1956 FERRARI 860 MONZA

 1956 FERRARI 860 MONZA

Current value: $2.5 million

The 1956 Ferrari 860 Monza is one of the most amazing vintage cars on the road today. During the heyday of the 1950’s racing scene, the Ferrari brand had yet to make a name for itself going against the ‘Big Three’ of car manufacturers at the time to include Jaguar, Maserati, and Aston Martin. The 860 Monza was Ferraris response, and it is powered by the strongest four-cylinder engine to ever be made by the now famous car company. The 3.4 liter engine is rated at 280 horsepower which combined with the larger wheelbase debuted by Ferrari for the 860 Monza gave the car the reliability it needed to win on the track. The company would only go on to produce three models of the 0604M variant, and it is also one of the most valuable vintage cars on the market today as well.

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2015 ALFA ROMEO 4C

2015 ALFA ROMEO 4C

Starting price: $55,495

The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C is one of the cheapest cars on the market that look like high end exotic cars. With a pending debut in North America, the car has two seats located in front of the mid-mounted engine, and it has the feel of a $300,000 Ferrari. The two-door couple has rear wheel drive and is powered by a turbocharged COHC 16-valve inline-4 rated at 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The transmission on the Romeo 4C is a six-speed dual-clutch automatic with a manual shifting mode. The top speed of the car is 160 MPH, and it can go from zero to 60 MPH in just 4.5 seconds. The fuel economy of the car is also above average with a 24 MPG (city) and 32 MPG (highway) overall rating.

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Mazda MX-5 Miata First Review 2016

Although the 2016 MX-5 Miata isn't expected to hit U.S. showrooms until the third quarter of 2015, Mazda flew us to Barcelona, Spain to get some seat time behind the wheel of a few Japanese-spec prototypes. Aside from right-hand-drive and a 1.5-liter engine in lieu of the U.S. model's 2.0-liter mill, both cars share identical interiors, underpinnings, and feature content. With that out of the way, here's our early impressions of Mazda's forthcoming flagship roadster

Tighter packager, lighter weight

The prevailing development strategy behind the fourth-generation MX-5 came down to trimming excess mass. More extensive use of aluminum combined with tidier exterior dimensions and a wheelbase shorter by just over a half-inch amount to a near-220 lb. decrease in weight over the outgoing car. Combine that with a lower center of gravity and plunging hoodline, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say the MX-5 provides a driving experience akin to an open-wheel racer. Plus, unlike the first-generation NA model, this bite-sized package doesn't yield a claustrophobia-inducing cabin - more on that later

On the dynamics front, Mazda engineers left no stone unturned. Body lean has been reduced drastically without compromising overall ride quality. The responsiveness and feedback of the brakes could paint a Porsche Boxster green with envy. But the main attraction is unquestionably the new 6-speed manual transmission, whose short-yet-precise throws, predictable clutch, and natural ergonomics all but justify the price of admission. If our tester's 1.5-liter 4-cylinder is any indication of what U.S. customers can expect from the new 2.0-liter engine, we're in for a treat. Because where Miatas of yore lacked usable low-end torque and fell flat on top, Mazda's new Skyactiv-G engines produce 90 percent of maximum torque at 2,000 rpm and continue to develop power in a smooth, linear fashion until 7,500 rpm. The only gripe we have with regards to dynamics is the new electromechanical steering. Although we are proponents of electric-assisted steering, Mazda has some work to do in the area of progressive weighting. As the steering angle increased effort remained virtually the same (conventional steering systems require more steering effort as wheel friction rises). On the bright side, Mazda engineers hinted at the fact that production cars would undergo a steering software update to help remedy the issue

Oxymoron no more: A sophisticated Miata

From standard LED headlights and taillights to a cabin laden with French stitching and high-quality materials, the 2016 MX-5 Miata is heads and shoulders above its predecessors when it comes to refinement. Everything placed in front of the driver is laid out symmetrically, including the pedal arrangement. And while the steering wheel doesn't offer a telescoping function, the driving position remains surprisingly neutral, even for taller drivers. The new Miata features just under a half-inch of additional headroom and greater adjustability for the driver's seat, including an adjustable seat bottom

