Saturday, January 31, 2015

First Crashed Challenger Hellcat Awaits Your Bids

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Zach Doell

Here’s a question: what is a totaled car worth to you? When it’s plebeian grocery-getter, the answer is probably “not much.” But when the wrecked car in question is a 2015 Dodge Challenger Hellcat…well, perhaps those dollar signs start to multiply.

Regardless, it’s a question you’ll have to ask yourself, because this Challenger Hellcat – the first of its breed to wreck – will cross the auction block soon…and yes, its 6.2-liter V8 heart still beats. Bidding hasn’t gone live yet, but when it does, expect some serious money to get thrown around on this one.

According to Allpar, the crash that led to the Hellcat’s current state occurred late last year. In fact, its 34-year-old owner had just picked the car up from the dealership when he lost control. Thankfully, he and both his passengers were safe, but sadly the car didn’t fare so well. With only 64 miles on the odometer, it’s Sublime Green front end is looking pretty knackered.

But peel back those crippled layers and the Hellcat V8 engine is said to still run. Given the car’s front impact, we’d guess the transmission and the rest of the drivetrain probably work too, and that’s got us wondering. What car or truck would you swap a 707-horsepower Hellcat engine into? Let us know in the comments!

Does the World Need Another Hummer?

BOLD RIDE

Posted on 31 January 2015 by Zach Doell

With a lineage stretching all the way back to the second World War, the Jeep Wrangler has achieved legendary status on the trail and most recently generated quite the sales buzz in Jeep showrooms. But does that mean there’s room for another niche off-road competitor in the US market?

If the latest happenings at GMC are any indication, then yes. According to the Wall Street Journal, GMC executives recently posed the question of a GMC brand off-road SUV to a number of its dealers at a recent national conference. The vehicle was pitched to compete directly with the rough-and-tumble Wrangler, and borrow its styling cues from a familiar source – Hummer.

If so, the proposed GMC off-roader might look a little something like this – Hummer’s 2008 HX concept. It debuted at the Detroit auto show, packing a lift-off top and off-road suspension, foreshadowing a future vehicle that directly targeted the Wrangler. The collapse of the Hummer brand put a stop to those plans, but with a clean bill of health, General Motors appears to be ready to give the segment another shot.

While bringing a new off-roader to market sounds great for the brand, Jeep likely won’t be bracing for a cross-town invasion. In 2014, Jeep sold a total of 175,328 Wranglers in the US, a 13 percent increase over the course of the year and an achievement marking five consecutive years of growth for the nameplate.

Further to the point, Jeep’s greatest ally is its diehard customer base, folks who bought a Jeep once and will never leave the brand. If that allegiance weren’t such a factor in the off-roader market, you wouldn’t see competitors like Toyota’s FJ Cruiser falling by the wayside.

What do you think, Internet? Would a rough-and-tumble GMC SUV earn a spot in your garage?

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Lamborghini Aventador Roadster Painted Like a Work of Art For Sale

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Nicole Wakelin

There are plenty of custom-painted and wrapped Lamborghinis out there, but none of them look so much like a work of art as this one. French musician and painter Duaiv treated the car just like a canvas and turned the whole thing into a brilliant piece of art on wheels

The project was done in conjunction with Lamborghini Miami and sees the car wrapped in bright reds, yellows, and blues that are colors Duaiv often uses in his work. The Aventador in question has just 2479 miles on the odometer and, in addition to the incredible paint job, features a Novitech Torado spoiler.

As vibrant as the exterior of the car is, when you open the doors it’s a standard Lamborghini Aventador interior with black and gray leather seats. It looks almost drab compared to the rest of the car, but perhaps that was the intention. There’s nothing inside to distract you from the artwork that adorns the outside.

This truly unique car is currently for sale through Lamborghini Miami, but you have to contact them for pricing. Considering that an Aventador doesn’t come cheap when it’s not one-of-a-kind, you can bet that if you have to ask you definitely can’t afford it.

