Category Archives: Transportation

Cars: “1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix Convertible”

1961 Dodge Dart Phoenix D-500 Convertible Coupe Interior RM Sotheby's Auction 2020For the 1961 model year, the Dart continued as the smallest full-size Dodge. It retained the 118 in (2,997 mm) wheelbase, and was restyled to emulate the larger Polara. The same three trim levels were available: the premium Phoenix, mid-range Pioneer, and base Seneca. Once again, wagons shared the Polara’s 122 in/310 cm wheelbase; they also shared the Polara’s unique side-mounted taillights.

The Dodge Dart is a line of automobiles marketed by Dodge from the 1959 to 1976 model years in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets.

RM Sotheby's AuctionsThe Dart name originally appeared on a 1956 Chrysler show car featuring a streamlined body designed by the Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Ghia that was later modified and renamed the Dart Diablo. The production Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a mid-size car for 1962, and then was a compact from 1963 to 1976.

View more photos

From Wikipedia

American Classics: “1955 Ford Fairlane Sunliner Convertible”

The Ford Fairlane is an automobile model that was sold between 1955 and 1970 by Ford in North America. The name is derived from Henry Ford’s estate, Fair Lane, near Dearborn, Michigan.

1955 Ford Fairlane Sunliner Convertible Rear View Classic Driver

For the 1955 model year the Fairlane name replaced the Crestline as Ford’s premier full-sized offering. Six different body styles were offered, including the Crown Victoria Skyliner with a tinted, transparent plastic roof, the regular Crown Victoria coupe with lots of stainless steel trim, a convertible Sunliner, the Victoria hardtop coupe, and traditional sedans. All featured the trademark stainless-steel “Fairlane stripe” on the side. Power options were a 223 cu in (3.7 L) straight-6 engine and a 272 cu in (4.5 L) V8. The 292 cu in (4.8 L) Y-block was offered as an option and was called the Thunderbird V-8.

More photos at Classic Driver

From Wikipedia

British Roadsters: “1966 Sunbeam Tiger Alpine 260”

1966 Sunbeam Tiger Alpine 260 Interior Classic DriverThe Sunbeam Tiger is a high-performance V8 version of the British Rootes Group’s Sunbeam Alpine roadster, designed in part by American car designer and racing driver Carroll Shelby and produced from 1964 until 1967. Shelby had carried out a similar V8 conversion on the AC Cobra, and hoped to be offered the contract to produce the Tiger at his facility in the United States. Rootes decided instead to contract the assembly work to Jensen at West Bromwich in England, and pay Shelby a royalty on every car produced.

Two major versions of the Tiger were built: the Mark I (1964–1967) was fitted with the 260 cu in (4.3 L) Ford V8; the Mark II, of which only 633 were built in the final year of Tiger production, was fitted with the larger Ford 289 cu in (4.7 L) engine. Two prototype and extensively modified versions of the Mark I competed in the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, but neither completed the race. Rootes also entered the Tiger in European rallies with some success, and for two years it was the American Hot Rod Association’s national record holder over a quarter-mile drag strip.

From Wikipedia

Top New Camper Vans: “NOVA EB” From La Strada Is Luxury Spaciousness

The NOVA EB is a rolling space miracle offering every comfort. Driving or living is therefore no question at all, because the cockpit belongs to the living space and the standard SKA seats with 180° rotation provide 2 absolute favourite seats. Especially in bad weather you will love these prime seats of your NOVA. Precious materials underline the perfect travel feeling, because everything that has to work should also have a special value.

Nova EB from La Strada Sprinter Camper Van 2020 picture collage

The special highlight of the Nova EB is truly to be found in the rear. The floor plan with 2 single beds provides unhindered access to each bed and thus creates an unusually generous feeling of space. We have made every effort to ensure that you can enjoy a relaxing night’s sleep in the new NOVA EB. And thanks to the inviting and spacious bathroom of the new NOVA EB, the day can start in a refreshing and relaxed manner.

Brochure

Technology Podcasts: “The Future Of Self-Driving Vehicles” (Aptiv)

We’re looking into the safer, greener and more connected technology behind self-driving vehicles. Our episode sponsor, Aptiv, unveiled their flexible and scalable smart vehicle architecture at CES 2020. They joined us to explain how these advancements will reduce complexity and offer better control for users.

Guest Glen De Vos, senior vice president and chief technology officer of Aptiv.

Classic Car Books: “The Impossible Collection Of Bentley” (Assouline)

The Impossible Collection of Bentley The 100 At 100 AssoulineAssouline presents yet another fascinating volume dedicated to the preeminent British car brand—Bentley: 100. Housed in a hand-stitched leather bound, limited edition case, this all-inclusive work presents an exhaustive list of the one hundred single most important and groundbreaking Bentley models, with detailed critiques and explanations relating to each automobile’s unique engineering excellence and the various creative avenues Bentley may have taken during the manufacturing process.

