Chevy Bel Air Wagon (1965-66)

 

The Chevy Bel Air from the 1960s may be easy to confuse with the Impala due to their incredibly similar styling. Although the Impala had dethroned the Bel Air as Chevy's flagship full-size vehicle back in the late 50s, the Bel Air still remained an important full-size vehicle for Chevy at the time. The Bel Air offered basically everything that came with the Impala in a more affordable package. It was offered in coupe, convertible, sedan, and wagon forms, with the main focus of this post being on the wagon. The 1965-66 Chevy Bel Air was available with five different engine options, specifically an entry-level inline-six and four different V8s, paired to either a three-speed manual, four-speed manual, two-speed Powerglide automatic, or three-speed Turbo Hydramatic automatic. In addition, the 1965-66 Bel Air wagon could seat up to nine passengers. The example featured here is powered by a 327 cu V8 and is outfitted with smaller wheels and an adjustable suspension to make it a lowrider. Overall, I’ve seen this specific Bel Air wagon at various different car shows before, but it is fantastic and very cool, especially since I have a soft spot for fast and classic wagons.

Ferrari 458 Italia (2009-15)

 

The 458 is Ferrari's mainstream mid-engine V8 sports car from the early to mid 2010s, succeeding the F430 and preceding the 488. The specific V8 in the 458 Italia is a naturally-aspirated 4.5-liter producing 562 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Its dual-clutch transmission is only controlled via the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The 458 Italia launches from zero to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and is capable of a top speed of 202 mph. It is also the first mid-engine road-going Prancing Horse to have direct fuel injection. Inside, the 458 has a rather simplistic interior layout, adorned with mostly leather and carbon fiber. In addition, two digital gauges surround the center tachometer. It contains a double wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension along with E-Diff and F1-Trac traction control systems for improved handling over its predecessors. Rounding out the Ferrari 458 range were the open-top 458 Spider and track-focused 458 Speciale. Depending on the condition, the 458 Italia currently sells for anywhere between the low $200,000s and the low $300,000s on the used marketplace. I have seen more 458s out and about than most other Ferrari models, but they are absolutely stunning and amazing supercars. 

Correction: The Cadillac XLR-V in the previous post is actually a base XLR dressed up as a V model. After a while, I looked at the photos of it more closely and someone had corrected me about that. All of the information presented in the previous post is still relevant to the XLR in general. My apologies.

Cadillac XLR-V

 

The XLR was Cadillac's most recent roadster, with this post mainly focusing on the high-performance V version. It originally debuted in 2003, with the V model making its debut in 2006, and lasted until 2009. The XLR shared many components with the Corvette at the time, except both vehicles had completely different engines. Powering the XLR-V is a 4.4-liter supercharged Northstar V8 producing 443 horsepower and 414 lb-ft of torque paired to a six-speed automatic. It launches from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and has a top speed limited to 155 mph. Other than the engine and badging, the best way to distinguish the XLR-V from the standard XLR is its fully chrome grille. The Cadillac XLR-V cost around $100k to $110k when new, and used examples hold their value pretty well for the most part. I may not like it as much as the Corvette and Mercedes-Benz SL in general, but the XLR is an underrated luxury roadster. As it becomes less and less common, I gain more of a soft spot and appreciation for the XLR and hope Cadillac returns with a similar sports car in its lineup in the near future. 

Included below is a photo I took of a standard Cadillac XLR around the same time I spotted the XLR-V featured above. 

Porsche 911 GT3 Touring (991)

 

The GT3 Touring is a Porsche 911 GT3 with a more subtle appearance. It debuted for the 2018 model year after the 991-gen Porsche 911 received a mid-cycle refresh and lasted until the 2019 model year, with 2019 being around when the current Porsche 911 was introduced. Porsche mainly introduced the 911 GT3 Touring due to the success and popularity of the limited-edition 911 R that debuted a few years prior to the GT3 Touring. Like the standard 911 GT3, the 911 GT3 Touring is powered by a 4.0-liter flat-six producing 500 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. However, the Touring model is paired to only a six-speed manual transmission. It launches from zero to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. The biggest difference between the GT3 Touring and the standard GT3 is the former's absence of the latter's rear wing in favor of a retractable spoiler that is very similar to that of the lower-end 911 models. The 911 GT3 Touring features Porsche Torque Vectoring, a mechanical limited-slip differential, and 20-inch wheels like the standard 911 GT3, except the GT3 Touring's interior is fitted in mostly black leather. For those who prefer the GT3 Touring, luckily the Touring package on the 911 GT3 comes as a no-cost option and costs significantly less than the 911 R that came before it. This isn't my favorite version of the previous Porsche 911, but the 991 GT3 Touring is an intriguing and wonderful sports car that flies under the radar.

