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Chevy reveals new Camaro Z/28.R ahead of Daytona debut

If you thought the new Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 was awesome, well you're right. Because it is. But the new Z/28.R announced today is even more so.
Replacing the previous Camaro GS.R that won six races in three seasons of the Continental SportsCar series, the new Camaro Z/28.R is set to debut in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in just a few days' time. There it will be fielded by Stevenson Motorsports and CKS Autosport in the production-based Grand Sport class.
What makes the Z/28.R so impressive is how closely based it is on its production counterpart. Like the new Corvette C7.R was developed alongside the new Z06, so too was the Z/28.R developed together with the road-going Z/28. It's built around the same chassis, of course, but it also uses the same LS7 7.0-liter V8 engine, helical-gear limited-slip differential and aero kit. The front splitter, rear spoiler, hood extractor vent, rocker panels and belly pan are all sourced from the Z/28 you can buy.

Ford recalls select Explorer, E-Series vans

Just a few days ago we brought you news that Ford had issued a recall on 28,000 units of the Edge crossover for problems related to the fuel line. But now the Blue Oval has issued recall notices on two more of its larger vehicles.
The first relates to the Explorer, 395 examples of which from the 2011 and 2012 model years were found to have problems with their steering systems if they underwent service after September 1, 2013. An apparent software glitch could lock the steering gear, preventing the driver from steering the vehicle and thereby increasing the risk of a crash. As a result, Ford dealers are being instructed to check their records to identify the problematic vehicles and bring them in to have the steering gear replaced. Details of the recall can be found in the PDF linked here.
The second problem revolves around E-Series vans that may develop bubbles in their windshields under hot temperatures. The decrease in visibility through the problematic windshield could - you guessed it - "increase the risk of a crash." As a result, Ford is calling in 4,532 units of the E-150, E-250, E-350 and E-450 vans built in the relatively short window between May 12 and May 26, 2011. Details of this recall can be found in the notice below from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Nissan EV design is diverging in three directions

As the movie awards season kicks into high gear, Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura appears to be implying that his company's electric-vehicle design prospects are about to go from Philomena into The Wolf of Wall Street territory. Nakamura, speaking with Motor Authority at the Detroit Auto Show last week, allowed that the design of the five-seat Nissan Leaf is fairly conservative and will remain so given that the model continues to be the most practically-minded EV from the company. In the near future, though, Nissan is planning to head in different directions. Specifically, an all-electric sports car and a two-seat commuter vehicle that could come with in-wheel electric motors that will allow the designs to get more radical. How radical? Well, we've heard Nissan may bring the BladeGlider concept (pictured) it unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show late last year to production. It has a narrow front and wider rear and a 1+2 seating arrangement. Beyond that, Nissan has the two-seat Esflow concept vehicle it showed off in 2011 that could provide some hints, since it's expected that some of the design components from that car will be worked into the upcoming production models.

Government Ending Jeep Investigation

The government is closing its investigation into older-model Jeeps with fuel tanks that could rupture and cause fires. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Friday it has "no reservations" with Chrysler Group's plans to recall the vehicles. The agency is expected to release a report on its investigation in a few weeks. The decision ends an unusually public struggle between Chrysler and NHTSA. The agency asked Chrysler to recall 2.7 million Jeeps last June, contending that their gas tanks - which are positioned behind the rear axle - were at risk of rupturing and catching fire in rear-end crashes. Involved were Grand Cherokee SUVs from the 1993 to 2004 model years and Liberty SUVs from 2002 to 2007. Chrysler initially refused to recall the vehicles. The company said the rate of fuel leaks and fires after crashes was similar to comparable vehicles that were sold during the time in question. It was the first time in two years that an automaker had refused NHTSA's request for a recall. Chrysler later agreed to recall 1.56 million of the Jeeps and install trailer hitches on them to help protect the gas tanks. The company sent notices to the remaining customers saying their vehicles were fine if they have factory-installed or Chrysler-made trailer hitches. NHTSA said late Friday that it has been in close contact with Chrysler and will monitor the recall as it continues. Chrysler has told customers that it will start installing the hitches soon. "Consumers should have their vehicles serviced promptly once they receive final notification from Chrysler,"NHTSA said in a statement. In its own statement Friday, Chrysler said, "We share NHTSA's commitment to safety." NHTSA's outgoing chief, David Strickland, told The Associated Press in an interview last month that Chrysler had convinced NHTSA that the Jeeps were no more dangerous than similar vehicles sold at that time. "Those vehicles performed at a rate similar to their peers. That is the keystone analysis as to whether something poses an unreasonable risk to safety," Strickland said. Friday was Strickland's last day at NHTSA. He is joining Venable, a law firm. NHTSA began investigating the Jeeps at the request of the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington-based advocacy group. "It is tragic that NHTSA approved Chrysler's sham trailer hitch recall for Jeeps that explode in rear impacts," the Center for Auto Safety's director, Clarence Ditlow, said Friday.

