It’s been a while since there has been this much hype from a British automaker so we thought it was time to revisit the Jaguar F-Type. With its recently infused capital from India’s Tata Motors, Jaguar has got its Mojo back and is now bringing its “A” game to the big dance.
Launched as Jaguar’s first two-seat sports car in 51 years, the F-Type is truly a special car and its pedigree could not be any better as Jaguar’s last two seat sports car was the infamous E-Type.
At the time of its launch in 1961, Enzo Ferrari famously declared the E-Type as the world’s most beautiful car and today, surviving E-Types are still symbols of automotive beauty. It’s in a rare class of its own as the E-Type remains as one of only six cars appearing in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
Of course, having introduced with a brief history about its famous father the real question is does the new F-Type have the goods to create the same type of future impact?
Well, we won’t know that answer until we see sales numbers at the end of 2014 but so far media reaction as been very positive. To keep these good feelings rolling, Jaguar has opened the purse strings and is currently spending a ton of money on a variety of marketing projects for a wide global audience.
Let’s be honest though it can’t be that hard to leverage one of the worlds most iconic brand’s along with the sex appeal of a two seat sports car convertible. Nevertheless, Jaguar has come to play by hiring some of Hollywood’s top guns including the sultry songstress Lana Del Rey as the face of the F-Type along with acclaimed director Ridley Scott and Emmy winning actor Damian Lewis to star in a short film about the F-Type.
Check out this edgy video of Lana Del Rey singing the exclusive track “Desire” the official soundtrack of the F-Type. We have to say, the song and video sure makes us younger folk want an F-Type so we only can imagine what it does for the mid-life crisis crowd.
Here is the F-Type teaser clip about the upcoming short film scheduled for release in March 2013.
For the full details on the F-Type and to keep posted on developments be sure to read Jaguar’s new microsite at Ftype.com.
Back in December, we posted coverage on Urban Outlaw, a video bio about the life of Magnus Walker, the famed LA based, rebel Porsche customizer. Well, recently we came across another epic story we want to share that adds to the mystique of the sports car from Deutschland’s city of Stuttgart.
A fiction writer by trade, Jack Olsen taught himself how to work on cars while also building himself the ultimate garage called the 12-Gauge Garage. Inside this magnificent garage, he has created a beautiful one-off Porsche 911 called Black Beauty II. Upon first glance, Jack’s Porsche looks like a sixties or seventies model but actually, it combines four decades of 911 parts ranging from 1965 through to 2000. Comprised of a lightweight body from 1972, the transaxle from 1977, the brakes from a 1986 Turbo and the engine from 1995 model it truly is one of a kind. And with a fighting weight of only 2,400 pounds and 272 horsepower at the crank, the old girl can really move around the track.
But the truly amazing part of this story is how this Porsche does it all – whether it’s trips with the family to 7-11, Sunday afternoon drives or full-fledged track days, Jack uses this car to do what it was designed for – drive smooth and fast. In today’s age of Trailer Queens and Barrett-Jackson auctions, Jack’s passion and purity of using his sports car is truly inspiring. It also helps that Jack lives in sunny California with its spectacular roads and tracks all within a short drive.
To experience this awesome Porsche for yourself take some time to watch the video below.
It has been a while since we wrote anything about Ferrari so we thought it was a good time to revisit this ultimate supercar marque. We will focus on the Ferrari 458 Italia, a mid-engine sports car designed to replace the Ferrari F430. Officially unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show the 458 Italia as been included in the Ferrari line-up since 2010.
Powered by a mid engine, naturally aspirated 4.5L V8 producing 562 HP at 9,000 rpm and 398 lb of torque at 6,000 rpm with 80% of the torque available at 3,250 rpm. Yikes, that is a ton of power and torque for a car tipping the scales at only 1,450 kg /3,197 lb.
Official performance stats from Ferrari are as follows:
0-100 km/h (62 mph) acceleration is under 3.4 seconds
Top speed is 325 km/h or 202 mph
In 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Ferrari unveiled the convertible variant of the 458 Italia called the 458 Spider which features an aluminium retractable hardtop which can be retracted in 14 seconds. The engine cover was also redesigned to work with the retractable roof system. Ferrari plans to sell approx 1,500-2,000 458 Spiders models annually. It has the same 0-62 mph time as the hard-top model but is a tad slower with only a top speed of only 198 mph (319 km/h). Not much of a sacrifice required to have the benefits of the drop top.
