Tag Archives: exotic car

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 →

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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1994 Jaguar XJ220 Supercar

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The 1990s were an exciting time for automotive design. Engineers were really starting to push the envelope of performance thanks to a better understandings of aerodynamics and computer-aided design. From 1984 to 1994, the title of “World’s Fastest Production Car” changed hands six different times! One of these victories was claimed by one of my favorite supercars from this era: the 1994 Jaguar XJ220.

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Lamborghini Countach 5000S

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Have you heard? The Lamborghini Countach is back.

This is my own observation, but it feels like I’ve been seeing the car everywhere lately. It’s been mentioned in Motor Trend’s Aventador vs. Rat Rod video, it’s been featured on Petrolicious, and oh yes, Jay Leno has one. On top of all that, I’ve even spotted three of them in the past year at my local Cars and Coffee cruise-in.

The Countach was the catalyst that sparked the modern supercar era. It is one of the most ridiculous, over-the-top designs to ever come out of Lamborghini’s factory. The car’s abundant vents, scoops, and giant wing make it look like a fighter jet with wheels. And who could forget those vertical doors!

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2008 Rossion Q1 Supercar

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By a show of hands, how many of you have heard of the British supercar manufacturer Noble Automotive? Not very many. Well then, even less of you have heard of the Noble’s sister car, the Rossion Q1. This is a pretty unusual car that deserves some attention, but before we delve into the Q1, it is necessary to cover a little backstory first.

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