Opening and closing the soft-top is a now an in-car, one-hand operation thanks to a lighter, more rigid structure. Wind control during open-top driving has been addressed as well. By moving the windshield rearward and slimming-down the quarter windows, air is channeled into the cabin through the side of the vehicle rather than over the top and into your face. Lastly - and for the first time ever - the MX-5 Miata can be equipped with an in-car navigation/infotainment system featuring a 7-inch touch-or-remote-controlled display

Break down the weight savings, sharper handling, and superior refinement, and what you're left with is a sportscar destined to reignite the world's love of driving. If that was indeed Mazda's prime objective in developing the fourth-generation MX-5, we say, Mission accomplished

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the beautiful Volvo XC40

The XC40 is a Volvo of many firsts. The first is that this is the first Volvo to be based on the EV-ready modular platform it co-developed with owner Geely. It’s called CMA, and it already sits under the Lynk & Co. 01. Naturally CMA will go on to underpin other “40-series” cars – like the as-yet-unrevealed, unconfirmed V40 to rival the VW Golf.
The XC40 is also Volvo’s very first crack at a small SUV – an Audi Q3, to the XC60’s Q5 and XC90’s Q7. Lots of the tech (and styling) from other new-era Volvos is present and correct, which means much active safety, headlights modelled on the heavy, bashy things in Thor’s toolbox and a big portrait touchscreen inside. Where, incidentally, Volvo boasts of a “radical new approach to storage”, which means inductive charging and a removable waste bin in the centre console.
As for engines, at launch you can have a petrols or diesels with four cylinders (three power outputs for the former, two for the latter), but Volvo’s three-cylinder petrol, a hybrid and full EV will join the range later. Before 2019 we’d guess, by which point Volvo’s pledged all of its new releases will have some form of e-motor.
And the XC40 is the first car to be offered with the ‘Care by Volvo’ subscription service, which gives you the car plus a load of “digital concierge services” like the use of another, different Volvo for up to 14 days a year (need seven seats for the weekend? They’ll let you borrow an XC90). Insurance, tax and maintenance are included in the flat, monthly fee, which we’re told is the same price wherever you live and however old you are. Only a couple of models get it at launch, and it’s £629-per-month for two years.

Mind in Britain, Care by Volvo will only be available within the M25, at least to begin with, and we miss out on a few key benefits. For example, elsewhere in the world customers can have online shopping delivered direct to their cars, or share their car with friends for a couple of hours using an app that doubles as a ‘digital key’. We can’t. Yet.
Volvo says it makes “having” (not owning, note) an XC40 “as hassle-free as having a mobile phone”. Hopefully without the new software updates that invalidate all your old apps and make it unusable for three hours.
Buy the car outright and prices start £27,905. That buys you base petrol power, front-wheel drive and a manual gearbox. All-wheel drive and autos are available as you scale the spec tree, which goes beyond £40k for an all-wheel drive T5 ‘First Edition’.
But as even the cheapest XC40s get the big touchscreen, digital dials, LED headlights and dual-zone climate control, you won’t need to spend that much to get a decent one. Orders are being taken now, and deliveries start next year. Interested?

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2019 Cupra Ibiza

On sale summer 2019 estimated

Price from £20,000 estimated

Seat is a brand known for its sporty Cupra cars but it's decided to discard that reputation and rebadge its most powerful cars under the Cupra name.

One of the first will be a high-performance version of the small Ibiza. The standard car is good to drive, thanks to stable and nimble cornering. Combined with a powerful 200hp engine.

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BMW 6 SERIES

Starting price: $76,100

The BMW 6 Series is one of the best German cars sold in the United States today. BWM has made the 6-Series one of the most exclusive car offerings of the company, and it is available with either a 3.0 liter inline six cylinder engine rated at 315 horsepower or a 4.4 liter eight cylinder engine rated at 445 horsepower. Both engine choices come with an eight-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive coming standard on the cars and all-wheel drive available to add to the car when buying it new. The car’s fuel efficiency is rated at 20 MPG (city) and 31 MPG (highway), and the V-6 is rated at 332 lb-ft of torque.

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FORD MUSTANG

Starting price: around $20,400

It comes with a V6 or V8 engine, and it is more powerful than most other cars in its class (by this we mean – affordable nice looking cars). The six-speed transmission in this model can be automatic or manual; both are precise and easy to handle. The interior design could be a little more modern, but it is spacious enough and comfy.

