Autoblog

One-off SR-71 Mustang sells for $375,000 at EAA AirVenture

Drew Phillips — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Ford

2011 Ford Mustang SR-71 Blackbird - Click above for high-res image gallery

Generous giving can be a sign of how the economy is doing, and if the auction of the custom SR-71 Blackbird Mustang at the EAA AirVenture show yesterday is anything to go by, then things are looking up. Built in collaboration with Ford, Roush and Shelby, the one-off pony car was sold for $375,000 to benefit the EAA's Young Eagles program - that's significantly more than $250,000 the AV-X10 'Dearborn Doll' Mustang raised last year at the event.

Of course, the winning bidder was likely motivated by a little more than charity during the bidding. The one-of-one 2011 Mustang features an exterior designed after the legendary Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance plane, and it includes black and gray matte exterior paint, custom front and rear fascias, performance wheels and a unique screen-print glass roof. Performance has also been boosted thanks to a Whipple supercharger system and a slew of Ford Racing Performance Parts. Follow the jump for more details on the car or check it out in our gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Mustang SR-71 Blackbird

[Source: Roush]

Continue reading One-off SR-71 Mustang sells for $375,000 at EAA AirVenture

One-off SR-71 Mustang sells for $375,000 at EAA AirVenture originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Manny Ramirez's 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo to be auctioned for charity

Frank Filipponio — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Porsche, Celebrities

Manny Ramirez's 1994 911 Porsche Turbo 3.6

Call it our non-eBay Find of the Day: 1994 Porsche 911 (964) Turbo 3.6. 34,569 miles. Red/grey. One owner: Slugger Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the car itself is a run-of-the-mill 964 Turbo - its 3.6-liter flat-six putting out 360 horsepower - that particular Turbo was among the rarest of the Porsche Turbo models. These particular air-cooled 911 Turbos were only produced from 1993-1994 with about 1,500 rolling off the line before the company switched over to the newer 993 platform.

Celebrity ownership doesn't always bring extra bucks in a sale, but we're hoping it does in this case. You see, Manny has donated the car to the Dodgers, who are auctioning it off starting July 2, 2010 to raise money for the team's own ThinkCure! charity and for Maryvale, a residential placement home for girls.

The book value on Manny's Porsche is $58,000, but the Dodgers hope to raise a lot more than for the charities that stand to benefit from the sale. So, dig deep and get a move on! The Manny Ramirez Porsche auction ends Monday, July 12 at 11:00 AM Pacific. You can read additional details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: ThinkCure! | Image: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers]

Continue reading Manny Ramirez's 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo to be auctioned for charity

Manny Ramirez's 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo to be auctioned for charity originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"Naomi for Haiti" edition Lotus Evoras fetching half a million at auction

Noah Joseph — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:39:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Lotus, UK, Celebrities

Lotus Evora "Naomi for Haiti" edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

You can mentioned Lotus in the same breath as Ferrari and Porsche, but in terms of price at least, the British sportscar-maker plays in a different league from its Italian and German counterparts. Although exotic in profile, Lotus doesn't churn out the half-million-dollar super-rare flagship hypercars its contemporaries are known for. But for every rule, there's an exception.

Last week we reported on the creation, in conjunction with supermodel Naomi Campbell, of eight special-edition Lotus Evoras to raise money for disaster relief in Haiti. Now the first examples have gone to auction, held during London Fashion Week, and are already fetching nearly $500,000 apiece.

At GBP 320,000 ($493k), the first example went to Campbell's Russian oligarch boyfriend Vladimir Doronin, who was hellbent on securing the #1/8. The second example also sold for over 300k pounds sterling, and the third at an undisclosed price somewhere below the mark. Five examples remain, and are up for auction now at naomiforhaiti.com until February 28. Details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Lotus Evora "Naomi for Haiti" edition

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading "Naomi for Haiti" edition Lotus Evoras fetching half a million at auction

"Naomi for Haiti" edition Lotus Evoras fetching half a million at auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Petty's Garage Challenger heading to Barrett-Jackson

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Dodge, Celebrities, Specialty

2009 Petty's Garage Dodge Challenger - Click above for high-res image gallery

And with this official decree, let it be known that one custom 2009 Dodge Challenger, painted in a very familiar and regal blue shall be offered for sale to the highest bidder in Arizona in the year of our lord, 2010. The vehicle in question shall serve as a rolling tribute to Richard the 43rd. Long live the King!

