The Auto World

New Year’s Eve might not be quite as exciting this year as it has been historically (I know I have big plans that involve going to bed at 10:30, as God intended), but at least we can all agree that the new year does bring new opportunities to import old cars. As a new crop of vehicles prepares to turn 25 in 2022 and comes one step closer to legally gracing America’s shores, Donut Media has prepared a list of 10 exciting cars that were introduced in 1997 that enthusiasts can get excited for. The list includes : EK9 Honda Civic Type R Mitsubishi FTO GP Version R Mitsubishi Pajero Evo Ford Falcon XH XR8 Ute Volkswagen Mk4 Golf VR5 LT1 TX1 London Black Cab Toyota Century V12 Nissan Elgrand R33 Nissan Skyline Nismo 400R Honda NSX Type S Read Also:  The Toyota Century Is A V12-Powered Luxury Sedan That Was Aimed Strictly At Japan’s Elite Although some of the cars were previously available for import, all of them have at least one special edition model that is genuinely wo...

Spyker is reportedly coming back from the dead as a purported press release is claiming an investor group led by Michail Pessis and Boris Rotenberg will revive the beleaguered automaker. While the release is mysteriously absent from Spyker’s website, it claims a deal was struck on December 20th and will result in the founding of the Spyker Group. Furthermore, it says the company intends to begin production of the B6 Venator , C8 Preliator, and D8 Peking-to-Paris next year. Victor Muller will reportedly be in charge of the new company and the release says the “investor group already has developed and produced a number of riveted Spykers in so-called BR configuration [presumably named for Rotenberg’s BR Engineering] in their own facilities.” Also Read:  Spyker Reportedly Goes Bust After Partnership Never Materializes Made in Russia, Engineered In Germany and Russia, assembled in Holland That’s a little vague, but the release goes onto say future Spyker bodies will be made in ...

The Panoz Esperante GTLM Coupe is one of the rarest sports cars ever manufactured in the United States and in late December, one example sold for $82,500 during an online auction. This particular Esperante GTLM Coupe was one of just five examples produced and used to meet homologation requirements so Panoz could go ALMS racing. The Bring a Trailer listing notes that this Esperante had been owned by the same owner since new and was sold with service records, owner’s manuals, a window sticker, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Oregon title. Watch Also: Panoz Esperante Spyder GT Visits Jay Leno’s Garage Adorning the exterior of the car is a simple shade of Black Magic Metallic. It also rocks a set of 18-inch BBS RK wheels wearing Panoz center caps and wrapped in Continental ExtremeContact Sport tires. Red brake calipers also catch the eye, as do the two center-exiting exhausts. Found beneath the skin of the Panoz Esperante is a supercharged 4.6-liter V8. This car has been modi...

2021 wasn’t exactly a year to remember, but we’re asking our readers what were the best and worst new cars of the year? While it’s hard to narrow things down, a number of models were either introduced or launched in 2021. However, picking a single winner is nearly impossible as there are plenty of models worth mentioning. In particular, the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 addressed the criticisms of the past by adding power, an improved gearbox, and striking new designs. Despite the changes, they’re still lightweight and phenomenal driver’s cars. Also Read:  What Cars Are Your Looking Forward To Next Year? Cadillac also brought out a legitimate CTS-V successor in the form of the CT5-V Blackwing . Essentially a last hurrah to internal combustion engines, the model is the fastest and most powerful Cadillac in history. It features a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 pumping out 668 hp (498 kW / 677 PS) and 659 lb-ft (892 Nm) of torque. This enables the sedan to rocket from 0-60 mph (0-96 ...

