One of my favorite things about well built demo cars is the depth of detail in the design/concept. This is a reoccurring topic that I bring up often on this blog. It comes up often because I really feel that details are what separate good builds from great builds. If you look at the above picture it is easy to be impressed. Sure, a Bentley Continental GT with a Japanese widebody kit and a dry carbon vented race hood is an impressive sight. The car could have been considered a win right there.

What separates ASI in my opinion as one of the best car builders in the game is what you see when you look more closely. Whether it is them affiliating themselves with a top Japanese artist to do hand painted accents in their interior, or the subtle and innovative integration of their logo as wheel graphics, it is the details that define quality.

On this particular car, the below image is what really left an impression a year after I took these photos in Japan.

As if a mightily impressive full dry carbon hood isn’t enough, ASI incorporated their artist affiliation once again into this demo car. This time instead of the art car concept speaking loudly with gold leaf paint, they played well into the concept of a mean black on black sports tuned Bentley and made the artwork understated and integrated, yet still present. The hood was painted flat black with the artwork left unpainted to showcase the natural dry carbon on the hood. The result is a win on a number of levels as far as I’m concerned. This is a great example of an understated use of carbon fiber parts to accent the car’s quality, something I’m a huge advocate of.

I’m a pretty big Griffey fan—I watched him hit a three run home run against the Yankees just two weeks ago—but I’m not sure I’m a fan of his Bentley Continental GT. What do you think? Via Celebrity Cars Blog

Cash for Clunkers is over and the government and many dealers proclaim it as an overwhelming success. But at what cost? Many rather unusual and possibly valuable cars were sacrificed during the program; a few that will make the car enthusiasts among us cringe.

There were a number of questions raised when scanning through the list published on September 9th by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To be eligible for the Cash for Clunkers program, vehicles were specified to only get 19 miles-per-gallon or less, measured by their previously published EPA rating. Yet a few vehicles that were submitted generally get better fuel mileage than the benchmark set by the program rules.

As troubling as that was, it is underscored by the list of truly desirable enthusiast cars that were traded in as clunkers. This raises some troubling questions as to the reasoning behind the transaction. Scanning through the list, here are 12 different vehicles that should have been saved from their eventual fate of being scrapped. These 12 cars will be met with the usual questions as to how this was allowed to happen in the first place, or what kind of person would trade such a vehicle, replacing it with a Hyundai or a Toyota? Continue reading about the “Dirty Dozen”, with details about each one at Automotive Traveler.

Interesting stuff going on. As I write this (and listen to Alter Bridge), I ponder design in general. And that brings me to the question, “What the hell does ponder really mean anyway?” Like, do people really use this word still? I’m Pondering…. Maybe we should send it to the JunkYard for words? Like, “heathen,” “thou,” or maybe “economy.” (If I hear the word economy one more time, I’m gonna start an Uzi revolt.)

Wait.    Ok, where am I? OH! Car Domain!! DESIGN OF THE WEEK!!! RIGHT!!! Here we go…

1. THE BENTLEY MULSANNE

Kinda expensive. Kinda luxurious. Kinda bad gas mileage. BAD ASS. This is the car you want to roll up to the beach in. 9′ Longboard on top. Trunk fulla wetsuits, sexwax and extra bikinis. …I’m just sayin.’

2. THE GT CROSSOVER CONCEPT

What IS this? …Um. …Ok, what can I say about this weird inline 2 seater? It’s kinda not right in a whole “not right” sorta way. BUT, you have to respect design. My cup ‘o hot chocolate may not be your cup o’ hot chocolate. And THIS? Is not my cup o’ hot chocolate.

3. THE LEATHERMAN WRATH

I like this, despite that fact that you can’t really tell exactly what it is. Part Cyborg, part Harley, part… hula hoop. It just looks bug-like and cool. And that, my friends, is what belongs on the street. BRING IT!

4. MY REACTOR NUCLEUS

Now, I just got this the other day from REACTOR. It’s so cool, it should be a car. (In fact, I think there’s a button that transforms it into a Ferrari California. Pretty sure.) But, this watch is a clear statement that automotive design affects ALL design. And that’s cool.