Richard Petty was one of the winningest drivers in stock car history. With a record seven Daytona 500 trophies, 127 poles, 200 overall wins (including a record 27 -- and ten-in-a-row -- races in 1967), and seven championships in his 34-year, 1,185-race career, it's no wonder he's called The King. His legendary Chryslers, Fords and Plymouths bearing the number 43 were mostly built at his race shop in Level Cross, NC. Now all the king's men are working to build on his legacy under the newly formed banner of Petty's Garage.

The company plans to work on "museum-quality" restorations of vintage race cars, custom cars and high performance street machines. To kick off the new business, Petty's Garage has built a 2009 Challenger that will be sold in a Petty Family Foundation charity auction at B-J in January.

Painted in the trademark Petty Blue, it features a 585-hp Hemi 426, Pedders suspension upgrades, Brembo Gran Turismo brakes, a new center exit Corsa exhaust system, plus a Petty's Garage body kit consisting of custom front fascia, rear bumper cover, custom rocker panels and a rear spoiler. The inside gets the royal touch as well, with Petty's Garage branded seats and door panels. We saw the car at SEMA and it's a looker. You can read more details in the press release we've pasted in after the jump and check out the gallery from SEMA as well.

Gallery: Petty's Garage Dodge Challenger

Gallery: SEMA 2009: Petty's Garage Dodge Challenger

Continue reading First Petty's Garage Challenger heading to Barrett-Jackson

First Petty's Garage Challenger heading to Barrett-Jackson originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fine China: One-off porcelain-finish Ferrari 599 special to be auctioned for charity [w/VIDEO]

Noah Joseph — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, China, Videos, Ferrari, Specialty, Design/Style

One-of-a-kind Ferrari 599 in cracked porcelain by Lu Hao - Click above for UPDATED high-res image gallery

In a communist country, all Ferraris are equal, but some are more equal than others. Take the special-edition 599 that the Italian automaker debuted exclusively for the Chinese market. Only twelve of them will be made. And now, an even more exclusive version - as exclusive as they get, really - has been presented.

This one-of-a-kind special Ferrari has been further differentiated by Lu Hao, a Chinese artist who applied the special touches that make the China special edition, well...special. It's been decked out in the cracked glaze pattern of the coveted Song Dynasty-era Ge Liln porcelain, and signed by the artist. The unique supercar will be auctioned off for charity in Beijing on November 3, but you can see it for yourself in the gallery below and the video after the jump.

UPDATE: Two new images added to the gallery below, and official press release inserted under the video after the jump.

Gallery: Ferrari 599 in cracked porcelain by Lu Hao

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Fine China: One-off porcelain-finish Ferrari 599 special to be auctioned for charity [w/VIDEO]

Fine China: One-off porcelain-finish Ferrari 599 special to be auctioned for charity [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RM auctioning off two Ford GTs to benefit juvenile diabetes research

Noah Joseph — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:39:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Supercars, Ford

Ford GT National Rally II - Click above for high-res image gallery

Still grumbling over having missed the chance at buying a Ford GT when it was still in production? Well, if you've got the cash on hand, there are probably dozens of examples up for sale by owners who need the liquid assets more than they need the retro supercar. But few are as enticing at what Ford and RM Auctions have going on this August.

At both the Meadow Brook and Monterey concours the month after next, RM will be auctioning off an early VIN example to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The sixth example produced, decked out in red with white stripes, will be on offer at Meadow Brook, with the seventh Ford GT, in white with blue stripes, up for grabs in Monterey. Each is expected to fetch between $150,000 and $200,000 for the medical research endowment, so if getting your hands on Motown's hottest piece of machinery in decades wasn't cause enough, altruism ought to do the trick. Details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Ford GT National Rally II

[Source: RM Auctions]

Continue reading RM auctioning off two Ford GTs to benefit juvenile diabetes research

RM auctioning off two Ford GTs to benefit juvenile diabetes research originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari to auction off special F430 for Abruzzo earthquake relief

Noah Joseph — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Supercars, Ferrari, Specialty

Ferrari F430 special for Abruzzo - Click above to view in high resolution

People come together when disaster strikes. So when an earthquake claimed nearly 300 lives in Italy's Abruzzo region last month, Fiat donated a specially-equipped Ducato van to the emergency relief crew so that the Pope could tour the stricken region and visit the victims. Following its parent company's lead, Ferrari has announced that it will be donating a special one-off F430 to help the cause.

