By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Jim hasn’t updated his 2000 Chrysler Concorde ride page in over a year, but wow! The Buick portholes are a nice touch.

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

It isn’t every day you come across a car like this, that’s for sure. It all happened during a driving expedition my friends and I organized last fall, something we have been doing for years now. The idea is to all meet up at the Hakone Turnpike, one of Japan’s most well known driving roads, and drive up into the mountains and down into the Izu peninsula through the appropriately named “Izu Skyline” pass. Which is precisely where I first saw this impossibly spotless Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R. Continue reading at Speedhunters

By Dino Dalle Carbonare

I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for background in a photograph. This shot’s background screams victory, and the reflection of the color onto the silver paint on this GTI pulls the car into the scene and makes it a winner for me. "A perfect blend of personalization without over-the-top modifications. And always a joy to drive, especially on any windy road." Balance is what it’s about, and Matthew Litke’s GTI (entry #899) has got it. Here’s $1000 in Amoco gas to keep your sweet ride going through those twisties.

There are still more chances to win, so if you haven’t already thrown your hat into the ring, make sure to enter the Amoco Ultimate Your Car Is Worth It Photo Contest!

This four-dollar gas ain’t just hurting new car manufacturers. Collector car enthusiasts are feeling the pinch too, and many have already told me that they’ll be curtailing or altogether cutting out their show schedules this summer. Don’t blame ‘em, either–it takes a lot to fill up the tow rig and the ol’ showpiece they’re towing.

But there are alternatives. Such as this 1960 Fiat Jolly I found in the Hemmings classifieds. Perfectly restored, you’ll feel like you’re sitting in a rolling cabana while enjoying the economy of either a 499cc two-cylinder or 633cc four-cylinder. Then again, if you can afford the $79,000 price tag, maybe high gas prices won’t hurt your wallet as much as they do the rest of us.

If the initial price of that Jolly’s a bit too much, maybe a vintage Mini, such as this ’75, imported to Massachusetts from New Zealand and available for $6,500 – heck, Geo Metros are selling for more nowadays! Want a droptop? How about a 1970 Datsun 2000 convertible for $15,500? Now who said all old cars are gas guzzlers?

Normally I hate wings, unless you’re talking about a Superbird. But I almost like this one on Alex’s M Roadster. What do you guys think about wings?

I don’t think the (somewhat oxymoronic) term "instant collectible" really came into being until the mid-1970s, when, for a number of reasons, people started to buy new cars and stuff them away in climate-controlled garages. The idea is to just sit on the car, not drive it, and, theoretically, watch it appreciate in value. But what fun is that?

The only upside is that if you missed out on your chance to buy such a car when it was new, you’ll likely get the chance down the road to buy a showroom-fresh example. Such is the case with this 2000 Mustang Cobra R, one of just 300 such factory-built race cars that Ford’s SVT built with the 385hp DOHC 5.4-liter, six-speed manual, independent rear suspension and absolutely no extras–no A/C, no stereo, no cruise control, not even a rear seat. Hemmings Muscle Machines has all the details and driving impressions on the Cobra R in its March 2007 issue. This one in particular, No. 37, has had only one owner and shows just 38 miles on the odometer. Judging from the plastic still on the driver’s seat, it’s probably never turned a wheel in anger. Thus, a perfect starting point for racing; after all, you’re darn sure the previous owner never messed with it, never changed a thing, never did that crappy radio install that you always find in used cars. No price listed, but consider that they sold for just under $55,000 new.