As part of The Wolfsonian art museum’s “Styled for the Road” weekend of automotive themed activities, we had the pleasure of listening to BMW’s former head of design, Chris Bangle, talk about cars as art. The first question that Mr. Bangle asked the audience is why can’t cars be art? Just because they are a functional aspect of our daily lives doesn’t mean that they don’t evoke emotion much like a painting or sculpture can. As a means of defending his argument, Mr. Bangle spent a bit of time applying the Duck Test, because after all if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then why can’t a car be art.

A common misconception at this point in the story is differentiating between the terms car and automobile. The word automobile has only been around for the past 120 years and is used to describe a vehicle that can propel itself; in other words that thing you use to get from point A to point B as a purely functional part of your life can be considered an automobile. However the word car, which comes from the 2000 year old Roman term “carro” looks at the four wheeled machine in a whole new light. Simply put the car is a much more personal item, it is the thing you get what you wash on Saturday morning, it is the vehicle in which you can make an entrance and let the world know something about yourself.

Chris talks about how the car is an avatar, an object of personal expression that the owner feels a strong relationship with and serves as a significant part of their identity.

Continued after the jump.

Former BMW design chief Chris Bangle talks to us about art, and the reason behind the Bangle butt originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 23 November 2009 10:00 EST.

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Florida Intenational Univerity’s Wolfsonian art museum kicked off their Very Wolfsonian Weekend Celebrating Car Culture with Cocktails Among the Motor Cars at the Creative Workshop in Dania Beach Florida. After stepping inside what looked like an old wooden barn, it was hard not to feel like a kid in a candy store, although what we were smelling was patina instead of sweets. Now being the gear heads that we are, any time spent inside of a shop is a special occasion but when there is a catering staff toting hors d’oeuvres and all the cars are lined up and polished to perfection (for the most part) you know that you are in for a real treat. The Creative Workshop is a high end antique car restoration and one off coach building specialists that are eager to combine the vintage lines of classic designs with the practicality and performance of today’s technology. The venue was filled with classic automobiles in all steps of restoration, showing off the Creative Workshops ability to breath new life into old cars with perfection.

It is hard to imagine that this place is a working shop when not hosting classic car themed cocktail parties; the setting was just too perfect. Hiding behind the rows of automotive icons you could spot the mills and band saws that made all this possible. It might have just been a happy coincidence, but somehow a few leafs found their way onto the bare metal floor pan of what will soon become a bio diesel burning Mercedes Benz cabriolet powered by a VW sourced V10. There was a cherry red Ferrari Daytona that had a little mishap and required some minor metal work on each of the front fenders. One particular favorite was a period correct rat rod that was made from nothing but metal, aside from the flat rear rubbers. In the display room were a pair of pristine Jaguar E Types, but it was outside that we would find out what made this wooden structure so famous, a hand formed Ferrari Testarossa inspired roadster powered by a BMW V12 called the Sport Speciale. We would like to thank the Creative Workshop for opening its door and having us over for some sliders and sultry rides, tonight’s Very Wolfsonian Weekend activities include a chat with the man who redesigned BMW, Chris Bangle.

COCKTAILS AMONG THE MOTOR CARS originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 14 November 2009 18:00 EST.

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These days 200 km/h doesn’t seem like such a big deal, after all even a Hyundai with its long gearing can go 120 MPH. However 100 years ago, back when the automotive industry was in its infancy, achieving a milestone like that was quite an impressive feat. The car that made the enormous leap in performance motoring was the Lightning Benz, powered by a 21.5 Liter four cylinder engine that developed a maximum output of 200 HP and on November 8, 1909 reached a top speed of 200 km/h on the concrete paved Brooklands circuit in the United Kingdom.

Over the half mile oblong oval, starting off with a flying start, the driver of the Lightning Benz achieved an average speed of 205.666 km/h, and 202.648 km/h over one kilometer loop. The brave pilot covered the one kilometer distance from a standing start in just 31.326 seconds, the half mile was eclipsed in 25.566 seconds and the mile came in only 41.268 seconds. These new performance achievements bested the previously set records by Darracq. The Lightning Benz continued life with much success and became an international attraction as it continued chasing new records. On 23 April 1911 Bob Burman drove the car on the sand at Daytona Beach, the location of the original land speed record course in the U.S. Burman was able to achieve an average speed of 228.1 km/h for the flying kilometer and 225.7 km/h over the flying mile, a record that would remain unbroken until 1919.

Lightning Benz the fastest car on Earth 100 years ago originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 11 November 2009 11:00 EST.