The special edition will be the very last F430 to roll off the line later this year, in effect confirming the arrival of its oft-spied replacement. Painted in special two-tone silver and gold, the colors of the Aquila - the city most directly impacted by the disaster - the one-off will be outfitted with extra equipment from Ferrari's Carrozzeria Scaglietti customization catalog and accompanied by a letter of authenticity from the company's president Luca di Montezemolo. The vehicle will be auctioned off to the highest donor at RM Auction's upcoming Leggenda e Passione event at the Ferrari factory in Maranello next weekend, with proceeds going towards disaster relief. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari to auction off special F430 for Abruzzo earthquake relief

Ferrari to auction off special F430 for Abruzzo earthquake relief originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 May 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First US-bound Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder raises $270k at charity auction

Noah Joseph — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Auctions, Supercars, Lamborghini, Celebrities

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder at 16th Annual Race to Erase MS gala - Click above to view in high-res

A new supercar is a cause good enough on its own; all the more so when the car in question is being auctioned off to raise funds for charity. In this case, the very first U.S.-bound Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder to roll off the assembly line in Sant'Agata Bolognese was auctioned off this past weekend to the highest bidder at the 16th Annual Race to Erase MS event in LA.

This particular Lambo Spyder was prepared especially for the charity event, in black with orange accents in the organization's colors. The winning bid of $270,000 (a good $50k or so over list) was placed together by Kymberly Gold of True Religion Jeans and music producer Victor Newman, who will apparently be sharing the two-seat roadster when it arrives at the beginning of U.S. delivery next month. Proceeds from the auction - part of the $2 million raised at this year's event - go to the Nancy Davis Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis, and the funds will be earmarked for MS research and public awareness campaigns. Details in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

[Source: Lamborghini]

Continue reading First US-bound Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder raises $270k at charity auction

First US-bound Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder raises $270k at charity auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 May 2009 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Audi R8 V10 in the US fetches $500,000 at charity auction

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:32:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Supercars, Audi

Click either image for a high-res gallery

The first two U.S.-spec Audi R8 V10s were sold at an auction in Boca Raton, Florida to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County. The first Stateside-bound ten-cylinder R8 went for $500,000, easily topping the earlier winning bid for one of the first Ferrari Californias. Audi officials, stoked by the bids of the R8, decided to put R8 number-two on the block which fetched $350,000 -- the same amount paid for the Ferrari. The two R8s not only carry the designation of being the first V10 models sold in the U.S., but will also be built during Audi's 100th anniversary. Let's see what they fetch in 2039.

Gallery: 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading First Audi R8 V10 in the US fetches $500,000 at charity auction

First Audi R8 V10 in the US fetches $500,000 at charity auction originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Auction action: Drive a Lotus, help earthquake victims

Chris Tutor — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, China, Lotus, Toys/Games

Last month China's Sichuan province was devastated by a massive earthquake that killed as many as 70,000 people. If you've wanted to donate to help the survivors but were waiting for just the right opportunity, this could be it.

Our friends over at China Car Times are holding several auctions with the proceeds going to the British Red Cross. Three of the auctions require a little travel for us Americans, but just might be worth a special trip. One is a private tour of the London Taxi factory with a chance to drive one of the iconic cars and some special merchandise from the factory. The second is for the chance to be one of the first people to tour MG's Longbridge factory in Birmingham, England, since taken over by Shanghai Automotive. Not only that, but the top bidder will get to drive the new MG TF LE500. The third auction is your chance to try out the latest vehicles from Lotus right there on its test track in Hethel Norwich, England.

Can't leave the country? Line up behind a couple of Autoblog staffers to bid on the 1:18 scale models of the Lifan 520. These are usually only given to VIP visitors to the Lifan factory and are produced in exacting detail. They're gonna look good in my collection.

The final auction should appeal to anyone with an international business hoping to break into the Chinese market. China Car Times will give to the winning bidder one month of advertising on its Web site, which is a great opportunity to see what your business could do over there.

[Source: China Car Times]

Auction action: Drive a Lotus, help earthquake victims originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Ford GTX1 going on the Barrett-Jackson block in Palm Beach

John Neff — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, SEMA Show, Auctions, Supercars, Ford

The Ford GTX1 was the ultimate aspiration vehicle on display at least year's SEMA trade show. Later news that you could have your own GT decapitated and transformed into a GTX1 for an extra $38K further established the car as the most auspicious pit into which one could sink some disposable income.

The first production GTX1 branded #0001, the magic number that makes collector's swoon, will be auctioned off at the fourth annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Collector Car Event at the end of March. Twenty percent of the proceeds will go directly to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The GTX1 should raise a good deal of coin for a good charity. The last auction of this type involved the rights to the first production 2007 Shelby GT500 Coupe, which netted over $600,000 for the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation.

[Via The Auto Channel]

First Ford GTX1 going on the Barrett-Jackson block in Palm Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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