McLaren gunning for Ferrari 458 Speciale with hardcore 12C

Since the launch of the MP4-12C back in 2011, McLaren has rolled out endless variations on the theme. The original coupe was followed by the 12C Spider, the GT3 racing version, the Can-Am hardcore track toy (pictured above), the GT Sprint mild track version and more special editions than we could count. But Woking isn't done yet. Not by a long shot. The latest word coming in from the UK has it that McLaren is preparing an even more focused version of the 12C to take on the Ferrari 458 Speciale. That should mean some trimming of the fat and upgrading of equipment to raise that all-important power-to-weight ratio. According to Autocar, the House that Bruce Built plans to boost the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 from its current 616 horsepower to around 650 – which shouldn't be too difficult since the same engine has already been optimized to produce 727 hp in the McLaren P1, even before the hybrid boost is taken into account. Standard carbon-ceramic brakes are expected to help keep the extra power in check, while some aerodynamic enhancements are said to be in the mix as well. The hardcore 12C is also tipped to get a new front-end treatment reminiscent of the P1 that's then slated to make the transition to other versions of the 12C to give the derivatively-styled supercar more personality and family resemblance. Featured Gallery McLaren MP4-12C Can-Am Edition View 10 Photos News Source: Autocar McLaren Coupe Performance mclaren mp4-12c mclaren 12c

Nissan sells 100,000 Leaf EVs worldwide

Nissan sold 22,610 Leaf electric vehicles in the US last year, but the bigger story (literally) is how the company is selling the EV around the world. After selling the 99,999th Leaf to a woman in Virginia, Nissan sold the 100,000th Leaf to a man named Brett Garner in the UK. For the record, it took Nissan just about three years and one month to reach that mark, since the first Leafs were sold in December 2010. On a global scale, Nissan says the Leaf has a 45 percent market share among all the electric vehicles available. The car is available in 35 countries, but the bulk - as of the end of December, 42,122 units - have been sold in the US. That 99,999th Leaf was sold to Amy Eichenberger, a project manager overseeing major capital investments for the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (pictured below). Garner owns a dental practice in Fareham. You can read their gushing quotes about their new EVs in the Nissan press releases below. If you add in all of the electric vehicles that Nissan and partner Renault have sold (90,000 as of March, the last time official numbers were available), then the 100,000 was topped a while ago. Of course, electric vehicles remain a small portion of Nissan's global sales. In fiscal 2012, Nissan sold 4.9 million vehicles around the world. Still, 100,000 Leafs out of 4.9 million cars is far better than zero. Nissan LEAF global sales reach 100,000 units Nissan LEAF is best-selling EV in history with 45% market share The 100,000th customer is a British dentist After revolutionizing passenger vehicle segment Nissan is electrifying LCVs with the e-NV200 YOKOHAMA, Japan (January 20, 2014) – The 100,000th all-electric Nissan LEAF is being bought by a customer in the United Kingdom. The Nissan LEAF, the world's first mass-produced zero emissions vehicle, remains the best-selling EV in history with a 45% market share. Since its launch in December 2010 Nissan has seen the pace of sales increase consistently and 2013 was a record year. The LEAF is now available to customers in 35 countries on four continents. In Norway, the Nissan LEAF topped sales charts, out-selling conventional gasoline powered vehicles in October 2013. The 100,000th Nissan LEAF customer is Dr. Brett Garner, the owner of a dental practice in Fareham in the UK. "I have chosen my Nissan LEAF because I am very interested in its running costs," Dr. Garner said. "The cost of ownership such as maintenance, insurance and charging also convinced my wife.

