Video: Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Videos, Ferrari, Luxury

1967 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spyder - video screencap - front three-quarter view, top down

It isn’t every day that the rarest of Ferrari models change hands. In fact, you can count your fingers to get the number of 275 GTB/4*S N.A.R.T. Spyders that ever existed. The 1967 Ferrari you see here is one of those ten Spyders, and it has stayed in the same family since it was bought new.

The car was bought through Luigi Chinetti, Ferrari’s US importer at the time, by the late Eddie Smith Sr., a Ferrari collector and businessman from North Carolina. Smith kept it – and kept driving it – until the day he died six years ago. Since then, this remarkable machine has been collecting dust. Smith’s son, Eddie Smith Jr., spent some time with Petrolicious to give a history of the car and explain why he and his family are going to do the one thing his father never could: sell it. The catch? All of the money it earns on the auction block will be donated to charity.

“It’ll be a bittersweet thing, because we know the fact that all the money is going to charities that he would approve of,” Smith Jr. said about his father, and it “will really make him smile, because he loved to give back.”

Look for the car at this year’s RM Auction in Monterey next month, where it should net millions of dollars before it gets a new owner. In the meantime, be sure to watch the video below. (And if it doesn’t yank at your heartstrings, please check your pulse or watch more Petrolicious videos.)

Continue reading Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause

Father’s ultra-rare Ferrari to leave family for a good cause originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch this story of a father, a son and a classic Plymouth on Father’s Day

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Videos, Specialty

Father's Day Plymouth

They met in high school. Bev was a cheerleader, Joe played sports. The pair got married, and the first car they shared, driving off into their mutual futures together on their wedding day, was a 1948 Plymouth convertible. As is often the case with first cars – and especially cars as classically stylish and memorable as the Plymouth – they were left with nothing but fond memories after being forced to sell the car after Joe was drafted into the military.

Fast forward 60 years and their son has pulled off a brilliant surprise. The result of which is summed up rather nicely by Bev herself: “Uh oh. Grandpa’s got tears.” And you may, too. Scroll down below to see the video, produced and shared by Hagerty, for yourself.

Happy Father’s Day from the crew here at Autoblog.

Continue reading Watch this story of a father, a son and a classic Plymouth on Father’s Day

Watch this story of a father, a son and a classic Plymouth on Father’s Day originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prince William borrows father’s vintage Aston Martin for Royal Wedding cruise [w/video]

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Government/Legal, Videos, Aston Martin, UK, Celebrities, Luxury

Prince William and Kate Middleton leave Royal Wedding in Aston Martin

Prince William and Kate Middleton leave Royal Wedding in Aston Martin – Click above for high-res image gallery

Kings and princes aren’t generally in the business of driving themselves… well, anywhere. More often than not, such dignitaries can be found ensconced in the lap of luxury known to us mere mortals (or at least non Royals) as The Back Seat. Then again, it’s not every day that a prince finds himself a brand new princess to call his very own, as is the case with the newly crowned Duchess of Cambridge.

And so it’s refreshing to see Prince William drive himself and his bride around London following the Royal Wedding in front of a massive swarm of onlookers. The best part, though, is that the Royal Couple chose to drive away in a perfectly appropriate Aston Martin. Not just any Aston Martin – this Seychelles Blue DB6 MKII Volante actually belongs to William’s dad, Prince Charles, and was gifted to him by his mother (that’d be The Queen, naturally) in 1969 on Charles’ 21st birthday.

A few details worthy of note: This droptop DB6 has been converted to run on Royal Grapes. Well, sort of. Aston Martin retrofitted this car’s engine with a kit that allows it to run on alcohol fuel, which is created using grapes grown on a vineyard owned by the Royal Family. So it’s green… -ish: it can only manage about eight miles per gallon. Also, take a gander at the big L on the front of the car. That stands for Learner; apparently even for Royal Learners. Also, the rear plate is a special one: JU5T WED. Clever.

And finally, are you wondering what William and Kate actually choose to drive when nobody else is looking? William reportedly owns an Audi S4, and Kate drives an Audi A3 hatchback.

Check out our high-res image gallery of the Royal Lovebirds in the Aston Martin DB6 Volante below, and feel free to check out video of the event after the break.

Gallery: Royal Wedding’s Vintage Aston Martin

[Images: Getty]

Continue reading Prince William borrows father’s vintage Aston Martin for Royal Wedding cruise [w/video]

Prince William borrows father’s vintage Aston Martin for Royal Wedding cruise [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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