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Pagani Zonda, Huayra Look Stunning On U.S. Soil

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Jeff Perez

For a while, Pagani wasn’t allowed to sell his amazing beautiful Zonda here in the U.S. because of safety regulations. But when it came down to the Zonda’s predecessor, the 730-horsepower Huayra, Pagani made sure it was 100% compliant with U.S. regulations.

Even then, the chance of you seeing a wild Huayra here in the U.S. is extremely rare. The chance of seeing a Zonda even more so. Luckily, we managed to catch up with both of them on some twisty mountain roads for a quick photo and video shoot. It was about as epic as it sounds.

Just enjoy the beauty of these two cars…

Brown and Gold Combine to Make One Ugly Pagani Huayra
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Five Beautiful Corvettes Find a New Home in Bowling Green

CORVETTE ONLINE

Photos courtesy of: The NCM & CorvetteBlogger.com

From time to time we catch wind of a car or car collection that winds up getting donated to a museum or even a charity in an effort to help those less fortunate. While the later is always a kind and necessary gesture, many museums also rely on the goodwill of others for funding and items for their displays.

The Schrodts were car lovers before they came together, and have since enjoyed many years sharing their automotive passion with each other. While they have always loved the automobile, Corvettes weren’t always their main focus. When the two met, Mary was driving a 1968 Camaro while Ivan was behind the wheel of a Datsun (a custom 510 or 270Z perhaps?).

Ivan mentioned, “We had just donated our Toyota MR2 to a charity benefiting troubled youth, so we were without a fun car and looking for something new. We were thinking that maybe a convertible would be good this time as it had been a while since we had one of those.”

The Five Donated Corvettes

1966 Rally Red 327 convertible
1980 Dark Blue coupe
1996 Polo Green convertible
2002 Millennium Yellow Z06 coupe
2007 Black Z06 coupe

It was only a matter of time before a Vette would be adorning these car lover’s garage, and that time came as a bit of a surprise to Ivan. One day while at work Mary called his office, and began making small talk.

Apparently this was not common practice for Mary, so Ivan asked her what she was really calling about, at which point she told him she had made an offer on a 1996 Polo Green convertible Corvette. The rest was history as Ivan explained, “That was our first Corvette. Mary loved that car and it is one of the ones we donated to the Museum. It’s a lovely car.”

This was the starting movement of their own Corvette passion, which has lasted for many years. In fact, after many visits to the National Corvette Museum in its earlier years, Ivan was invited to join the Board and graciously accepted the position.

Ivan explains, “When I came on we didn’t have the expansion, or even the land for the track. It was a wonderful time to be involved with transforming the Museum into something more. Before it was a Museum with a lot of nice cars to look at, but it became a place to come and interact with the Corvette Museum Family and other enthusiasts.”

Throughout the years, the other Corvettes were gathered and added to the Schrodt family. Ivan expressed interest in each and every one explaining that you can love them all equally for different reasons as each one is so unique. While there is a beautiful classic and some mid-years in the mix, we figured we’d also also highlight the final two, more modern Vettes.

The C5 and C6 Z06s were geared towards performance driving and Ivan explained, “I modified it to make it a dedicated track car with new seats and a five point racing harness. That one and the 2007 black Z06 both love going on a track at speed.”

Ultimately, the Schrodts are happy to pass their beloved Corvettes on to their new homes at the NCM, and with regards to the two pictured below, Ivan wanted to impress that, “We hope they get a lot of track miles and give a lot of track smiles.”

We couldn’t say it any better ourselves. Corvette Online would like the thank you both for your continued generosity to the NCM and Corvette world.

Friday, January 30, 2015

This Nissan Juke Could Hurdle Any Blizzard

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Jonathon Klein

When dealing with snow — as most of us from the Midwest to Northeast do each year — it’s safe to say that having the right vehicle for said conditions is hugely important. For most of us, that means having some form of AWD at our disposal. However, some people have taken that need for AWD vehicle to the extreme.

