Owned by comedian Tim Allen, the 1986 Ford RS200 is a little different from the hot rods and old-school muscle cars he’s known to collect. However, Allen is a big fan of rally racing, partly because the cars go fast over any kind of terrain. He also likes the design of the car, which he thinks still looks contemporary. 

Driving the RS200 is a different story. The 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder Cosworth engine has a very narrow powerband, producing most of its 240 horsepower in a very narrow range. In addition to the lack of low-end power, Allen says it doesn’t work well on the road. But get it off the pavement, and it really starts to shine. The all-wheel-drive system is adjustable, allowing the driver to dial power to the front or rear wheels. 

Even so, Leno finds it a blast to drive on the street. Like many small-displacement engines with big turbos, it really comes alive above 5,000 rpm. Thanks to decent ground clearance and the rally suspension, it handles potholes and bumpy roads with ease.  

For Group B rallying, the RS200 used a 2.1-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, making upwards of 600 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. It competed against cars like the Audi Quattro, Lancia 037, and Peugeot 205 Turbo 16. Rules for the class were simple – each car had to seat two people side by side in an enclosed cabin, and each manufacturer had to produce 200 cars for homologation.  

Unfortunately, Group B rallying only lasted from 1982 to 1986. A tragic accident at the Rally Portugal injured 31 spectators, killing three, which led to the top teams pulling out of the event. At the Tour de Corse, Henri Toivonen and his co-driver, Sergio Cresto died when their car plunged down a ravine. For these reasons, the FIA decided to suspend Group B rallying after the 1986 season. 

Even after the demise of Group B, the RS200 retains a cult following in Europe. With its presence on Jay Leno’s Garage, it’s sure to gain more followers in the US. 

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Rezvani delivered the SUV to Cooper in Texas with the Vengeance wearing the Swat Blue satin exterior paint color. Twenty-two-inch wheels wrapped in 35-inch rubber sit at all four corners. The military-like aesthetic goes beyond its visual design, but it’s unclear what configuration Cooper bought.

Gallery: 2023 Rezvani Vengence

The company offers a Military Package to back up its appearance, adding upgrades like bulletproof glass, body armor, underside explosive protection, run-flat tires, and electrified door handles. But it’s not cheap, the single option adding $125,000 to the price tag. The pack includes seven bulletproof vests and helmets, magnetic deadbolts, a hypothermia kit, and gas masks.

Rezvani offers a cheaper Security Package for $62,000 that ditches the body armor, explosive protection, and bulletproof glass. It still adds the smoke screen, run-flat tires, sirens, strobe lights, and pepper spray dispenser available in the more expensive Military Package.

Underneath the Rezvani’s tough exterior is a Cadillac Escalade, which includes the luxury SUV’s luscious interior. It comes with all the bells and whistles you’d expect to find in the Cadillac. It has heated and ventilated seats, navigation, a head-up display, a panoramic roof, and a long list of driver-assist systems.

Customers can add two reclining executive seats with a bar and driver partition for another $125,000. Seven seats are the standard configuration, but eight-passenger seating is a $3,500 upgrade.

Rezvani offers the Vengeance with the Escalade’s 6.2-liter V8 or General Motors’ 3.0-liter Duramax. The diesel pumps out 277 horsepower, while the V8 delivers 420, with a 10-speed automatic gearbox between the engine and the road.

The company also offers a 650-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 as a $55,000 upgrade. If that’s not enough power, an 810-hp version is available, but it costs $125,000 on top of the $285,000 starting price for the base vehicle.

“The goal was to put a science fiction video game concept car in people’s driveways,” said company CEO Ferris Rezvani, and it’s now in one. Cooper began his professional football career at the Oakland Raiders in 2015 before playing for the Dallas Cowboys starting in the 2018 season. He joined the Browns for 2022.

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What makes this reunion even more special is that the life-size Sally Carrera and Lightning McQueen, which currently reside at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart and the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, respectively, will be temporarily united for this grand occasion. These life-size replicas were originally crafted back in 2006 for the premiere of the first Cars movie at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte.

Gallery: Porsche 911 Sally Special

Interestingly, Sally Carrera was ingeniously built from an actual 996-generation Porsche 911, making her more than just a static display piece – she’s a fully functional automobile. Over the years, Sally and Lightning have journeyed together to mark significant moments and have visited events across the world in sync with new Cars movie releases. Despite their shared history, the past decade has seen them separated by distance and continents. The upcoming Rennsport Reunion, however, promises to bridge that gap, bringing these two iconic characters back together.