To go along with its amazing looks and performance, the 2013 458’s sticker price stands out among the crowd at approx $269,000 (CAD). After all, this is no ordinary sports car, it’s a Ferrari.
To catch a glimpse of the sheer rawness of the 458 in action, check out the UK’s Chris Harris behind the wheel of a new 458 Spider driving like an “idiot”. Honestly, talk about the most fun possible on four wheels and on a wet track no less. I think he may just have one of the best jobs in the world.
Here at RedlineNorth, we’re always on the look out for quality videos about cars and car people. Recently, we came across an interesting video which is a bit of a combo on the series Cribs. It’s a behind the scenes look at Craig Jackson’s house and his out of this world garage. Yes, Craig is the CEO/Chairman of Barrett-Jackson and has some sweet rides to say the least.
In the spirit of end of year lists, the RedlineNorth team has compiled a few of the most memorable car ads and promotions from 2012. With the sheer amount of car advertising out there each year it can be sometimes hard to distinguish one commercial from another. The following were selected for creativity, humour and thinking outside the box, or in the first example, thinking inside the box!
Hot Wheels Promotion
In this promotion Hot Wheels placed a life size replica of a hot wheels box around the cars of unsuspecting shoppers at a mall. When the shoppers returned to their vehicles they found their vehicle had been turned into a Hot Wheels car. Quite a simple, yet creative way to get your product noticed. Source: Adweek, Comunicadores
Hot Wheels Promotion
Life size Hot Wheels box
Lightsaber Insurance Ad
Does your car insurance company cover damage caused by flying lifesabers? Well this insurance company in Asia does. In this funny commercial for a free in-car camera by DBS insurance, one just never knows what can happen to your car in a parking lot when you’re not around! The RedlineNorth team loved the concept of this ad and the CGI work.
DeLorean NYC Taxi
Okay, this doesn’t quite qualify on a 2012 list as it was created for a student advertising competition a couple of years ago, the RedlineNorth Team thought it was worth a mention. This NYC DeLorean Taxi is alas not real, but is a pretty cool mock up nonetheless. Take me up to 88 mph and step on it!
Entitle Not All Bad Boys Are Created Equal this Fiat 500 Abarth commercial features Charlie Sheen tearing around a mansion in a black Fiat 500 Abarth. The commercial shows him wearing an ankle monitor after being sentenced to house arrest. The video has garnered over 4 million views since it launched in March of 2012 and proves Charlie’s still got it. Fiat has been creating some very creative commercials for the Abarth recently, including this one entitled the Immigrants.
The Bark Side
Shown as a teaser for a longer Volkswagen 2012 Super Bowl ad, this Volkswagen commercial shows off the lyrical talents of a group of dogs barking a recognizable tune. This ad went viral and has been viewed almost 18 million times, while the longer Super Bowl commercial has been viewed over 55 million times, proving the marketing power of anything Star Wars.
The RedlineNorth team looks forward to seeing what the advertising agencies will come up with in 2013 and we won’t have to wait that long as the 2013 Super Bowl is just around the corner. You can bet at least one or two automakers will be launching some new commercials during the game.
Rolls Royce is the epitome of a luxury vehicle. From its wood interior, rear coach doors, hand stitched leather seats and even a hidden umbrella, the vehicle exudes class. It will take you to your corporate meeting or Learjet in style and elegance.
Now check out this video from Europe of a Rolls Royce Phantom driver taking his vehicle off road for a little impromptu rally car action. Not exactly what this $400k+ vehicle is intended for, but you got to admire the drifting in this beast of a car!
We’d hate to see the repair bill after this little jaunt in the country!
Urban Outlaw is a portrait of Magnus Walker, the rebel Porsche customizer who turned a hobby into an obsession, and an obsession into a successful business. From a workshop in downtown Los Angeles, Magnus obsessively harvests fragments from donor 911s, grafting them onto vintage frames to create one-off automobiles with the spirit of Ferdinand Porsche but an ethos entirely his own. Specializing in 1964-1972 models, Magnus is a genius fabricator and a real life artist of the automotive industry.
For any enthusiast, this is a must see video and I guarantee after watching you will be interested in Porsches if you were not interested before.
RedlineNorth has come across a great video about Bodie Stroud, a custom hot rod builder, who restored a classic Mustang using an extremely rare and powerful motor built specifically for legendary racer Mario Andretti’s 1969 Can Am series race car. It’s quite an undertaking, with great results. Enjoy!
