Some cars from the ’80s and ’90s will soon be approaching classic status and, in this new series, we look at some of these cars – those that may appeal to our younger readers.

The late ’80s and early ’90s were an exciting time in the World Rally Championship, or WRC. Finally, after so many years of European domination, Japanese auto-makers like Subaru and Mitsubishi were starting to catch up. Subaru had its heavyweight Legacy sedan, while Mitsubishi competed admirably using the Galant VR-4. Both manufacturers saw success with these full-sized sedans, yet both had the same problem – they were simply too big and too heavy to consistently keep the Euros at bay.

After a couple of years pushing the proverbial uphill with the big Galant, Mitsi realised it needed to downsize, if not in engine capacity or power –after all the 4G63T 2.0-litre turbo mill was regarded as the best on the championship – but in terms of weight and external dimensions.

By 1992 its boffins had turned towards the obvious, the all-new Lancer sedan. It was both smaller and lighter than the VR-4, and yet still had enough room for the Galant’s excellent engine and driveline. The gear was shoehorned in, adjustments were made, and a world-beater was born.

Homologation Heaven Read full story…

The annual Amelia Island d’Elegance car show in the states brings out some of the finest classics in the world, with some of them going under the hammer. The U.S-based auction saw more than $24.3 million USD worth of metal going under the hammer from an assortment of classic performance and luxury cars.

We already brought you news of a 1952 Ferrari 340 Mexico Vignale Coupe that went for a record $4.3 million USD ($5.8m NZ), and now we have the results of another rare classic sale.

A special 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV Prototype, achieved a record bid of $1,705,500 USD ($2.27m NZ) at the Gooding & Company vehicle auction, making it the most expensive Miura ever sold.

This one-off pre-production Miura P400 SV Prototype was first shown at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show before being sold immediately after to a keen customer in Italy. The car then ended up in Germany before it was purchased by Wayne Obry’s Motion Products in the U.S. which restored the car to the high condition you can see in the images.

It was built with several unique features including a stronger chassis and upgraded rear suspension, as well as a 309kW 3.9-litre V-12 engine matched to a five-speed manual gearbox. It was very rapid in it’s day being able to sprint from 0-100kph in just 6.5 seconds and would top out at 299kph. Read full story…

Grudge matches are settled on the drag strip between car-proud gents all the time and usually it wouldn’t make for great news, but this one is a little different.

A no-nonsense, classic American muscle car finished in full chrome up against the latest thoroughbred Italian supercar in a straight up quarter mile race. That doesn’t exactly happen every day, but what could make this furious fixture even more tense? A $400,000 USD personal wager, that’s what.

The story is that a pair of cashed-up mates over in the States got into a good ole ‘my car’s quicker than yous’ debate which ultimately led to the dragstrip. Dan Bilzerian, owner of the fully pimped and highly modified 1965 427 Shelby Cobra, placed a bet that his American muscle car can beat his friend Tom Goldstein’s brand spankers 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia in a quarter mile race. It was a big call, Ferrari don’t exactly make slow cars and the 458 came with some handy tech like a launch control system and lightning fast transmission.

Earlier this month, these two big kids took their respective rides down to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway racetrack and put their money where their mouth is.

Check out the videos below to see how it went down. It’s intense. Read full story…

The annual Whangamata Beach Hop is back for 2011 and is hitting full swing this week with the main festivities scheduled for this coming weekend (26-17th March).

Now in its 11th year Beach Hop is a 1950s, 60s style event held in the seaside holiday resort town of Whangamata. The festival celebrates the music, culture, fashion, hot rods, motorbikes, muscle cars, dancing, dragsters, and even scooters of this golden automotive era. The festival has grown from 4,000 to over 70,000 people in the last six years. This makes it one of the largest events of its kind in the world. All proceeds raised are donated to emergency services in the area. So get down to Whangamata this weekend and be part of the spectacle.

Check out a brief schedule below, and click here to find out more at the Beach Hop website. Read full story…

The wait is almost over for Mini’s much-anticipated return to the international motorsport stage. This rally season, the new Mini WRC Team will compete at selected rounds in the FIA World Rally Championship. The initial aim is to gain valuable experience, in order to be perfectly prepared for the complete 2012 World Championship season. The Mini John Cooper Works WRC has been developed by Prodrive, based on the Mini Countryman. It’s equipped with a 1.6-litre turbo engine derived from the Mini production models, which was developed by BMW Motorsport for use in a series run according to FIA Super2000 regulations, including the World Touring Car Championship. Beside its works involvement with the Mini John Cooper Works WRC, Prodrive is also supplying customer cars to private rally teams.