Not only will Lightning McQueen and Sally Carrera be present, but the 2022 Sally Special (see the related links below) will also make a triumphant return to the limelight. This one-off vehicle made headlines with its record-breaking sale last year, fetching a staggering $3.6 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Monterey. A one-of-a-kind Porsche 911, the Sally Special was customized with unique parts and finishes in a collaboration between Pixar and the Stuttgart-based automaker. The sale proceeds were allocated to two charitable causes: Girls Inc., an organization dedicated to supporting and empowering young girls across America, and the UNHCR, which aids children and families affected by the war in Ukraine.

As a reminder, the 911 Sally Carrera is based on the 911 Carrera GTS and uses a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six engine with a peak output of 473 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque.

The significance of this reunion is underscored by the presence of key personalities involved in the Cars franchise. Producer Jay Ward will be joined by Bob Pauley, the movie’s production designer responsible for creating Sally Carrera over two decades ago, who will be in attendance at Rennsport Reunion 7 to witness the gathering firsthand.

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The movie is a forgettable 1980s “teen coming of age before dying and coming back to life to get revenge and win the girl’s heart” B movie. It stars a young Charlie Sheen and Sherilyn Fenn before she made Twin Peaks. It also features a gang of lightweight, two-dimensional villains and Randy Quaid doing Randy Quaid things as the local sheriff. But the real attraction is the Dodge Turbo Interceptor. 

Originally built by Chrysler as a concept vehicle and Indy pace car prototype, the Dodge Interceptor M4S was a mid-engine sports car. It used a version of the 2.2-liter four-cylinder found in just about every K-car. Except this was not the engine in your Aunt’s wood-paneled LeBaron. It was seriously beefed up with dual overhead camshafts, sixteen valves, and a pair of Garrett turbochargers to produce an otherworldly 440 horsepower.  

Unfortunately, it never paced an Indy Car race, and Chrysler never produced it, even as a limited-run vehicle. Few, if any, replicas exist, and the number of original running prototypes can be counted on one finger. Yet despite this, one person built an exacting, virtually identical replica.  

Diminsonially this tribute car is spot on to the original Dodge Interceptor. But look past the bodywork, and you’ll see a well-thought-out mashup of other cars. The door handles are from an Aston Martin. The seats are from an Audi. And the dashboard and bones of this car are unmistakably a first-generation Porsche Boxster. 

It’s amazing how well it fits together. Even with the Porsche Boxster dashboard, the interior has a futuristic look with the custom instrument cluster. Best of all, it’s not a movie prop but a street-legal car that gets driven regularly. 

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Tie-in advertising campaigns between automakers and movie studios are nothing new. The big screen is coveted real estate for automakers looking to place their products in front of large audiences, while studios are eager to license out characters to help sell products to consumers. That is what’s happening with the latest tie-in between Hyundai and Marvel Studios as the automaker looks to sell the all-new 2022 Tucson. 

Marvel Studios has Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Sam Wilson as Captain America (Anthony Mackie), and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olson) starring in a series of ads that will play across TV, streaming, and social media that highlight the new Tucson crossover. The characters come from three Disney+ series, with What If…?, Marvel’s first animated series, joining the campaign later this summer. The ads were developed and produced by Marvel Studios, which worked with Hyundai’s Canvas Worldwide media agency and its INNOCEAN USA advertising agency.

Gallery: 2022 Hyundai Tucson

The spots will be as short as 6 seconds or as long as a minute, depending on where they air. The collaboration with Marvel Studios to create the ads allows Hyundai to introduce the crossover to customers in a unique way.  “We were dedicated to creating custom content calibrated to the precise needs of Hyundai,” said Mindy Hamilton, senior vice president of partnership marketing at The Walt Disney Company. Disney scripted, produced, and managed creative for all three of the spots.

This isn’t Hyundai’s first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2017, the company created an Iron Man-themed Kona crossover complete with a two-tone matte gray and glossy red exterior paint scheme and a wider stance. Such a collaboration is not the goal of Hyundai’s latest Marvel campaign, which looks to introduce customers to the radically redesigned Tucson crossover. The 2022 model sports new looks inside and out, the newest tech, and even a hybrid powertrain.  

