First Impression: Ferrari California

Ferrari has been around since 1929. Ferrari is responsible for some of the fastest cars ever made. Never has there been a Ferrari with a V8 engine in the front of the car or a Ferrari with a retractable roof. The Ferrari California, first produced in 2008, represents a number of firsts for the company. It is the first Ferrari to have a V8 in the front, the first Ferrari to feature a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, the first Ferrari with a folding metal roof, the first Ferrari with multi-link rear suspension, and the first Ferrari with direct fuel injection. With a drag coefficient of 0.32, it is also the most aerodynamic Ferrari. This is the best looking Ferrari I have ever seen.

I first saw the Ferrari California at the 2010 Houston Classy Chassis. When I first saw this car, I thought it is one of the best looking cars I have ever seen. In a room with Lamborghinis, Mustangs, Corvettes, Shelby Cobras, and other classic cars, I could not take my eyes of this car. It has a sleek aerodynamic design and a beautiful interior. This is a high quality vehicle. It is a work of art.

The Ferrari California is powered by a 4.3L V8 that connected to a seven speed transmission dual clutch automated manual transmission with paddle shifters. The engine produces 453 hp and 357 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 193 mph. Prices for a Ferrari California start at $192,000.  This is one fast grand tourer convertible.

The Ferrari California was feature in both Top Gear and Top Gear USA. In Episode 8 of Top Gear USA, Tanner Foust drove a Ferrari California from Hollywood to Las Vegas and arrived at a casino before Rutledge Wood did, who flew from Hollywood to Las Vegas, then took a cab to the casino. Richard Hammond drove a Ferrari California in Romania during Series 14, Episode 1, where the guys were in Romania to find the Transfagarasan Highway. The California is playable in Test Drive Unlimited 2, Gran Turismo 5, GT Racing, Motor Academy, Asphalt 5, Supercar Challenge, Forza Motorsport 3, and Need For Speed: Shift.

Final Thoughts: This is a beautiful Car. A work of art. It maybe a fast car, but it has the lowest top speed compared to the other cars in Ferrari's current range. For a car company that has never made a hardtop convertible or put a V8 in the front of the car, Ferrari did well. As far as current Ferraris go, only the 458 Italia cost less than the California. Whoever owns this car will have a great time driving it.

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First Impression: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722S Roadster

To extend the life of the SLR, Mercedes-Benz released the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722S Roadster in 2009. The 722S is the roadster version of the SLR Mclaren 722, but the 722S has added power, but the added weight causes the roaster to be slightly slower than the 722 Coupe. Only 150 SLR McLaren 722S Roadsters were produced.

I recently saw the Mercedes-Benz SLR Mclaren 722S Roadster at the 2011 Houston Classy Chassis: Concours d'Elegance. This is one of the best roadsters I have ever seen. It has incredible style. I love the angle of the windshield.

The 722S Roadster is powered by an AMG supercharged 5.5L V8 that produces 650 hp and 604 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 10 hp and 6 lb-ft of torque over the 722 coupe. The 722S uses a five-speed automatic transmission. Its 0-60 mph time is 3.7 seconds, 0.1 second slower than the 722 coupe, and has a top speed of 208 mph, 1 mph slower than the 722 coupe. It cost $525,000 when it was new. It is expensive, but this is one of the fastest, quickest roadsters on the road.

The 722S is playable in Test Drive Unlimited 2. The 722S Roadster has not been featured on the main automotive programs.

Final Thought: What a Roadster. This is one of the best looking roadsters I have seen. There is nothing like it on the road. It is one of the fastest, quickest, most expensive roadsters on the road. 

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First Impression: Shelby Series 1

Carroll Shelby is known for taking Mustangs and British cars and putting big engines in them. Shelby took an AC Ace body and put a small block Ford V8 into the car and called it the Shelby AC Cobra. Shelby also tunes Ford Mustangs, calling them the Shelby GT500 and Shelby GT350, depending on what performance package goes into the Shelby tuned Mustangs. Shelby was also responsible for the two most successful American race cars, the Shelby Daytona Coupe and the Ford GT40.  In 1998, his company, Carroll Shelby International, built the only car produced by Shelby that was built from the ground up. What Shelby created was a high performing roadster called the Shelby Series 1.

