The 1967-68 Shelby GT500 Mustang is for sure a legendary car that needs no presentation. And like every legend there are lots of people out there who will do anything to get it back. So did Carroll Shelby, no surprise here no? He gave Classic Recreations the license to recreate the car.

"I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to work with a legend like Carroll Shelby," said Classic Recreations owner Jason Engel. "We pride ourselves on building the finest coachbuilt muscle cars in the world, and I’m thrilled that this new opportunity will allow us to build some of the fastest and coolest supercars on the road today. Other shops build cars. We sit down with a client, listen to their fantasies, and then turn those into reality."

Each of the Shelby GT500CR will "leave the shop with an official Shelby serial number, badges and will be included in the official Shelby Worldwide Registry."

And how the classic car delivers between 535 and 770 hp, the GT500CR will have for sure the same horse power and performance level.

Shelby GT500CR by Classic Recreations originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 6 November 2009 13:00 EST.

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Chevrolet revealed at the SEMA Show the E-ROD concept vehicle. It is a fully restored 1955 Chevy powered by a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 E-Rod engine that delivers 430 hp and 424 lb.-ft. of torque. List price for the LS3 E-ROD package is $9,375.

The exterior wears factory-style chrome Bel Air trim, which accents the custom PPG colors applied by GM. On the inside, the E-ROD ’55 has an original-style appearance, with upholstery and other restoration items supplied by CARS Inc. The only noticeable variances include an IDIDIT adjustable steering column and Grand steering wheel.

Press release after the jump.

1955 Chevrolet E-ROD originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 4 November 2009 10:00 EST.

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Ford is bringing a modern hot rod to the SEMA Show next week, literally. In the blue oval’s booth will be a 1934 Ford 3 Window Coupe, as the result of a collaboration between Ford Powertrain, Detroit Street Rods and Experi-metal. Although the first Ford vehicle to feature the American automaker’s wonderful 3.5 Liter twin turbocharged EcoBoost engine will be next year’s V6 powered F-150. This Ford from the 1930s will also benefit from the thrust of a V8, with the thirst of a V6 using a similar power train layout; and although no 21st century fuel injected engine could ever replace the flathead as far as hot rod power is concerned, the EcoBoost V6 looks like it will fit the bill.

The hot rod’s body has been hand created by Steve’s Auto Restoration and while the complete body and fenders are made from brand new tooling, and are designed, stamped and manufactured by Experi-metal in Sterling Heights, Michigan. This "replica" ’34 features a solid steel construction consisting of full fenders, running boards and custom bumpers. Aside from the new motor, a few of the other modern touches that the EcoBoosted ’34 Ford wil benefit from a few of the simpler things in life like power windows and air conditioning.

Press release after the jump.

1934 Ford 3-Window Coupe coming to SEMA originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 30 October 2009 13:00 EST.

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Back in February of 1969 the Prince Motor Car Company introduced a high performance racing version of their premium Skyline sedan for the streets, introducing the world to the first ever Nissan GT-R. The squared off Japanese super car immediately gained cult status by enthusiasts as the Hakosuka GT-R; hako coming from the word for box and the abbreviation for sukairain which stands for skyline. The Hakosuka GT-R was powered by a 2.0 Liter S20 inline six cylinder engine that produced a total of 160 HP. The cars were stripped of unnecessary equipment to be as light as possible for racing, which helped with the new sports car rack up over 50 race wins by 1972.

Video: Hakosuka GT-R originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 11 October 2009 14:00 EST.

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Back in February of 1969 the Prince Motor Car Company introduced a high performance racing version of their premium Skyline sedan for the streets, introducing the world to the first ever Nissan GT-R. The squared off Japanese super car immediately gained cult status by enthusiasts as the Hakosuka GT-R; hako coming from the word for box and the abbreviation for sukairain which stands for skyline. The Hakosuka GT-R was powered by a 2.0 Liter S20 inline six cylinder engine that produced a total of 160 HP. The cars were stripped of unnecessary equipment to be as light as possible for racing, which helped with the new sports car rack up over 50 race wins by 1972.

As great as the Hakosuka GT-R was, Nissan never saw fit to import any of their flagship sports cars to the U.S. but thanks to the team at Right Hand Drive Japan in Torrance, California we now have the chance to own a piece of Japanese sports car history; sort of. According to the restoration specialists “This is a 1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT GT-R Clone (it was converted from a 2000GT to a GT-R). This model Skyline is affectionately known by enthusiasts as the Hakosuka... Venerated by Skyline/GT-R and classic Japanese car enthusiasts as the birth of a legend, these vehicles are even very rare in Japan.”

