Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Pink Panther Car to be Auctioned Off

Two unique Hollywood vehicles will go under the hummer at the Chelsea Auto Legends Show on September 4. The first is one of the rarest and most spectacular cars ever produced: the bespoke “Panthermobile” created for NBC’s Pink Panther TV show that ran from 1969 until 1976.

The 42-year old “Panthermobile” is in original condition, but according to the seller, it needs some restoration. Its engine is not running, though it did when its current owner bought it to another auction in 2007. Nevertheless, it’s not street-legal anyway… Its sale estimate is between £50,000 and £100,000 (US$81,000-$162,000).

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Porsche 911: A Timeline of the World's Most Famous Sports Car

If there were ever a more appropriate title for Porsche’s almost five decades old evolution of the 911, it would be “Against all Odds”. The reason being that the iconic model introduced in 1964 by Ferdinand Porsche, has proven to be a runaway success despite its shortcomings.

But let's take it from the beginning. First of all, it was Porsche’s second model after the 356 and it was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963. Its original designation was the 901. However, Peugeot had registered all three-digit numbers with a “0” in the middle for its lineup, and Porsche was forced to change the name to 911.

More importantly, it was the layout that should have condemned the 911: physics dictate that the right place to put an engine in a car is either up front or in the middle. However, the 911 had its flat-six placed behind the rear axle.

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World's Oldest Production Bentley Sells for Just Under a $1 Million at Pebble Beach

The world’s oldest surviving Bentley, the 1921 "chassis number 3", found a new owner at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elecance Gooding & Co. auction for $962,500 – or $960,606 more than what the car's first owner, Noel Van Raalte, paid for it 90 years ago (£ 1,150, or $1,984 in today’s exchange rate). Read more »

Edsel Ford’s Restored 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster Makes a Special Appearance at Monterey

Nearly eight decades after Edsel Ford, the son of the founder of the company, commissioned the one-off 1934 Model 40 Speedster, the historical sports car made a comeback at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance show in Monterey, California.

The custom made model, which served Edsel Ford as a personal roadster had changed many hands after his death in 1943 until its last owner, a Texas car collector, bought the car in 2008. After the collector’s sudden death in 2010, the Speedster returned to Edsel's home, now operated as an historic site called the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House.

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Abstract Thoughts: Is Your Car Better than Dad's?

Recently, I stumbled upon an article on Popular Mechanics with a list of 23 reasons why today’s cars are better than your parent’s. The gist is that today’s cars are safer, smarter, cleaner, more comfortable and require less maintenance than the cars your parents would have driven. This is undoubtedly true.

Today’s cars have antilock brakes, electronic stability control, satellite navigation, clear-coat enamel paint and engine immobilisers. We also have climate control air conditioning, electric everything, in-car stereos and many other things that were once cost options; a modern small car has much of the same equipment that luxury cars thirty years ago had.

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A Tribute to Enzo Ferrari

August 14 marked the 23rd anniversary of the death of Enzo Ferrari. The man who founded Ferrari was, according to some, a difficult man to deal with, as ingenious people usually tend to be. But no one ever questioned his passion about racing and his dedication to the company he founded in 1947. His life was long and complicated –so we'll just write a few words for the man who founded the company that built some of the finest supercars the world has ever seen. Read more »

Bling from the Past: 1979 Cadillac Seville by Gucci

Occasionally, automakers take a more imaginative (or desperate, take your pick) approach with their marketing tactics, often turning to companies in completely different niches to spice up their cars and create what they call special edition models.

One of the more recent examples is the Fiat Group, which earlier this month, rolled out the second edition of its 500 by Gucci series based on the faux-convertible version of the city car featuring a simple folding fabric roof.

But this isn't the first time that Gucci has joined forces with the auto industry. Back in the late 1970s, the famous high-end Italian fashion and leather goods label collaborated with GM's Cadillac division to create the Seville by Gucci special edition.

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Largest Ever Display of James Bond Movie Cars Coming in 2012

If you're an automotive fan that also happens to like the James Bond films, then you're in for a treat.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 007 franchise, the National Motor Museum in cooperation with Beaulieu and EON Productions (the latter co-owns, with MGM, the copyright to the James Bond films), will hold the largest exhibition of James Bond vehicles ever displayed to the public.