Ken Block is as master of the snow with his outrageous Ford RaptorTRAX, but don’t count out Nissan with their quirky little Juke. Rather than fitting it with some snow tires and all-wheel drive, they went the Ken Block route with treads all the way around. You know, because blizzard. They even had some fun with it on Twitter:

If we’re being honest, a good set of snow tires and all-wheel drive should do the trick for you drivers this winter. But seriously, how badass would you like driving down the streets in one these?

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Watch This Rickshaw Go From Land to Water and Back Again

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Nicole Wakelin

This is the Salamander, and it’s a rickshaw designed to function on both land and in the water. The vehicle was designed by Atoy Llave who does all sorts of aftermarket body kits and is very popular in the Philippines, where this rickshaw came to life.

The Salamander is powered by your choice of either a a 5kW electric engine or a 250cc gasoline motor which is used to move the rear wheels when the vehicle is on land, or a little propeller when it’s in the water. This prototype is made of molded fiberglass and is completely watertight so no adjustments need to be made before it can go for a swim.

According to Top Gear Philippines, part of the reason that Llave developed the vehicle is that he wants to do some good for the people of his country. Flooding is a common occurrence, and he sees this as a way to help people who might otherwise be stranded when the waters rise.

The 6-person Salamander is still just a prototype and Llave is hoping to get additional funding to put it into production soon. It will be a challenge for him to get the money he needs, but Llave is committed to seeing it through and expects the Salamander to retail for about $6.345 when it’s ready to sell.

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‘Bigfoot’ Model A Mail Truck is the Stuff of Legends

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Zach Doell

Picture this: it’s the mid 1930s, you’re a rural mail deliveryman, and your day just got a lot harder thanks to two feet of overnight snowfall. What to do, what to do? Well in the case of Montana resident Milton Hill, you could turn a Ford Model A cabriolet into a rough-and-tumble off-road mail truck.

As you’ve surely guessed, this is Hill’s Model A conversion. It was built in 1936 by fellow Montanan Roman Chupp, it faithfully delivered the mail through thick and thin, and 79 years later it is up for sale on eBay. Can’t say you’ll run into one of these everyday.

A bit of backstory then. According to its owner, the Ford Model A was manufactured in June 1930, and carried out its first six years of existence as any other Model A cabriolet does – that is until Milton Hill bought the Ford.

When times got tough, Hill supplemented his farming income by delivering the rural mail, and as such he needed a vehicle that could actually get him there. Montana has been known to get its fair share of snow.

So Chupp swapped out the Model A’s rear axle with a lower-geared Model T truck unit, added giant Goodyear tractor tires on 24-inch wooden wheels, and extended the fenders to allow the plucky Ford to float right over and plow straight through the white stuff. The seller even believes those tractor tires to be the truck’s original set from the conversion.

The Model A’s current owner, still a Montanan, nicknamed the car ‘Bigfoot’ and notes that he knows of only three other Model A mail truck conversions in existence, all in much worse condition. Need to know more? Head over to the eBay listing – it’s a veritable encyclopedia on the history of these quirky vehicles.

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The Story Behind the $671,000 Boyd Coddington Delahaye

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Zach Doell

The annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction tends to bring out the biggest and the best of the automotive world, and 2015 was no different. A grand total of $131 million in automobiles exchanged hands during the 10-day event, with an impressive $2.7 million in cars bearing the designs of custom car legend Boyd Coddington.

One such car was this 1930s Delahaye Street Rod, nicknamed ‘Whatthehaye’. The painfully gorgeous two-door sold for an impressive $671,000 and left us in a daze, so we rang up Boyd Coddington Jr. and he shared with us a few special memories of the car, the build, and his dad.

“It’s actually kind of a funny story,” Boyd Jr. noted. “In my office, I had a couple shelves with a few die-cast cars on them, one of them was a blue Delahaye. Every once in a while my pop would come in and talk, and for about a week he would just look at this Delahaye up on the shelf. Then one day I came in and it was gone [laughs].”

