Motor News

• The 2006 Ford GT shown here has a current bid of $497,777 on the Bring a Trailer auction website.• The car shows 15,000 miles on its odometer. • Bidding ends Monday, March 21. Ford made quite a stir with the current second-generation of its GT supercar, which is now in its final year of production after being developed in secret for its 2017 model-year debut. Along with generally wowing the automotive masses with its distinctive flying-buttressed rear fenders, it won its class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race on the golden anniversary of Ford’s first overall victory in 1966. But as tributes to Ford’s original GT40 go, the first-gen GT that launched for 2005 remains just as striking and arguably even more iconic. It is with that in mind that we highlight this 2006 Ford GT as our Pick of the Day on the Bring a Trailer auction website—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

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Ford’s first GT earned its share of accolades over the course of its life cycle. We called it “a skillful reincarnation of a classic sports racer” in a 2005 comparison test. Impressively well-mannered for a mid-engine beast, its 550-hp supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 could launch it to 60 mph in a little over three seconds. The GT’s low-slung bodywork—including door cutouts in the roof and a nearly horizontal rear window—remains effortlessly cool, and its visceral appeal is bolstered by a standard six-speed stick and a spinning blower right behind your head.

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Compared to today’s carbon-fiber-intensive GT and its escaped-racecar levels of refinement, this mostly aluminum-constructed version from earlier in the century is more livable day-to-day yet still drops jaws like an exotic car should. This particular example was built towards the end of the first GT’s two-year production run and wears the $13,000 Heritage Edition getup, its light-blue-and-orange paint harking back to the Gulf Oil liveries worn by the GT40 racers of the 1960s. Inside the black leather-trimmed cabin you’ll find toggle switch controls, a tilting and telescoping steering column, and carbon-fiber-shelled sport seats. Factory options include a McIntosh audio system upgrade and forged BBS wheels measuring 18 inches in front and 19 inches in back, though we’ll argue those rollers should be finished in orange to complete the retro-racer look. While originally registered in New York, this car found its way to California and Nevada, and currently is for sale in Arkansas with a clean Carfax report, a California title, and an indicated 15,000 miles on its odometer.

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Underscoring the GT’s attraction, the current bid on its Bring a Trailer page is $497,777—more than three times its $150,000 base price in 2006 and close to what the newer GT costs in its standard trim. With three days left in the auction, we wouldn’t be surprised if the original GT’s heritage pushes that figure even higher.

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There are moments each of us will cherish for a lifetime. Why not accumulate one more by watching this week’s episode of Window Shopping on YouTube? It won’t change your life in a magical way, or any other way, really. But with some luck you’ll enjoy a few minutes of automotive goofball conversation.This week’s challenge? Find an example of a vehicle that got much, much, much better with the introduction of a new generation. That is, something that was garbage but suddenly got good when the nameplate was pried off and applied to a new vehicle. For instance, the original Toyota Celica Supra was kind of a dopey nose extension of the Celica to accommodate a six-cylinder engine that was then finished off with tufted velour upholstery. But the second-generation Supra, introduced as a 1982 model, was a 10Best winner and instantly beloved.And the Supra is not mentioned in this episode. Go figure. So watch this episode to find out what vehicles did pound through our thickening skulls.Join Carlos Lago as “Sam Malone,” Tony Quiroga as “Coach,” K.C. Colwell as “Frasier,” Jonathon Ramsey as “Norm,” and, of course, John Pearley Huffman as “Cliff.” Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Wouldn’t you like to get away? After all, this is where everybody knows your name. Assuming you’re a subscriber and we can pull that out of the computer.

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Mansory, the German tuner known for its extreme modifications, has turned its attention to the Ferrari Roma.Mansory’s take on the Roma includes lots of carbon fiber, a low-profile rear wing, and a large diffuser.Horsepower is increased to 710 and torque is up to 640 pound-feet, yielding a slightly quicker sprint to 62 mph and an extra 7 mph of top speed, up to a claimed 206 mph.German tuner Mansory is not known for subtlety, and while the tricked-out Ferrari Roma seen here may look extreme compared to the stock sports car that rolls off the production line in Maranello, it’s actually fairly discreet by Mansory standards. Mansory’s “complete conversion” for the Roma is the company’s latest creation, following three modified Ferraris unveiled last year: the 812 GTS, F8XX, and Portofino.