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It Came from eBay Hell: Camaro Meets Batmobile

Fancying a GM classic with a little more, ahem, pizazz than your run-of-the-mill F-Body Chevrolet Camaro? Welcome to the wonderful world of eBay and the DreamRyder (that's how the owner spells the name of the car).

The DreamRyder is the creation of one Bill Logan who used a V8-powered 1984 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible as a base. Logan says he spent 13 years to complete all the customizations, which include a fiberglass body said to be inspired by a number of animals such as the bat ray and the eagle.

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Jean’s Back: 2012 Delahaye USA Bella Figura Type 57S Enters Production

It may have taken three years but at last Delahaye USA’s Bella Figura Type 57S is available for purchase. The Long Valley, NJ based specialist vehicle manufacturer has taken its design inspiration from Jean Bugatti’s legendary Type 57S coupe of the 1930s and ‘40s and modified it to fit a stretched and widened platform.

Using cutting edge materials such as carbon fibre and polished aluminium, Delahaye USA’s describes their new offering as, “much more than a replica”.

With air conditioning, power brakes and steering, electric windows and a choice of engine and transmission options, this certainly appears true.

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Video: Meet the Jokes of Hazzard

Do you know how many people have tried to imitate the driving tricks of the Dukes of Hazzard in real life over the years? As you may have already guessed, the answer to that question is countless - as are the accidents related to these types of stunts.

In this edition, we have a doppelganger in a General Lee Dodge Charger replica trying to jump over a copy of Sheriff's Roscoe P. Coltrane patrol car. And while our driver managed to pull off the jump-over-the-vehicle part he failed miserably in the landing portion of the stunt.

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It Came From eBay Hell: 2012 Faresi Concept Car

Grab onto to something before you read this, but if the eBay seller of this car is to be believed, Faresi is a name soon to be held in the same high regard as Ettore Bugatti and Enzo Ferrari.

What makes this all the more funny is when one looks at his 2007 Pontiac Solstice-based Faresi Concept Car that’s currently advertised on eBay. The seller expects this Frankenstein monster of a car to “be very collectable in the future, maybe even worth millions.”

Mr. Faresi, who’s unknown to the internet except in this ad, has been designing cars for donkey’s years and is an automotive heavyweight. His Solstice-based creation takes, “ideas from the most beautiful super sports cars in the world”.

Among these beautiful cars are the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, Koenigsegg Agera, BMW Z8 and 1950s Corvette. Sadly, the Faresi Concept Car is not in the same class. Heck, it could very well be in a class of its own.

With less than 2,000 miles on the clock the Faresi features a rebuilt engine (always a good sign), turbo intercooler, custom headers, competition shocks, custom exhaust, factory alarm and “James Bond style Alarm” (whatever that is – maybe it fires missiles?).

The mighty 2.4L 4cyl is said to give the Faresi Concept Car a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.9 (0 to 100 km/h) seconds, which is on par with many modern sport models.

“This car gets more attention than many $300K+ super sport cars,” though probably not for the reasons the seller imagines.

If you have the stomach for it, you can check out our complete gallery of images below.

By Tristan Hankins

Editor's Note: The designer and eBay seller of the 2012 Faresi Concept No 00001 sent us this email describing the car and the idea behind its creation in his own words:

I believe that everyone is entitle to it's own opinion, but calling it a "Frankenstein Monster" is too funny! to each it's own I guess!, most people think is a very beautiful cool looking car, that is why people take pictures of the car and take pictures with the car also!

You can see more pictures of the car and pictures of the super sports cars, from witch Mr. Faresi was inspired by in the making of his first Faresi concept shown here!

How the Faresi car was created; Have you ever looked at the best cars in the world and said, (for example), I wish I had a car with a Ferrari front that has Koenigsegg head lights and Lamborghini doors with Alfa Romeo rear, with Aston Martin side look, and a BMW side Vents, but that has an American reliable engine that is fast but economic on gas, that I can drive every day and is low in maintenance, that is also exotic and beautiful, and I am not going to see someone else driving one on the next block....... and the next block after that, and that I do not have to spend over $300K for it.

