Cars and Coffee is a monthly gathering that is held in major cities around the US. This free event is open to all makes and models of vehicles, and brings together people who share a passion for cars and coffee. Most of these posts are from Cars and Coffee in Scottsdale, Arizona.

1968-1978 Lamborghini Espada

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When I think about Lamborghini, I think of their most well known creations: the Countach, the Diablo, the Gallardo, and the Murcielago. But it was Lamborghini’s early cars such as the Miura and the Espada that really earned the company its stripes.

The Miura was unveiled in 1966 to great praise, largely due to its beautiful styling. Two years later, Lamborghini had another hit on its hands with the Espada. This was the company’s first 4-seater, and it went on to become their most popular car up until that time. Just over 1,200 Espadas were built during their 10-year production run.

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1967-1975 Iso Rivolta S4 Fidia

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There is a gathering in Scottsdale on the first Saturday of each month called Cars and Coffee. This informal car show is open to all makes and models of vehicles, so you never know what might roll in.

It was here that I first spied the Hudson Italia, not knowing how rare or valuable it was. I kicked myself later for not taking more pictures of it. Well, I made the same mistake with this car. Not recognizing it, I foolishly took a single picture and moved on. Now I wish I had taken more!

This huge sedan is an Iso Rivolta S4 Fidia, and its claim to fame is that it briefly held the title of “World’s Fastest Four-Seater” in the late 1960s. Only of these cars 192 were built, so it’s pretty damn rare!

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2011 Rolls Royce Ghost EWB – A Rolls by Any Other Name

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“Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it.” – Sir Henry Royce

For over a century, Rolls-Royce has manufactured the finest luxury motorcars in the world. In the year 2010, Rolls-Royce introduced a new model to their lineup called the Ghost. Because it was smaller and less expensive than the Phantom, many in the automotive world referred to the Ghost as the “baby Phantom.”

After running across this 2011 Ghost Extended Wheelbase at Cars and Coffee, I am going to paraphrase Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing and declare that “nobody puts [this] baby in a corner!” The Rolls Royce Ghost belongs in the spotlight. Continue reading →

Salem Kroger 4×4 Camper Van

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As you might have guessed from the name of this website, we are focused on writing about cars from the “high output” generation. The funny thing is, we seem to have an eye for spotting weird-ass recreational vehicles.

Mike brought you the Flat Black RV and the BMW Vixen and Cameron brought you the riced-out motorhome that uses Acura headlamps and Dodge truck tail lamps. Well on today’s issue of Recreation: High Output, I’ve got an unusual RV to feature as well. Meet the Salem Kroger 4×4 Camper Van. Continue reading →

2012 Fisker Karma EcoSport EVer

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“Shoot for the moon and if you miss, you will still be among the stars.” – Les Brown

At the time of this writing, California-based Fisker Automotive is in bad shape and if they don’t get a miracle, they are going to go under.

In case you haven’t been following the Fisker saga, let me fill you in. Fisker Automotive was founded in 2007 by Henrik Fisker, a Danish-born designer who also penned the Aston Martin DB9, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, and the BMW Z8. The new company was to launch a luxury plug-in hybrid car in 2009. After multiple setbacks and delays, customers  finally began taking deliveries of the Karma sedan in late 2011. Continue reading →

1967-1971 DeTomaso Mangusta

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When I was a kid, there was a show on TV called “Before They Were Stars.” The show looked at popular celebrities to see what they were like before they became famous. Some of them had humble careers working in menial jobs for low wages – and of course, they would always dig up an embarrassing high school yearbook photo.

In the same way, most car enthusiasts have heard of the DeTomaso Pantera, the Ford-powered, Italian-styled, mid-engine sports car from the 1970s. Before DeTomaso hit it big with the Pantera, they tested the waters with a car that is relatively unknown today: the Mangusta.

The Mangusta was the Pantera before it got its teeth fixed, its hair combed, and changed its name. Like an up-and-coming celebrity, the Mangusta was a little rough around the edges before it became a big shot.

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