Aurelia Butler

The Lancia Scorpion is a rare and fun mid-engine Italian sports car.This example has benefited from a comprehensive restorationPart of the refurbishment included the installation of a more-powerful European-spec 2.0-liter engineFancy a dose of mid-engine Italian exotica? Today’s find on Bring A Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—won’t quite rock you like a Lamborghini Huracán, but it is a fun and accessible classic from a brand with impeccable breeding. It’s a Lancia Scorpion, one fitted with the feistier European engine and with a simply staggering amount of restoration work already done.Bring a TrailerLaunched in the 1970s as a hotter version of the Fiat X1/9, the Scorpion features similarly wedgy styling. It’s like a Toyota MR2 that talks with its hands. This 1977 version has beautifully thin rear buttresses like a Maserati Merak, and some details lifted from the European Montecarlo version.Bring a TrailerAcross the Atlantic, the Lancia Montecarlo took its name from the marque’s win at the 1975 Monte Carlo rally. Lancia is perhaps a lesser-known Italian brand, but it is one with a proud history. That includes breakthroughs like the first V-6–powered car (the achingly gorgeous B20 Aurelia), and winning more WRC titles than any other manufacturer. Its engineering was always forward-looking. Financial management, not so much.Bring a TrailerObviously Lancia couldn’t sell a Montecarlo in the U.S. without General Motors deploying an entire paratrooper division of lawyers. Instead, possibly due to Abarth’s racing success with one of the early prototypes, it was called the Scorpion. The U.S.-spec cars looked cool and cornered like the “on rails” cliche, but had less sting in the tail than a base model Pinto. They also cost more than a contemporary Corvette, so only the most ardent Lancia fans bought them.Bring a TrailerSpeaking of ardent Lancia fans, the current owner of this car certainly counts as one. He treated this Scorpion to an extensive restoration. Together with work done by the previous owner, the result is a Scorpion that in many ways is an improvement on the original. A 2.0-liter European-spec engine was installed, with high compression pistons, a ceramic-coated header, and a Magnaflow exhaust. Euro Montecarlos were good for something like 120 horsepower and 0-60 mph in a respectable 8.5 seconds. The suspension is all new too, as is the rack-and-pinion steering, and refreshed brakes. The 13-inch alloy wheels are shod with 185-series Falken tires. The interior has been refurbished and the body treated to a bare-metal respray and Euro bumpers. The lift-off roof panel appears to be one of the few remaining needs.Related StoriesImagine resting your hands on that Momo Prototipo steering wheels and feeding this little sports car into a tight corner, then blasting out with a snarl of twin-cam Italian four-cylinder fury. Yes, please. Let the exotics have their unusable hundreds of horsepower. This is one of those cars where you get to use the whole of the tachometer.Scorpions haven’t really appreciated sharply in the same way other Lancias, like the Stratos or the Fulvia, have, so someone may get a great deal on this car. The auction is no reserve and ends on November 15. Contributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

Honda recently revealed a near-production-looking concept car that brings back the iconic Prelude name. The concept is a low-slung two-door coupe that Honda has said prioritizes “the joy of driving.”However, new quotes from Honda’s large project chief engineer, Tomoyuki Yamagami, suggest that the new Prelude won’t be sporty enough to compete with the Civic Type R or Integra Type S.All signs point to Honda’s bringing the historical Prelude name back in the form of a new hybrid coupe. The brand officially showed off the car at this year’s Tokyo auto show as a concept, although unofficially we think it’s more accurate to call the Prelude a near-production prototype. HondaDon’t be fooled by the low-slung and sporty look of the two-door coupe, though. Despite Honda’s statement at the reveal that the new car will prioritize “the joy of driving,” quotes from Honda large project chief engineer Tomoyuki Yamagami suggest that the new Prelude won’t necessarily be a track-day weapon. In an interview with Australia’s CarsGuide, Yamagami said the new Prelude “isn’t going to be the sportiest, zippiest car that’s going to be tossed into the circuits.” The publication suggested that it will therefore not compete against, for instance, the Subaru BRZ or Toyota GR86. While that doesn’t mean enthusiasts should immediately write the Prelude off as boring, it does suggest that the new version will be positioned somewhere below the brand’s own track-ready cars like the Civic Type R and the Acura Integra Type S. Furthering that point, Yamagami continued by saying, “We’re developing this as a four-seater, so you will be seeing a second row with two seats available as well.” Take that last comment with a grain of salt. The Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 both have “back seats” and are no worse off for it. Elana Scherr|Car and DriverThe Prelude is more likely to serve as something of a replacement for the discontinued coupe versions of the Civic and Accord. Think of the Prelude as filling the space between the harder, more focused cars like the Civic Type R and softer, more livable cars like the outgoing Accord coupe—an economical front-wheel-drive GT car. More Revamped Honda NewsWe know the Prelude will use a hybrid powertrain, but we don’t know the specifics yet. We expect it to share underpinnings with either the Civic or the Accord. We’re hopeful the hybrid setup will be a bit more potent than the 204-hp Accord Hybrid, but it’s also possible the new car will use a similar configuration, simply with a more powerful gasoline engine. Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