GMC to get own model not shared with Chevy?

For years, GMC has existed as a brand without a single unique product, reconstituting Chevrolet trucks, SUVs and crossovers with more frosting in exchange for a few extra dollars. The Sierra is a Silverado, the Acadia a Traverse, and the Terrain an Equinox, although admittedly the latter pair are visually differentiated to a significant degree.
GMC could be set to expand beyond its Chevy-based roots, though. During last week's Detroit Auto Show press days, GM's product boss Mark Reuss was asked whether there'd ever be a GMC that wasn't taken from Chevy. "Oh, yes, you will," Reuss told the media. "The health of GMC is astonishingly good from a consideration standpoint." Reuss wouldn't elaborate on what the model could be, although we're quite happy to make some guesses. GMC has its bases fairly well covered, with a mid-size and full-size crossover, as well as a mid-size, full-size and HD pickup. We doubt GMC will be building a family sedan, sports car, or hatchback, so really, the only place we can see the brand going is into a smaller crossover.
Automotive News points out that the most recent small GMC showcar, the 2010 Granite concept (shown above), won't see production according to General Motors. That vehicle likely would have rode on GM's compact vehicle architecture, known internally as Gamma II, which underpins the Chevy Spark and Sonic, as well as the Buick Encore (and its overseas Opel/Vauxhall/Chevy counterparts).

Ford bumped by Amazon in best-perceived brand list

Back in July, a mid-year study from YouGov found Ford to have higher brand perception than any other company in the US. While Ford failed to top the year-end study, it still has plenty to brag about. The final BrandIndex report shows that online retail giant Amazon edged out Ford for the top ranking, while Subway, the History Channel and Lowe's rounded out the top five spots.
For Ford, it's still an improvement from sixth place in the 2012 study, and, more importantly, it dominated other automakers in terms of brand perception with a clear advantage over Toyota, Honda, Chevy and Volkswagen. To determine how well - or not so well - a brand is perceived, YouGov uses a Buzz score that asks respondents whether they've "heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth" and whether it was positive or negative. While it isn't clear how many respondents were included, YouGov does point out that Ford had a strong presence in social media, advertising and newsworthy toward the end of the year.
For more details about the study and the top companies, check out the press release posted below.

Hyundai Genesis V8 HTRAC may come with performance orientation

When the second-generation Hyundai Genesis arrives in dealers, customers looking for the new all-wheel-drive variant will need to settle for the 3.8-liter V6. This is no bad thing, as the V6 is a sound engine, but what if you want that brawny, 429-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8? For now, you're stuck spinning the rear wheels.
A report from AutoGuide, though, claims that the new HTRAC all-wheel-drive system could be mated up to the Genny Sedan's optional V8 engine at a later date, as part of a new performance version. According to spokesman Miles Johnson, a performance-minded Genesis, perhaps in the same vein as the first-generation R-Spec, is being looked at by the powers that be at Hyundai and that there "may be a market demand for such a model."
Whether it'd add on to the V8's 429 ponies, or simply shore up other parts of the car while adding the AWD system remains to be seen. Of course, if we hear any more on an AWD, V8-powered, performance version of the new Genesis Sedan, we'll be sure to let you know.

NHTSA closes book on Jeep 'trailer hitch' recall after all

After much debating and hand-wringing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration now says it has "no reservations" with Chrysler's plan to recall certain Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee models over concerns that their fuel tanks, which are located behind the rear axle, could rupture or leak in the event of a rear impact. The longstanding argument between the two entities saw Chrysler openly defy the Feds after a request to recall 2.7 million units back in June.
Chrysler's "voluntary campaign" will instead see it recall 1.56-million 1993-2004 model year Grand Cherokee SUVs, along with 2002-2007 Liberty models. Affected vehicles will get a trailer hitch installed free of charge, which Chrysler says will provide an additional degree of protection for the fuel tanks in the event of a crash. Jeeps with Mopar-branded hitches or hitches that were installed at the factory aren't affected by this recall.
Chrysler's argument throughout this battle has been that the Jeeps in question are no more susceptible to fires than comparable vehicles from the same time period, a position that NHTSA has seemingly arrived at as well. "Those vehicles performed at a rate similar to their peers. That is the keystone analysis as to whether something poses an unreasonable risk to safety," said outgoing NHTSA boss David Strickland during an interview with the The Associated Press.

