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Muscle wins big at 2013 Amelia Island Concours as 1936 Duesenberg, 1968 Ford GT40 take top honors

The 18th-annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance took place this past weekend, and in one of the show's biggest years yet (bringing in more than 25,000 spectators and attracting more than 300 vehicles), two powerhouses ended up winning the judges' hearts. The top Concours d'Elegance award went to a 1936 Duesenberg SJN, while the Concours de Sport went to one of the celebrated marques, a 1968 Ford GT40.
Owned by Helen and Jack Nethercutt of Sylmar, CA, this flawless Duesy is described as "one of the most powerful open cars of the 1930s," and it displays design cues of the era like rolled fenders and a tapered rear end. The SJN's supercharged straight-eight allowed it to accelerate to 100 miles per hour in just 17 seconds - surely not a disappointing feat for its day.
On a much different level of performance and timelessness, this Gulf-livery GT40 from the Rocky Mountain Auto Collection is not outdone by the elegance of the big Duesenberg thanks to some well-documented racing history. This not only includes winning at LeMans in both 1968 and 1969 - Chassis No. 1075 also managed to win a total of six times in just 11 races.

2017 Ford GT spied in the raw

The Ford GT supercar is finally going outside to play, and it has been captured for the first time prowling the streets near Ford's compound in Dearborn, MI. Due in late 2016, the GT has been one of Ford's most closely guarded projects and was developed under a veil of secrecy. The prototype revealed at the Detroit Auto Show stunned enthusiasts, and these shots illustrate that it's making the leap to production reality. As our spy shooter wryly notes, the mule captured in these photographs looks like a Mad Max prop. It's colorless, is missing key body parts – note the ringless taillights and lack of a rear bumper or diffuser. It also looks to be even lower to the ground than the concept from the Detroit show. It appears to have different mirrors and windshield wipers. The lack of some body panels also calls out the exhaust pipes, which look like tail guns in these shots. Otherwise, this test car looks just like the auto show star, and sans paint it manages to appear even more sinister. Though these spy shots indicate the GT is on track for production, Ford has been pretty up front about what the car will be when it arrives in showrooms. We know it will have a twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It will make extensive use of carbon fiber and feature a driver-oriented, contemporary-styled interior. Canadian company Multimatic will build the GT. The Le Mans-inspired supercar is the standard-bearer for Ford's renewed performance push. The automaker plans to roll out at least 12 sporting cars by 2020 as it looks to lure new buyers to its fold. Ford also using developments from these high-end cars to improve its lineup, and will it spread aerodynamics and materials technologies across its portfolio. "It's another proof point about how serious we are in developing innovation through performance," Ford product chief Raj Nair has said. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Ford GT Spy Photos View 25 Photos Related Gallery Ford GT Concept: Detroit 2015 View 45 Photos Image Credit: Chris Doane Automotive Motorsports Ford Coupe Performance Supercars

Will Ford's SUV blitz include the Bronco?

Ford announced this week it will add four sport-utility vehicles in the next four years, an ambitious bet on a segment the industry once shunned. This led to wild speculation about what form these utes will take. Here's what we know: They will be new nameplates, and Ford is thinking globally. That means at least one might not be a product with US intent. They will also be in segments where the company does not currently compete, Ford said. The Blue Oval isn't specifying exactly what's it's doing, so here are some of our theories. We think one will be called the Bronco, which is great news for enthusiasts. We hope it follows the Mustang playbook with some heritage styling, but a thoroughly modern execution. Ford needs an off-road Jeep Wrangler-fighter. Fuel prices are low and it's been 22 years since the infamous O.J. Simpson white Bronco chase. This is the best chance Ford will ever have to bring back this iconic name. Our man on the ground at the Chicago Auto show, Sebastian Blanco, reported that Ford sales and marketing vice president Mark LaNeve said a "mini utility" will also be one of the utes. This could be primarily an overseas play. We've also seen lots of spy shots of the EcoSport, a small crossover that Ford sells in India and other overseas markets, being tested on American roads. That is an existing nameplate. Maybe Ford adds a small ute related to the EcoSport in the United States, but calls it something else. We think Lincoln gets a three-row SUV out of the deal. It could slot between the MKX, which was new last year, and the Navigator. Lincoln is leaving money on the table by not being in this segment. The platform could be used for a Ford at some point, too. The Blue Oval brand does actually have a tweener three-row vehicle, the Flex, but this chassis might underpin a replacement. Or maybe Ford makes one of these a hybrid. The company laid out ambitious plans in December to ramp up its electrification strategy, something that could mean a dedicated hybrid SUV (Kia unveiled one of those right after LaNeve's speech in Chicago). It's also possible hybrid technology will be integrated into this new portfolio. The Escape used to have a hybrid sibling. Whatever form they ultimately take, Ford is betting heavily on SUVs. The company thinks they are what Baby Boomers and Millenials want and expects the segment will continue to grow. It's important to note: this will be a diversified strategy.