Author Archives: Trevor Freeman

About Trevor Freeman

Trevor is a real gearhead who loves everything from classic American muscle cars to high-performance exotics. When he's not reading about cars or taking photos at a car show, he's probably out cruising around. He is currently working on restoring a 1980 Chevrolet Monza hatchback.

Automotive Tech Takes the Stage at CES 2014

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Every year in January, the world’s consumer electronics companies congregat in Las Vegas at the International CES Show to show off their latest and greatest products. Everything from digital cameras and tablet computers to washing machines and televisions are on display.

In past years, car manufacturers occupied a small part of the show to demonstrate the latest in-vehicle technologies. For 2014, automotive companies reserved 140,000 square feet of floor space for their booths – a 20% increase compared to 2013!

Here are some of the top automotive headlines from CES 2014:

Audi Introduces Self-Driving Car

Audi was at CES 2014 demonstrating a self-driving car, which uses a combination of RADAR, LASER, and imaging technologies to be aware of its surroundings. Last year, the car’s entire hatch was filled with computers to process this information. This year, it’s been shrunk down to a computer in the trunk no bigger than an iPad. Audi calls their new technology “piloted driving,” and it looked very close to production-ready on this A7 sedan.

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Micro Cars Fetch Big Bucks at Barrett-Jackson 2014

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When it comes to collectible car auctions, everyone expects muscle cars such as Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes, Chevelles, and Challengers  to go for top dollar. These are the cars that most people think of when they think “Barrett-Jackson.”

But besides American Muscle cars, there seems to be a growing market for oddball cars as well. As I walked around Barrett-Jackson’s 2014 Scottsdale auction, I couldn’t help but notice how many micro cars were up for sale. Some of them genuinely surprised me with how much they sold for!

#675 – 1969 Goggomobil TS-250 Coupe
Sold for: $33,000

The Goggomobil is a micro car from Germany that seats 2 occupants. It has a 2-cylinder engine that makes 14 HP and a 4-speed manual gearbox. Top speed of 60 mph with a 0-60 time of 26 seconds. It’s an interesting little car that you definitely don’t see every day, but even given the car’s rarity, I was shocked that it went for $33 grand!

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9 Celebrity Cars Sold at Barrett-Jackson 2014

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I have noticed that several of the cars for sale at this year’s Scottsdale auction belong to celebrities. Here are some of the ones I’ve spotted so far:

Lot #1319.2 – Simon Cowell’s 2008 Bugatti Veyron
Sold for: $1,375,000

This black-on-black Bugatti Veyron is the first used car to be certified by the factory. It belongs to Mr. Simon Cowell, who is best known as the outspoken asshole judge on TV’s American Idol (Seasons 1-9). Comes with a 1 year factory warranty!

#1355.1 – Alice Cooper’s 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
Sold for: $82,500

The shock rocker behind “School’s Out for the Summer” is also a famed car collector. This ’69 Camaro has been beautifully restored to look showroom new. Comes with a signed picture from the man himself. Features a 396 V8 with an automatic transmission and a new interior.

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Sidewinder V8 Chopper Bike

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Since we began this website almost two years ago, I have written close to 150 posts about interesting, rare, and unusual cars that I have seen. Of those posts, only one has been about a motorcycle – and it was to make fun of the owner’s tasteless customizations to his Yamaha R1.

While I have a passion for cars, motorcycles are a topic which I know virtually nothing about. They just do not interest me the same way that cars do. But a while back, I came across one very special motorcycle that really got my attention: the Sidewinder V8 bike.

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Gatsby Cabriolet Neoclassic Car

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First published in 1925, The Great Gatsby is considered by the American Literary Association to be among the 100 best American novels published during the last century; it is also F. Scott Fitzgerald’s most famous work. While the story line is a standard tale of unrequited love, it is Fitzgerald’s vivid, flowing descriptive imagery and rich character development that makes his work so timeless.

The novel’s setting of New York City during the “Roaring Twenties” calls to mind images of Art Deco skyscrapers and extreme opulence in fashion and design. This was also a high point for automotive design as Duesenberg, Bugatti, and Rolls-Royce offered ever more luxurious models.

This lavish elegance is what Gatsby Coachworks, Ltd. sought to recreate in the 1970s.

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Spartan II Neoclassic Car

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Based on the picture, you may be thinking “Oh boy, here comes another lame kit car!” But if you lump the Spartan II in with the Excalibur, Gazelle, Tiffany, Zimmer, or any other neo-classic automobile, you would have made a serious mistake.

You see, reproductions of old-timey cars are often built around cheap mass-market vehicles such as a Ford Pinto or a Volkswagen. While this arrangement makes a neoclassic car practical to own, it also places them at the low end of the performance spectrum.

The Spartan II is different. While its rounded headlamps and swooping front fenders may harken back to the early days of motoring, it’s a completely different story under the hood. That’s because the Spartan II is actually based on the Nissan 300ZX, a compact sports car from Japan! With its front-engine, rear drive layout and 2+2 seating configuration, the Spartan II is a bit sportier than you might expect.

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