Collection of Bentley The 100 at 100 book Assouline

From the 1924 3-Litre, the first Bentley to win Le Mans; to the 1959 S2, the first to feature a V8 engine; all the way up to the stunning 2018 Continental GT, this book is a decisive list of all the masterful models that have helped Bentley become the dominant and illustrious luxury car manufacturer that it is today.

Read more or purchase

Future Of Mobility: First Look At GM’s Cruise Origin “Driverless Taxi” (Video)

Cruise, the self-driving subsidiary of General Motors, revealed its first vehicle to operate without a human driver, the Cruise Origin. The vehicle, which lacks a steering wheel and pedals, is designed to be more spacious and passenger-friendly than typical self-driving cars. Cruise says the electric vehicle will be deployed as part of a ride-hailing service, but declined to say when that might be.

Cruise Origin website

Read Article at The Verge

Camper Trends: “Beauer X-Van” Telescopes To Larger Size With Push Of A Button

From a New Atlas online article:

French company Beauer has earned a lot of attention over the years for telescoping teardrop caravans that grow double or triple their size at the push of a button. Now the company’s bringing its tech to van life, launching a plug-and-play module that grows to create a large camper at camp and a smaller, nimbler van on the road. The X-Van installs in 10 minutes and extends the length of the van to add comfy sleeping quarters for two, giving a mid-size van the length of a full-size model.

2020-Beauer-X-van-00

After popping the tailgate, the owner merely hits a button on the pillar next to the driver seat and watches as the electrically actuated module sets up within a minute’s time. The only thing left to do is pop the expansion panels on the module’s sides to increase elbow room inside. The 25-mm sandwich construction keeps the temperature comfy inside.

Read more

Classics: “1971 Plymouth Barrauda Convertible”

1971 Plymouth Barracuda Interior Classic DriverThe Plymouth Barracuda is a two-door pony car manufactured by Plymouth from 1964 to 1974.

The third generation, offered from 1970 to 1974, was no longer based on the A-body, but on the Chrysler E-body. The completely new design was similar to the Dodge Challenger and available in hardtop and convertible body styles. The Barracuda was discontinued after the 1974 model year.

Classic Driver logoThe redesign for the 1970 Barracuda removed all its previous commonality with the Valiant. The original fastback design was deleted from the line and the Barracuda now consisted of coupe and convertible models. The all-new model, styled by John E. Herlitz, was built on a shorter, wider version of Chrysler’s existing B platform, called the E-body. Sharing this platform was the newly launched Dodge Challenger; however no exterior sheet metal interchanged between the two cars, and the Challenger, at 110 inches (2,794 mm), had a wheelbase that was 2 inches (51 mm) longer than the Barracuda.

The E-body Barracuda was now “able to shake the stigma of ‘economy car’.”

From Wikipedia

Classic American Cars: “1957 Ford Thunderbird”

1957 Ford Thunderbird Interior Classic DriverFord Thunderbird (colloquially called the T-Bird) is a nameplate that was used by Ford from model years 1955 to 1997 and 2002 to 2005 over eleven model generations. Introduced as a two-seat convertible, the Thunderbird was produced in a number of body configurations through its production life, including four-seat hardtop coupe, four-seat convertible, five-seat convertible and hardtop, four-door pillared hardtop sedan, six-passenger hardtop coupe, and five passenger pillared coupe, with the final generation produced as a two-seat convertible.

The Ford Thunderbird began life in February 1953 in direct response to Chevrolet’s new sports car, the Corvette, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before. Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went from idea to prototype in about a year, being unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. It was a two-seat design available with a detachable glass-fibre hard top and a folding fabric top.

Classic Driver logoThe Thunderbird was revised for 1957 with a reshaped front bumper, a larger grille and tailfins, and larger tail lamps. The instrument panel was heavily re-styled with round gauges in a single pod, and the rear of the car was lengthened, allowing the spare tire to be positioned back in the trunk. The 312 cu in (5.1 L) V8 became the Thunderbird’s standard engine, and now produced 245 horsepower (183 kW). Other, even more powerful versions of the 312 cu in (5.1 L) V8 were available including one with two four-barrel Holley carburetors and another with a Paxton supercharger delivering 300 horsepower (220 kW). Though Ford was pleased to see sales of the Thunderbird rise to a record-breaking 21,380 units for 1957, company executives felt the car could do even better, leading to a substantial redesign of the car for 1958.

From Wikipedia