took note.
After a flight delayed by three hours on the way west, I finally picked up the car at SFO at 5:15 p.m. Pacific time. In other words, just in time for the worst afternoon traffic in the Bay area.
I put my restaurant destination in Monterey into the onboard navigation system and headed down the road. I had a 6:30 p.m. reservation in Monterey with a group of friends and I called them to let them know I would ring them from the road if I’d arrive before dessert.
Instead of taking 101 south, which was a parking lot, the nav system put me on the route thru the Santa Cruz mountains. The M3’s 6-speed manual gearbox was the perfect tool for this drive, basically an automotive scalpel, able to deal with the constant switchbacks on the route as if it were taking a relaxed drive through the park.
As the drive started, the nav system said I’d arrive by 7:05, but I walked into the Turn 12 Bar and Grill at 6:28 p.m., just in time for dinner. Being a Monday, I was actually able to park on the street only a block away from the restaurant, a miracle in itself during car week.
Over that pre-dinner drive, the M3 really showed me what it could do, with strong acceleration, perfectly balanced handling and — thankfully — the optional carbon-ceramic brakes. I say thankfully as during the drive, a mail truck decided to do a full 360-degree spin about 50 yards in front of me, and the M3 was able to stop in time from an impressive speed.
The most amazing thing about the drive is that even though I was paying extreme attention to the road, slow-moving minivans, and on the lookout for the authorities, the drive was always controlled and relaxing, and the M3 did not beat me to death with an over-dampened suspension as other cars in its class tend to do.
At the Grassroots Kickoff show in Pacific Grove
The next day, I took the car to the Carmel Concours on the Avenue and then to the Grassroots Motorsports welcome party in Pacific Grove. Although I was going to be a judge at the show, publisher Tim Suddard asked me to display the M3, which I did, placing an entry card on the windshield.
It seemed that from the minute I arrived, tons of younger enthusiasts were drawn to the car like moths to a flame. All simply loved the car.
After returning to my car after judging, I looked at my windshield card and found that someone had defaced it, writing that the car was “ugly.” I knew this was the work of my friend Jason Cammisa.
At the Legends event at the Monterey County Fairgrounds
During the rest of the week, the M3 remained a joy to drive, easily able to hold as many people as needed and yet, even with four doors, to act like a sports car. I was able to put my now sadly late friend Eric Keller, a BMW M-car expert and co-founder of the Enthusiast Auto Group, behind the wheel (he died in a motorcycle accident last week).
He, too, came away impressed with how well the new M3 drove and liked not only the gregarious color combo but the styling as well.
The M3 and I headed to Legends of the Autobahn and yet again, people really seemed to love the car, even the person I parked next to in his E36 M3 who said that he loved the new M3 and could not wait to get one. I got the impression that BMW might know more than a lot of automotive journalists do about its customers, and with this design has really done very well by them, and especially the younger buyers.
Speaking of the Legends, my hat is off to the team that put on this event. It seems people living in the neighborhood where the event was originally supposed to take place were able to get it ejected even after local officials had approved the show.
The Legends team had only a few days o find a new location (the county fairgrounds) and to pull off a great event. Unless you have run a similar event, you have no idea the amount of work this took.
M3 after dark
This new M3 is the first I’ve driven since the E36 version, and it is the most enjoyable and drivable M3 I recall. It truly is a 4-door sports car, something Nissan tried to convince us that the second-generation Maxima was, but failed in the attempt.
The M3 feels to me almost as light as the E36 but with considerably more power. It is also comfortable. It is not the hammer that the M5 Competition is, but much more of a scalpel, made for making short and involving work out of a twisty road or even a race track.
Being rear-wheel drive, it will allow you to break it lose, but the car rotates so well that doing so is easily managed with a little counter steer.
A new M3 CS has been released and offers even more power and all-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox. That might be good for some, but the rear-wheel drive 2021 M3 with a manual gearbox is the one I would choose. It is not just a sports sedan but a true 4-door sports car that can handle the most mundane chores as well as the most-aggressive track day.
Driven: 2021 BMW M3
Vehicle type: 5-passenger sedan, rear-wheel drive
Base price: $69,900 Price as tested: $90,295
Engine: Twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder, 473 horsepower at 6,250 rpm, 406 pound-feet torque at 6,150 rpm. Transmission: 6-speed manual
If you live in the Midwest, you most likely know Menards as a store that sells lumber, tools, doors and windows, roofing, flooring, paint, appliances, and a lot more.