Source:

Hyundai

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At the beginning of 2021, top tire slayer and all-around hoonigan Ken Block surprised fans and the motoring world by announcing the end of his decade-long partnership with Ford. In the six months since that announcement, we’ve seen several of his iconic gymkhana and rallycross cars go up for sale. Now, arguably the most desirable of the bunch is wearing a for sale sign, and it could be the most expensive F-150 of all time.

Yes, the Hoonitruck is on the market. To refresh your memory, this extremely custom 1977 Ford F-150 entered Block’s fleet back in 2018 and debuted at SEMA. It’s really a ’77 F-150 in appearance only, as the tube-framed truck is scratch-built from the ground up, including its aluminum body panels. Under the hood – and through the hood – is a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 pulled from a Ford GT Le Mans race car and massaged to make 914 horsepower (682 kilowatts). A Sadev six-speed gearbox powers all four wheels, but you know that because it ripped some positively epic powerslides and donuts in Gymkhana 10.

Gallery: Hoonitruck For Sale

As with Block’s previous sales, LBI Limited is handling the transaction and the Hoonitruck is located at the exotic dealer’s showroom in Pontiac, Michigan. The asking price is $1.1 million, but that gets you more than just the famous truck. The listing includes a plethora of spare parts such as wheels, body panels, lights, suspension components, and perhaps the most interesting extra of all, a complete 3.5-liter V6 lifted from the Ford GT Le Mans program. We suspect that part alone would be of considerable worth to buyers.

There’s certainly no denying that, after a decade living and breathing Blue Oval machinery, Block seems to be stepping back from his Ford fleet. Presumably, the Fox Body Hoonifox Mustang project is dead, and the Hoonicorn Mustang stayed with Ford in the separation. In April 2021, Block returned to stage rally with Subaru, signing up for a series of American Rally Association events behind the wheel of a new WRX STI.

Source:

LBI Limited

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Okay sports fans, it’s trivia time. Who won Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, and who was the MVP for the Big Game? That’s amateur trivia stuff – everyone knows the New York Giants led by MVP Eli Manning put the kibosh on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, winning 21 to 17. What does this have to do with cars? Manning’s prize for being the MVP was a brand new 2012 Corvette, but here’s what you probably don’t know about that situation.

Jump back in time to February 5, 2012. The post-game ceremony was playing out on television, with veteran sports journalist Dan Patrick talking to Manning about the game. Speaking in obvious product placement mode, Patrick announces the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible Centennial Edition that comes with the MVP award, presenting it to Manning. However, while he’s talking about the car Manning leaves the platform before Patrick can hand him the keys. That’s some obscure football trivia for sure, but revisiting a video clip from the presentation, we see it happen point-blank around the seven-minute mark.

Big deal, right? Manning just won the freaking Super Bowl, of course he might be a bit distracted about something like a new ‘Vette. But actually, a new report from Audacy points to a recent podcast that Patrick was on where he tells the story of what really happened there, and it wasn’t a lapse of attention on Manning’s part. He was in product placement mode as well, or rather, was trying to keep his own sponsor happy.

“He worked for some Toyota dealership and he didn’t want the keys,” Patrick said on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz livestream show. “So we’re on the podium in front of 100 million people; he walks off the podium as I’m reading the card saying ‘Eli Manning, you are the winner of this black-on-black Corvette’ but he left the podium. I have to turn and yell to him – on the podium – as he’s walking down the steps to, ‘hey, get your damn keys.'”

For the record, Manning did take the ‘Vette and if you want some more obscure trivia for football night, it was sold last year in a charity auction for COVID-19 relief. The winning bid was $140,000.

And now, you know the rest of the story. Back to your regularly scheduled automotive content.

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Audacy

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James May turned the Dacia Sandero into a meme on Top Gear by talking about the minutiae of the inexpensive model during the show’s news segment. Given his history with the Sandero, he’s the perfect person to review the latest one, but there’s a twist.

Rather than just drive the Sandero and evaluate it, May compares the car to his custom-built bicycle. This idea isn’t as absurd as you might initially think because both the automobile and the bike have a price of around £10,000 ($14,161 at current exchange rates).

Gallery: 2021 Dacia Sandero

The Sandero can cost as little as about £8,000 in the UK, but this one has luxuries like a 90-horsepower engine, air conditioning, and a center armrest between the front seats. Meanwhile, the bike is extremely exotic, including using an extensive amount of carbon fiber, and weighs just 16.5 pounds (7.5 kilograms).