I'm sure you have, well that is what Mr. Faresi also said, after owning just about every brand of sport car out there, (has owned more than 350 cars) and now has created the \"Faresi Car\" a sports car that was born by being inspired by the best super sports cars of the world, put in one......to make the # 00001 Faresi.

Every were the car goes people love it! this is one of the reasons why, this car was made inspired by a few sports cars, and this 3 were included and they were voted the 3 most beautiful cars in the world"

Mr. Faresi has been doing something right, and it looks like he is in the right track! He is already working in building his first production car, this one will have it's own chassis and body!, once is in production, then this first concept car based Solstice could become very collectable!

Sincerely,

Mr Fuad Faresi

PHOTO GALLERY

Coys to Auction Sculpture of Ayrton Senna’s McLaren MP4/6 F1 Racecar

Ayrton Senna may have passed away 17 years ago, but the famed three-time Formula One champion from Brazil continues live on in the hearts of many motorsport fans.

The recent documentary film "Senna" directed by Asif Kapadia that depicts his life and death sparked a new interest in anything associated with the Brazilian champion. And what could be more relative than a giant sculpture of Senna's McLaren MP4/6 F1 racer from his last season as World Champion.

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It Came from eBay Hell: Porsche 959 Replica Based on a…Porsche 356 Replica

Two of the most egregious of Porsche replicas to be found on eBay are those of the 356 of the 1950s and ‘60s and the 959 of the late 1980s. Both these cars were legends of their times and are rightly regarded as classics today.

So it’s no surprise that replicas are especially widespread and varying in quality from the very good to the very bad. On the latter end of this very broad spectrum is this 959 replica, which is evidently based on a –hold on- a…Porsche 356 replica.

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Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 featured on Top Gear Back in the 1990s up for Sale

Even though we’re always on the lookout for rally-bred production cars from the 1980s and 1990s like the Lancia Delta Integrale, we must admit that this 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 grabbed our attention mainly because it is the same car that was featured on an older episode of Top Gear. A young Jeremy Clarkson had then compared it against Ford's Escort RS Cosworth.

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GM Wants You to Vote for the Best Chevrolet Model of All Time

Chevrolet is celebrating its 100th birthday on November 3, and parent company General Motors is planning several happenings to honor the occasion. To kick off the 100-day countdown to Chevy's centennial, GM launched a dedicated website at "Chevy100".

Visitors are encouraged to share stories and photos about the roles that Chevrolets played in their lives through social media channels like Facebook, as well as to cast their vote on their most favorite model using a list of 16 celebrated vehicles, starting with the 1912 Six and concluding with the 2011 Volt.

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It Came from eBay Hell: BMW 745i All Donked up

Many will claim the E65 7-Series was Chris Bangle’s most controversial design during his time at the helm of BMW's styling division. And they could be right. Even though close to a decade has passed since the presentation of the E65, its styling has yet to grow on many fans of the brand.

But if you think that the regular 7-Series looked odd, then wait until you get a glimpse of this stud found –where else- on eBay: a 2003 745i sporting a two-tone black and silver paintjob, high-riding on massive 24-inch chrome wheels and decorated with more chrome bits than a 1959 Cadillac Eldorado.

If you want to see more photos, follow the jump for the complete gallery.

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Ex-Beatle George Harrison's Classic Ferrari Going Under the Hummer

A Ferrari 365 GTC is up for sale by Ferrari specialist Talacrest at no less than $600,000. If you're wondering why it's priced so high the answer is because its current owner discovered that the blue coupe once belonged to ex-Beatle musician, George Harrison. Read more »

PHANTOM Motorcycles - The Ghost Who Rides

In 1929 the last motorcycle rolled out of the Phantom Manufacturing Co. works near Cambridge shortly before the mysterious disappearance and surmised deaths of the three founders of that great company. Yet, despite this seemingly unsurmountable obstacle, the company has been able to recently reopen and has produced its first new vintage motorbike since that fateful day in 1929. But how is this

Czech Mate - The Legendary JAWA

The Classic JAWA 250 (Then)Sometimes it happens that you meet an old face who was not exactly a friend, but you knew the person quite well to say you never had any differences with the person and you know you probably donot think about the person more than once a year and that too by chance but you would wish and hope that s/he is doing well. Even if you don’t meet the person for the next few