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Recap: 2010 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance

June 13th, 2010

2010 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance – Click above for high-res image gallery

The first weekend in June is always circled on our calendar, because that’s when the annual Greenwich Concours d’Elegance goes down in tony Greenwich, CT. So, instead of catching some rays at the beach, or mowing the lawn, or tending to the vegetable garden, we drop the top and head down Interstate 95 to spend the better part of two days gawking at cars exotic and otherwise, always ready for whatever surprises are on hand to add a little variety. Follow the jump for a quick recap of this year’s show, after which you can hit the galleries to ogle the staggering variety of metal that the organizers assembled.

Continue reading Recap: 2010 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance

Recap: 2010 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:20:00 EST.

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Tags: Budget Classics Convertible Coupe Luxury Misc. Auto Show Performance Racing Sedan Specialty Wagon

Motorcycles at the 2010 Greenwich Concours

June 13th, 2010

Motorcycles at the 2010 Greenwich Concours – Click above for high-res image gallery

One thing the organizers of the Greenwich Concours do well is ensure that motorcycle aficionados don’t feel left out. This year was no different, as Sunday featured row of bikes diverse in both chronology and purpose. No matter your interest, if two wheels were your thing, you were covered by a range of offerings that included everything from rarities like the Honda NR750 to a 1917 Harley-Davidson that pretty much embodied the definition of “patina.”

It was obvious that the majority of these bikes weren’t babied garage queens. Most appeared to see regular action, and their owners were eager to share them with the crowd. “C’mon, take a closer look!” was a common phrase uttered to anyone pausing to show interest in a particular bike. It’s that kind of camaraderie that makes Greenwich feel as accessible as any local enthusiasts’ gathering, even though it’s a serious Big Deal concours with million-dollar vehicles littering the grounds. Hit the gallery below for a look at the motorcycles and scooters that were on hand this year.

Gallery: Motorcycles at the 2010 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance

Motorcycles at the 2010 Greenwich Concours originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:29:00 EST.

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Tags: Classics Misc. Auto Show Motorcycle

Immaculate Volga’s Cold War style elicits warm smiles

June 12th, 2010

1976 Volga GAZ-24 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Sometimes, it’s the unlikely stuff that gets the best reactions. At a show where the supercar circle boasted the likes of a Schuppan 962CR and James Glickenhaus’ Ferrari P4/5, across the field, car of decidedly more modest origin was cultivating an equally-delighted group of fans for itself. Yes, it is the opposite of a supercar, but this ’76 Volga GAZ-24 was easily one of the highlights of the show, if you ask us.

Wedged between a grey Facel Vega coupe and a delectable Citroen DS, the deep red Volga was beautifully turned out, with blinding whitewall tires, velour-accented seats, neat logo mudflaps, airbrushed hammer-and-sickle art on the hood, and probably the most appropriate vanity plates ever. The car was even wore its own fur hat.

When we asked the owner to open the hood for us so we could grab a quick photo, he apologetically said, “Oh, there’s not much to see,” as he lifted it to reveal the clean inline-four. “Besides, if I keep it open, no one can see the artwork!” Smiles all around as folks gathered to ogle this Cold War curiosity, which you’re just about as likely to see on the road as any of the exotics that were parked a few hundred feet away. In its own way, it’s every bit as cool.

Gallery: 1976 Volga GAZ-24

Immaculate Volga’s Cold War style elicits warm smiles originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Jun 2010 19:10:00 EST.

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Tags: Classics Misc. Auto Show Russia Sedan

This is what the first-ever Porsche 911 Turbo looks like today

June 12th, 2010

1973 Porsche 911 Turbo factory prototype

Some people attending the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance last weekend walked past this Porsche 911 Turbo, giving it nary a glance. After all, it was tucked a little out of the way, and even with its tweaked bodywork and decals, if you’ve seen one 911 Turbo, you’ve seen them all, right? Well, no. Anyone who paused long enough to read the info card owner Murray Smith placed front of the car learned that, in fact, this Turbo is more special than others. You see, it was the prototype – the first factory-turbocharged Porsche 911 road car, period.

As the story goes, it began life as a regular ’73 911S company car driven by Porsche chief engineer Helmuth Bott. From there, it won the Porsche genetics lottery when it was sucked into the automaker’s experimental program to serve as the basis for the Turbo. As such, it became the first roadgoing Porsche 911 to get the turbo engine, along with the now-famous widebody treatment and whaletail.

