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eBay Find of the Day: 1915 van Blerck Special Speedster is 18′ long with 17-liter engine

Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Auctions

1915 van Blerck Special Speedster

1915 van Blerck Special Speedster – Click above for high-res image gallery

Make room on your holiday list, boys and girls; here’s something we definitely want to see under ye olde yuletide pine tree this year. On second thought, you’d better make it a redwood.Tucked away in the Other Makes section of eBay Motors is a custom racer with a fire engine chassis and a 17-liter engine borrowed from one of the most famous racing boat manufacturers of the early 20th century. Called the 1915 van Blerck Special Speedster, this awesome ground-pounder is over six feet tall and nearly 18 feet long. All 17-liters of displacement from the vehicle’s engine is soaked up by just six cylinders, each of which has three spark plugs all to itself.

The engine was created by none other than Joseph van Blerck – an engineer who crafted record-setting engines for speed boats in the early part of the last century. According to the seller, the engine produces well over 200 horsepower and is more than capable of scooting the big machine to speeds of over 100 mph. That is, if you’re brave enough to lean on the vehicle’s chain-drive system. You can buy it now for the low price of $199,000, though the seller says that trading is always an option, too. Us? We think it’d make a bitchin’ new sleigh for Santa.

Gallery: 1915 van Blerck Special Speedster

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: 1915 van Blerck Special Speedster is 18′ long with 17-liter engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW pondering special edition 1M Coupe?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, BMW

BMW 1M Coupe rendering

BMW will officially unveil the 2012 1 Series M Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and while we’ve already driven a prototype of this hot new 1 Series, we’re indeed excited to see the production-ready car in person. As if the hotted-up 1 wasn’t potent enough, with around 345horsepower from its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (official power numbers haven’t yet been confirmed), reports are starting to crop up about an even more hardcore 1 Series M. Our friend Jon Sibal has spoken to BMW about the possibility of a lighter, faster 1M, and he offers up the rendering above – a CSL-ified coupe.

Yes, we’re licking our chops at the idea of a race-ready 1 Series M Coupe CSL, and it’s good to know that BMW hasn’t quite ruled out the idea. In speaking with Sibal, BMW says that initial customer reaction to the 1M will determine the need for a GTS/CSL-type car, as well as potential droptop version. “We have a cabrio unofficially,” says BMW.

The 1 Series M Coupe is expected to be produced through the summer of 2012 until the next-generation 1 Series hits the market, and when it comes to the possibility of a 1M CSL, consider our hands raised. Head over to Jon Sibal’s website for a high-res version of this drool-worthy rendering.

[Source: JonSibal.com]

BMW pondering special edition 1M Coupe? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear‘s Middle East tour reportedly shot for Christmas Special

Filed under: Etc., Middle East

Top Gear in Israel – Click above for high-res image gallery

Were you wondering what the Top Gear crew were doing in Israel when they were spotted there last month? Well wonder no more.

Reports from the British Isles are now stating that the tour across the Middle East was actually shot for a Christmas Special in which Clarkson, Hammond and May retrace the steps of the Three Wise Men who, according to Christian lore, visited the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem. Only while the trio of yore did it on camel-back, two millennia later, the team of British auto journos – who may have picked up as many followers today as the Nazarene messiah did in his – rode in across Turkey and Syria in three old roadsters.

Looks like it’s going to be a Merry Christmas after all, Charlie Brown.

Gallery: Top Gear in Israel

[Source: Telegraph]

Top Gear‘s Middle East tour reportedly shot for Christmas Special originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yamaha and Hermès mix business with leather for special VMax

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorcycle

Yamaha VMax by Hermès – Click above for high-res image gallery

Anyone who’s anyone knows that motorcycles and leather go together like gin and tonic. But usually the leather’s on the rider. Yamaha evidently figured it was time to turn that particular convention on its head, and teamed up with no less prestigious a clothier than Hermès to pull it off.

Now as you may recall from the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes – or for that matter from their Citroën 2CV or Smart ForTwo – the French fashion house knows a thing or two about trimming a motor vehicle. So they started with the Yamaha VMax, the very epitome of the muscle bike. With its four-cylinder engine and brushed metalwork, the VMax is about as mean as they come, until Hermes came along and decked it out in fine buffalo skin, covering everything from the head lamp to the exhaust pipe.