May’s bike is the supercar of the cycling world. The light weight and exotic parts make it capable of impressive performance, but there’s not much comfort. As an example, the seat has the thickness of a few playing cards, and May suggests the saddle offers all of the coziness of a colonoscopy.

While the Sandero is basic by the standards of other automobiles, it has amenities that the bike can’t offer, like a windshield and seating for four adults. May says the car’s ride is firm without being harsh. Plus, the Dacia has a top speed of 111 miles per hour (179 kilometers per hour), which is far more than what’s possible on the cycle.

Depending on how social you are, it might be better to be on the bike or in the car. People who are into cycles are going to see what May is on and have lots of questions for him. In contrast, no one on the road cares about a Sandero, and you are completely on the road.

Source:

Drive Tribe via YouTube

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The R107-generation Mercedes SL roadster is still quite the looker more than three decades after being retired following an extended life cycle of 18 years. This particular car? Well, you’ll be the judge of that. Formerly owned by none other than Wayne Newton aka “Mr. Las Vegas,” the strangely designed Sport Leicht is the work of Long Island coachbuilder Niko Sokol and it is a lot to take in.

Where to start? Well, the gold accents – which by the way they’re real – give this 1981 380SL a flashy look, to say the least. From the XXL three-pointed star badge to the 16-inch BBS wheels, gold was used extensively to lend the convertible a rather opulent appearance. Speaking of the roof, gone is the factory soft top as it has been replaced by a custom two-piece retractable hardtop.

Gallery: Wayne Newton’s 1981 Mercedes SL for sale

The manually retractable roof is stowed completely out of sight when folded, which meant the coachbuilder had to relocate the spare wheel to make room for the top. It now sits on the rear decklid as a throwback to cars from yesteryear, but we’re not so sure this retro look suits the third-generation SL.

The eccentrically designed roadster has huge headlights moved inboard while the front fenders boast cooling vents, which serve a functional purpose. You will also notice the custom door handles repositioned just below the beltline as part of a gold-plated trim piece that extends from front to rear. These radical changes have created a barely recognizable SL, for better or for worse. The interior and engine remain stock.

The car has fewer than 2,000 miles on the clock and has been a long-term display in Las Vegas at Wayne Newton’s museum. He bought it back in the 1990s and now it can be yours if you’re into odd-looking SLs. Barrett-Jackson will have it up for grabs with no reserve at its Las Vegas auction scheduled to take place June 17-19.

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Barett-Jackson

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Sometimes, ordering the small steak for your Friday evening dinner date just doesn’t cut it. Similarly, sometimes a standard Rolls-Royce with all its pomp and circumstance doesn’t cut it, either. Okay, there’s a big difference between getting the $50 steak and commissioning a custom convertible for $28 million, but the motivation is the same. If you got it, flaunt it.

Rolls-Royce shared the stunning coachbuilt Boat Tail and all its snazzy features on May 27, but one thing the automaker didn’t share was whose name is on the title. Taking a closer look at some of those snazzy features has more than a few folks drawing some conclusions on who the Boat Tail’s owner might be. Actually, it is owners, as Rolls-Royce already confirmed that the client is in fact a couple. And there’s evidence that the couple in question is pop royalty Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

Gallery: Rolls-Royce Boat Tail

It starts with the color blue, which covers the Rolls top to bottom. The Daily Mail points out the music superstars’ fondness for blue, not the least of which extends to Blue Ivy, the name of their daughter. Perhaps more telling is the refrigerator installed in the opening rear deck. The Telegraph mentions the refrigerator is designed to chill Armand de Brignac champagne at a specific temperature. It’s the client’s favorite according to Rolls-Royce, and it just so happens that Jay-Z is part owner of the brand. There’s also the nautical theme itself, as the superstars are known to frequent the French Riveria, both on land and sea.

Thus far, nobody is stepping up to claim ownership of the new one-off Boat Tail but there’s no denying it’s stunning and very ritzy. In addition to the aforementioned refrigerator, the rear deck also is home to a parasol and fold-out cocktail tables that would make for a wonderful seaside picnic. The interior is awash with blue leather, the fabric roof is manually removed to preserve the lines of a flowing roadster, and yes, it’s the only such Rolls-Royce of its kind in the world.

The new Boat Tail was four years in the making, so whomever the owners prove to be, we suspect they can’t wait to see what $28 million in automotive opulence looks like up close.

Sources:

The Daily Mail, The Telegraph (Subscription Required)

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