I saw the Shelby Series 1 at the January 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. This car attracted a crowd. It is a rare car, only 249 Series 1 were originally made, so it attracted a crowd. The Series 1 looks fast and fun to drive. It has a stunning appearance.

The Shelby Series 1 is powered by 4.0L V8 that could per optionally supercharged, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, that produces 320 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque. The car weighs 2,650 lb. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 170 mph. Prices for the Shelby Series start at $181,824. That is a hefty price to pay for American Muscle. The Shelby Series 1 is fast, but not fast enough to be called a supercar.

The Shelby Series 1 has been seen on TV while it was being sold at various autions. It has not been featured on Top Gear or Jay Leno's Garage. The Series 1 is playable in Gran Turismo 2, Gran Turismo 4, Test Drive 5, Test Drive 6, Forza Motorsport games, Manhattan Chase, Speed Busters: American Highways, and TD Overdrive: The Brotherhood of Speed.

Final Thoughts: This is a great American muscle car. It is fast, quick, stunning, but expensive. The Shelby Series 1 is the only car built from scratch by Carroll Shelby. All other Shelbys are either re-engineered models produced by other car companies and modified by Shelby. The Shelby Series 1 has a higher top speed than the famous Shelby AC Cobra. Only 249 were originally built. In 2000, component car versions of the Shelby Series 1 were built without an engine or transmission. Those who got one of the 249 original cars were lucky to get one.

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First Impression: Cadillac XLR/ Cadillac XLR-V

Cadillac had a reputation for making cars that old people drive. GM wanted to attract a younger crowd to Cadillac. Cadillac came out with the SUV Escalade, the sport sedan CTS/CTS-V, and a roadster XLR. Cadillac made the XLR from 2003 to 2009, a total of 15548 XLRs were produced. The XLR was intended to be the flagship for the Cadillac brand and was based on the Chevrolet Corvette's Y-platform. The XLR featured a retractable aluminum rooftop. Cadillac made a high performance version called the XLR-V.

I recently saw a Cadillac XLR at the July edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. I also see them from time to time on the Houston roads. It is a beautiful car. I love the styling of the car. This is not a car for old people. It is a good alternative to the Mercedes-Benz SL Class and the BMW Z Roadster/M Roadster. The XLR-V looks just like the XLR, except for what is under the hood.

The XLR is powered by a 4.6L V8 that produces 320 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. The XLR goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155 mph. Prices for the 2009 XLR started at $86,215. The XLR-V is powered by a supercharged 4.4L V8 that produces 443 hp and 414 lb-ft of torque. The XLR-B goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155 mph. The XLR-V cost $100,000 in 2009. The XLR and XLR-V are quick, have a decent top speed, and a little pricey. The XLR-V is one of the most expensive cars to come from GM.

The Cadillac XLR and XLR-V were reviewed by Motorweek. The XLR is seen in CSI, Takers, and The Mentalist. The XLR-V is featured in Sons of Anarchy, Shark, and Clarkson: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.  The XLR is playable in Asphalt: Urban GT, Project Gotham Racing 2, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition, and Driver: San Francisco. The XLR-V is playable in Asphalt 2: Urban GT, Test Drive Unlimited, Project Gotham Racing 3, and Midnight Club: Los Angeles.

Final Thoughts: The XLR went unnoticed by the public. People thought the car was for old people since it was a Cadillac. But Cadillac has recently been making cars for the younger car owners. Old people do drive Cadillacs, but I rarely see an old person driving an Escalade or XLR. It is a shame this car was overlook because it is quick and beautiful. The car is expensive though, but it is still a nice alternative to the BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SL Class.