5. THE JAGUAR MARK 21 LIMO

Yes, Limo. And since it doesn’t look ANYTHING like a Jaguar, it’s fair game for my design dissection. But THIS, is the most cool cockroach car I’ve seen in a while. The doors gullwing up and you step inside to Jaguar heaven. And what IS Jaguar heaven? Ahhh,,   …….gggrrrrrrrrrr….

6. SV9 COMPETIZIONE

Yes, in Italian, SV-9 means CORVETTE. Wait a tick… I think it actually means Bad Corvette. Or maybe Ripoff. I forget. At any rate, the Corvette,… uh, I mean SV-9, looks sweet. So sweet, that it reminds me of a car that the late GM use to build before they imploded. Now,… what WAS the name of that car? It was like a bird, or a fish. Started with a “C,” I think….

Oh, yea. Corvette.

Car collector Hans-Günther Zach—popular German car collector—is selling off his whole lot of vehicles. These are not your average run-of-the-mill cars, though, these are vintage Rolls-Royce and Bentleys. The money maker of these classic rides is the “Star of India,” which is a one-off 1934 Phantom II 40/50 HP Continental “All-Weather Convertible.” This amazing ride is going for nearly $14.4 million, which would make it the most expensive car in the world beating the price tag of $12 million made by a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. Via Jameslist

So, off I went to San Francisco to check out a new club. This one is called Club Sportiva. Join this one and you get to do INSANE DRIVING!!!!!!

Pricey for sure, but we aren’t drivin’ Pintos. In this episode of “World of Cars,” I’m screamin’ the best of the best. Serious machines through the streets of San Fran. And taking a Lambo down Haight Street yelling “Down with corporate greed!” made it a day worth remembering.

If you can’t buy an exotic, DO THIS.

Ryan sent me these pics two weeks ago and I forgot about them til I saw this chrome Mercedes SLR McLaren on Jalopnik. So is anyone else sick of this chrome car craze? Via Exotic Spotter

So there aren’t any examples of gratuitous law-breaking, crashes, or police in this clip, but I can assure you it’s Gumball related. When the rally was passing through Anaheim, the contenders stopped by the D1GP and did a slow parade for the fans. Fortunately, StreetFire was there to get it on tape. While there’s obviously a grip of exotics—including an XJ220!—one car that’s conspicuously absent is Richard Rawlings’ Escalade-powered, breakdown-prone ‘78 Chevy Caprice. It’s apparently giving him a hell of a time, just like it did on Bullrun last year.

From the reports coming in, it doesn’t sound like the cops are playing particularly nice with the Gumballers this year. Big surprise. As you can imagine, the smokies probably aren’t pumped about a bunch of rich dudes piloting exotics through their jurisdictions at Mach 3. But while I’ve seen cars get impounded, I hadn’t even heard about anyone getting their license plate jacked—until now. According to the LuxuryVice’s video description  over on StreetFire, after getting pulled over for speeding in Arizona, the officers popped the plate of their Bentley and told them they’d have to go down to City Hall to get it  back. Ouch. But the team was undeterred, and vowed to continue on to Miami Beach sans plate.  Something tells me next time they get popped, the lack of a plate will be the least of their worries…

Too many car enthusiasts stand on the sidelines thinking that classic ownership is out of their means. This is especially true of those whose primary automotive dream is limited to exotic brands. The fact of the matter is that you don’t need a trust fund or an AIG-style bonus to buy and maintain a sports car or luxury GT capable of gaining entry into exotic marque ownership clubs. Sometimes all you need is about a grand, some patience and luck.

And before you think this is like my college roommate’s favorite party mantra of “set your sights high and keep your standards low,” the following affordable exotics actually are cars you can be certain will not only appreciate in value, but also be enjoyable and reliable. Sure, most of these cars are the whipping boys and joke magnets, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad – it just means that other cars from the marque are better.

Since not all of us can afford the best, I’ve put together a list of five inexpensive options for those wanting to own an example from great brands. See the full list after the jump!

