Autoblog

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Maybach Exelero

Big-bucks enthusiasts annoyed that they're not the only ones at the club with a Veyron can now ensure that they arrive in total exclusivity. That's because the one-off Maybach Exelero, commissioned by Fulda to act as a high-profile demonstrator for its tire line of the same name, is now for sale. The Exelero isn't some delicate flower of a show car. Based on the Maybach 57 and powered by a 700-horsepower version of that car's turbocharged V12, the Exelero reached 218 mph at Nardo. In many ways, Exelero represents what Maybach could have and should have been -- a place where daring styling and incredible performance could merge with extreme luxury to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Instead, while the marque's sedans clearly get the luxury part of the equation right, in terms of styling, they basically work in anonymity, looking like peculiar old S-Class sedans. There's nothing anonymous about the Exelero, though, and for €5,000,000 (around $7.8 million USD), you can drive the sybaritic supercar that Daimler should have given Maybach all along.


[Anamera via eGMCarTech]

Ford might be looking to sell Volvo to a Chinese company according to a report by Dagens Industri and followed up by Automotive News. Sources are saying that Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. may be one of the potential suitors, while a Russian investor has also expressed interest in Ford's Swedish arm. FoMoCo's CEO, Alan Mulally began a strategic review of the automaker last year and the possible sale of Volvo was reported to be in the cards. However, Ford denied such a plan at the time and when AN contacted a Ford spokesperson for comment about the report today they said, "We have been consistently saying since the end of last year that Volvo is not for sale. We are focused on improving Volvo's business results."

Regardless, news of the possible sale of Volvo comes on the same day Ford announced that 2,000 workers will be laid off in an effort to cut costs due to an overall weak market and rising material costs. Volvo is hoping to slash around $662 million in costs, with the primary cuts coming from workers in Sweden. 1,200 workers were informed of the cuts today, and overall, 1,400 white-collar staff and 600 blue-collar jobs are on the chopping block.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Nothing is better at propagating a rumor like a nasty social disease than the internet, and the France family just got a lesson. A report surfaced in Europe that an investment firm based there was investigating the potential purchase of NASCAR. Brian France, chairman of NASCAR, dismissed the report as speculation. According to France, the death of his father, Bill France Jr. most likely kicked off the baseless chatter. The current scoop is that the France family is not stepping down from the top of NASCAR or International Speedway Corporation, another France enterprise. While rising energy prices have taken a bite out of profits, and will likely affect attendance attendance somewhat, France assures that NASCAR will be "just fine."

A couple of other items help fuel the speculation, too. International Speedway endured a couple of abortive efforts in Washington state and New York to add new tracks to its holdings, but the long term plan is indeed for new venues when the right ones present themselves. Television ratings are also down, but that doesn't affect NASCAR so much as whacking the price that can be charged for ad space during television coverage of NASCAR events. So, while it might have been fun to kick the ball around thinking of NASCAR without the Frances – not this time.

[Source: Auto News - Sub Req Photo: NASCAR.com]

A Ferrari on Craigslist? Yeah, right. Is it one of those nasty little Fiero-based abominations? No, it looks like an honest-to-badass Enzo. Wow. Of course, it's in LA! Would you expect this ugliest of Ferraris to show up on the Minneapolis Craigslist? Take your $1.9 million bucks and head over to Ferrari of Beverly Hills, because this car's got to go according to the seller. It's not often you see a Prancing Horse being disposed of the same way you'd unload a '72 Maverick. Do bear in mind that a Ferrari is the gift that keeps on giving – to the dealership service department, from your wallet. The entry price might be reasonable enough (note the joke), but the maintenance costs are horrendous.

Thanks for the tip, Paul!