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First Impression: Ariel Atom

The Ariel Atom is a very unique car. There are no doors, windows, a windshield, or a roof on this car. The Atom contains an engine in the rear, a very small trunk in the front, two seats, suspension tuned by engineers at Lotus, four wheels, and a visible chassis. The Atom weighs only 1,350 lbs. Since the Atom is considered a car, and not a motorcycle, the driver and passenger are not required to wear helmets or masks, but it is highly recommended since the Atom is very quick and does not have a windshield.

I first saw the Ariel Atom at the December 2010 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. This was the same event where Hennessey was revealing the Venom GT. The Atom is a very unusual car and still got attention, even though people came to see the Venom GT. The guy who brought the Atom got the car from the second hand market. His Atom was previously owned by guitar legend Eddie Van Halen. His Atom had two small nitro tanks taped to the car's frame.

The Ariel Atom is powered by a 2.0L Honda K20A I4 engine, that can come with a supercharger and paired with a six-speed manual transmission, produces 245 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque or 300 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque with the optional supercharger. The Ariel Atom can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and reaches a top speed 140 mph and 155 mph with the supercharger. The base price for the Ariel Atom is $49,980. That is a low price for a very unique car. There is nothing like the Atom on the road and no car can match the thrills or driving experience that the Atom can provide.

Jay Leno did a feature on the Ariel Atom in his own garage. Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson reviewed the Atom during Series 5, Episode 9. Richard Hammond drove the Atom during a drag race between Top Gear and D Motor presenters during Series 11, Episode 6. The Ariel Atom is playable in Project Gotham Racing 2, Project Gotham Racing 3, Project Gotham Racing 4, ToCa Race Driver 3, and Test Drive Unlimited 2.

Final Thoughts: The Ariel Atom is a very unique car. There is nothing like it on the road. The car has hypercar acceleration for under $50,000. If you drive this car, please wear a helmet/mask because there is no windshield to prevent rocks and bugs from hitting your head. With the speed and acceleration of the Atom and no windshields, any small projectile that his your face could cause some injuries to the driver or passenger. A mask/helmet is highly recommended when driving or riding in the Atom. The Atom is also a rare car, with less than 100 Atoms made each year. There is also a 3.0L V8 engine available for the Atom 500 that produces 500 bhp and jumps the price from under $50,000 for a normal Atom to $160,000 for the Atom 500. Only 25 Ariel Atom 500s will produced.

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First Impression: Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

Nissan is known for creating unusual cars. The Murano is a four-door sports utility vehicle that went into production in 2002.  Nissan decided to be unconventional and change up the Murano. Nissan chopped the top off and replaced it with a convertible top and removed the rear door on each side. Nissan created the Murano CrossCabriolet, one of the least desirable cars of 2011.

Nissan was showing off this car at the 2011 Houston Auto Show. My first question is "Why?" I do not think that anyone was asking for an SUV convertible. Nissan also showed off the Leaf, a car that is powered by only electricity. However, Nissan did not show off the GT-R. I personally do not see why Nissan needed to make a convertible SUV. The Murano was not a pretty car in the first place, and it just looks wrong with only two doors and with the convertible top either up or down.

The Murano CrossCabriolet is powered by a 3.5L V6, paired with a continuously variable transmission, that produces 265 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 120 mph. It is only available fully loaded with all-wheel drive and costs $47,200. That is quite expensive for a car nobody asked for. It has adequate acceleration and a low top speed. For that price you can get a BMW X3 or an Infiniti FX 35 for around the same price and be happier with those SUVs.

Motorweek has reviewed the Murano CrossCabriolet on a recent episode. The Car Show asked if Nissan has turned the creativity dial too far during the 0 to 60 segment of Season 1, Episode 4.

Final Thoughts: I have no idea why Nissan decided to remove two doors and the hard top off the Murano. It is not easy on the eyes. The Murano CrossCabriolet is not cheap and you have to get it fully loaded. It is ugly, slow, and really not necessary. Other SUVs with a removable top include Jeeps and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. Both cars are great off-road, but I do not see the Murano as an off-roader. I see it as a luxury convertible, and there are better luxury convertibles than the Murano and for around the same price. I am going to pass on this creative, yet unnecessary SUV.