Mansory

Mansory’s Roma gets carbon fiber galore. The hood is made entirely of the lightweight material, with a black boomerang-shaped piece reminiscent of the carbon blade on the hood of the Ferrari 812 Competizione. Mansory has also ditched the Roma’s body-color egg-crate grille for black mesh. The body is festooned with carbon-fiber trim pieces on the front bumper, fenders, and side skirts, while the rear features a relatively mild carbon wing and a protruding diffuser. The interior is draped in red and black leather.

Mansory

Mansory

Mansory hasn’t only covered the Roma in carbon-fiber doodads, however. Under the hood, the turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8 has nearly 100 more horsepower than the stock Ferrari at 710 hp, with torque up to about 640 pound-feet from 561. Mansory claims that these engine modifications increase the top speed by 7 mph to 206 mph, with the zero-to-62-mph sprint taking 3.1 seconds, making it slightly quicker than before. The Roma starts at $222,620 from Ferrari, but the tuner didn’t release pricing for its modified version.
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Porsche CEO Oliver Blume told media at a roundtable interview on Thursday that when the hybridized 911 arrives, it will not be a plug-in hybrid.Blume called it a “sporty hybrid” and said it takes inspiration from the Le Mans–winning 919 Hybrid race car.Blume also reaffirmed that the 718 will be electrified while maintaining its mid-engine proportions.Porsche has been mulling a hybridized 911 for a long time. Back in 2017, when the current 992 generation was still under development, Porsche was going back and forth on whether it wanted to sell a 911 hybrid and what form that hybrid would take. Three model years into the 992’s production run, the hybrid model has yet to appear, but at a roundtable interview yesterday, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed its existence and dropped a few hints about what we can expect from a 911 hybrid.

Previous reports had suggested that the electrified 911 would arrive as a plug-in hybrid, but at the roundtable Blume explicitly said that the 911 will not be plug-in, with that duty left to the Cayenne SUV and Panamera models. Instead, he described the 911 as a “sporty hybrid” and even said it was inspired by the 919 Hybrid, an endurance race car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015, 2016, and 2017. When asked whether the 911 GT models, such as the GT3, would receive hybridization in the future, Blume simply responded that we should expect “surprises” from the 911 down the line. At the roundtable, Blume also reaffirmed that the smaller 718 lineup will spawn an all-electric model in 2025, which will retain the classic mid-engined roadster dimensions. The Macan EV that will arrive for the U.S. in 2024 was confirmed again, and Porsche also reiterated its ongoing development of synthetic fuels. The automaker said it is aiming for 80 percent of its sales to be fully electric by 2030, with synthetic fuel helping bridge the remaining gap.
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A 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid just lapped the Virginia International Raceway (VIR) Grand Course in 2:50.7.That’s a notable 4.5 seconds quicker than we recorded with a Porsche Taycan Turbo S at our 2021 Lightning Lap.The Model S Plaid had aftermarket carbon-ceramic front brakes and was driven by a professional, but it wore standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.We’ve long known that Teslas can be absurdly quick in a straight line, but they’ve never really shone when they had to turn a hot lap. That type of performance has so far been reserved for Porsche’s all-electric phenom, the four-door Taycan. However, the tables have turned, because a Tesla Model S Plaid just posted a quicker lap time around a big-time racetrack than a Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