Pictured below are two examples of the standard 991-gen Porsche 911 GT3 that were on display at a recent Cars and Coffee meet that I attended. 

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Club Coupe (991)

 

This may look like any other Porsche 911, but it is an incredibly special and limited edition of the 991-gen Carrera GTS. It was released in 2016 to commemorate 60 years of the Porsche Club of America and limited to 60 examples. In addition, it is one of the last naturally-aspirated Porsche 911s ever. Powering the 991 Carrera GTS Club Coupe is a 3.8-liter flat-six producing 430 horsepower paired to a 7-speed PDK dual-clutch, launching the vehicle to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. This version of the Porsche 911 was initially only offered to Porsche Club of America members via a lottery system, but now anyone can get their hands on one if he or she is lucky enough to find one for sale and willing to pay the insane premiums that come with a rare special edition over any other version of the 991-gen Porsche 911. The 911 Carrera GTS Club Coupe is distinguished by a 'Club Blau' exterior paint job, black 'Club Coupe' badging on the doors, 20-inch Sport Classic alloy wheels, and a ducktail spoiler. It also comes standard with Porsche's SportDesign package and GTS interior package. The example featured here was further customized with a satin black hood. While this one was previously at my local Audi/Porsche dealer, the only other example I saw of the 911 Carrera GTS Club Coupe up close was at the Petersen Auto Museum in LA during my most recent visit there almost four years ago. Overall, the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Club Coupe is a fantastic sports car, and knowing and understanding its backstory and significance makes it even more amazing.

Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2

 

The LP 580-2 is the first iteration of the rear-wheel drive Lamborghini Huracan. It debuted in late 2015 for the 2016 model year and was replaced by the updated Huracan Evo in 2019. The Huracan LP 580-2 is powered by the same naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter V10 as its all-wheel drive counterpart but de-tuned to 572 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque. It launches from zero to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds onto a top speed of 199 mph. Its sole transmission option is a 7-speed dual-clutch. The best way to distinguish a RWD Huracan from its AWD counterpart exterior-wise is their slightly different front fascias. It may not perform as well as other versions of the Huracan, but the LP 580-2 offers a more pure driving experience in comparison. Since it is technically the entry-level Huracan model, the LP 580-2 typically sells for less than all other versions of the Huracan, going for under $200,000. It may be an entry-level Lambo, but the Huracan LP 580-2 is still a magnificent and exciting supercar.

Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo

 

Like with the Panamera, Porsche has added a wagon version of its electric Taycan. However, the standard Taycan wagon is known as the Cross Turismo instead of the Sport Turismo due to its more rugged appearance. It offers the performance and flair of the Taycan sedan in a more practical package. Powering the Taycan Cross Turismo are two electric motors producing between 469 and 750 horsepower and 368 and 774 lb-ft of torque paired to a two-speed automatic gearbox. The Cross Turismo launches from zero to 60 mph in as quick as 2.4 seconds. It contains the same interior layout and similar range figures as its sedan counterpart. However, the Cross Turismo has more headroom and cargo space compared to the standard Taycan sedan. Recently added to the Taycan range of models are a remote parking feature and a GTS Sport Turismo model. Pricing for the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo starts at $92,250 for the 4 and up to $188,950 for the Turbo S. I love fast wagons, and the Porsche Taycan is one of my favorite electric cars, so it comes as no surprise that I am a pretty big fan of the Taycan Cross Turismo. This is yet another instance of a local dealer showcasing a vehicle I hadn't previously seen in person that I had to see up close for the first time, and it was definitely worth it.

Included below are additional photos that I recently took of the Porsche Taycan sedan.