$53 Million Collected Over the Weekend for Vintage Cars

There are a lot of people in America who collect vintage cars as a passion and some of the collectible cars could also fetch a handsome amount in the retro car sales and auctions.
455Amelia Island Auctions
One of the popular places where you will be able to buy and sell retro cars is the auction at the Amelia Island. It is one of the most happening places as far as vintage cars are concerned and you will be able to find the best and the most antique cars on display during the auction. Every year, the Amelia Island auction brings in a lot of vintage car enthusiasts to the island and it is one of the most sought after collectible auctions in this island.
This Year’s Auction
This year there were two main auctions held at the Amelia Island Concours during the first fortnight weekend of March. A total of $53.8 had been collected for the vintage car auctions that had taken place this year at the Amelia Island. This is a sales figure that has been shared by Hagerty which is a collectible car insurer and valuation firm. Some of the leading manufacturer’s cars were on display during the vintage car auction at the Amelia Island like and there was no doubt that the hot favorite this time too was the retro 44Ferrari cars. Although the approximations at Amelia exceeded over $2 million, the accumulated collectors were devoting close attention to check if the late skyrocketing costs still have space to bleed, or kick out to be an unsustainable ripple. Despite its increasing prices, Ferrari vintage cars seem to be the one that most antique car collectors are looking to buy in most auctions and the story was not different at Amelia Island auction too.
Comparison To Last Year’s Sales
If you compare last year’s vintage car sales at Amelia Island to this year’s retro car sales, you will see that there is a dip in the car sales as last year’s haul was about $59.2 million. This year the Amelia Island auction could only fetch a total of $53 million which shows a sharp decline in the sales figures when compared to last year. The average prices of the vintage cars were more or less similar to what it was last year. There was no rise in the sales of cars this year as only fewer cars were sold when compared to last year’s sales figure.
456Cars Sold At Auction
The following are some of the popular cars sold in this edition of Amelia Island Auction:
1935 Duesenberg Model SJ Convertible Coupe by Walker-LaGrande sold at $4.51 million. This was the most priced car this auction.
1928 Bentley 4 1/2 Litre Semi-Le Mans Tourer which sold at $2.75 million was the car that fetched the second best price at the auction.
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Long Nose Alloy model fetched a whooping $2.365 million at this year’s auction and was the third best selling car.
Some of the other popular vintage cars that got good value at the auction were 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Derby Speedster, 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB by Scaglietti and 1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Berlinetta ‘Tuboscocca’ by Vignale among others.

/a

The Ferrari 250 GTO Is Remembered As More Of An Engine Than A Car

Engine Specifications

The Ferrari 250 GT featured a 3 liter V12 engine. It was fitted in strong and simple steel frames which were suspended by the wishbones with the help of just a single leaf spring on the front and a live axle in the rear. Most of the 205 GTO engines produced an output of about 290 to 300 horsepower which peaked at about 7500 r.p.m. They also featured a 5 speed manual transmission (something that was unheard of in the 1960’s). 

Interiors

One of the major drawbacks of the Ferrari GTO was its interiors. They could be best described as minimal. Most of the interior portion was featured a gold paint. Unlocking from inside was with the help of a very simple mechanism. Apart from the basic stuff, there was nothing much about the interiors to talk about. However, the amazing looks and the even greater performance more than made up for what it lacked. 

The Review

The Ferrari 250 GTO may perhaps have been the last car which could compete in international level races as well do normal road duty. It was also most definitely the last front engine car which was able to compete at such high levels. In the late 70’s and 80’s, the value of the GTO also rose tremendously as it became every collectors dream. 

The Ferrari 250 GTO Is Remembered As More Of An Engine Than A Car

The Ferrari 250 GTOFerrari 250 GTO
A retro car is something which makes all car lovers go crazy just thinking about it. One such vehicle was the Ferrari 250 GTO. This wonder car came into production in between 1962 – 1964 and consisted of everything one could ask for – amazing styling, award winning engineering and it was owned exclusively by 39 lucky individuals. While most of the modern day super cars may surpass the historical GTO in terms of performance, none can match the style and aura it created in terms of both looks and performance. However, in its time the GTO was one of the fastest cars to have ever been made. Such was its exclusive design and performance that even after all these years, it is one of the most sought after cars in the world. Due to its exclusivity and amazing demand, the GTO has also sold for mind boggling prices such as $15000000. The car was designed as a dual purpose car to compete both in races as well as for street driving. Apart from its in race performances which need no explanation, the Ferrari 250 GTO was also extremely well received amongst people for its amazing body work. However, even though the car continued to win the world over, it was very selective in its owners. So unless one was in the good books of the great Ferrari Enzo or his associates, the best racing car was not available to them as a purchase option (to be continued…)

Retro Cars Rocks!