Italian design studio Centrostiledesign has imagined a futuristic, foiled yacht that could almost be the boating world’s equivalent of a flying car. The concept yacht is dubbed the Future-E and would be made from recycled carbon fiber. It would be equipped with two electric motors, ensuring that it produces no emissions and no noise. The yacht’s party trick, though, are the four retractable foils that would allow it to float above the water. Robb Report notes that the yacht’s foils would extend as it picks up speed and when traveling at 16 knots, it will enter full foiling mode and lift up out of the water, much like a foiled sailing yacht. Read Also: GM Goes Anchors Aweigh As Company Announces Electric Boat Investment Centrostiledesign says the yacht could hit more than 30 knots and has been equipped with an advanced kinematic system with electro-hydraulic actuators and a gyroscope to reduce the impact of the waves, creating a beautifully smooth and comfortable ride. Making t...

Japanese automakers have begun playing catchup with their U.S. and Chinese competitors , who have already developed and are offering semi-autonomous driving capabilities on mainstream models.   According to a report from Nikkei Asia , Mazda, Toyota, and Subaru will begin incorporating Level 2 self-driving technology into a wide variety of vehicles. Categorized into five primary levels, autonomous technology requires no human intervention from the fifth level and drives the vehicle itself, while the second level permits hands-free driving on highways yet demands that the driver is in charge at all times. Although not all are thrilled about self-driving cars, creations from Alphabet’s Waymo already boast Level 4 technology and are currently under research to implement Level 5 as well. So far, Level 4 driving capabilities are restricted in Japan, leaving Levels 2 and 3 the major focus for 2022 models, with the Yano Research Institute in Tokyo claiming that by 2030, 62 percent of...

The topic of what to do with electric vehicles after their lifecycle has come to a close has been one of great interest to the world. Hyundai, provided with an opportunity to find a use for an Ioniq 5 that was being decommissioned, decided to turn it into an air purifier. As electric vehicles have started growing in popularity, the reality that their construction is more carbon-intensive than the construction of internal combustion vehicles paired with the shortened lifespan of their battery packs has led to concerns about what happens with all of the EVs that are being planned once they are no longer useful as vehicles. Manufacturers, including Hyundai, have proposed a variety of ingenious second lives for the vehicles. While some have suggested going down the practical, but not particularly photogenic route of straight-up recycling , others have suggested more extravagant solutions. Read Also:  Coldplay To Power World Tour Live Shows With Recycled BMW i3 Batteries Hyundai ...

To create an automobile that is highly efficient through the air and looks good is more of a challenge than you might think. Especially if you’re looking to make an electric concept that can go more than 1,000 km (621 miles) per charge. Such was the challenge facing the team behind the Mercedes EQXX prototype . The vehicle had to be both aerodynamic enough to reach Mercedes’ target range while also being attractive enough to make buyers want to drive it. “You need the human touch to create something that inspires humans,” says Steffen Kohl, a member of Mercedes’ design team. “We wanted the perfect shape. Never mind whatever values we had to achieve. It should look fantastic.” Read Also:  Mercedes Vision EQXX EV Prototype Coming To CES 2022 Will Be The Most Efficient Benz Yet The problem, though, is that what’s attractive is not always efficient. The aerodynamicists, like Teddy Woll, were more interested in the way the body cut through the air. “At normal cruising speed, aero...

There will never be another American-built performance car quite like the Dodge Viper and one particularly desirable example is up for auction. This particular 2017 Viper is the track-focused GTC ACR variant and was ordered through the 1 of 1 program. It also happens to be serial number 00001 for the final year of Viper production and is being sold with a clean Carfax report and a clean Indiana title. Watch Also: How Does A Simple Dyno Tune Improve A Stock 2000 Dodge Viper GTS? The track-focused beast left the factory adorned in matte black and sports GTS bronze-colored racing stripes. It has also been equipped with the optional Extreme Aero Package that includes a body-colored rear wing, an extended front splitter, a vented hood, a rear diffuser, and upper dive planes. The car is currently equipped with 19-inch ACR Brass Monkey wheels wrapped in Kumho Ecsta tires and the sale will also include a spare set of forged HRE wheels. As bold and brash as the exterior of the Viper AC...