“The FIA World Rally Championship is the pinnacle of rallying, making it the ideal platform for demonstrating the competitive spirit of our brand,” says Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing BMW Group. “Experience is a very important factor in motorsport. For that reason it is essential we learn as much as possible within a very short time, in order to make up ground on our rivals. The new regulations mean the gap to the top is smaller than it would have been at another time. We want to annoy the opposition as soon as possible.”
The Mini WRC Team will be putting its faith in experienced drivers when it faces up to the challenge of the WRC for the first time in 2011. Kris Meeke (GB) and his co-driver Paul Nagle (IR) have proven their ability in impressive style, listing the 2009 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) title as just one of their achievements. Daniel “Dani” Sordo (ES), who will compete alongside his new co-driver Carlos del Barrio (ES) in 2011, has many years of World Championship experience. Twenty nine podium finishes from 84 starts in the WRC just go to show the former Citroën works driver has what it takes to battle it out at the top. Read full story…

Enter Toyota’s glass-and-concrete head office and you expect to see a few new cars. You don’t expect an ageing Corona, but the company is proud of this one. For it’s the earliest surviving Toyota assembled in New Zealand, or at least the earliest one the company could find when it started its search back in 1976.

The hunt for this early survivor was simplified by Toyota’s punctilious record-keeping; according to Toyota product planner, Bruce Buckland, the car’s unofficial nanny. Back then the details of every Toyota built at the Thames or Christchurch plants were entered manually into a build card system that kept a record of the vehicle’s progress.

The date it was in the body jig; the frame, key and engine numbers; the paint and trim colours; and finally the date it passed quality control and came off the assembly line were recorded, and it was these records Toyota referred to when seeking that earliest car – a Corona RT40 sedan, which rolled out of the Steel Motor Assembly Plant in Christchurch in 1967.

Is it our first Toyota? Bruce isn’t sure – a few others may have died in the decade or so before the search began, and the records of that search no longer exist. What Toyota does know is this car was first registered on February 3, 1967, and was sold that year to a Raymond James Dalton, then to Waikato Motors in 1971 – with 50,478 on the odometer, in kilometres according to my notes, though miles is more likely given the date. The current odometer is no help as it’s a recent replacement. Read full story…

It’s still at least two years before Porsche’s new 918 Spyder hybrid supercar reaches production, but that’s not stopping the German carmaker from slapping a price tag on it and opening the order books.

The 918 Spyder is to be the most expensive model ever built by Porsche with European prices starting from €645,000 ($1.24m NZD). That’s a large chunk of change to say the least but for the money buyer’s will get the latest hybrid tech and the natural successor to the iconic Carerra GT.

Production of the 918 Spyder will take place at Porsche’s Zuffenhausen plant in Germany starting from September 18, 2013, with first deliveries to commence in November 2013. Porsche plans to limit production of the two-seater model to no more than 918 units worldwide.

The 918 Spyder is closely modeled after the concept study seen at last year’s Geneva Motor Show. However, the production version will not have a full open-top look, instead it will go with removable roof panels that can be stowed in the front luggage compartment. Other differences from the concept include the addition of exterior mirrors and the removal of the side exhaust tail pipes. Read full story…

You wouldn’t expect Jenson Button to be selling his Ferrari because he needs the cash. Perhaps it’s because the ex-F1 champ doesn’t want to support the competition. Whatever the reason Button’s striking 1978 Ferrari 512BB Berlinetta Boxer is to be sold by Bonhams Auction at its sale of Collectors’ Motor Cars at the RAF Museum, Hendon, UK on 11 April 2011. The car, which was bought last year by Button, the then reigning Formula One World Champion, has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £90,000 – 110,000 ($200,000 – $240,000 NZ).

Apparently, it’s a busy schedule as a Formula One driver that has led Button to part with the car. He says: “I’ve had a great time driving the Boxer, however my F1 commitments will not enable me to enjoy the car to its fullest. It has had a thorough service that has addressed all the usual issues of an older Ferrari.”

The car, which Bonhams’ Tim Schofield (Head of Motor Cars) describes as “a wonderful example with important provenance and exceptionally good value when compared to its nemesis the Lamborghini Miura”, was ordered new in December 1977 and was delivered to its first owner, Stafford Pemberton, in April 1978. It has had £94,000 spent on it over the past 33 years, which includes a bodywork refurbishment and an all-new interior conducted by renowned marque specialist, Nick Cartwright, in the 1980s. It has recently undergone a major service at JD Classics, which was completed in September 2010. Read full story…