Callaway details new supercharged Stingray SC610

There's something about a Corvette that just begs to be supercharged. That's why Chevy blew out the previous ZR1 and why it did the same with the new Z06. And it's also why Callaway has been working on a supercharger kit of its own for the Stingray.
The House that Reeves Built indicated the project was underway when it released a teaser image showing just the hood of a supercharged Stingray back in August. Now it's followed up with a rendering of the whole thing and some key specifications of its blown Vette.
Dubbed SC610, Callaway's kit packs an Eaton twin-vortex supercharger, high-flow intake and stainless steel exhaust to drive output up to 610 horsepower and 556 pound-feet of torque, which is less than the output of the previous ZR1 (638 hp) or the new Z06 (>625 hp), but substantially more than the stock Stingray's 460 hp. Other features include a carbon hood extractor, special badging and more. Buyers will even be able to specify unique nine-spoke alloys, a coil-over suspension with adjustable dampers, short-throw shifter, upgraded brakes and a full carbon aero kit (not to mention the AeroWagon body conversion to follow).

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG

If working from home these past few years has taught me anything, it's that I genuinely miss commuting. Yeah, you heard me. Maybe it's because, historically, my commutes have always been pretty enjoyable - not like the opening scene from Office Space, one of those stop-and-go-until-the-end-of-time grinds. When I had to drive to an office every day, I always managed to find routes that didn't involve the highway, or at the very least, they incorporated a fun on-ramp or two. In my more recent, working-from-home years, I've made a point of spending my lunch hour on the road. Not only does doing so allow me to put miles on test cars, it's a nice break from the nine-to-five - especially when there's a particularly interesting car in my care.
The 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG arrived late on a Tuesday morning, just before I would normally sign off and take lunch. The CLA has always intrigued me, and to say I've been particularly hot on the 45 AMG would be a gross understatement. So it was with enthusiasm that day that I shut my laptop just as the clock struck noon. There was a CLA45 sitting outside, the keys were in my pocket and I had some time to kill.
Following my quick lunchtime spin, I spent the rest of the afternoon gazing fondly at the CLA sitting outside, its menacing face trying to coerce me to fake some sort of illness ("no, really, I'm soooo sick") and spend the rest of the day flogging it out on the road. The CLA45 is one heck of tempting siren.

2014 Cadillac ELR leases for $699 a month

Most Autoblog readers thought the $75,000 price tag on the 2014 Cadillac ELR was too high. If you can't swing the MSRP all in one go, how does a lease price of $699 a month sound? That's the amount that Cadillac is offering on the official ELR website, with some caveats, of course. First off, it appears that this lease price is for just for "current owners and lessees of all 1999 or newer GM vehicles." They will also have to pony up $4,999 at signing (all others will need $5,999). Second, the $699-a-month price is for a 39-month lease. Then, of course, "tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment [are] extra" and "each dealer sets own price." Also, it appears that this lease deal is only good until the end of January. Cadillac started shipping the ELR plug-in hybrid coupe to dealers last month. There are two things to note in the fine print. The most surprising is that the payments are based on "a 2014 Cadillac ELR with an MSRP of $76,000." That's $1,000 more than the official MSRP announced in October. Then we get to the real kicker: The lease limits you to a mere 32,500 miles, which is just 833.3 miles a month. Well, 'limit' isn't the exact word, since you can certainly drive more. All you have to do is pay 25 cents per mile for each mile over 32,500. Drive the national average of 13,476 miles in a year? That comes to 43,797 miles over 39 months, which is 11,297 extra miles and an extra $2,824.25.