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Fiat 500c

The Fiat 500 is a great small car. It is a great car to mark the return of Fiat to America. Now, Fiat has cut off the roof and replaced it with a retractable soft top. Fiat calls this version the 500c.

I saw the 500c at the September 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. A representative from Northside Fiat of Houston exhibited this car. He joked that it is a four-door car by pretending to climb into the back seats through the open top. You could actually get into the backseats by climbing through the open top. The 500 is one of the best looking subcompacts on the road and the style is not ruined by the retractable roof. Also, the 500c still has a nice interior that does not feel cheap.

The 500c uses the same 1.4L 16v multiair I4 engine found in the Fiat 500. It can either come with a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. It gets 101 hp and 98 lb-ft of torque. The 500c goes from 0 to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of  9.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 105 mph. The 500c comes in two trim levels. A 500c Pop starts at $19,500 and a 500c Lounge starts at $23,500. That is cheap for a car that is stylish and has an interior that people took the time to work on. Other subcompact cars have cheap interiors.

The Fiat 500c has been reviewed by Motorweek. Richard Hammonds drove a Fiat 500c Abarth through Italy during Top Gear Series 17, Episode 2.

Final Thoughts: This is a great little convertible. It is inexpensive, but it does not feel cheap inside. There is not a lot of room in the back. It is a little bit under power and slow, but there is a more powerful 500c Abarth version coming soon. It is better than the Smart ForTwo Cabrio. I would take the 500c over the Mini Cooper Cabriolet.

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First Impression: Lotus Elise

Lotus has been making two door roadsters since 1962, when the Lotus released the Elan. The initial run for the Elan ended in 1975 and was brought back from 1989 to 1995. In 1995, Lotus replaced the Elan with the Elise. Lotus stopped production of the first generation Elise due to new European safety regulations. Lotus teamed up with General Motors to help them meet the new safety requirements. In 2002, the second generation Elise was released. GM got their own version of the Elise, the Opel Speedster and the Vauxhall VX220. The Elise is also the basis for the Lotus Exige and the Tesla Roadster.

The Lotus Elise is a regular at Houston Cars and Coffee events as well as the 2011 Houston Auto Show. I like the styling of the Elise. It looks like it would be fun to drive, especially with Lotus' reputation of excellent handling. It is one of the better roadsters out there.

The Lotus Elise is powered by a 1.6L I4 engine, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, that produces 134 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 124 mph. Other versions of the Elise are available. The Elise R has a 1.8L I4 engine that produces 190 hp and has a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 134 mph. The Elise SC has a supercharged 1.8L I4 that produces 220 hp, goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 145 mph. Prices for the Elise start at $47,250. Prices for the Lotus Elise R start at $51,845. Prices for the Lotus Elise Sc start at $54,990. The Elise is a little pricey compare to other sport roadsters, but none of them can handle as well as the Elise. Few sport roadsters have the performance of the Elise.

The Lotus Elise has been featured in Death Racers, Extreme Machines, Clarkson: Hot Metal, and Fifth Gear. The Elise is playable in Shift 2: Unleashed, L.A. Rush: Showdown, Need For Speed: World, Need For Speed: Shift,  Forza Mortorsport 2, Car Town, Saints Row 2, Forza Motorsport 4, Need For Speed: Undercover, Gran Turismo 4, Gran Turismo 5, Test Drive Unlimited, and many other racing games.

Final Thoughts: This is a great little sport roadster. The base Elise has the same horsepower as the Prius, but the Elise is lighter and handles better than the Prius. Since the Elise is lightweight, it does not need a lot of power to get it up to speed. The Elise handles like no other roadster. Lotus has turned handling into a science. The Elise may not be the most powerful or fastest car on the road, but its handling makes it a great track day car.


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Classic Car: BMW Z8

Henrik Fisker is responsible for some of the most beautiful cars ever made. He designed the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and worked with Ian Callum on designing the Aston Martin DB9. He also designed the BMW Z8. The Z8 is two-door, two-seater, front-engine, rear-wheel drive roadster with a hardtop. The Z8's production run was from 1999 to 2003, with 5,703 Z8s built.