With a professional driver behind the yoke, and some aftermarket front brakes, Carmine Cupani’s privately owned ’22 Model S Plaid on stock Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber lapped VIR’s Grand Course in 2:50.7, according to a video posted on Cupani’s YouTube channel. That means the Plaid’s time beats the 2:55.2 lap we set with a 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S at last year’s Lightning Lap. The 4.5 ticks that separate the Tesla from the Porsche are especially impressive since a 2016 Model S P85D we tried to run at VIR several years ago couldn’t even complete a single lap under full power, let alone set a record. In a phone interview with Car and Driver, Cupani says the Plaid’s Track mode played a big role in breaking the record because it effectively kept the battery and electric motors cool during each 20-minute session. He said in Track mode that the Plaid’s prodigious power felt easier to manage and that the accelerator’s responses felt more linear. It all went down at Car and Driver’s track-day event held on March 15 at VIR, which gave regular folks a chance to test their skills in their cars on the same Grand Course configuration that we use for our annual Lightning Lap. In the case of the Model S Plaid, Cupani had his friend and pro driver Johan Schwartz set the record lap. In between track sessions, the two would drive to the nearest Tesla Supercharger about 25 minutes from VIR, spend another 40 minutes getting a full charge, and then drive back, all the while discussing different strategies to take down the Taycan.As shown in the video, Schwartz does a masterful job driving the Model S Plaid around the Grand Course, including one sphincter-clenching moment when disaster almost struck. At the 1:03-minute mark in the video, Schwartz can be seen climbing the esses at about 120 mph when he nearly loses control. For a split-second, Schwartz frantically saws at the Tesla’s much-derided yoke before somehow saving the car and the lap. “I was shitting my pants looking at that video,” Cupani laughed nervously over the phone.Also detailed in the three-minute video that was posted on YouTube today are modifications Cupani made to the Tesla. The Model S Plaid is apparently fitted with Unplugged Performance’s carbon-ceramic front-brake kit, which Cupani says has smaller-diameter rotors and smaller-size calipers than Tesla’s upcoming $20,000 carbon-ceramic brake package. It is also claimed in the video that the rear calipers and rotors are completely stock. As previously mentioned, the wheel-and-tire setup is said to be stock, too, featuring 21-inch Arachnid wheels wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires that are currently part of a $4500 package on the Model S.The ’22 Model S Plaid currently starts at $131,440. It’s the first Tesla that’s powered by three electric motors (one at the front and two at the rear), which combine to generate 1020 horsepower and 1050 pound-feet of torque. The version we tested hit 60 mph in 2.1 seconds and completed the quarter-mile in 9.4 seconds at 151 mph. For comparison, a 2022 Taycan Turbo S starts at $186,350 and has a 750-hp dual-electric-motor setup with a unique two-speed transmission. The last Taycan Turbo S we tested hit 60 mph in 2.4 seconds and finished the quarter-mile in 10.5 ticks at 130 mph.
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• Our Bring a Trailer pick of the day is this 1962 Chevrolet Corvair 95 Rampside pickup, up for auction until Tuesday, March 22.• This one’s a bit of a project as it needs some cosmetic and mechanical repairs to get it back into fighting shape.• We love the vintage look and think the side-mounted ramp to the bed is a novel feature that might make sense on modern pickup trucks, too.Today’s auction pick from the Bring a Trailer website—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is this old but cool 1962 Chevy Corvair 95 Rampside pickup truck. Okay, it’s a little rough around the edges, but hear us out: Small pickups are back in style. Right? And the Ford Maverick may wear a vintage name across its tailgate, but this old Chevy is actually vintage.

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Originally part of Chevy’s lineup of rear-engined Corvairs, the Rampside pickup featured a side door that folded down to serve as a ramp, allowing cargo to be loaded into the bed right from the curb. Maybe such a feature could be added to improve the functionality of the next Silverado.

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The interior appears to be in pretty good shape for its age, and the gray and beige color scheme presents an appealing contrast with the truck’s green exterior color. There’s some rust, obviously, and the roof sports a smattering of rust, er, patina, but we think that’s part of the charm. It’s up to the buyer on whether or not to give the truck a respray, but we kind of dig the appearance as it is.

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A horizontally opposed air-cooled flat-six engine, teamed with a three-speed manual transmission, drives the rear wheels. The engine is accessible by lifting a flap inside the bed. The engine made 80 horsepower when it was new, so don’t get any ideas of towing an Airstream trailer with this rig.

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The seller has done some repairs to get it running for the sale, including replacing the fuel pump, carburetor, and brake lines, so a buyer can expect that the truck runs and drives. It’s going to need some work to make it truly roadworthy, but with that in mind, it will make anyone’s fleet a bit more distinctive. The auction ends on Tuesday, March 22, and with five days to go, bidding on this no-reserve truck was only at $4400.
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Maserati will launch an electric version of the GranTurismo called Folgore.It claims 1200 horsepower from three electric motors and a top speed of 186 mph.Folgore EV versions of other Maserati models will arrive within the next few years.Maserati will launch a range of electric models that will wear the Folgore name—the Italian word for lightning. To emphasize these EVs’ focus on performance, Maserati says that the upcoming GranTurismo Folgore will offer over 1200 horsepower from three electric motors and claims it will accelerate to 62 mph in less than 3.0 seconds and reach a top speed of 186 mph. A photo of a camouflaged GranTurismo prototype shows the four-seat coupe’s styling ahead of its official reveal that will take place later this year.