Once its developmental role was complete, it became the 911 Turbo display car for the Paris, Frankfurt, and Tokyo motor shows, but the story doesn’t end there. Following a subsequent factory RSR conversion, this 911 Turbo was raced by Aussie Porsche importer Alan Hamilton during the mid-1970s. The icing on the cake for us came at the day’s conclusion, when we got to hear the car fire up and get in line for the procession past the podium. It sounded like God on speakerphone. For a 911 with this provenance, that seemed entirely appropriate.

Gallery: 1973 Porsche 911 Turbo Factory Prototype

This is what the first-ever Porsche 911 Turbo looks like today originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Jun 2010 11:03:00 EST.

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Tags: Classics Coupe Misc. Auto Show Motorsport Performance Porsche Racing Shows

Morgan confirms EvaGT launch for Pebble Beach

June 12th, 2010

Earlier this year, Morgan committed to bringing one new model to market every two years, and the first vehicle to come out of this initiative is the EvaGT, a 2+2 coupe set to debut at this year’s Pebble Beach extravaganza.

Aside from the teaser above, Morgan isn’t offering much in the way of design details, but judging by the tapered roofline and massive rear fenders, we’re having a hard time imagining how more than two occupants could fit comfortably within the EvaGT.

The hand-finished, superformed aluminum body – which is decidedly more modern than past Morgan – boasts a number of aerodynamic tweaks, including flush door handles, hidden wipers and millimeter thin panel gaps to reduce drag and improve downforce. Underneath, the bonded aluminum chassis is based on Morgan’s Aero SuperSports, the same underpinnings used on its GT3 competitor.

As it’s done for the last decade, Morgan is sourcing its powertrain from BMW, and in the case of the EvaGT it’s using the German’s 306-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six, along with a six-speed manual or “sport” automatic gearbox to shuttle power to the rear wheels. Morgan is estimating a curb weight of 2,755 pounds, resulting in a 0-60 mph dash of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 170 mph.

After the EvaGT makes its debut at the 60th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Carmel, California, Morgan will begin taking deposits on the first 100 units, with deliveries expected to begin in mid-2012. Get the full details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Morgan confirms EvaGT launch for Pebble Beach

Morgan confirms EvaGT launch for Pebble Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:01:00 EST.

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Tags: Coupe Misc. Auto Show

Tupolev 007: Attention, cosmonauts – Your ride’s here

June 6th, 2010

Tupolev 007 aerosled at the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance- Click above for high res gallery

We’ll provide a full recap of the 2010 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance later, but this morning, we wanted to share one of the cooler vehicles on display with you – and while it has gullwing doors and is as exotic as it gets, it’s not even a car. While Cold War-era American astronauts were fished out of the drink by the U.S. Navy after splashdown, Soviet cosmonauts at the time faced a different set of risks when their spacecraft returned to Earth – namely, the possibility of landing in the Siberian wilderness. As such, a recovery vehicle was needed that could traverse varied terrain, operate in sub-zero temperatures, and move fast. Enter Russian aviation legend Aleksei Tupolev. His solution is seen here: the Tupolev 007 aerosled.

The shallow-draft craft is powered by a 9-cylinder Vedenyev M14P radial aircraft engine generating 365 horsepower. Its interesting double-propeller is actually fixed, with the rear prop drafting the front blades to increase efficiency and make operation quieter. At speeds above 50 mph, the driver can engage a flap to lift the nose, allowing the 007 to skim the surface, meaning it can race across lakes, marshes, and snow with equal aplomb. The design reportedly won Tupolev the Diploma of Finest Engineer in the USSR (give the Soviets this: they had a flair for super-impressive-sounding awards), and you can go see it yourself if you’re within easy travel distance of Greenwich, CT.

Day 2 of the 15th Annual Greenwich Concours d’Elegance runs today from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM EDT, with foreign cars the featured element. Admission at the door is $25 (proceeds help benefit AmeriCares), and believe us, it’s money well spent. We’ll be there later today as well, and you can follow our tweets from the show by searching on the hashtag #GCDE.

Gallery: Greenwich Concours 2010: Tupolev 007