“I knew exactly what he was doing. We had looked at and done some big-fender cars, and that’s really the direction that we were going with it. Pop’s philosophy was that everyone had built a roadster, what’s the next level with custom cars?”

“We were drawing up all these original renders – Packards, Delahayes – next thing you know, I see a rendering on my dad’s desk. It was the first for the ‘Whatthehaye.’”

Emile Delahaye founded the heritage French automaker in the late 1890s, and by the 1930s his sleek designs featured powerful straight-six engines. Boyd Sr. respected those iconic body lines, added his own flair, and swapped in some 21st century power.

Underneath the custom body – crafted by Marcel Delay – lies the V10 engine and six-speed gearbox from a Dodge Viper, riding atop a Coddington Pro Ride chassis. European style, chopped American attitude.

“That’s just what he did. The filing cabinets of that business were all in his head. He would think about something and next thing you know, it would be on paper. That’s why he worked so well with artists – he already had the thing in his head.”

The build, which began in 2003, was completed in 2004 for one of Coddington’s most faithful repeat customers, Scotty Gray. Fittingly, Gray originally owned a number of the Boyd Coddington cars that sold from the Ron Pratte Collection. For $671k, we’re guessing this one found quite a nice home.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

The Government is Spying on Us in Our Cars

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Keith Griffin

For years, people with tinfoil hats have been saying the government is spying on us. Crazy, right? Actually, not so crazy — at least when it comes to our cars. And webcams. And cell phones.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, “The Justice Department has been secretly gathering and storing hundreds of millions of records about motorists in an effort to build a national database that tracks the movement of vehicles across the country.”

The program started out with the DEA scanning license plates. It was looking for ill-gotten gains and the like so it could seize assets. After all, the government makes lots of money off asset seizures.
But then government officials decided to expand beyond the money grab.

The article reports, “ … the use of the database had expanded to include hunting for vehicles linked to other possible crimes, including kidnapping, killings and rape suspects, the paper said, citing current and former officials and government documents.”

OK, so what’s the big deal if government spying captures a few rapists and murderers? Well, there’s the whole unlawful search and seizure issue to consider. You’re not supposed to be targeted by the police just for driving down the street.

The Journal quoted Senator Patrick Leahy, the senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, as saying the use of license plate readers “raises significant privacy concerns.” Yes it does.
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1940 International Harvester Takes us to Simpler Times

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Zach Doell

Our cars are full of crap, think about it. We’ve got radios, belt tensioners, lower-lumbar heaters, dual infotainment screens, back-up cameras — the list goes on and on. Sure, some of it might be life-saving crap, but it’s more stuff nonetheless.

This is a 1940 International Harvester D30 pickup truck. It doesn’t have a lot of crap, namely because it doesn’t have much of anything at all. It’s simple, utilitarian, over-built, and gives us a longing for simpler times. You can find it up for sale on eBay, with a number of good quality photos.

1940 international harvester d30 ebay photo

The truck, registered in California as a ’41 but showing 1940 manufacturing codes, is said to run and drive well, and certainly looks remarkably good for a 75 year old rig. The exterior shows a few dents here and there, some faded paint, but nothing remotely major. Inside, there are a few bits missing (horn cap, floor coverings, and glovebox), but nothing that can’t be sourced online.

The seller notes, “The truck drives just like it should; like an old large truck.” Judging by the hefty leaf pack on that rear axle, we’d bet it does too. Underneath the hood, the International features a 233ci ‘Green Diamond’ straight-six, which backs up to a manual gearbox and a two-speed transfer case, permitting top speeds in the low-50 mph range. If it went any faster, it might just go back in time.

1940 international harvester d30 interior photo

At some point the International was converted to a 12-volt electrical system. The headlights, brake lights, and blinkers all work, though the left one needs occasional convincing due to a loose wire. The odometer however does not work. All in all, we hope it enjoys a nice leisurely retirement on some sleepy old farm.

Alpine Racecar Roars to Life in Gran Turismo 6

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Zach Doell

60 years ago, French automobile firm Alpine was just getting off the ground, preparing its A106 using parts gleaned from the humble Renault 4CV. Today, Alpine is very much in the building phase yet again, readying a futuristic sports car for 2016.