I recently saw the Z8 at the April 2011 and October 2011 editions of Houston Cars and Coffee. This is one beautiful car. Both times, the Z8 had the top up. One Z8 had the hood up and the engine looks great. It is great to see a car used in a James Bond film in person. I just love the styling of the Z8.

The Z8 is powered by a BMW Motorsport 4.9L V8 engine from the E39 M5, paired with a six-speed manual transmission, that produces 394 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. The Z8 goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and has a limited top speed of 155 mph. Disengage the limiter and the Z8 will reach a top speed 186 mph. A new Z8 went for $128,000. It is beautiful and fast. It maybe a little bit expensive by late 90's early 2000's standards, but there is nothing like it on the road.

The Z8 was featured in James Bond: The World is Not Enough, Honey, Mischief 3000, It's All Gone Pete Tong, Fastlane, and the Tuxedo. Motorweek has reviewed it. It also has been featured on Clarkson: No Limit and Jeremy Clarkson: Head to Head. Clarkson reviewed the Alpina Z8 during Series 2, Episode 3, where he says the car has terrible handling. The Z8 is also playable in The World is Not Enough, James Bond 007: Agnet Under Fire, 007 Racing, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, Crackdown, Project Gotham Racing 3, Drift City, Drag Racer, Drag Racer 3, Need For Speed GT, Forza Motorsport 4, Pursuit Force, Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice, and GT Racing: Motor Academy.

This is one of the best looking cars I have ever seen that came from Germany. It is one of the all time greats that wears the BMW badge. Even though it went out of production in 2003, the cheapest Z8 I saw for sale was $88,000. A new Z8 went for $125,000. A Corvette made during the production run goes from $14,000 to $50,000. The Z8 keeps its value and I have seen a few Z8s go for over $125,000 on Auto Trader. The Z8 is definitely a collector's car, especially when it people are selling it above its original selling price. The Z8 is beautiful and is fast. Anyone who collects German cars needs to have a Z8 in his/her collection. It is good car for cruising, whether the top is up or down.

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First Impression: Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio

In 2002, Maserati produced the fifth generation of the Quattroporte. In 2007, Maserati started production on the coupe derived from the Quattroporte body, called the GranTurismo. In 2010, Maserati released a convertible version of the GranTurismo, called the GranCabrio. The GranTurismo is a front-engine, rear-wheel drive, 2+2 grand tourer. The GranTurismo originally came with 4.2L V8, but in 2008, Maserati came out with the GranTurismo S that featured a 4.7L V8.

The GranTurismo and GranCabrio make occasional appearances at Houston Cars and Coffee events. I have seen a few GranTurismos and GranCabrios on the roads of Houston. These cars are beautiful. They are very stylish cars. While interning at Pininfarina, Jason Castriota designed these cars. I have friends who are not car guys, yet they like the styling of Maseratis.

The GranTurismo is powered by a 4.2L V8, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, that produces 400 hp and 340 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 177 mph. The GranTurismo S, GranTursimo S Automatic, and GranCabrio are powered by a 4.7L V8 that produces the 434 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque. The GranTurismo S Automatic and GranCabrio come with the six-speed automatic transmission. The GranTurismo S uses a six-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The Gran Cabrio goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 176 mph. The GranTurismo S and S Automatic go from 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds and reach a top speed of 181 mph. Prices for the GranTurimo start at $118,900. The GranTurismo S goes for $122,500. The GranCabrio starts at $136,300. The GranTurismo and GranCabrio are great sports car.  They do not have the performance of a supercar. The price is fair for high performing sports cars.