Ferrari

Every car leaving the storied Maranello factory delivered style, performance and a Dick Cheney’s ego-sized price tag. While some of these are worth eight-figures, it’s possible to pick up a 400i for as little as eight grand.

The 400i currently prices out at about 15 percent less than its contemporary junior 2+2 stable-mates: the V8-powered 308 GT4 and Mondial 8. Make no mistake — what we’re talking about is the same basic DNA as any 365 GTB/4 Daytona worth mid-to-high six figures: a Pininfarina-designed Ferrari wrapped over a space frame chassis with a 60-degree quad-cam V12 ahead of the driver.

So why the low value for the 400i? First, the 365/400GT/400i/412 cars were never officially imported to America, so all are “grey market” cars modified individually (to varying degrees of quality) in the US for certification. Second, there are the two small rear seats. Finally a GM-supplied torque-converter automatic transmission was fitted to over two-thirds of 400i production.

Forget that crap about real Ferraris being two seaters. The company has been offering 2+2 cars continuously for over 50 years now. Don’t get hung-up on the transmission issue either – even the dual-clutch paddle shift tranny found in the current 599 GTB and 430 models has a pure automatic mode.

If you’re diligent, you can find a good 400i (maybe even a later 412 or earlier carbureted 365/400GT) for as little as $8,000. It’s counterintuitive, but higher mileage (50,000-90,000 mile) cars are better, because it means they’ve been reliable and well-maintained. Stay away from low mileage cars coming due for major service. Some parts are indeed expensive, but not nearly as bad as you’ve heard. Similarly, anyone who can fix a Mercedes or Volvo can fix a Ferrari, so paying some overcharging specialist isn’t necessary – except when it comes to a good pre-purchase inspection.

During my last extended test of a five-speed 400i, I found the car comfortable, stable at all speeds and surprisingly nimble. Delivering wonderful feedback to the senses, the 400i is as fun on curves as it is on the interstate…and with 340-hp enabling 160-mph, this affordable GT can get you quickly to Ferrari Owners Club meetings to hang out with the millionaires and billionaires.

Porsche
PCA doesn’t define Porsches as only rear-engine air-cooled cars, so neither should you. Once former outcasts, the 912 and 914 have already risen dramatically in value, leaving the 924 as the new low-rung on Porsche’s ladder… and it takes as little as $500 to step on (err…I mean “into”) one.

Naysayers claim the 924 isn’t a real Porsche, but that’s what they said about the 914 and 912. It was indeed built in Audi’s plant with a 124-hp two-liter Audi-sourced four-cylinder engine, but the 924 is enough of a Porsche for the PCA. And keep in mind that after 924 values rise, they’ll complain about the Cayenne not being a real Porsche (which is now the best-selling Porsche of all-time!)

The 924 is also cursed for being underpowered, but as a ten-second 0-60 car, it will beat a stock 356 Super Speedster. It is fast for the period, delivering the same performance as the contemporary Datsun 280ZX, a model seldom bashed for being down on power.

Even well-kept 924 examples have trouble finding buyers for more than $1000. New replacement parts prices aren’t any cheaper than those for a 911, but with 100,000-plus 924s sold, there’s a much larger availability of used parts. Still, it’s worth spending an extra couple hundred bucks to get the best example you can find. You might even find a 924 Turbo under $1000. Alternatively, if you can come up with $1500 or so, you can get a faster (courtesy of a Porsche-designed 2.5l 160-hp engine) and sexier first-gen (1982-1985) 944. I bought a ’83 944 a few years back for $850 and dropped an additional $120 (for a new starter and clutch slave cylinder) to get it back on the road, after which it proved itself as adept at comfortable cruising as doing giggle-inducing tail-out antics.

Maserati
It might top out 60mph short of the 185 of Joe Walsh’s Maserati, but the BiTurbo is still the bargain way to brandish a trident emblem. (To be fair, no street-spec Maser was capable of 185 until the marque’s recent Enzo-based supercar.) Available in 2+2 coupe, sedan and Zagato-penned two-seat Spyder forms, the BiTurbo is almost entirely undeserving of its bad reputation. In totality, it’s really a pretty damn great car provided it has been properly sorted and maintained.