But a 60th anniversary would be nothing without a little celebration, right? So the Renault-owned company kicked it off as any automaker should – they built a concept. This is it, the Alpine Vision Gran Turismo, the latest in the ongoing virtual series for Gran Turismo 6. It’s definitely something to look at.

If you’re a fan of the marque, you’ll pick up a number of familiar design cues. The Alpine Vision GT relives the sporting intentions of Alpine’s lightweight A450 Le Mans racer, while the front end draws inspiration from the iconic A110, and aspects of the rear draw from the A210 and the A220. Best of all, Alpine didn’t stop in the digital world, they built a full-size version of the car too, now on display in Paris.

Horsepower, you wonder? The Alpine has lots of it. Underneath its rear haunches, the Alpine Vision Gran Turismo packs a 4.5-liter V8, producing 450 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque. Combine that with a featherweight carbon monocoque chassis, racy pushrod suspension, seven-speed sequential gearbox, and you’ve got a 199 mph racecar on your hands.

If this is something that you need in your life quite badly, worry not, it’ll grace the circuits of Gran Turismo as a digital download in March. Between now and then you can fantasize about Alpine’s upcoming 2016 sports car…

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Watch the Car Ads of the 2015 Super Bowl

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Zach Doell

That most holy of holy days in the world of sports is almost upon us: Super Bowl XLIX. But while you’ve been stocking up on the tortilla chips and cheese dip, you might not have caught up on all the latest car ads expected to air during the big game.
Do not despair, we’ve collected them here for your viewing pleasure, minus a few notable non-entries this year. US auto giants General Motors and Ford haven’t committed to any Super Bowl ads for 2015. Enjoy, and let us know which ad gets your top vote!
BMW i3

“Newfangled Idea”

The Internet caught NBC broadcasters Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric off-guard in 1994. It appears the BMW i3 is doing the same thing, 21 years later. What is the Internet anyway? We’ve heard so much about it.
Volvo XC60

“The Greatest Interception Ever”

You won’t see a Volvo ad during the Super Bowl, because instead of investing in ad space, Volvo wants to invest in people. During the big game’s car commercials, you can tweet #VolvoContest and tell Volvo who has changed your life. The winning nomination will receive a new XC60. Not bad!
Toyota Camry

“How Great I Am”

The legendary words of Muhammad Ali. A look inside the life of US Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy. It’s hard not to get motivated after this ad spot, encouraging us all to find the fighter within.
Toyota Camry #2

“To Be a Dad”

Toyota doubles down on its inspirational greatness speech with a look at what it means to be a great father, and secondly a great football player. NFL dads DeMarcus Ware, LaVar Arrington, Fred Jackson, and Kurt Warner all get parenting MVP awards.
Mercedes-AMG GT

“Fable”

It’s a classic children’s tale: the race between the tortoise and the hare. Except the tortoise isn’t exactly “slow and steady” anymore, at least once he gets his hands on the 2016 AMG GT S. It turns out 503 horsepower beats a hare any day.
Nissan

#withdad Campaign

Nissan is also getting in on the “dad” videos during this year’s Super Bowl. Its first ad during the big game in 18 years has been alluded to by some of the talented fathers of YouTube, including the pops of Dude Perfect, the dads of Epic Meal Time, and prankster/father Roman Atwood.
Kia Sorento

“The Perfect Getaway”

Bond? No, Brosnan. Pierce’s agent pitches him the screenplay to the next big action movie Kia Sorento ad. Things get a bit snowy, but thanks to 290 horsepower and all-wheel-drive, the mission is a success.
Lexus NX

“Make Some Noise”

No celebrity endorsements, no outrageous explosions, just a lot of dancing. Lexus highlights their brand new NX Turbo with this 30-second ad, asking you the viewer to make some noise. Noise certainly won’t be in short supply on Super Bowl Sunday.
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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

This McLaren 650S is Wearing Some Interesting Camo

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Jonathon Klein

With Ferrari amidst a few mix ups over the past few years, McLaren has made a name for itself opposite the Italian marque with cars like the 650S, to rival the 458, and the ludicrous P1, to rival the LaFerrari. Where the Italians take more pride in passion and design, McLaren perfects its image through engineering and technology.

