Autoblog

While the irony of a comeback for a racing series of retired drivers themselves making a comeback has not escaped us, we're actually excited by the prospect of the Grand Prix Masters resuming its race schedule.

The racing league ran a few races back in 2005-2006, when big names like Nigel Mansell and Emerson Fittipaldi – both of which hold F1 and CART titles – competed against each other and other retired drivers in their 40s, 50s and 60s on identical machinery. The series folded, however, after running only three races. A group of new investors, however, has purchased the fleet of 15 cars – specially built by Delta Motorsport based on Reynard 2000-spec Champ Cars powered by 650-hp Cosworth-based 3.5-liter V8s – and is planning on re-launching the series in September or October 2008, apparently under the modified F1 Masters name. Among the drivers interested is Jacques Villeneuve, who is likewise a CART and F1 champ, but at 37 is substantially younger than those who raced in the previous GP Masters series and far more recently retired (or was forced into retirement) from racing. But the prospect of seeing Villeneuve going head-to-head with drivers of different eras has us fantasizing on dream-team draft levels.

[Source: AutoWeek, Photo by Clive Mason/Getty]

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If you were born on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain, the Trabant should need no introduction. Ditto if you're a U2 fan. The notorious little sedan, nicknamed "Trabi", was made in East Germany and exported around the world, mostly inside the communist bloc. Not exactly the most ideal candidate for resurrection, but while it may not be as fondly remembered as the original Fiat 500, Volkswagen Beetle or the Mini, the Trabi has a cult following and has been featured in countless movies and video games. U2 featured the Trabi on its Zoo TV tour in the early '90s, and one hangs from the ceiling in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH.

At the last Frankfurt Motor Show, a German model-carmaker showed a mockup of what a re-born Trabi might look like to gauge public reaction. Herpa secured the rights to use the name, and has now announced a deal with IndiKar, an automotive components manufacturer based in Saxony (where the original Trabant was made) to build it. Herpa and IndiKar hope to have a full-size concept ready to show by the next Frankfurt show, which doesn't roll around until the Fall of the Berlin Wall 2009. In the meantime, Herpa is putting a toy version on the market to be unveiled at the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg in February.

Press release after the jump.

[Source: Herpa via World Car Fans]

August has come and gone, and yet, there's been no new Duesenberg II Torpedo Coupe. The Mercedes CL500-based revival of what could arguably be described as the ne plus ultra of American automakers has had its introduction pushed back to mid 2008. Duesenburg Custom Coach LLC is undertaking the effort, and rather than rush a half-baked car to market, they've moved the goalpost so that the new Duesy doesn't turn into an embarrassment. The Torpedo coupe will have two powertrain options, one conventional, and the other a type of rotating engine called the Cylindrical Engine Model. The CEM appears to be based on pumps produced by EP Industries, and can deliver 300 horsepower while returning consumption as low as 70 mpg.

Joining the Torpedo Coupe is a revived Murphy Roadster fitted with a V10 powerplant and underpinned by Ford hardware. When the cars are finally ready for sale, you'll be able to buy them exclusively from Old Yesterday Classic Autos in San Diego. You've got to give them credit for insisting that it's done right, and in the meantime, you can visit their website and purchase collectibles and apparelwhile you await your chance to roll in Roaring-Twenties style.

[Source: Hemmings]

In the present automotive climate, with historic European marques being revived left, right and center, a name like de Tomaso couldn't lay dormant for long. The Modena-based supercar-maker (not unlike Pagani) founded by Argentine-Italian industrialist and former racing driver Alejandro de Tomaso had a colored history that included the production of such iconic sportscars as the Ford-powered Pantera and Mangusta. Along the way, de Tomaso also made a few racing cars – including an F1 car for Williams – and even tried its hand at Jaguar-rivaling luxury cars like the Deauville and the Longchamp, as well as temporarily taking over such stoic firms as Ghia, Vignale, Moto Guzzi, and, in between Citroen and Fiat ownership, even Maserati. After a last-ditch effort to produce a new Mangusta with Qvale went sour, however, the company dissolved in June 2004, shortly after the founder's passing.

The latest industry reports, however, suggest that the de Tomaso name might embark on a new future, lead by a group of American and Chinese investors. The company was last owned by MG-Rover, which closed it down after just one year. Back in the day, de Tomaso's most famous customer was Elvis Presley; if thousands can believe that Elvis is still alive, then certainly de Tomaso could be resuscitated as well. We'll be watching the gates of Graceland for emerging news.

[Source: Motor Authority]

The resurrection of buried car brands has become a very fashionable business these days, especially with German companies. BMW has obviously found success with the new MINI; Mercedes-Benz a little less so with the eccentric Maybach; while the VW Group brought back Bugatti like a phoenix from the ashes. These cases all revolved around major German manufacturers buying and resuscitating a brand, but now Christian Borgward is maneuvering to revive his grandfather's car company that bears their family name.

Borgward made cars from 1924 through 1961, when the company went bankrupt. Following Carl Borgward's death in 1963, the tooling was sold to a factory in Mexico that continued building the cars until 1970.

Unlike other revival marques, Borgward is not out to create a media storm. What is known is that the brand is planning to make its comeback from Bremen, Germany, with investment from venture capital firms, an initial two-car line-up aimed in between the Ford Mondeo and BMW 3-Series (two of the biggest sellers in the UK) and an ambitious sales target of 10,000 per year. Manufacturing will probably be contracted to Magna, who build the BMW X3 and contributed to the upcoming Fiat Bravo, although Italian design houses like Bertone and Pininfarina (which also have limited production capabilities) may be thrown into the mix.

Given the historical roots on which the company will be trading and the current popularity of retro styling, we can expect the design to go that route. It will likely be some time before the new Borgwards are on the road, but we'll stay tuned for what could be an interesting alternative to the usual driveway fodder.

[Source: Edmunds' Inside Line]