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Weekly Recap: An '80s encore in the auto world

The '80s returned in a big way this week, as National Lampoon's, Ghostbusters, Miami Vice, and even Tetris were back in the news. While there were far more serious topics (see below), nostalgia mingled with modern marketing to put these Reagan-era favorites back in the spotlight. The '80s were alternately cold and corny at times, but their cultural touchstones can still generate big money. That's why Infiniti recreated an iconic scene from National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) for an advertisement that hawks the QX60 crossover. Actor Ethan Embry, who played Rusty Griswold in a later Lampoon's movie, pilots the Infiniti – which is serving as a modern Family Truckster – for a trip to Walley World. A blonde pulls alongside in a red Lamborghini. They flirt, and she drives on. Christie Brinkley, who played the original girl in the red sports car (she drove a Ferrari in the '83 flick), is riding shotgun and chides Embry with: "A blonde. In a convertible. Seriously?" Okay, it's hardly on the level of "here's looking at you," or even "you can't handle the truth," but it should resonate with '80s babies, many of whom are now having children of their own and moving into three-row SUVs like the QX60. Naturally, Hollywood is going back to the well, too, with a Vacation remake that premiers July 29. Meanwhile, Ghostbusters is returning next year, and director Paul Feig offered a peak at the new Eco-1 in this tweet. In the 1984 classic, the team drove a modified 1959 Cadillac. Now, it will drive a late '80s Cadillac. As expected, the announcement generated support and controversy from movie and car enthusiasts. His tweet had generated several thousand retweets and favorites in the days following the news. Though the '80s Caddy looks, uh, less elegant in comparison to the now-iconic fins and curves of the original Ecto-1, it's about the same time lapse into the past as the '59 Caddy was to viewers in 1984. Speaking of 1984, Miami Vice, which debuted that year on NBC, is seeing one of its hero cars hit the auction block, Mecum Auctions announced this week. The 1986 Ferrari used on the show will be offered for sale Aug. 15 during Monterey classic car week. The white supercar runs a 390-hp flat 12-cylinder engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission and was in storage after the show ended in 1989 until earlier this year. It has 16,124 miles on the odometer and is authenticated by Ferrari North America and Classiche.

Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration Concept previewed ahead of Beijing debut

Infiniti's exterior design has been on point lately. The Q50, QX30, and especially the new Q60 Coupe are among the best looking vehicles in their respective segments. The company's designers even managed to make the homely QX60 look good. And now, those same stylists have issued their official preview of the successor to the QX50. It's called the QX Sport Inspiration Concept and will make its official debut tomorrow at the 2016 Beijing Motor Show. It's not hard to look at this stylish concept and imagine the second-generation QX50, formerly known as the EX. The proportions are just right, for one. The rear overhang is perilously short and the rear glass is raked aggressively – both work with the squat greenhouse and powerful hood to cut a sporty silhouette. The QX Sport Concept's headlights are better looking than the current model's, but still provide a menacing scowl as they flank the trademark Infniti grille. We like the large, air-curtain-style vents behind the front wheels, too; they're a more aggressive, functional take on the current QX70's side vents. The QX Sport's cabin is bisected by a high transmission tunnel, emulating the cockpit-like layout of the current model. And like in that car, this driver-focused layout demands driver-focused interfaces, like the flat-bottomed steering wheel and aggressive, single-piece bucket seats. We wouldn't count on that last item making the production shortlist, though. We'll have more on the QX Sport Inspiration Concept when it debuts tomorrow evening. Stay tuned. Related Video:

Jay Leno recaps Pebble Beach

Each year at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance the picturesque, ocean-side setting of the golf course becomes a parking lot for a vast array of multi-million dollar vehicles. However, if you missed the posh event this year, then Jay Leno has you covered yet again. For a nearly hour-long installment of Jay Leno's Garage, the comedian has dumped his denim in favor of a suit to take viewers on an insider tour of the lavish gathering. He interviewed some of the most talented designers in the auto industry, too. Leno starts off checking out a few beautiful classics by the shore, but things really get interesting for his stroll down the Concept Car Lawn for a scoop on the vehicles of tomorrow. Ed Welburn tells Leno all about the Buick Avenir, and Shiro Nakamura offers a tour of the Infiniti Q60. Plus, there are detailed looks at the Lincoln Continental, Hyundai Vision G Coupe, and Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6. News Source: Jay Leno's Garage via YouTube Bentley Buick Hyundai Infiniti Lincoln McLaren Classics Videos Pebble Beach Jay Lenos Garage infiniti q60 buick avenir bentley exp 10 speed 6