Even though this is not the real McCoy, these Hakosuka Skyline 2000 GT-R clones offer an excellent and affordable alternative to the real thing. After all, owning and operating an authentic Hakosuka GT-R would be so nerve racking you would be hard pressed to take it out of the garage and the classic Japanese race car would be doomed to a life of dark damp days hidden away as opposed to being enjoyed outside for the world to see. Now all you need to do is find an even rarer S20 engine to complete the Hakosuka GT-R experience.

Hakosuka GT-R video after the jump.

Hakosuka GT-R on e-Bay originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 9 October 2009 15:00 EST.

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Pontiac is riding off into the sunset in 2010 so it seems fitting that fans of the disheveled American car brand is taking the time to celebrate its long and illustrious history as an American car pioneer.

Organizers of the Faifield County Concours d’Elegance held a recent promotion to find the oldest Pontiac they could find from the brand’s inaugural year in 1926 so they could proudly display it at the Concours. After months of search – with a few missed leads here and there – the organizers found a magnificently-restored 1926 two-door coach in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

The car, which is co-owned by Roy and Paul Jaszczak, is still in pretty good shape, especially when you consider that it’s around 83 years old. Apart from replacing the valves and the obviously-outdated Lindbergh tires, the coach remains in tip-top condition.

Oldest running Pontiac to be displayed at the Fairfield Concours d' Elegance originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 15 September 2009 07:30 EST.

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Monterey has always been one of the biggest car auction weekends in the world. This year’s event, which recently concluded last August 13-15, saw a total of 836 cars of all varieties being held up for auction.

Of the 836 cars, 558 were sold for a total of $118,296,823. While the numbers are impressive in all aspects, this year’s figure was actually 17 percent less than what the event took last year ($138,996,425)

The top money-maker this year was Gooding & Company, which sold over $50,753,850 worth of exotic cars, including a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder – that’s a long name – which sold for a whopping $5.1 million.

Coming in second was RM with a total amount of $35,522,600, including a special edition Phil Hill Jaguar C-Type that was purchased for $2.5 million.

Continued after the jump.

Final figures for Monterey auction release; Gooding & Company occupies top spot originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 27 August 2009 11:00 EST.

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Show the photo of this car to 10 people out on the streets and ask them to guess what band it is. Chances are nobody’s going to get the answer right. If somebody did, he probably made a lucky guess.

This is a 1986 Lamborghini LM002 – hardly looks like a vehicle Lamborghini would make, right? And we must advise you not to bet your house on the premise that this is just some run-of-the-mill vehicle the folks from Lambo built because they were bored. Arguably one the rarest Lamborghinis you can find anywhere in the world, this particular LM002 was originally built for the Sultan of Brunei – yes the same man who reportedly has over 6,000 cars in his garage – and while Sultan Bolkiah doesn’t own it anymore, the man who does is, apparently, selling it.

The car, by all accounts, has been remodelled and modified a number of times with the end product boasting of a number of different features including an upgraded interior with electric front sears, a couple of roof-mounted CD and DVD players, LCD monitors, an electric sunroof, and so much more.

Continued after the jump.

Ultra rare Rambo Lambo Lamborghini LM002 up for sale originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 27 August 2009 07:00 EST.

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It has been a week since the Champagne poured and the confetti flew over the 18th green at the world’s greatest car show, Pebble Beach, and the event’s official auction house, Gooding & Company, has just finished tallying their sales receipts to find out that they moved over $50 Million worth of classic cars selling 129 lots, two of which sold over $4 Million each and setting three world records over the Monterey weekend.

The star of the show happened to be Lot 135, a silver 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider that sold for a record $5,115,000 on Sunday followed by a beautiful 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Drop Head Coupe which went home with a new owner for $4,180,000. Guests at the auction on Sunday night were also privy to the sale of the very first Bentley Mulsanne which sold for half a million dollars.

Bentley’s newest luxury sedan, which is proclaimed to be the “pinnacle” of high end automobiles, made its debut at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours. The car is named after the infamous 200+ MPH straight at the Circuit de la Serthe at Le Mans. The Mulsanne is set to replace the dearly departed Arnage and is being billed as the up-and-coming challenger to the Rolls-Royce Phantom for luxury car supremacy. It looks like we will have to wait until the world’s greatest car show rolls around again next year to see if any more of these records can be broken.