With a genius team of engineers, the end goal is always to push the limit on all its vehicles. Case in point, the McLaren 650S you see before you. It’s not standard 650S, mind you, it’s what McLaren is calling the most hardcore 650S ever built. I like the sound of that.

The photos here are the first few teaser shots we get to see of this hardcore 650S. As you can see— or rather can’t, the mule in the photos is covered rather heavily with camo and cladding in order to not give away key details.

However, we may be able to infer some information based on the camo wrap itself, which is comprised of the original drawings of the McLaren F1 GTR “Longtail.”

Is this a clue to how the finished product will look? Or will it just adopt some of the same attributes that made the classic F1 just that good?

All we have right now is speculation, but thankfully all will be revealed soon when the finished car debuts next to the P1 GTR at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

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Looking to Swap Your Lease? Go Gray

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Zach Doell

If you’re driving a brand new car, there’s a good chance you leased it. In fact, there’s about a one in four chance (new car leasing accounts for around 25 percent of the market). Couple that with longer lease terms and inherently that means more folks looking to get out of their leases early, which raises an interesting question.

If you’re looking to swap your lease with another driver, which car colors are the most popular? The lease exchanging experts at Swapalease.com took to their calculators to find out, and they’re seeing 50 shades of gray. Well, almost.

According to its data, 80 percent of the vehicles currently on the company’s lease marketplace are located in the grayscale, which includes black and white.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, black cars account for the lion’s share of the marketplace with 31.4 percent, followed by white at 19.6 percent, and silver with 13.1 percent. Gray and dark gray fill out the top five with 6.5 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively.

The first car color not part of the grayscale? You probably guessed it – red, with 5.2 percent of the marketplace. Blue and dark blue round out the top eight. Purple ranks in at the very bottom of the list with a paltry 0.1 percent.

“Last year at this time the grayscale represented 76.5% of the marketplace,” noted Scot Hall, the company’s executive vice president.

“Red and blue were much more prominent in the Swapalease.com marketplace in the early and mid-2000s, but since around 2005 the popularity of grayscale cars and trucks began to emerge.”

There you have it. If you’re looking to stand out (and not find someone to swap mid-lease) – the bottom ranking purples, greens, beiges and oranges are your friend. If you’re looking to fit the mold, the grayscale is the place to be.

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Millionaire Doesn’t Like Decisions; Buys All Three Hybrid Hypercars

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Tony Markovich

What’s better: the McLaren P1, the Porsche 918 Spyder, or the Ferrari LaFerrari? That’s been the focal auto debate since the three cars were first introduced back in 2013, and it’l likely be a discussion for the rest of time. There’s no right answer. And because choosing one of the three is such a laboring task, British multi-millionaire Paul Bailey decided to throw caution to the wind and simply said, “putitonmytab” by buying all three of them.

Though each are high-performance hybrids, each one has a unique setup. The P1 — of which only 375 were built — has a combo of a mid-mounted, twin-turbo hybrid V8, and a total of 903 horsepower. The LaFerrari — of which 499 were built — pushes out a total of 949 horsepower thanks to its V12 HY-KERS system. And, of course, the 918 Spyder — of which 918 were appropriately built — pairs a flat-plane hybrid V8 to 889 horsepower.

The prices also vary. The P1 starts at $1.15 million, the LaFerrari starts at an estimated $1.35 million, and the 918 starts at $845,000. As you can see, it really depends on hypercar preference. Or in the case of 55-year-old Bailey, lack thereof.

According to Daily Mail, he’s the first person to own what they’re dubbing the Holy Trinity (where’s the Koenigsegg One:1, though?).