The GranCabrio has been reviewd on Fifth Gear and RTL Autowereld. The GranTurismo and its variants have been featured on Reaper, Motorweek, Clarkson: Thriller, A Gifted Man, RTL Autowereld, Auto Esporte, Amazing Race, Top Gear Australia, LOpuKHI, and Fifth Gear. Top Gear featured the car during Series 6, Episode 5. The GranCabrio is playable in Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit. The GranTurismo and its variants are playable in Driver: San Francisco, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Forza Motorsport 2, Forza Motorsport 3, Forza Motorsport 4, Need For Speed: Shift, Shift 2: Unleashed, and Gran Turismo 5.

Final Thoughts: These are fast, highly stylish grand tourers. The GranTurismo and GranCabrio do not have the performance of a super car. The price is fair for these cars. Jason Castriota did a great job designing these cars and I cannot wait to see how he designed the SSC Tuatara. If these cars were faster and had more power, they would be competing against Ferrari. I do not think that Fiat wants Maserati and Ferrari competing against each other. Ferrari and Maserati were once rivals, now they are both owned by Fiat. The GranTurismo and GranCabrio are good alternatives to a Ferrari, but they do not match the prestige nor the performance of a Ferrari. However, Maseratis are $100,000 less than the Ferrari 458 and $200,000 less than the Ferrari 599 GTB. If you want a high performing sports car, then go with a Maserati. If you want something Italian and can go over 190 mph, then go with a Ferrari.



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First Impression: Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Spyder Performante

Lamborghini has been producing the Gallardo since 2003. There have been several versions of the Gallardo, including two different Gallardo Superleggeras. In 2010, Lamborghini decided to make a convertible version of the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, calling this version the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder Performante. The Gallardo Performante weighs 321 lbs more than the Gallardo Superleggera, but the Performante still weighs 143 lbs less than the standard Gallardo Spyder.

I first saw the Gallardo Performante at the November 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. I love the styling of this car. It looks aggressive and fast. I do not think that the Gallardo Superleggera needed to be a convertible, but it looks awesome. The carbon fiber accents helps the car stand out. It works with the Gallardo Superleggera and it works with the Gallardo Performante. The Performante is one of the better looking convertibles out there and is one of the best looking versions of the Gallardo.

The Gallardo Performante is powered by a 5.2L V10, paired with a six-speed e-gear transmission, that produces 570 hp and 398.3 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 201 mph. The price for the Performante is $248,000. A standard Gallardo has a base price of $205,000. The Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder starts at $224,600. The Gallardo Superleggera starts for $237,600. The Gallardo Performante has the same top speed and is 0.1 seconds quicker to 60 mph than the Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. Based on performance, the Performante is overpriced. But the standard Gallardo Spyder does not have the styling that the Performante has.

The Gallardo Performante has been featured on Clarkson: Powered Up, Fifth Gear, and The Car Show.

Final Thought: I love the styling of the car. It looks aggressive. But the Gallardo Performante is not as quick or as fast as a Gallardo Superleggera, yet is costs over $10,000 more than the Superleggera. Then again, convertibles are usually more expensive that coupes. Whether you go with the Gallardo Performante or the Gallardo Superleggera, you will get one stylish, fast supercar.


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First Impression: Aston Martin DB AR1

Zagato is a design consultancy and engineering services company that has worked with Fiat, Ferrari, Maserati, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, and Aston Martin. Aston Martin worked with Zagato on the Aston Martin DB7 Zagato, in which 99 were produced from 2002 to 2003. At that time, Aston Martin was producing the DB7 Vantage Volante. Aston Martin and Zagato collaborated on creating a limited edition car based on the DB7 Vantage Volante. In 2003, Aston Martin and Zagato created the Aston Martin DB AR1. 99 DB AR1s were created between 2003 and 2004.

I saw the DB AR1 at the 2010 Houston Classy Chassis. Its a beautiful car, but it does not stand out when a Ferrari California, Ferrari Daytona, Duesenberg, and a Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione are present. Compared to the DB7 Vantage Volante, the DB AR1 has a bigger grill and sleeker lines.

The DB AR1 is powered by a 6.0L V12 engine, paired with six-speed manual transmission, that produces 435 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 185 mph. It cost $226,000 when it was new. It is beautiful, fast, quick, and very exclusive. The DB7 Vantage Volante has a top speed of 165 mph and cost $146,000 when it was new. Compared to the DB7 Vantage Volante, the price for the DB AR1 is fair.