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1964 SHELBY COBRA DAYTONA COUPE

1964 SHELBY COBRA DAYTONA COUPE

Current value: $4.4 million

There were only six Shelby Cobra Dayton Coupes produced between the 1964 and 1965 editions of the auto, and they are some of the most amazing vintage cars ever produced. The Cobra Dayton Coupe was made with the new Ford V-8 289 ci engine at the time, and was the first car to end the Ferrari 250 dominance of the racing circuit at the United States Road Racing Championships shortly after its debut. The cars were retired after 1965 when Ford hired Shelby to help them race the GT40 line. The car engine is rated at 340 ft-lbs of torque and 385 horsepower. When new, the auto could go from zero to 60 MPH in just 4.01 seconds, and zero to 100 MPH in 8.81 seconds.

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Nissan Sway Concept: Stylish subcompact strikes

With the Nissan Sway subcompact, the Japanese automaker is making a statement that small cars need not be boring cars. Positioned as a possible successor to the Micra, a small hatch primarily sold in Europe, the Sway adapts the design language that has been featured on larger Nissan products like the newly redesigned Murano crossover and Maxima sedan

In introducing the Sway, Nissan's chief of design, Shiro Nakamura, said that the vehicle incorporates the V-motion grille theme, floating roof, kicked-up C-pillar treatment and flowing fender lines that have come to characterize the company's styling philosophy. The 4-door hatch uses rear-hinged back doors and no B-pillar to ease cabin access. The coach-style doors give the car the look of a sporty 2-door

A study of contrasts

By using an orange metallic paint on the roof rails and rocker extensions as well as inside the front air intakes to contrast with the bluish gray interior, the contrast highlights the floating roof design and adds a muscular, planted look to the lower body. Another design signature developed for the car was the boomerang shape to the front and rear LED lighting elements

The Sway also features a glass roof, and an interior with a floating wing-design dash inspired by the IDx concept car. The wing shape was adopted for its elegant simplicity. The result is an interior where function takes a priority, and where nothing is used for purely decorative purposes. Structural elements, for example, are shown as structural elements. The door pulls are designed to be integrated as a part of exposed aluminum struts. Even the three-spoke steering wheel has a 'back-to-basics' simplicity, with a squared off bottom section and aluminum spokes

Back to basics

Just two basic instruments face the driver, with all other functions captured on a large trapezoidal tablet in the center of the dashboard visible - and usable - by both driver and front seat passenger. The lightweight seats have an aluminum structure - once again exposed - and are covered in a premium suede-like fabric partially accentuated with pearl-effect material, featuring stitching techniques more usually found on luxury handbags. Color coordination sees the use of strong blue and orange themes inside, complementing the exterior perfectly

"With this new concept car for Geneva, we are experimenting to see how Nissan might be able to bring fresh ideas to the compact hatchback segment," Nakamura said. While this may or may not be the shape of the next Micra, the car's upscale looks in a small package would be a welcome addition to Nissan's U.S. lineup

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CHEVROLET CAPRICE PPV

CHEVROLET CAPRICE PPV

In the fall of 2009, General Motors announced their latest addition to the police vehicle market with the upcoming Chevrolet Caprice PPV (Police Patrol Vehicle). The previous edition of the Caprice targeted to law enforcement was produced between1991-1996. The updated model continues to be sold to law enforcement agencies, and it features the 6.0 L77 AFM V8 that was standard with the cars sold in 2011. Beginning in 2012, the standard 3.6 L LLT SIDI V6 engine was adopted as an optional package for law enforcement agencies who demand greater fuel efficiency from their police cruisers. Both engine models are designed to be compatible with E85 ethanol capable fuel, and the cars feature a wider wheel base than the Caprice models sold to the general American public. The PPV edition of the vehicle also features a dual engine exhaust, console floor shifter, and a touch screen for radio and HVAC controls of the vehicle.

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NEW NISSAN Qashqai £18,795

Exterior

Most SUVs, especially smaller ones, are about style above all else, and this is an area in which the Qashqai excels. The front end features crisp lines and bold details, the LED running lights and the deep, angular grille being the highlights. Things are just as fresh at the rear end, with swooping LIGHT clusters and muscular rear haunches. This is one very handsome car. Entry-level Visia cars miss out on alloy wheels, but they still look reasonably swish.