Bailey, who is said to have a collection of about 30 supercars, reportedly made his money from the sale of a telecommunications company for $42,548,800 (£28,000,000).

Maybe the most impressive part is that he made this decision while having four kids. You know, these cars are extremely practical, so that should work out well.

If this dude is the real deal, he should pop up with a P1 GTR and a LaFerrari Fxx K the next time he’s in the news.

Photo credit: Riad Ariane / Supercar Driver
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Floyd Mayweather Poses With His New Ferrari Enzo

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Nicole Wakelin

Boxer Floyd Mayweather has quite a thing for supercars, and has bought more than a few thanks to his success in the ring. His latest acquisition is a shiny, new Ferrari Enzo. He took a moment to pose with his car and post the image on his Instagram account for all his fans to gawk over.

The Ferrari Enzo is named after the company’s founder, Enzo Ferrari, and was produced in limited quantities. Only 399 units of this 650-horsepower beauty were ever made so it’s quite the collectible.

It’s capable of doing 0-60 in just 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 218 mph. Mayweather shelled out around $1 million to add this to his already impressive collection of cars.

He also has three Bugattis, two of them regular Veyrons and a one-of-one Limited Edition Grand Sport, as well as a private jet for when the journey can’t be made on wheels.

Mayweather’s biggest decision in the morning is deciding which one of these incredible cars to take on his daily errands. He’s also got one other decision looming as he has yet to commit to a fight with Manny Pacquiao.

He has until the end of this week to commit to that fight, but given that he was recently spotted enjoying an LA Clippers game, he doesn’t seem to be too stressed out about things.

Floyd Mayweather Bugatti collection photo

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

5 Best Pickup Trucks to Beat the Blizzard

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Jeff Perez

Brace yourself: a blizzard is coming. If you live in the Northeast, we suggest you stay indoors and make sure your liquor cabinet is properly stocked.

It’s going to be a doozy. But if you absolutely have to make your way around town, might we suggest these 5 pickups as acceptable modes of transportation.

One of the most talked about pickups of the year, the Chevrolet Colorado seemingly can do it all. This plucky little truck has grit, four-wheel drive, and even built in Wi-Fi, for when if you get stuck.

If you’re looking for something a little tougher, though, might we suggest an off-roader of the Japanese variety.

I drove the Tacoma TRD Pro (here’s my review), and it was one of the most nimble off-road pickups around. Hopefully a little snow won’t be too much for it to handle.

Bigger and badder than both the Colorado and Tacoma combined, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel has more torque, better mpg, and enough room to keep you and your passengers comfortable in the freezing temperatures.

If you’re friends with Ken Block — or a wiz at hot-wiring trucks — you can’t go wrong with the F-150 RaptorTRAX. Silly, yes, but this thing was absolutely built for the snow. Blizzard beware.

If you have an extra half a million lying around, the Mercedes-Benz 6×6 is the answer to your blizzard worries. It’s huge, it has six wheels, and it runs over anything in its way. This, my friends, is how you conquer some white weather.
Which one would you go for? Let us know in the comments.
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Mustang Shelby GT350R Laps ‘Ring Faster than Camaro Z/28?

BOLD RIDE

Posted by Jeff Perez

For decades, American car companies have been more concerned with quarter-miles than they have Nürburging lap times. But as cars like the Camaro and Mustang evolve, so do their racing DNA. And here and now in 2015, the Nürburgring is pretty important to automakers.

Case in point— a new report is telling us that the Mustang Shelby GT350R lapped the Nürburgring faster than the new track-proven Camaro Z/28. And that’s a pretty big deal for the Blue Oval.

At 7:32.2, the unconfirmed lap time bests the Camaro Z/28 by a whole five seconds (7:37.4). That’s with both of these cars pushing out 500 horsepower and both of them stripped down to as light as they can be.

Ford hasn’t said anything official about the lap time just yet, but if it is true, no doubt Ford engineers will be waving around that trophy for as long at they can. Or at least until Chevy debuts a newer, lighter, faster Z/28.

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