Press release after the jump.

Gooding & Company moved over $50 Million worth of classic cars at Pebble Beach originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 24 August 2009 20:00 EST.

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The lovely Miss Daniela Grimm was honored with the privilege of being the exclusive model featured in the 2009 Miss Tuning Calendar. The almanac is sure to become a best seller as Daniela shows off her finer points dress up as everything from Cat Woman ready to pounce in front of the classic Batmobile to showing off her behind along with the back of an Impala.

The calendar has something for everyone from fans of high revving imports clad with carbon fiber like the tuned G37 that is about to run down the 1320 against a very fast gold Supra to the classic American automobiles like a bodacious bubblegum pink Cadillac as well as giving a good look at the interior of a first generation Corvette. Don’t despair high-end fans, because Miss Tuning 2008 found a sweet silver S Class with a pair of suicide doors in the back. There will only be 150 examples of this fine piece of automotive art, so not only does the calendar have Ms. Grim going for it but it is also a very limited edition. We thought it would be a good idea to share a few more of the photos with you.

Miss Tuning 2009 Calendar featuring the lovely Daniela Grimm originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 20 August 2009 18:00 EST.

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There are a lot of things you can buy for $3 million dollars. Heck, you can buy an all-new Bugatti Veyron and still have a little under a million tucked under your pillow. Paying $3 million for a car is understandable, given of course, if the car in question warrants such a lavish price tag. A 1970 Plymouth Superbird is not one of them.

Apparently, Brian Chaffee, a resident of Middlefield, Connecticut, disagrees with our sentiment given that he hopes to sell his ’70 Superbird for a cool $3 mil. According to Chaffee, he spent part of three years restoring this car back to its glory days in the ‘70’s when it was racing not just with cars, but with jets taking off.

Granted, the car looks good and it’s got some history attached to it, but $3 million may just be a tad overboard, especially when you discover that this particular Superbird does not come with a Hemi engine – a pretty big deal for a car to have to justify a $3 Million price tag.

Continued after the jump.

1970 Plymouth Superbird being sold for $3 million? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 20 August 2009 09:00 EST.

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The Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races is one of the best events that takes place during the Concours weekend on the Monterey Peninsula. Sure the Tour D’Elegance allows the classics to putter around the country side and stop for lunch in Carmel and the Concorso Italiano allows you to look cool standing next to your Lamborghini with a drink that matches the paint scheme, but only the Historic Races allows these classic cars the ability to stretch their legs and do what they were made to do. On the third weekend in August, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca fills with the smells of burnt rubber and spent gasses while the surrounding hills are filled with a symphony from bygone eras of racing history. The sponsor, Rolex, ensures that fans come back time and time again for their Moment in Time dispay, which honors six different historic racing cars and highlights their most significant achievements.

While last year’s star of the show was the infamous black and gold John Player’s Special, Mario Andretti’s Lotus built Formula 1 Championship winning race car that introduced ground effects and revolutionized racing forever. This year the museum quality exhibit will be displaying some of the greatest endurance racing sports cars from the 1960s and 1970s. Like the 1977 Le Mans winning 1976 Porsche 936/81, which also took a second place in 1978 and 12th in 1981 at the race twice around the clock at Le Sarthe. This very rare racecar is only noe of three Porsche 936 cars that were built and is the only one to compete in five of the famous 24 Hour races by notable Porsche racing driver Hurley Haywood amongst many others.

Celebrating the legendary Porsche 917’s 40th anniversary, the exhibit featured a 550+ HP example from 1970 wearing the fashionable Gulf livery that was made popular by the actor Steve McQueen. The Porsche is lined up alongside the Ferrari 512S that challenged it that season. This particular blue and orange 917K was driven by Mexican driver Pedro Rodriguez in the 1970 1000 km race at Spa, Belgium, and is the sister car to Brian Redman and Jo Siffert’s race winning Gulf. The Ferrari 512S was once piloted by Jacky Ickx during the opening round of the World Championship season at Daytona and then went on to race at Monza and in the Targa Florio where it finished 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Continued with press release after the jump.

Rolex Moments in Time at the Monterey Historic Automobile Races originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 18 August 2009 14:00 EST.