$8.8m '58 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider highlights RM's Arizona auction

All manner of vehicles change hands at the annual auction extravaganza in Arizona, but never has one sold for as much as the Ferrari you see here. The car in question is an (obviously) eminently desirable 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider, one of only 50 ever made and purring onto the stage in flawless red over black livery with matching numbers of the coveted covered headlights straight from the factory.
When we reported on the car's consignment in anticipation of this weekend's sale, it was expected to bring in between $7 and 9 million - and it's done just that, coming in near the top of its valuation with a winning bid of $8.8 million. That makes for a lot of zeros, but while it set a new record for the Arizona auctions, it hardly makes it the most expensive in the world. That honor still belongs to the Mercedes-Benz W196 that sold last summer for nearly $30 million. Nor is it the most expensive Ferrari ever sold at auction, an honor which still belongs to the 250 Testa Rossa that sold for over $16 million in 2011. Heck, it's not even the most expensive 250 California ever sold, coming in behind the SWB example that sold for nearly $11 million in 2008. All of which only goes to show just how insane the collector classic car market has grown in recent years.
The California was undeniably the highlight of RM's two-day sale, but was joined by several other seven-dollar lots, including a 1961 Porsche 718 ($2.75 million), a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso ($2.44 million), a Duesenberg Model J convertible ($2.2 million) and several other million-dollar Ferraris, Mercedes and a '35 Hispano-Suiza. A 1961 Chaparral 1 failed to reach its reserve price despite a high bid of $1.75 million, neither did a 1966 Porsche 906 Carrera 6 at $1.18 million or a Ferrari 275 GTB/4 at $2.85 million. RM Auctions did, however, manage to sell 85 percent of those lots consigned to bring in a massive two-day total of $45.56 million in sales, details of which you can read in the press release below.

Jeep Wrangler by Vilner takes extreme luxury off-road

Vilner turned its customary and intensely luxurious attentions to a two-door Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited back in 2012, following that up this year with its take on the four-door version. A coat of lustrous black paint outside is brightened up LED headlights, foglights and taillights and layers of chrome laid on the grille, mirrors, door handles and fuel filler cap.
Stance gets an injection of brawn from the 20-inch wheels, and they'll roll faster thanks to the power upgrade from 197 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque in the 2.8-liter diesel to 257 hp and 412 lb-ft.
Inside is furious red, with cross-stitched crimson leather and Alcantara demanding your focus. When you can look away from that, you'll find the raw metal parts painted black and again ornamented in minor applications of chrome. Feel free to feast on it in the high-res gallery above.

With increased range, Audi R8 E-Tron revving up for production. Maybe

As Tesla Motors proved mightily in 2013, an expensive EV with a long range can sell quite nicely, thank you very much. Perhaps Audi was taking notes, since its all-electric R8 E-Tron's on-again/off-again odyssey appears to be on again, according to UK's Autocar, citing Audi's Urlich Hackenburg. The model is near the approval stage for production, and the key to the green-light is the fact that its single-charge range has been almost doubled to 250 miles. The R8 E-Tron gained kudos in these parts last June by turning in a rather brisk 8:09 time around Germany's Nurburgring track, a record for a production electric vehicle (check out the really quiet video here). Still, plans for the 376-horsepower model, which has two electric motors and was first shown off at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2009, had been put on the proverbial blocks largely because of a relatively short single-charge range of about 150 miles. Then word came out last spring that Audi would produce maybe 10 units before reports from Australia's Drive late last year indicated that plans for potentially broader production were being resuscitated.

Leno, Seinfeld and a Porsche 356/2 featured in latest CICGC

In the latest kaffeeklatsch known as Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Jerry Seinfeld pulls Jay Leno out of his garage for a trip to Jones Coffee in Pasadena, CA. The NBC funnyman we've lately seen driving two guest Porsches in his eponymous garage this time takes the passenger seat in a 1949 Porsche 356/2, one of early all-aluminum, hand-built coupes - still in 100-percent original condition - built in Gmund, Austria and nicknamed "Gmunds."
The comedy veterans have known one another for 35 years, so the episode is rich with stories of The Good Old Days. Leno says it is also the first time he's ever had a cup of coffee, and for obvious comedic reasons they start with the civet-stained beans made famous in The Bucket List. You can watch Leno take his first sip below, and have you haven't heard the joke about the goat and the anvil, scroll on down for a listen to that and one or two more jokes besides.