In its day, this police pursuit version of the Chevrolet Camaro was hard to outrun, packing LS1 V-8 power.This one is a former Florida Highway Patrol car and comes with all kinds of fun accessories.With five days to go and no reserve, bidding on the Bring a Trailer online auction is currently at $4200.As Chevrolet prepares to send its Camaro muscle car off to the big scrapyard in the sky in January 2024, here’s a brief homage to the Camaro you really didn’t ever want to see. When zipping down one of Florida’s highways in the early 2000s, the sight of a black and tan coupe snorting up behind you with its blue lights strobing was inevitably accompanied by a sinking feeling located in the area of your wallet. But now you can turn the tables (just not in Florida). Bring a TrailerToday’s pick at Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is this former Florida State Patrol Camaro with the B4C Special Service package. Assuming you discount stickered-up exotics and Corvettes usually used for police PR events, this is probably the quickest a working highway pursuit vehicle ever got.Essentially a Z/28 package with fewer amenities and no T-tops, the B4C has a 5.7-liter LS1 V-8 under its hood, a four-speed automatic transmission, and a knack for catching up to scofflaws. In its retirement, it’s a fun way to play cops and robbers dress-up, particularly as this example comes with a Florida Highway Patrol uniform, jacket, and hat. Bring a TrailerWe mentioned the just-not-in-Florida part, right? FHP would not be amused to see this car on the road in their home state. This cruiser is currently registered in Virginia and would be fine to bring to shows in many states. Or you can of course bring a trailer.Bring a TrailerBring a TrailerWhat would be the most fun for this old cop car is to invest in a couple of drag radials and head to your local run-what-ya-brung Friday-night drag races. Fans of horsepower never wanted to see this car coming up fast in the rearview, but the crowd would surely cheer to see it running down the strip with the light bar on.With five days to go until the auction ends on November 15, the high bid is $4200, and there’s no reserve. If you want to live out your highway patrol fantasies, just head over to Bring a Trailer to make your bid. Just, let’s say it all together: not in Florida. Other Recent Auction PicksContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

The amount of people in the market for a $186,000, plug-in-hybrid luxury SUV is a lot smaller than those looking for, say, a Toyota Prius Prime that costs about $153K less than that price. Still, the wealthy folks who are considering buying the 2024 BMW XM’s high-performance model might notice a slight change to its name. What was previously known as the XM Label Red is now simply known as the XM Label.BMW XM’s New LabelWhen BMW first introduced the XM Label Red, we admired its mighty 738-hp plug-in-hybrid powertrain, but we also noted that its styling wouldn’t appeal to everyone. It was also the luxury brand’s first use of “Label Red” on a production model. Clearly BMW didn’t think it was catching on with consumers, as a company spokesperson told Motor1.com that the decision to give the hi-po XM a new label was to simplify the name. Car and Driver also reached out to BMW to ask about the name change, and we’ll update this story if we hear back.Report: BMW XM DiscountThe 2024 BMW XM Label starts at a hefty $185,995, while the regular model starts at $159,995. However, customers can apply for a $9900 loan credit that would drop those prices. That’s according to Cars Direct, who reported the discount is available by either financing through BMW directly or by going through another lender using a “Non FS Credit” that would act as a rebate and provide the same $9900 off.Extra BMW XM ReadingSenior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More