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In celebration of their new four door sports car, Porsche has released a new commercial that retells the tale about how Ferry Porsche couldn’t find a new ca that he liked so he got to work on the original 356. The television advertisement traces the new car’s heritage all the way back to the VW inspired sports car and reminds us of a few of the models that made Porsche such a dominant force in motor racing like the silver Porsche RSK spider, the classic 917 Le Mans competitor wearing full orang and blue Gulf livery and modern day sports cars like the hard core 911 GT3 RS and Carrera GT super car giving us a good look at the new Panamera’s family tree.

Video: Porsche Family Tree originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 18 October 2009 13:00 EST.

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The German sports car manufacturer Porsche AG presents its entire history ’in motion’ in a 2 ½ hour film entitled ’The Porsche Way’, from the early years up to the present day on DVD. Starting with the lifetime achievements of Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche, the film focuses in eight chapters on the development of the famous sports car manufacturer, proceeding from one decade to the next. The DVD is based on the Archives Collection with more than 5,000 hours of footage and takes impressive scenes from the history of the Company, the products and motorsport, featuring numerous film extracts never seen before. The DVD is available from the Porsche Museum Shop in German and English. Available video includes a trailer of ’The Porsche Way’.

Video: The Porsche Way originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 18 October 2009 12:00 EST.

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Aside from the 917s and 908s on display at the 36th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races there were no less than 145 Porsche privateer racers making up almost a third of the field at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this past weekend. After all Porsches were built to be raced and these owners are doing just that, head of the Porsche Rolling Museum Klaus Bischof couldn’t agree more. There was everything from the marque’s original Formula 1 car and an RS60 Spider to a pair of blue and red striped 917s and 935s to the much more modern 911 GT1 car and Porsche RS Spyder of Lemans Series fame.

With so many examples of historic racing and craftsmanship, it is no doubt that the German sports car builder will continue the tradition of building fun to drive high performance vehicles long into the future, evident by the star of the show, the all new Porsche Panamera four door sports sedan.

Video: Porsche makes their presence known at the Monterey Historic Automobile Races originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 18 August 2009 16:30 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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There are a host of things you can find under a body of water and while they range from the absolutely meaningless to the downright priceless, the possibilities of what you can find underwater are endless.

In the Swiss city of Ascona, a diving club that goes by the name, Centro sport subacquei salvataggio Ascona (CSSS), went on a routine dive on the Verbano Lake last July 5 found something that none of them were expecting, a Brescia Bugatti.

Nobody knows how the classic car ended up 50m deep on the lake or how long it’s been there. Nevertheless, the team of divers who found it are scheduled to bring the century-old vehicle back up to dry land. Whether or not there’s still value on the submerged vehicle remains to be seen, but we’re quite sure that the question of whether it still works or not has been answered a long time ago.

Brescia Bugatti found underwater in Switzerland originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 9 July 2009 14:00 EST.

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I’m not sure if William Clayton simply was tired of being asked, "Are we there yet?" or if he was just an observant fellow, but in any case he and his fellow wagon train buddies gave birth to the modern odometer, where a separate gear controls each digit, all the way back in 1847.

Mr. Clayton noticed that 360 revolutions of a wagon wheel equaled approximately a mile, so he attached a red flag and counted its revolutions. Anyone who has been stuck in a "time out" and forced to count to some insanely high number (my son would argue that 10 would qualify) can tell you that such a task gets old very quickly. Mr. Clayton discussed things with a few of his wagon train buddies and the roadometer was born!

More info at about.com

Wonder If There Is a Carfax Report On That Wagon? Modern Odo Celebrate 162 Today originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 12 May 2009 16:44 EST.

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Porsche’s old museum at its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany used to follow the maxim "Small but good", and a visit there proved it. The whole museum and gift shop was located in a space that was about the size of most company’s boardrooms. The clear benefit to the small area was every piece featured was significant. The huge drawback was that everyone who saw that museum knew there was huge piece of the company’s history missing.

Porsche did not ignore this problem. It spent over two years building the new museum, which opened its doors on January 31, 2008. When we made the visit earlier this month it still had the new museum smell.

This is the ultimate destination for any Porsche fan. It not only houses all the significant pieces from the company’s history, but also concept cars that have been long forgotten. Ever wonder what Butzi’s original design was for the 911? (pictured right) Or what a long-wheelbase 911 would look like? (orange car in the picture gallery)

The new museum gives Porsche the room it deserves. The multi-story complex features road cars, racecars and even an observation area into the restoration facility. Porsche is a celebrated carmaker, and its finally got the showcase it deserves.

Of course anyone taking the time to travel to Stuttgart wants to see the factory complex surrounding the museum (trust me, it’s worth it). Unlike the Leipzig facility, Porsche’s home factory is not available to everyone and takes some planning ahead. A good start is making friends with the local Porsche dealer.