2015 Toyota Camry targeting 'more emotional' design

There are many ways to describe the Toyota Camry: "comfortable," "economical," "affordable," "reliable" and "dull as a bucket of mayonnaise" would all be accurate. It's this last one that the Japanese brand is seeking to change. While we aren't expecting it to suddenly sprout a high-revving V8, a rear-drive layout or razor-sharp handling, a report from Bloomberg suggests we should at least expect a more evocative design from one of the best-selling cars in the country.
The next Camry update, due for 2015, should have a "more emotional, more impactful design," says Kevin Hunter, head of Toyota's US design studio. That's according to Bloomberg, who caught up with the styling boss at this week's Detroit Auto Show. "Camry's taken some hits on styling, but it's still selling well. But we need to create better design for Camry in the future."
Toyoda wants to see waku-doki in his company's designs - heart-racing qualities

McLaren F1 GTR Longtail sells at Gooding for $5.28 million

Last month we reported on a very rare McLaren being put up for auction under the auspices of Gooding & Company. One of only 106 examples of the McLaren F1 ever made, one of only 28 made in GTR competition spec, and one of just ten longtail versions, chassis number 021R won FIA GT Championship races in Germany and Finland, making it one of the most successful F1 GTRs ever campaigned and earning its place in the pantheon of McLaren lore. With original livery in immaculate condition, this rare McLaren F1 GTR Longtail sold this weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona, for $5.28 million. Which may seem like a lot of money – and by any account, it surely is – but comes in at the low end of the pre-sale estimates that placed its value at between $5 and $7 million. To put that into proper McLaren perspective, consider that the same amount could buy you a full grid of ten 12C Can-Ams, five examples of the new McLaren P1, or probably get McLaren to build you your own custom creation like the X1. Check out the live images from the scene in the gallery above. Featured Gallery 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail View 28 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL McLaren Auctions Coupe Racing Vehicles mclaren f1 gtr

In 2014, living with a hydrogen car is fun, challenging

Read his lips: more hydrogen stations, please. That's the crux of the commentary from a Southern California gentleman who's been tooling around in a Honda FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle since 2005. Jon Spallino, the first "retail customer" to lease the Clarity, tells The Wall Street Journal that he enjoys "everything about the car," including the peppy acceleration from the car's electric powertrain. The added bonus, of course, is the fact that the car's emissions are nothing more than water vapor. He pays $600 a month to lease the car, including the hydrogen refueling costs, and says he can go about 230 miles on a full tank. The flipside is the paucity in hydrogen refueling stations, which is understandable considering that they cost an estimated couple million dollars a pop to open. It's no accident that Spallino is one of the early hydrogen drivers, though, since there are eight public refueling stations in Southern California (and one in Northern California), more than any other state, according to US Department of Energy records. The only other public station is in South Carolina, so road trips are tough. Spallino, a resident of Redondo Beach, joins higher-profile folks such as actress Jamie Lee Curtis and former pro hockey player Scott Niedermayer among those who've gotten the opportunity to lease the super-low-volume fuel-cell vehicle. How low? Honda leased out 10 of them last year and just five in 2012. You can read more of Spallino's hydrogen-powered thoughts here.

McLaren reinstates Ron Dennis as CEO

With new versions of the 12C coming out all the time, the new P1 still wowing crowds and additional projects underway, sports car fanatics might surmise that McLaren is doing pretty well for itself these days. But Formula One fans would likely disagree. After losing its longtime prodigy Lewis Hamilton to its longtime partner, Mercedes, McLaren failed to land on the podium (let alone win an actual grand prix) even once last season. In fact, the last time McLaren – one of the most historically successful teams on the grid – won the F1 World Championship was back in 2008, when Ron Dennis was still calling the shots. Little wonder, then, that the board of the McLaren Group has seen it fit to reinstate Dennis as chief executive officer. Ron Dennis is the man rightfully and widely credited with turning McLaren into the powerhouse it is today. He came to the team in 1980 at the end of a three-year dry spell in which it had not won a single grand prix. The following season, it was already winning races again, and by 1984, it was winning World Championships again: seven Constructors' Championships and ten Drivers' Championships with pilots like Lauda, Prost, Senna, Hakkinen and Hamilton. All in all, the team was never as successful as it was under the leadership of Ron Dennis, but in 2009, he stepped aside as team principal to focus on expanding the group's business, leaving Martin Whitmarsh to assume the title of CEO. But while the carmaking division has grown under Dennis' watchful eye, the F1 team has floundered under Whitmarsh's direction. So the board has reinstated Dennis as CEO of the entire group. This isn't the first time McLaren has faced difficulties with (and had to replace) one of Dennis' lieutenants. Last year, McLaren Automotive's managing director Antony Sheriff was placed on extended leave, his duties ultimately effectively reassigned to Mike Flewitt, who was promoted from chief operating officer to chief executive officer of the carmaking unit this past summer. Just what that this new appointment will mean for Whitmarsh in his role as F1 team principal remains to be seen, but Dennis says he is gearing up "to write an exciting new chapter in the story of McLaren, beginning by improving our on-track and off-track performance." He'll have a new strategy outlined for the group next month, but in the meantime, you can read the official announcement below.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: First production 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28 earns $650k for charity [w/video]