The DB AR1 has been featured in Veronica Mars, The O.C., Without A Trace, Oz & James Big Wine Adventure, Las Vegas, and Ocean's Twelve.

Final Thoughts: This is a very exclusive car. It is beautiful, quick, fast, but the price was fair when it was new. Only 99 were sold to the public, and all were sold out before the car was released. I have only seen it at a Concours d'Elegance event. It would be risky to drive something so exclusive on the roads. It is good for weekend driving and car shows.

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First Impression: Ferrari S.A. Aperta

Pininfarina is an Italian car design and coachbuilder that was founded by Battista Pininfarina. Pininfarina has designed and built cars for Alfa Romeo, Rolls-Royce, Volvo, Cadillac, Lancia, Maserati, and Ferrari. Pininfarina is responsible for the designs of the current Maserati and Ferrari models. Pininfarina designed the Ferrari 599 GTB and 599 GTO. At the 2010 Paris Auto Show, Ferrari revealed a convertible version of the Ferrari 599 GTO, called the Ferrari S.A. Aperta. The S.A. Aperta was created to honor car designers Sergio Pininfarina, Battista's son, and Andrea Pininfarina, Sergio's son. 80 S.A. Apertas would be built. 


I saw the S.A. Aperta at the 2011 Houston Ferrari Festival. The Aperta was in a roped off area, parked between a Ferrari F1 car and the Ferrari FF. The Aperta is beautiful and I love its styling. Sometime, chopping the roof of a car can damage its appearance. The Aston-Martin Vantage is a beautiful car. Replacing the roof with a soft drop-top hurts its appearance. Current Ferraris are just as beautiful with the roof down as they are with the roof up. The Ferrari California looks better with the top down than with the top off. The Ferrari 458 Spider is one the best convertibles to come out in 2011 and it looks just as beautiful and aggressive with the roof down.


The S.A. Aperta is powered by a 6.0L V12, paired with a six-speed F1 sequential semi-automatic transmission, that produces 661 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 208 mph. This is one fast convertible. Unfortunately, all 80 S.A. Apertas have been sold. Even if there were new S.A. Apertas available, it would cost you $456,000. The car is fast, quick, rare, and expensive.


The S.A. Aperta has been featured in Auto Esporte and Fifth Gear. 


Final Thoughts: The S.A. Aperta is a fitting tribute to the legendary Pininfarina family. Pininfarina has done worked on so many Ferraris, including the Enzo, California, FF, 575M Maranello, Testarossa, F40, 288 GTO, and the Daytona. All are beautiful Ferraris. The S.A. Aperta is quick, fast, beautiful, very rare, and expensive. The price tag is high, but there are only 80 S.A. Apertas being built and they have all been sold. To the owners of the 80 S.A. Apertas, please take of these cars. 

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Classic Car: Shelby Cobra

Last week, the automotive community lost an icon. On May 10, 2012, the world lost Carroll Shelby. After a short racing career, Shelby help create some of the most iconic cars to ever hit pavement. He help with the Shelby Daytona, Ford GT40, Dodge Viper, Shelby Series 1, and the Ford Mustang based Shelby GT500. But his most famous car is the Shelby Cobra, which is based on the AC Ace two-seater. Shelby got the license to import the AC Ace and removed the Bristol engine from the car and replaced it with a Ford V8 engine. The Shelby Cobra had a decent racing history, but it could not beat Ferrari. Phil Hill set the fastest GT lap at the 1963 Sebring race. Dan Gurney drove the Cobra to victory at the 1963 Bridgehampton 500KM. The Cobra won the 1964 24 Hours on LeMans and also won multiple SCAA A-production championships. The Shelby Cobra paved the way for the Shelby Daytona Coupe and the Ford GT-40, both with vast racing success.