Interior

If you thought the Qashqai looked swish on the outside, you’ll be just as impressed by the interior. All the materials have a plush, high-grade feel, particularly on the main touch-points, and the design is modern and attractive.IMPORTANTLY, though, this hasn’t come at the expense of ergonomics. The various switches and buttons are logically placed and clearly marked, and the touch-screen infotainment system (standard on the top two trims) has sharp graphics and clear, logical menus. What’s more, the high driving position that SUV buyers love has plenty of adjustment, so life is very comfortable at the wheel. The limited rear visibility is the cockpit’s only real weak point.

Practicality

Even when compared with its best rivals, the Qashqai has no trouble on this score. The rear seats have plenty of headroom and legroom, making life very comfortable for four gangly adults, and five will cram in at a push. The 430-litre BOOT rivals those of the best cars in the class for capacity, and it also has some really clever features. We particularly like the two movable boards, which help give you a perfectly level load floor when the back seats are folded, and which can be slotted in vertically as well as horizontally, to stop small items sliding around. These boards are standard on all trims except entry-level Visia.

Ride and handling

On the road, the Qashqai’s focus is very much on comfort, with good bump absorption at low speeds and fantastic smoothness and stability at moderate and high speeds. Despite the Qashqai’s civilised character, the handling is also impressively neat. The body stays impressively flat in corners so you don’t get thrown around in your seat, and the car always feels grippy, stable and predictable. You can change the weight of the steering by selecting one of two modes, too. The Sport mode has an artificially heavy feel, but in Normal mode, the weighting feels just right and gives crisp responses.

Safety

All Qashqai models come with six airbags and stability control as standard, while Acenta Premium models have a few more clever safety features and Tekna models have more still. The Qashqai has also achieved the maximum five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash tests.

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2015 MCLAREN 650S SPIDER REVIE

The McLaren 650S Spider does absolutely everything well. This technological masterpiece will go from 0-62 MPH in 3 seconds flat, and a top speed of 204 MPH will have anyone in the passenger seat shrieking in delight (or maybe panic). On the road, the 650S turns and stops better than just about anything else, and no matter where you park it you’ll draw a crowd of earnest admirers

You want this car. Obviously. The only question is, do you want it bad enough to lay down one-third-of-a-million bucks for it, compared to everything else on the market

Power and performance

The 650S is the latest supercar from McLaren Automotive. The 650 stands for the car’s Pferdestärke rating (roughly equivalent to horsepower), the S is for Sport, and the McLaren means Magnificent. Like past offerings from the exotic car company, the 650S is a pure supercar where price is no object and performance is paramount

Digging right in where it counts, the 650S is powered by McLaren’s own 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, designated the M838T. The engine weighs just 438 pounds owing to its all-aluminum construction, and features a dry sump oiling system commonly found on racing cars. The engine also gets the usual array of nifty features including new development work on the heads, pistons, valve timing, and so on

Most of the engine work, but not all of it, is designed to bring more power to the car throughout the engine’s power band — which stretches all the way up to a shrieking 8,500 RPM. You get four engine/transmission modes: Normal for around-town driving, Winter for driving in poor conditions, Sport for enthusiastic driving, and Track for obvious purposes. Most of the difference in these modes comes in the transmission, which will change its shift points and behavior to match the mode 

you’ve selected

Sport mode contains a gimmicky feature that’s pure entertainment: In this mode, the engine will cut spark for a moment on full throttle upshifts. This produces a bolus of unburned fuel in the exhaust stream. That fuel is ignited when the spark comes back, creating a burst of flame out the back and a delightful pop. Sure, it’s a trick, but it’ll put a grin on your face every time

The transmission is McLaren’s own 7-speed twin-clutch Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG). Development on this unit has made upshifts lightning fast. McLaren isn’t lying about seamless, either. Upshifts are so smooth you have to listen for them, because at anything less than wide-open throttle, you won’t really feel them

Downshifts give you a satisfying sense that someone (not you) is actually rowing down through the gears with a tight clutch. McLaren gives you a set of paddles to select your own gears, but don’t kid yourself; with the exception of knowing in advance that you want to take off like a bullet, the car shifts itself far more expertly than you can ever hope to achieve

Oh, you get launch control, too. Don’t use it at Cars & Coffee

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