Even if you don’t live in the Midwest, you may recognize the Menard family name for its involvement in auto racing, both Indy and stock car competition.
The company was founded by John Menard Jr., the oldest of eight siblings who put himself through college by selling surplus lumber on a railroad siding. He opened his first hardware store in 1964.
His younger brother, Larry, was a key part of the store expanding program and while John liked cars that raced, Larry became a car collector. Larry died in 2019 but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the auction of his car collection, officially the Larry and Dawn Menard Collection.
The auction also will be held at a new location. Instead of the Menard Collection venue, the sale will take place at the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds Expo Building in Chippewa Falls.
“This amazing collection of amazing collector cars, signs and Petroliana was acquired over years of searching for just that car and just that piece of memorabilia,” writes Yvette VanDerBrink. “Larry and Dawn together enjoyed going to shows, auctions, and searching antique stores for items to add to their collection. Larry and Dawn Menard had their collection at their residence and enjoyed showing the collection to other collectors.
“Larry Menard was often the face of Menards and spent many hours setting up and checking on Menard stores across the Midwest,” she continues. “This gave him a lot of time to look for the next addition to their collection.”
More than 30 cars are on the docket, including Fords from the 1930s and mid-century models from various manufacturers, featuring Chevrolets and including Corvettes. Also on the docket are motorcycles, antique tractors, scooters, gas pumps, and signs.
In what may have been one of the most expensive vehicle production systems ever devised, Cadillac of Detroit worked with Pininfarina of Italy to produce the Allante, a luxury 2-seater. Bodies and interiors were created in Torino, then traveled via the “air bridge” across the Atlantic in specially equipped Boeing 747s to Michigan, where the powertrain, suspension, etc., were installed.
Euro-American vehicles had been done before, but made the crossing via ship. Between 1987 and 1993, more than 21,000 Allante chassis traveled the air bridge. We don’t know what the “toll” for such travel might have been, but the cars were priced at around $55,000, or some $20K more than a Chevrolet Corvette.
But they were stylish, and they came with a story to delight your buddies at the country club. They came with anti-lock brakes and you could order yours with something called a cellular telephone.
The Pick of the Day is a 1991 Cadillac Allante being offered for sale by its second owner.
Allante had a Cadillac V8 engine
Hardtop has its own stand for storage
“I’ve owned this Allante since December of 1999 and I’m the second owner of the fine low-mileage car,less than 27,000 miles,” says the private seller advertising the car on ClassicCars.com. “I’ve gotten to the point of having too many cars in relation to my age.
“The first one I had to sell was a ‘64 Vette about six month ago and it broke my heart. The next one is this Allante. which is also hard to part with.
“This is an Italian-made American sports car. The body design and coachwork is by Pininfarina in Turin, Italy. They would fly the bodies in to Michigan, US, on a specially built 747. I personally stopped by the Pininfarina plant while I was in Italy one time and unfortunately was unable to tour the plant because I hadn’t made a pre-arranged appointment.
“This two-seater has black leather interior with a tilt steering wheel and dealer installed radar detection system. The car has functioning Air Conditioning system and a headlight washing system… The car comes with both a soft top in excellent condition and a separate hard top. The hard top includes a special designed stand and cover.”
The car, which is Bloomfield, New Jersey, is being offered for $15,500. To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Up for auction on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com is a custom-built 1932 Ford Highboy roadster that features a crate Chevrolet Vortec 350cid V8 powerplant in a Kilbourne body.
The fiberglass body has been professionally repainted in Viper Red with custom pinstriping. Exterior features include a Sid Chavers tan cloth Boptop, chrome headlight surrounds, Bear Claw door locks, slim tail lamps, and a polished dual-exit exhaust.
It’s held up by Salt Flat custom chrome wheels wrapped in a new set of staggered-width tires.
The interior is upholstered in fawn leather with matching door panels and carpeted floor mats. The red dash houses a Blaupunkt AM/FM/CD head unit with smartphone connectivity.
Under the hood, the Chevy V8 engine is upgraded with an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, a Holley 670 CFM carburetor, chrome electric choke and electric fan. Power is sent to the rear via a Turbo automatic transmission.
The aftermarket odometer reads 3,357 miles which were added after the build.
This Ford Highboy’s auction ends September 17 at 11:20 a.m. PDT.
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information about this roadster and see a gallery of photos.