The special VMax was just recently unveiled at a motorbike show in Cologne, Germany. Unfortunately it’s a one-off creation at the moment, but it’s not the first time the two powerhouses have collaborated: go back fifteen years and you’ll find evidence of Hermes having similarly worked its magic on the Virago, the first Japanese V-Twin cruiser to give the likes of Harley-Davidson a run for its money.

Gallery: Yamaha Vmax by Hermes

[Source: Yamaha]

Yamaha and Hermès mix business with leather for special VMax originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Film Noir: Peugeot RCZ gets matte black for special Asphalt edition

Filed under: Coupe, Europe, Peugeot

Peugeot RCZ Asphalt Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

We weren’t looking for more reasons to pine after the Peugeot RCZ. Initially categorized as a French knock-off of the Audi TT, it seems the slinky coupe from French auto giant PSA has come into its own. But now we’ve got another reason to want one, and its name is the Asphalt edition.

The blacked-out special features a unique Noir Telluric exterior shade with black 19-inch alloys and a black leather interior to match. The 200-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo four co-developed with BMW does the pulling duties overseas, while we’re stuck over here wishing we could get our hands on one.

Gallery: Peugeot RCZ Asphalt Edition

[Source: eurocarblog]

Film Noir: Peugeot RCZ gets matte black for special Asphalt edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top Gear trio spotted filming special in Israel

Filed under: Spy Photos, Middle East

Top Gear arrives in Israel – Click above for high-res image gallery

The fellas over at Top Gear have been to just about every nook and cranny in Great Britain and criss-crossed continental Europe in all manner of train, plane and automobile. They’ve driven to the North Pole, scaled an active volcano, crossed the Sahara and traversed South America. They’ve driven through Vietnam, Dubai, Japan, the southern United States… nearly everywhere we can think of, really. Except Israel. But now they can cross the Holy Land off their collective bucket list as reports and photos come in from the tiny Eastern Mediterranean country showing Clarkson, Hammond and May taking in the desert sun.

Apparently filming a new episode in their epic series of cross-country adventures, the Top Gear crew was spotted crossing westward over the border between Jordan and Israel in a dingy trio of roadsters: Richard in a Fiat Barchetta, James in a BMW Z3 and Jeremy in a Mazda MX-5, complete with retrofitted hookah. (Just for tobacco, of course.) The cars appear to be accompanied by a convoy of support vehicles for the production and camera crews, and undoubtedly had to jump through a lot of hoops to get there as the border is typically open only for foot traffic.

We’ll be ordering up some fallafels and tuning in to Arutz Shtayim just as soon as we know when the episode will air to see how James, Richard and Yirmiyahu manage to get themselves out from in between the Dome of the Rock and a hard place. In the meantime, check out the spy shots (courtesy of forum member Dark-Shadow) in the gallery below and the (translated) report from our friends over at Walla! Cars for a closer look at how the blokes are single-handedly re-instituting the British Mandate. Ashrecha for the tip, Nat!

Gallery: Top Gear in Israel

[Sources: Walla! Cars, Rotter.net]

Top Gear trio spotted filming special in Israel originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford celebrates the Transit in UK with special edition SportVan. One, please.

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Performance, Ford, UK

Ford Transit SportVan – Click above for high-res image gallery

Push comes to shove, the Brits know modern delivery vans better than we do. (Hard to admit, we know.) What we use high-cube trucks, pickups and vans of varying sizes for, they do it all in panel vans. They drive the wheels off ’em, and the Ford Transit (not to be confused with its kid brother, the Transit Connect) is the king of ’em all. In fact, it has for the past 45 years been the best-selling van in the UK. And to celebrate, Ford UK is launching the special edition you see here.

This Ford Transit SportVan is based on the short-wheelbase 260 model and comes equipped with a 140-horsepower turbo-diesel, 18-inch graphite-finish alloys, twin exhaust pipes and a variety of other features, all wrapped up in red with white racing stripes. Only 100 examples will be made, and given the van’s popularity on the Isles, we’re sure they’ll all sell out in a flash. In fact we know they will, since every previous SportVan edition has, including editions in blue with white stripes, grey with silver, black with silver, white with blue and blue with silver stripes.

Unfortunately this is another sport model we’ll have to admire from the opposite shore, but driving back home in an SVT Raptor ought to help numb the pain. You know the drill: details in the press release after the jump, photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Transit SportVan

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford celebrates the Transit in UK with special edition SportVan. One, please.