Plenty more pics in the picture gallery after the jump.

Porsche Museum visit originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 23 March 2009 23:00 EST.

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Bad news for those who were hoping to get a rock-bottom price for the Shelby Daytona Coupe going to auction: it won its class at Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance over the weekend.

The economy may be slowing down, but a best in class win for Race Cars at the prestigious show will definitely add some extra bucks to the hammer price. Then again, this is also the car that brought Shelby Racing the World Manufacturers Championship title in 1965, so the price was never going to exactly be “affordable”.

This one of six ever will be a part of Mecum’s Spring Classic auction in Indianapolis Auction this May.

Press release after the jump.

Shelby Daytona Coupe auction car wins at Amelia Island originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 19 March 2009 14:00 EST.

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Mecum will auction off a rare one of six 1965 Shelby Daytona Coupes (chassis no. CSX2601).

A quick history lesson for those who don’t recognize this legend. Before Ford took on Ferrari with the GT40, Shelby went after the Italians in the GT class with the Ford-engined Shelby Daytona Coupe. In 1964 and 1965 full bodies were added to six modified Shelby Cobra drivetrains. The improved aerodynamics allowed the cars to be quicker and have a higher top speed.

This car is a sibling to the infamous CSX2287 — it was the first prototype for the other five coupes, set a land speed record at Bonneville, owned by record producer Phil Spector, and went missing for decades. While CSX2601 doesn’t have as sorted a past as the prototype, it did clinch the 1965 World Manufacturers Championship title for Shelby in the GT class by winning on July 4th in Reims, France.

The Daytona Coupe will be auctioned off on Satuday, May 16th at Mecum Original Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis.

Press release after the jump.

Shelby Daytona Coupe going to auction originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 9 March 2009 10:00 EST.

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Remember the Gulf One 1963 Z06 Corvette we reported on earlier this month? Well now there is a new owner.

The ultra-rare Corvette racer was the feature car at Mecum’s Kissimmee, FL Auction last weekend. While Mecum had many cars that sold at prices for multiple hundreds of thousands, the Gulf One ventured where very few cars go, seven figures. When it was all over, #1 had a hammer price of $1,050,000.

While the 1963 Z06 production was already small at only 199 examples built, the Gulf One has a celebrated racing history established by Dr. Dick Thompson AKA "Flying Dentist". This Z06 features a 360-bhp V-8, four-speed transmission, Positraction rear axle, heavy-duty shocks and springs, and cast-aluminum finned wheels.

1963 Z06 Corvette goes for over a million originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 29 January 2009 12:00 EST.

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This weekend when it’s time to go see that touching (i.e. sappy) movie with your girlfriend (or boyfriend) you may finally have an option for the auto enthusiast. Flash of Genius follows the story of Robert Kerns, the inventor of the motor for the intermittent windshield wiper. He shopped his invention around to the Big 3 in Detroit, but instead they made their own motors, without paying Kerns licensing fees.

Greg Kinnear plays Kerns, who is on a quest that is more about recognition than money. Although Kerns actually had lawsuits against Ford, General Motors, Chrysler and possibly multiple import makers, the movie mainly focuses on Ford. Flash of Genius follows Kern’s entire ordeal: from the invention, to his eager pitch to auto companies, to the pain of a legacy stolen and eventual long drawn out court battles. I won’t go in to more details of the real story (or else there would be no point in seeing the movie,) but remember this is a Hollywood drama – tears work well for girlfriends.

So this movie is about the motor in windshield wipers, eh? If corporate intrigue in the automotive industry isn’t interesting then maybe you aren’t really “car material”. Besides it’s better than the latest Matthew-McConaughey-can’t-commit-until-he meets-some-somewhat-popular-actress-in-an-unreal-situation mild comedy that’s playing in the theater next door.

Flash of Genius: a car guy's date movie originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 3 October 2008 17:36 EST.

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Phil Hill, the only US-born driver to ever win the Formula One title, has passed away at 81 years of age. Hill died at Community Hospital in Monterey, California, on Thursday from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Hill won the 1961 Formula One title for Ferrari, as well as the first American to win the 24-hour at Le Mans—a three time winner in all. He also won the Sebring 12-hour race three times. “I had an amazing amount of luck to race for 22 years and not a drop of blood or a broken bone,” Hill once said. “Maybe I wasn’t trying hard enough.”

“Phil was a very special guy and had a love for the automotive age,” said Dan Gurney, a teammate with Ferrari. “He was always a potential winner when he sat in a race car. He was both a competitor and a close friend and a fellow I could look up to.”

Phil Hill dies at 81 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 29 August 2008 08:46 EST.

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