No doubt about it: Z/28 is a legendary badge for Camaro enthusiasts. And we don't think we're stepping out of line by saying that Rick Hendrick is one of those enthusiasts. In fact, he just purchased the very first production 2014 Chevy Camaro Z/28 here at Barrett-Jackson for a cool $650,000.
Considering that Hendrick owns both a NASCAR team and a successful line of Chevy dealerships, we don't know how much time he'll be spending behind the wheel of this particular Camaro, but at least that time will be fun. With 505 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque from the 7.0-liter V8 engine and a comprehensive set of chassis and electronics upgrades over other less-capable Camaro models, this is one fast pony.
Check out our high-res gallery of live images above, and then scroll down below for the official auction description and for a video showing the live-bidding-auction action.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: Michael Schumacher's 1998 Ferrari F300 earns round of applause, $1.7M bid [w/video]

There isn't much in the world that can aurally match the screeching wail of a Formula 1 car at redline. We obviously can't say whether or not the showmanship of starting this 1998 Ferrari F300 in front of the assembled masses at Barrett-Jackson and slowly taking it up to its 18,000-rpm redline had any effect on bidders, but it did, at the very least, result in a round of applause.
This '98 Ferrari F300 was driven 38 times by Michael Schumacher, and there was another round of applause for the driver, who's currently in a medically induced coma and listed in stable condition after a skiing accident. This particular example is number three of nine total built for the '98 season. Power comes from a 3.0-liter V10 engine producing 805 horsepower at 17,500 rpm.
After it was all said and done, bidding ended at $1.7 million (plus another 10 percent in fees). Check out our live images from the auction floor above, and scroll down below for a spine-tinglingly loud auction video and to read its official description.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: First production 2015 Ford Mustang earns $300k for JDRF [w/video]

We've almost become immune to the huge dollar amounts that collectible cars earn for charity at Barrett-Jackson. To wit, $300,000 for the first production 2015 Ford Mustang initially didn't seem like very much money. In reality, though, it's probably about 10 times the actual asking price for the car, and we're pleased to report that 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
According to Ford, the car's winning bidder will get to "choose a fastback with manual or automatic transmission, and any interior, exterior and stripe color combination offered by Ford on the all-new Mustang." Power will come from a slightly revised version of the well-known 5.0-liter V8 engine that will produce "more than 420hp and 396 pound-feet of torque."
We snapped live images of the 2015 Mustang prototype that Ford had on display here at Barrett-Jackson, and you can check them out above. The official auction description, along with a video of the auction as it happened live, is below.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: Ring Brothers 1964 Ford Fairlane 'Afterburner' brings in $247,500

The 1964 Ford Fairlane you see above is anything but stock. It originally debuted at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and it's one of the vehicles that helped cement Ring Brothers as a force in the custom car world. Underhood is a fuel-injected, 427-cubic-inch V8 engine from Roush that puts out a stout 560 horsepower and 540 pound-feet of torque, so this beast is just as much go and it is show.
That said, the show part of the equation may be its most impressive attribute. Much of the body is crafted from carbon fiber, including the hood, fenders and bumpers. Billet aluminum makes up a large chunk of the rest.
Called "Afterburner," this custom Fairlane just sold at the 2014 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale for $225,000 plus a 10-percent fee. Check it out in our high-res image gallery above and the official auction description below.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: Simon Cowell's 2008 Bugatti Veyron is a $1.375M certified pre-owned car [w/video]