In the United States the demand for retro cars continues unabated. Because of such demands, many car and auto manufacturers have come up with cookie cutters, copycat, and uninspiring car models all claiming to be retro. This is only a strong indication that when it comes to retro cars, they really rock! 

As a matter of fact, the automakers in the United States are trying their best to bring out car models that reach back the cars of the yesteryears. The following is known as the Big Three car and automakers taking time to develop their new breeds of retro cars and the future models, which will soon appear.

But before dealing with The Big Three, you need to know what retro cars really are. Retro cars are actually types of cars that come with styling cues copied from the designs and attributes of cars that were developed one or two generations ago.

These cars are not actually the carbon copies of the earlier models but each of the retro cars you see usually borrows much of its looks from a car that has appeared during the old years.

The United States car and auto market dominates the market for retro cars. The New Beetle Volkswagen was considered as one of the many first cars that have reached back as they want forward. This car was based with the Volkswagen golf platform wherein the circular shape dates back to the era of the flower child while rendering itself as the people’s car.

This type of retro car also offers the flower holder found at the dash, evoking the sweet memories of the models that appeared many years ago.

Next is the Ford Company which also pushed on its way of developing retro cars and it was in 2002 when it rendered the introduction of its Thunderbird in the retro car market. This car has borrowed many of the attributes of the TBirds of the 60s.

Sometime in 2004, Ford has made it possible to come up with its own retro version of the popular 1967 Mustang. This kind of retro car has put so much success in the production of Ford.

Chrysler is one of The Big Three and with its PT Cruiser 2000, it made its way to become a part of the retro car craze in the US. This car is based from the panel vans in the 50s and sales for such retro car model are actually strong.

 

 

Taking Care of Automatic Retro Cars during Rainy Season

As of today, retro cars are in the verge of peak popularity.  Car owners have that elusive dream of owning vintage and retro cars that have become popular during the yesteryears. And now, owning a retro car is something that can give you a sense of pride.   This is the reason why many people from all across the globe want to have a retro car for their everyday travel.
Owning retro cars is no longer impossible these days. When you can’t get the option to buy original retro cars then you have the option to buy automatic retro-inspired cars. As of today, these types of cars are famously offered and sold in many auto shops and dealers all over the world.
But did you know that driving retro cars that come with automatic features is far more comfortable compared to driving the manual ones? Yes, it’s true, automatic retro cars are more comfortable than the manual ones but they are more sensitive during bad weather conditions.
This is the reason why when you make use of an automatic retro car for your everyday transport service, you need to be sure of the proper treatments you should do specifically during unfriendly weather conditions.
During the rainy season, floods and pool of waters on the road usually take place. This is especially true when heavy downpour of rain happens. Here are some few essential things you need to do whenever you are driving your automatic retro car in a rainy day and through high and severe puddles.
Firstly, you should avoid puddles that are as deep as the half of your car tire; doing this thing will prevent your car from getting stuck into these puddles. Remember that getting help is impossible especially when you’re in a remote place at the wrong time.
It is important to position your car wheels to L or low especially when your car is running through a puddle. This is very important to avoid water from entering your car’s exhaust and air filters. Wash the car immediately after it has walked through puddles to avoid water and mud from contaminating your car’s engine area.
Always take time to check the quantity and quality of your car’s transmission oil. It is highly suggested that this procedure would be done by an expert. Cloudy transmission oil simply means water has entered your car’s transmission.
Never attempt to start a car with its transmission entered by water. Call an expert to address such problem.

Picking Used Mercedes Benz for Your Executive Saloon

As of today, executive saloons are very popular but one thing is for sure: only the well-to-do people can afford them. If you are an ordinary individual and you want a Mercedes Benz to be used as your executive saloon, then do you think this is possible? 

Of course, yes! As long as you are a smart buyer and someone who knows the ways on how to pick the right ones, then you’ll find it easy to have something like Mercedes Benz to be used as your executive saloon particularly in your everyday transport.

Choosing a pre-owned Mercedes Benz is definitely the answer to your needs. This is true in the sense that used Mercedes cars come with prices that are trimmed as high as fifty percent compared to the price of the brand new ones!

The following are few important guidelines you need to know first before buying a pre-owned Mercedes car for your executive salon.

First, search the market. Remember that the current market is packed with many different products and selling executive cars is potential during these days. A lot of people who own cars simply sell them for certain reasons. This is what you should take advantage of.

Look on the pages of newspapers specifically on the ads section wherein you can find car sales taking place in a certain part of your locality. These are excellent places to buy pre-owned Mercedes cars as most of the time, prices really do down so well.