Looking back, the American cars of the 1980s were not fast, slick or exciting which was so contrary to the wild life of LA’s Sunset Strip or Miami’s South Beach. We can’t imagine how deflating it must have been pulling up to the club valet in a two ton, V8 powered coupe so suffocated with smog technology it was producing an anemic 140 horsepower. What a difference from today, where you can walk in to any North American dealership and drive away in a 425+ horsepower rocket ship branded Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro or Ford Mustang. Nevertheless, there were two American models from the 1980s that did represent the era’s excess and decadence and that is the Buick Grand National and Buick GNX.
1987 Buick Regal GNX
The Buick Regal Grand National debuted in 1982 following Buick’s victory of the NASCAR Grand National racing series in 1981 and 1982. This was an era where manufactures attempted to capitalize on their NASCAR success with the old adage: “What wins on Sunday, sells on Monday”. The 1982 models were not painted black, which may confuse those not familiar with them since they all started out as charcoal grey Buick Regals that were shipped off to a subcontractor for final touches.
Built to do burnouts
In 1984 the Grand National returned with the all black paint scheme along with the infamous turbocharged 3.8 L V6 which included sequential fuel injection, distributor-less computer controlled ignition, and potent punch of 200 hp and 300 lb·ft of torque. The power of the engine was improved slightly every year and minor changes cosmetically were made but for the most part the 1984-1986 models look the same.
However, for the Grand National’s final year in 1987, Buick introduced a new model called the GNX priced at a very expensive $29,900. Produced by McLaren Performance Technologies/ASC, Buick underrated the GNX at 276 hp and a very substantial 360 lb·ft of torque. Designed and created to be the “Grand National to end all Grand Nationals.”, changes in the GNX included the addition of a special Garrett T-3 turbocharger with a ceramic-impeller blowing through a more efficient and significantly larger capacity intercooler with a “CERMATEL (Ceramic/Aluminum) coated” pipe. In addition, it was also equipped with a low-restriction exhaust with dual mufflers, reprogrammed Turbo Hydramatic 200-4R transmission with custom torque converter and transmission cooler.
Buick’s V6 engine – Way ahead of its time
Performance for this Black Knight was measured with a quarter mile time of 13.5 seconds at 102 mph (164 km/h) and a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 4.7 seconds – this was faster than a Ferrari Testarossa and Lamborghini Countach. The GNX really was a “wolf in sheep’s clothing: and auto journalists who tested the car experienced this first hand. For example, the esteemed Car and Driver editor, Csaba Csere is famously quoted as saying after his first run “the tires, made not the squealing sound…it was a harsher sound, almost like the tread was being ripped off the tires.”
Infamous stance
Unfortunately, it was a very short run of only five years and consequently the last Grand National rolled off the Buick City assembly line in Flint, Michigan on December 11, 1987.
To mark this somber silver anniversary, a new documentary film has been created called Black Airwhich details the history of the Grand National from many different perspectives including the enthusiast, the collector, the media and even from those at General Motors responsible for designing the infamous G-body coupe. The film is created in a very doc style, reminiscent of the visceral characteristics the Grand National exuded when it rolled off the line.
From all accounts, the film does a solid job of portraying the story of why this low volume, American muscle car is the object of obsession for many automotive enthusiasts a quarter century after the last one came off the line.
In the film, the story is told about building the last Grand National ever, which is significant not only to the model but it marked the closure of that particular line and resulted in many of the line workers losing their jobs at Buick City. However, the true spirit of this iconic machine is revealed in footage of the workers cheering as the last car comes off the assembly line. Not only does the film capture the heart and soul of the Buick Grand National and GNX it acts as a poignant reminder of America’s auto industry in the late 1980s.
From a historical perspective you’ve got to love the old 1950s American cars that are still being driven all over Cuba. The Cadillacs, Packards and De Sotos running around are like a moving museum.
The following are a few links to various collections of pictures and videos of the cars that Cuba is famous for.
Flickr group dedicated to pictures of Cuban cars (about 6,500 photos)
The following article points to a reason why some of these classic vehicles may start disappearing in Cuba. As of last year Cubans are now able to buy and sell vehicles of all ages (not just pre-1959 models). While the car buying process in Cuban won’t be the same as Europe or North America, it’s a step that’s probably very welcomed in the country. Let’s hope, however, those American classics keep on rolling for many years to come.
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