For a man who's best known for being mean to aspiring singers, Simon Cowell sure seems to garner lots of attention. While Cowell himself didn't make an appearance at Barrett-Jackson, his black on black Bugatti Veyron did, and bidding on it ended with a final sale price of $1.375 million.
Somewhat interestingly, this is the first certified pre-owned Bugatti sold through a new factory program. It includes a full one-year warranty, which must give its new owner some comfort. According to the auction company, Cowell has put 1,300 miles on this particular Veyron. See for yourself in our high-res image gallery above, and scroll down below for a video showing the live auction and the official auction description.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: Linda Vaughn LV-1 Chevy Camaros bring $280k for charity [w/video]

You may not be familiar with Linda Vaughn, but back in the mid-1960s, she was known as Miss Hurst Golden Shifter by just about every racing fan in the United States. The spokeswoman has teamed up with the well-known car designer Doc Watson to auction off a pair of Linda Vaughn LV-1 Chevrolet Camaro models, one convertible and one coupe, and they've just been auctioned off at Barrett-Jackson.
A total of 500 LV-1 Camaros will be produced (50 white and gold convertibles, 50 black and gold convertibles, 200 white and gold coupes and 200 black and gold coupes), but we'd guess none will be as expensive as this pair. When the final gavel fell, a total of $280,000 had been bid, and all of it will be going to Dreamakers, a non-profit that specializes in automotive programs, and The International Kids Alliance Network.
Check out our high-res gallery of live images from Barrett-Jackson above, then watch a video of the live auction below.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: Snake and Mongoose lot fizzles, then sells [w/video]

That was rather anticlimactic. After a huge buildup and a massive media scrum, surely due at least in part to a fresh Hollywood movie, the Hot Wheels-branded Snake and Mongoose Funny Cars, which were sold together along with matching haulers, fizzled out at a cool million dollars at the 2014 Barrett-Jackson event.
Yes, a million bucks isn't a small sum of money, but it wasn't enough to meet the reserve price, which means that a sale was not made. We can't say with any degree of certainly why bidding didn't reach the high figures some were expecting, but perhaps buyers were dissuaded by the fact that the red 1972 Plymouth Duster Mongoose car is actually a replica, and that the two ramp trucks aren't original. The yellow 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Snake car, however, is a well-restored original - in fact, it's the only existing original in existence.
But then, a savior in the form of Rick Hendrick, a noted classic car enthusiast and NASCAR team owner, made a deal to purchase all four vehicles after the auction had ended. Check out our high-res gallery of live images above, then watch a video of the live auction below.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 sells for $3.85 million [w/video]

The Chevy Corvette is a pretty cool car, of course. But America's sports car isn't collected with such fervor as, say, just about any Ferrari, right? Well, perhaps not... but rare examples of the breed are gaining ground in the collector car market.
The 1967 Chevy Corvette L88 seen above sold at Barrett-Jackson for a somewhat staggering $3.5 million (plus an additional 10 percent in fees). Best we can tell, this is a new record for a Corvette at auction, with a '67 L88 convertible selling in late 2013 for $3.2 million holding that title before.
It's certainly a beautiful car, in a red on red color combination that is thought to exist only on this car. All told, Chevrolet sold just 20 L88 Corvettes in 1967, meaning this is an extremely rare machine. Check it out in our high-res image gallery above, and be sure to watch the video below showing the car's time on the auction block.

Barrett-Jackson 2014: 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird passes half a million dollars

The Plymouth Superbird is one of those classic American cars from the muscle car era that has captured the imagination of all sorts of automotive enthusiasts long after its presence on roads and race tracks wore away. It's easy to see why. Where else but in the Swingin' Sixties and Seventies would a car leave the factory with an aerodynamics package that included a pointy beak and a rear spoiler that sat several feet above the rear deck?
The example you see above, which was born in 1970, is one of the finest Superbirds we've ever seen. Combine its complete restoration with its original 426 Hemi engine, and it's no surprise that it managed to bring in a cool half million dollars (plus 10 percent in fees) at Barrett-Jackson. See it yourself in our high-res image gallery above, and scroll down below for the official auction description.
If you want to follow along with the coverage, check out the Hagerty Fantasy Bid online game here.