Ask a friend. Asking a friend if he knows someone who sells a pre-owned Mercedes is another effective way to buy a pre-owned Mercedes car. Through words of mouth, your aim to buy something like a used Mercedes car will definitely flourish in your locality and other nearby places. This will keep potential sellers informed, thus paving their way to contact you the soonest possible time.

Check the websites. The internet is a home of many different types of products and that include used Mercedes Benz cars. As a matter of fact, there are so many different types of website that sell used cars and comparing one site to other sites will give you the best options to come up with the best one in terms of looks, quality, and of course, price.

Executive saloons can go from $48,000 up to $95,000. Buying a pre-owned Mercedes car can give you the option to buy it 50% less of their original value; great news for buyers like you.

The Rebirth of Retro Cars

Other modern cars that resemble or incorporate certain aspects of vintage cars are the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, the famous Mustang, Ford GT, the Jag S Type, the Mini Cooper, the Fiat 300C, the Nissan 350Z, and the Volkswagen New Beetle of course. Some of these cars have closer resemblance with their forebears while others are loose translations of the earlier versions. The new Beetle retained the classic appearance of the original – the hunchback shape, bug-eye headlights and running boards – although its technology is completely new. The redesigned Beetle is also noted for being bigger and a more developed car.   Similar retro cars may have the look of older models but drive and perform like modern cars. Certain characteristics of the old models may be retained in the revived modern versions. The Fiat 500 still has the charm and oddness of the original, although the 2012 version is easy to drive and performs quite well on the highway. Ditto with the Dodge Challenger which look very much like the 1970-74 hard top coupe, and the Camaro that closely resembles the its 60s ancestors.
The sixty-four dollar question is whether or not the retro car design is a fad or is here to stay. It is worthy to note that as early as the 1960s; some actual copies of classic automobiles have already found and occupied a place in the automotive market.

The Rebirth of Retro Cars

The Volkswagen Beetle is perhaps the best personification of retro cars. It was first produced in 1938 and some of them are still seen on the road today. Others that may be mentioned in the same vein are the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro, the Ford Mustang, Jaguar XJ, Mercedes Benz SL, and the Porsche 911. Some owners install upgrades to keep up with the times at the expense of losing some of its originality. Owning, driving and maintaining retro cars is demanding and costly, so only the real car enthusiasts have the qualities to own one. Still, old cars don’t have the reliability, comfort and the refinements of the newer cars, so the appearance of new models with retro styling was a welcome development.
Some of the newer cars have retro-styling designs that suggest a resemblance to earlier cars. These cars look like the old models that are popular in earlier times, introducing improvements in style and technology. An example would be the Chevrolet Camaro which features a ram air hood that has similarities with the Camaros of 30 and 40 years ago. The short-lived Chrysler HHR was based on the1949 Chevrolet Suburban. The old Chrysler 300 “letter series” muscle car of the 50’s and the 60s was re-launched as the new Chrysler 300 in 2004.

Modern Retro Cars Rock

These cars are called “modern retro cars” simply because they are produced during the modern days and come up with designs that are much similar to the designs of retro cars. They are not actually carbon copies but they are cars that borrow much of their designs from the earlier models.

One of the most popular models for modern retro cars these days is the New Beetle Volkswagen. The kind of car produced with this kind of design evokes the era of the flower child and render’s the people’s auto image. Now, you can have it with the popularized “flower holder” with the dash – a great way to present the memory of the older models.

Ford got its share with the introduction of its retro car model known as the 2002 Thunderbird. This model borrows much from the designs of the TBirds era in the 60s. Ford sells this particular in a very limited number.

Chrysler also got its share of retro touch with its PT Cruiser 2000. It’s a cool car with features and designs borrowed from the earlier Dodge models.

Modern Retro Cars Rock

The United States is simply thirsty for cars and other vehicles. Cars are important investment for every American. Brand new and second hand SUVs and other forms of automobiles are actually abundant in the American car marketplace and this is a big indication that the demand for such kind of automotive is highly needed in the country today.

As a matter of fact, many countries all over the world also have high demand on cars and different types of vehicles. With these cars, people can go places and make them become even more on the go.

But have you heard of retro cars? Retro cars are types of cars which have become popular during their heydays. These cars can be traced back during the 70s and for those that are older than 70s, they are classified as vintage cars.

Retro cars or vintage cars you wish to have, the fact is that they’ve been part of the younger days and riding in them can be something exciting. It gives you that sense of pride which you cannot get from riding on a modern type of car.

And since the demand for retro cars is very high these days, car manufacturers have found a solution to meet the demands of retro car enthusiasts. The solution is met when the manufacture of retro inspired cars are introduced.