There will also be Folgore versions of the upcoming Grecale SUV and the MC20 supercar coming within the next year, along with a convertible GranCabrio version of the GranTurismo. The next generation Quattroporte sedan and Levante SUV will be offered only as EVs and are slated to arrive in 2025. Maserati did not mention the Ghibli sedan as part of its future-product plan and confirmed that it will eventually disappear from the lineup after this generation runs its course.These Folgore models will ride on various platforms and not all of these upcoming EVs will adopt parent company Stellantis’ range of new EV-specific platforms. The Grecale, for instance, rides on the same Giorgio platform as the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and the electric Folgore model will use a modified version of this architecture.By 2030, all Maserati models will be electric and gasoline engines will no longer be part of the lineup. The new GranTurismo, though, will still offer a gasoline version. Look for more details to come soon on these future models, as the Grecale and Grecale Folgore will debut next week.
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The Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept is a wagon version of the electric A6 that Audi showed last year.The A6 Avant e-tron will ride on the new PPE platform, and its two electric motors provide 469 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque.The Avant is unlikely to reach the U.S. market, but we could get a lifted Allroad model and potentially a sporty RS variant.If you remember last year’s Audi A6 e-tron concept, which previewed an electric version of the company’s mid-size sedan, then the A6 Avant e-tron concept revealed today will feel familiar. This stylish concept teases a wagon variant of the electric A6 due in 2024 and features much of the same design and technology seen on the first A6 e-tron concept—but the long roof makes it even more fetching to our eye.
The A6 Avant e-tron is similar in length to the gas-powered A6 wagon—which is currently offered in the United States as a lifted Allroad model and a high-performance RS6 Avant—but it is wider than the beefy RS6 and two inches lower. Audi claims a coefficient of drag of just 0.24. The classic Audi grille hides air intakes for cooling the battery, motors, and brakes as well as air curtains to smoothly channel air around the side of the vehicle. Compared to the A6 e-tron sedan, the rear diffuser gets more pronounced tunnels to reduce lift.The A6 e-tron and Avant will ride on the Volkswagen Group’s scalable PPE platform, which will also underpin an electric Porsche Macan and an Audi Q6 e-tron SUV. This new architecture includes an 800-volt system and up to 270 kilowatts of charging capacity. Audi says this will allow the electric A6 to gain around 186 miles of range in just 10 minutes when connected to a fast charger. Going from five to 80 percent will take under 25 minutes, Audi claims.
The A6 Avant e-tron features an approximately 100.0-kWh battery, with Audi aiming for up to 435 miles of range on the European WLTP test cycle for the production car. Like the sedan, the A6 Avant e-tron features two electric motors good for a total of 469 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The quickest A6 Avant e-tron models will hit 62 mph in under four seconds, and even entry-level models will sprint to 62 mph in under seven seconds, Audi claims. The PPE architecture will allow for both single-motor rear-wheel-drive and dual-motor configurations with all-wheel drive. The car rides on air suspension and 22-inch wheels and gets cameras instead of side-view mirrors, a feature that is still not legal in the U.S.Also like the sedan, the matrix LED and OLED lighting tech on the A6 Avant e-tron provides lots of fun party tricks. Projectors in the side of the body greet passengers with messages cast onto the ground beside the vehicle, and they can also project practical messages such as a warning symbol to oncoming cyclists that someone is about to open the door. Audi even says that, when the vehicle is parked, the projectors can display a video game on a wall while the passengers play inside.

The concept represents around 95 percent of the production design, and Audi said “never say never,” when asked about the wagon’s U.S. availability. The company hinted that we will get versions “positioned a little bit higher,” which likely refers to ride height and insinuates a future Allroad variant. There also may be a high-performance RS model sold stateside. When the A6 Avant e-tron arrives in 2024, it will be sold alongside the combustion-engine A6.
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