[Source: Craigslist]

Here's a Christmas present idea for the person who's already got a Springfield Phantom in the garage for concours events and a Camargue for a daily driver. The oldest Rolls Royce known to be a runner is going up for auction at Bonhams in London on the 3rd of December. It'll cost you somewhere around $4 million, though having more in reserve would be a good plan. Someone else might want to give the old starter handle a whirl. That handle's attached to 103-year-old running gear that was lovingly restored in the 1950s by racer Oliver Langton. Only three owners have dented the leather seat with their backsides over the life of this car, remarkable when you can conjure F-Bodies that've passed through more hands in their short, tragic lives.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Pete Townshend, famously cranky guitarist of The Who, has put his '99 Ferrari 550 Maranello up for sale. Known for smashing up his gear, our theory is that Pete only continues that anti-authoritarian gesture for show, and he doesn't break the good stuff. We've seen him break lots of Stratocasters, but precious few Les Pauls (though he does seem to have some animosity toward the SG, too). This Ferrari is definitely the good stuff, and it appears to be in great shape. The odometer has counted off 29,000 clicks, and the brown leather seats have likely taken on a nice patina. Today's exchange rate sets the price at $98,239.30. As used Maranello's go, that's on par with what the market seems to be bearing. Maybe as part of the purchase, you could have Pete show you how to windmill as you bash the shifter through its gated path.

[Source: Luxist]

click on the pic to see more of Chuck's shots

Autoblog addict Chuck Goolsbee was out in his E-Type last weekend and naturally wanted to avoid the freeway in such a delightful car. Pulling a Clark Griswold, Chuck got lost on an Indian reservation. Rather than have the neighborhood assist in stripping excess mass from his swoopy kitty, Chuck noticed the sun glinting off a vaguely familiar shape off in the distance. The front bumper wrapped tightly around a low nose, and chrome-ringed headlamps were tucked safely behind plexiglass lenses. "Wow," Chuck thought, "another E-Type!" Car people are social creatures, so Chuck's plans changed in an instant. Passenger footwell clogged with grocery bags, ice cream turning into warm milk, he pulled up to the curb and suddenly realized he was in the presence of something even more special than an E-Type.

[Source: Chuck Goolsbee]

Click the image above for our gallery.

We've reported on K.I.T.T. cars being up for sale in the past, but those were all reproductions of the real thing. Now, one of the four documented 1982 Pontiac Trans Ams actually used in the Knight Rider series during the '80s has a For Sale sign on its windshield. The car has been restored to its "debut-season glory" and is being displayed at Kassabian Motors in Dublin, California. The price? $149,995. Ouch, that's a big chunk of Knight Industry's defense contract budget. But it's a small price to pay for the actual car in which the Hoff and his perfectly coiffed hair shot his close ups. Many of the buttons on the dash light up and the two video screens do work, though don't expect this K.I.T.T. to hit 300 mph or jump a school bus when the Rocket Boost button is depressed. The string of red lights on the nose do light up, however, which would be the deal breaker for us.

[Source: Kassabian Motors via Yahoo! News via TV Squad]

If a car's been sitting at a dealership for 34 years, you'd expect it to develop a certain amount of vehicular arthritis, in the form of brittle rubber, aged braking components and rodent havens. In the case of this Volvo 1800ES, originally owned by Gordon Turner, proprietor of Turner Volvo, it's recieved regular attention during the 10,000 miles it's accrued during its time as a demo car.

For the uninitiated, 1800s are the "exotic" vintage Volvo and nice examples can trade for several thousand dollars. This one's got a starting bid of $20,000 and the reserve has yet to be met.

More after the jump.

For all the ridiculousness this car exudes, you have to admit, this LP640 has brass balls. Or is that what you have to have to drive this thing on public roads? Either way, bids are currently at $180,000 and the reserve isn't yet met, so if you're kicking around some extra cabbage, this Lambo, in it's electric cabbage hue, could be yours. The e-gear equipped Murcielago has racked up 415 miles, so perhaps that could be a bargaining point should you have the wherewithal to pony up for this Italian that speaks with a German lilt. The metallic green is called Verde Ithaca, which makes it even more multicultural - a Greek green, yum. To us, the hue is akin to something that would've come on a dishwasher in the 1960s, but it's cool. We do like it, and there's nothing like the snarl of the Lambo V12 at full song. One thing we like about the unique shade is the way it accentuates the taut details of the Murcielago's shape. It really looks great with the beige and black interior. For all that, it's not anywhere near practical, but that's not why you buy this thing anyway, and if you're going to have something exclusive, might as well go for an Italian supercar that's not yellow or red.

Nice tip, Brian!

more pictures after the jump