Ford celebrates the Transit in UK with special edition SportVan. One, please. originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scion releases yet another special edition, this time xD Release Series 3.0

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Scion

2011 Scion xD Release Series 3.0

2011 Scion xD Release Series 3.0 – Click above for high-res image gallery

In an effort to keep its aging xD hatchback a little fresher, Scion has created the limited-edition xD Release Series 3.0 for the 2011 model year. Only 1,500 examples of the RS 3.0 will be built with pricing set at $17,625 (including the $720 destination charge) for cars equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. Opting for the four-speed automatic will set you back an additional $800.

The new brown paint color – xPRESSO – isn’t available on any other model in the Scion lineup, and the diminutive xD wears it quite well. From there, Scion adds a four-piece body kit encompassing chunky front and rear lower lips, side skirts and B-pillar appliques finished in a carbon fiber material. Because of the limited production, Scion has also added an individually numbered stainless steel badge, telling owners which of the 1,500 cars they have.

With hot new B-segment offerings like the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 on the market, Scion’s attempt to jazz up the xD is a necessary move, but with a fully loaded price of $18,425, it may prove to be a rather tough sell. Cars will hit dealerships later this month, and you can read the full details in Scion’s official press blast after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 Scion xD Release Series 3.0

2011 Scion xD Release Series 3.0

[Source: Scion]

Continue reading Scion releases yet another special edition, this time xD Release Series 3.0

Scion releases yet another special edition, this time xD Release Series 3.0 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab marks 50th anniversary of Erik Carlsson’s first RAC win with special 9-3

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Sedan, Saab, UK

Erik “Mr Saab” Carlsson and the Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson – Click above for high-res image gallery

Erik Carlsson, also known as Mr. Saab, is a rallying icon directly tied to the Swedish automaker’s lore. 50 years ago, Carlsson won his first British RAC rally title in a three-cylinder, 750 c.c. Saab 96. He went on to win the event two more times – in a row. Carlsson took podium positions for Saab in rallies around the world, and if you look at his racing history, it’s clear that Carlsson knows a thing or two about car control and motorsports. He has always driven Saabs and was even born in Trollhättan, the automaker’s home town. So, what better time to honor him than now with a limited-edition Saab 9-3? The Saab 9-3 Aero Carlsson is being produced by Saab Great Britain and only 96 are going to be made, so U.S. Griffinistas are sadly out of luck.

The racing legend was honored during a luncheon at the RAC Club in London. The special-edition 280-horsepower 9-3 was announced and then displayed alongside a classic 96. A pleased Carlsson noted:

“This is a great occasion for me, it has been wonderful to see so many old friends again, including Stuart [Turner] who did such a fantastic job reading the maps. I wouldn’t have won without his help. I also feel very honored to have a car named after me. Anyone who loves driving and is as passionate about Saab as I am, will be excited about getting behind the wheel.”

Hop the jump for the full press release and check out the high-res images below.

Gallery: Rally Legend Erik “Mr. Saab” Carlsson

Rally Legend Erik

[Source: Saab]

Continue reading Saab marks 50th anniversary of Erik Carlsson’s first RAC win with special 9-3

Saab marks 50th anniversary of Erik Carlsson’s first RAC win with special 9-3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Suzuki SX4 blacks out for UK special edition

Filed under: Hatchback, Suzuki, UK

Suzuki SX4 SZ-L

Suzuki SX4 SZ-L – Click above for high-res image gallery

Suzuki has released details on a new special edition version of its SX4 for the UK. Called the SZ-L, the five-door will come from the factory wearing a host of appearance upgrades aimed to give the vehicle an urban flair, including a few splashes of gunmetal accents on the roof rails, grille, wheels and skid plates. The gray theme continues on inside with Alcantara trim in all the right places and ghost stitching around the leather steering wheel. Unfortunately, as awesome as all of the menacing gunmetal trim is, the hatchback’s mechanicals leave something to be desired.

Instead of pairing the blacked-out goodies with the company’s bones-cheap all-wheel drive system, the SZ-L is only available with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine powering the front-wheels. That blows one sad trombone in our book. The upshot is that Suzuki is only offering the special edition with a five-speed manual, so slusher fans need not apply.

The Suzuki SX4 SZ-L starts at $20,533 in the UK (at current conversion rates) and there’s no word as to whether or not a similar model will show up on our shores. Hit the jump for the press release.

Gallery: Suzuki SX4 SZ-L

[Source: Suzuki]

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Suzuki SX4 blacks out for UK special edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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