I’m sorry, at this price you’ll never get drop-dead gorgeous lines of the Ghibli or 3500GT, but the boxy BiTurbo really is not ugly. You’d also be hard-pressed to find a more luxurious looking interior in the plastic-intensive 1980s, as well.

I find it crazy that the peanut gallery can keep alive the rumor that this model is underpowered, especially given its name. The American market cars started with a carbureted 2.5l overhead cam V6 with twin turbochargers and a 185 hp. In 1987, fuel injection added a couple horses, but significantly increased reliability. With only 2400 pounds to pull, BiTurbos have embarrassed plenty of Camaros and Mustangs…and that’s even before the first turn. I have one friend whose primary complaint about her husband’s BiTurbo sedan was that it was deceptively fast, causing her to get the lone speeding ticket of her life.

Acceleration, handling and luxury earned great reviews by major automotive press, especially when it came to the Spyder. Kudos were quickly replaced by owner complaints of electrical gremlins, propensity for rust and a dysfunctional corporate parent with few trained service outlets.

Consequently, the majority of BiTurbos fell into being used and abused like Tom Sizemore’s internal organs, but there are still plenty of examples that were sorted and cared for, and it’s these latter ones you want. While always advertised for more, good driving sedans and coupes sell for as little as $800 and rough Spyders have been bought for under a grand. Budget $2500-$5000 for a meticulously maintained example that has always been stored indoors and you’ll find yourself happily hanging with fellow Maserati owners at the next Italian concorso.

Corvette
Followers of Barrett-Jackson might think that living the American dream starts at $45,000, but Craigslist indicates $3500 is the real entry price for Corvette fever. The best deals now are for 1984 Corvettes, although 1978 and 1979 third-generation cars are not appreciably more expensive these days.

’84 Vette affordability comes courtesy of a reputation for poor reliability and a lack of power. Like cars of nearly all makes and models, first year teething problems were extensive, but the only major reoccurring problem was the LED dash – something that plagued Corvettes throughout the decade. As for performance, the blame rests on the half-assed Cross Fire Injection, carried over from ’82 model, which only delivered 205hp. The switch in 1985 to real Bosch injection giving 25 additional horses magnified the issue.

Where the rubber meets the road, though, the ’84 Corvette is light-years ahead of any C3 – especially the later cars. Only big block and high-compression C3s are faster in a straight line. In the curves the ’84 C4 can annihilate any previous plastic fantastic. (Ever taken a ’69 big block roadster hot into a corner?) Credit a totally new and more solid frame, much wider tires and 150 fewer pounds to cart around. As one of the best handling cars of 1984, its quick reflexes along with bone-jarring ride equate to a race car seat of the pants feeling.

An extended run (thanks to no 1983 model in dealer showrooms) means plenty of examples are always for sale. Multiple catalog supply operations make fixing or upgraded just about anything cheap and easy, although the digital dash and optional 4+3 manual tranny are both prohibitively expensive to repair.

Bentley
I know, you want a Continental GT or have visions of running Le Mans in a ’29 Speed Six, but are on a used Accord-level budget. Guess what? You still can be a Bentley Boy.

The MK VI was the first post-war Bentley made under Rolls-Royce’s watch. Some MK VI customers ordered custom bodies, but the vast majority came with standard steel sedan coachwork. All MK VIs had a 120-ish horsepower inline six. Not the fastest, most sporting or even close to the prettiest of the Flying Bs, but they’re still perfect touring vehicles. The ’46-’48 cars have more value for no other reason than they are accepted by the Classic Car Club of America, leaving rough Crewe’s missiles from ’49-’52 to go for as low as six grand. It’s better to look in the ten-grand range, since putting right rust and the ratty interior inevitably found on the lowest end cars will require a federal bail out.

Most importantly, nobody will know you’re driving a bargain Bentley. Heck, most people will think it’s a six-figure Rolls-Royce. Better have some Grey Poupon handy.