PSA.

•January 14, 2010 • 1 Comment

Taking a moment now to acknowledge what’s going on in the rest of the world. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to donate to the humanitarian relief effort going on now in Haiti- no amount is too small.

Here’s a good one that is well-positioned to deliver immediate earthquake relief as well as long-term aid for Haiti:

https://donate.pih.org/page/contribute/haiti_earthquake?source=earthquake&subsource=homepage

Thanks.

In praise of OEM wheels

•January 13, 2010 • 5 Comments

For anyone contemplating an aftermarket wheel for their Volkswagen, Audi, or BMW– please don’t. We happen to think these marques offer some of the best-looking OEM alloy wheels (typically supplied by industry leaders like BBS, no less) among car manufacturers.

While there are obviously exceptions, OEM offerings (or some close variant thereof) will usually look cleaner and classier, not to mention be stronger and better engineered. Just as a judiciously lowered suspension will almost always visually enhance a respectable car, a lesser (or worse, egregiously period-incorrect) aftermarket wheel will almost invariably do just the opposite. Case in point:


“Your doing it wrong” [sic].
More »

Abarth.

•January 13, 2010 • Comments Off on Abarth.

Teaser of what’s up ahead later in the week.

Photo: djivy.be

Eye candy: Dino

•January 13, 2010 • Comments Off on Eye candy: Dino

The first of many mid-engine, two-seat, lightweight Ferraris to come.

Enjoy the pics.

More here.

Photos: Patrick Ernzen

Dream car of our youth: BMW 850CSi

•January 12, 2010 • 2 Comments

Okay, one of several many. Our tastes may have shifted since then – the B road and track day enthusiast in us really favors lighter, simpler, nimbler cars now, as opposed to 2+ ton V12 grand tourers built for high-speed Autobahn cruising – but these remain pretty damn special, if mainly for sentimental reasons. And shockingly affordable, too (as far as cost of entry, anyway; cost of ownership is probably another matter entirely), when not considering top-of-the-line 850CSi trim.

They look great in either M-Parallels or M-System II Throwing Stars and, like most BMWs of this vintage and earlier, have aged absolutely wonderfully.

Photos from the manufacturer.

B5 RS4 Avant tearing **** up in the snow.

•January 12, 2010 • Comments Off on B5 RS4 Avant tearing **** up in the snow.

It’s invariable: like clockwork, each year when old man winter comes around, there’s nothing we are left wanting more than an AWD Audi. So we can do like so:

Then the snow melts, temperatures rise, buds sprout from trees, and those intense feelings come to pass. This cycle is about as sure as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Image via blog.sourkrauts.de.

1972 Saab Sonett

•January 12, 2010 • 1 Comment

These nice images come from Jalopnik. What a weird little car– probably not one we ourselves would ever be in the market for, but certainly one not lacking in style or character.

Godspeed, Saab.

If you like this, you’ll probably like this.

(via Jalopnik)

Very nice Käfer

•January 12, 2010 • Comments Off on Very nice Käfer

This might be our favorite Bug ever. While we’re far from experts, and we have never contemplated Beetle ownership ourselves, everything looks the way we might have done it. These are not serious cars by nature, but this one manages to look crisp and businesslike.

Our only nit to pick is that it isn’t a split window, but that’s just that– picking nits.

Images via tcl.

Audi Ur-Quattro 20v

•January 11, 2010 • Comments Off on Audi Ur-Quattro 20v

Too good not to share as hi-res– really nice. Makes you want to get your rally on.

Image via tcl.

A bit of NYC eye candy.

•January 11, 2010 • Comments Off on A bit of NYC eye candy.

Nice square format stuff from Kevin McCauley.

Photos: http://www.kevin-mccauley.com