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The auction house Gooding & Company did alright for themselves this past Saturday the evening before the highly anticipated Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, selling an impressive 83% of all their lots earning more than $21 Million. The star of the block was a red 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider that sold for $2,750,000. There were also a few records set that evening, with the 1953 Aston Martin DB 2/4 Drop Head Coupe that went for $1,650,000, and the 1953 Jaguar XK120 SE Roadster that sold for $192,500. On a more technical note, the 1938 Buick Limited Series 80 Opera Brougham only set a record for pre-war Buicks at $506,000.

Aside from the record breaking Aston Martin and Ferrari’s, the crowd in attendance was eager to catch a glimpse of Lot 31, Ettore Bugatti’s own 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Special Coupe. Originally assembled as a birthday present for Le Patron, founder of the ultra exotic car company, this particular Type 57C has been deemed as one of the automaker’s most cherished creations. The factory’s workers even went to great lengths to protect the Bugatti during World War II, the fighting between that Allied Forces and the Axis Powers ended up destroying the factory in Molsheim, France.

Even after Ettore’s death in 1947, the 57C was meticulously maintained and continued to receive updates as they were developed. The car is said to be extremely unique, with a distinct engine and transmission package, upgrades to the interior and one-off coachwork that is believed to be based on the last design ever created by Ettore’s son, Jean Bugatti who died at the age of 30 in an unfortunate incident, test driving a Le Mans winning Type 57 tank-bodied race car. Making for one very interesting conversation piece.

Press release after the jump.

Gooding & Company auction off over $21 Million in classic cars at Pebble Beach originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 17 August 2009 15:45 EST.

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It is only fitting that during the German automaker Audi’s centennial anniversary that a car wearing four rings on its grill got the Champaign and confetti treatment atop the podium Sunday afternoon on the 18th hole at the Pebble Beach Golf Links on California’s Monterey Peninsula. That is because one of those four rings represents the automaker from the turn of the century, August Horch.

This year it was the 1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet of Neveda resident Robert M. Lee of Sparks that was chosen over all other entrants competing for the honor of being named “Best of Show” at the 59th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It is clear to see why in field of award winning show cars, this Horsch was chosen with its dramatic styling from an era when cars had hood ornaments and wire wheels. The wide front fenders continue back into the body complimented but the polished trim that swoops back along the body continuing the theme of the large shiny grille, over the louvers in the hood across the suicide door and then makes a dramatic turn upwards accentuating the bold rear fenders.

The two time Concours winner Robert Lee, the pre war Horch’s owner, had this to say: “The Horch has wonderful lines, a great proven chassis and all the beauty that make it the whole package… Pebble Beach is the greatest car show in the world and winning here is indescribable. It’s been a wonderful day for us here and I have the best team to thank for making it happen.” The win was confirmed by Concours Chairman Sandra Button who said: “This Horch is an incredibly beautiful open car with stunning styling…It’s very Teutonic, but also almost French. It’s fantastic. Bob certainly knows how to prepare cars for competition.”

Continued with press release after the jump.

1937 Horch wins "Best of Show" at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 17 August 2009 15:15 EST.

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Classic sports cars can be tremendous fun to drive, but hell to own. To begin with storage, insurance and maintenance could bankrupt the average person and the old cars don’t drive as well as a modern day vehicle. The engines take a while to come up to operating temperature, the old leaf spring based suspension takes a beating every time you venture onto a less than perfect streets. The car’s just aren’t as reliable as a 21st century automobile, one Jaguar E-Type has statd that he has to leave his car idling in the parking lot when he goes in to get his morning coffee, if he shuts it off, because of the fumes in the carburetors there’s no telling as to when it may start back up again.

Well not every classic English sports car experience has to be that troublesome. The U.K. based craftsman at Eagle have created this modern day feline based on a 1966 Jaguar E-type. The car is the proof that classic cars can be cool, fast and worry free when the new E-Type made its world debut at the Salon Privé prestige motor show in London.

The Eagle E-Type features an aluminum bodyshell, stiffer suspension, upgraded brakes and modern low profile radial tires. Under the hood the car features a 4.7 Liter straight six engine that delivers 300 HP and 340 lb-ft of torque, a 50% power increase over the standard E-type engine from the 1960’s. Weighing in at only 1100 kg, the modern day E-Type will sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 175 MPH.

Eagle E-type speedster originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 28 July 2009 12:00 EST.

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