I have seen all types of Shelby Cobras, both real Cobras and replicas. Real Cobras will have a commemorative plate and will have been signed by Carroll Shelby himself. There are some replica Cobras that are nearly identical to the real thing. The Cobra itself is a two-seater roadster with a V8 engine. It has an open oval in the front and exhaust pipes going down the sides. The Cobra is an open air race car that you can drive on the roads. 

The Shelby Cobra was powered by different V8 engines, all paired four-speed manual transmission. The 260 cubic inch (4.3L) V8 produced 260 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. The 260 Cobra goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and reaches a top speed o 152 mph. The 289 Cobra is powered by a 289 cubic inch (4.7L) V8 that produces 271 hp and 314 lb-ft of torque. The 289 Cobra goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 135 mph. The 427 Cobra is powered by a 427 cubic inch (7.0L) V8 that produces 425 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and reaches a top speed o 165 mph. The Cobras were quick and fast by 1962 standards. The cars are still quick by modern standards. However, to get a real Cobra will cost at least $1000,000. The more racing history a Cobra has, the more valuable and collectible the Cobra becomes.A Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake went for $5.5 million. 

Real Cobras and Cobra replicas have been featured on Jay Leno's Garage. A few Cobras have been featured on Chasing Classic Cars. The Cobra has also been featured on Pawn Stars, Mischief: Joyride, Mischief V: Dynasty, 2 Fast 2 Real I, 2 Fast 2 Real II, Classic and Sport Car, and Broom. The Cobra is playable in Driv3r, Drift City, Kinect Joy Ride, vDream Racing, Roadkill, Auto Modellista, Car & Driver, Vanishing Point, VDrift, Forza Motorsport series, Enthusia Professional Racing, Motor City Online, Gran Turismo series, Test Drive series, Project Gotham Racing 3 and 4, Asphalt: Urban GT 1 and 2, Midnight Club: Los Angeles, Midnight Club: L.A. Remix, Shift 2: Unleashed, and Driver: San Francisco.

The Shelby Cobra has a lot of racing history. It is highly desired by car enthusiasts. Even Cobra replicas are quite popular at car auctions. If you cannot afford to pay over $1 million dollars for a classic car and want a Cobra, there is no shame in getting a replica Cobra. There are many quality replicas out there. You get a similar experience in a replica but without paying a hefty price tag. I have seen rows of Cobras at Houston Cars and Coffee events and replica Cobras get almost the exact amount of attention as a real Cobra. Whether it is the real McCoy or just a replica, the Shelby Cobra is a great addition to any car collection. It has so much history to be ignored.The only two American cars that should get priority over the Shelby Cobra are the Shelby Daytona (only six were built) and the Ford GT40. Carroll Shelby help with creating three of the best American cars of all time. This was a huge lost for the automotive world.

R.I.P Carroll Shelby, an Americn Legend (1923-2012)

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First Drive: 2013 Smart ForTwo Cabrio

The Smart ForTwo has been around since 1998. It is available as either a three-door hatchback or a two-door convertible. The Smart ForTwo Cabrio is a convertible with a cloth drop-top. The drop-top acts like a cloth sunroof, but it retracts all the way to the rear hatch door. The upper section of the roof line above the doors are removable. During one Friday in April, I decided to stop by a local Smart dealership and take the the Smart ForTwo Cabrio for a test drive. I drove five cars that day, included the Smart ForTwo Coupe. The version of the Smart Cabrio I drove featured wider wheels not featured on the Smart ForTwo Coupe I drove. But you can get wider wheels on the Coupe as well as on the Cabrio. The Smart ForTwo is a rear engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door convertible. It is available with a five-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode. It is classified as a supermini/city car.

The Smart ForTwo Cabrio has the same styling as the Smart ForTwo Coupe, except a retractable cloth roof of the Cabrio replaces the hardtop of the Coupe. The Smart ForTwo Cabrio feels more open with the top down. One feature about the retractable roof is that it can open and close while the car is in motion. As far as the interior goes, it is the same interior found in the Smart ForTwo Passion Coupe. I felt less cramped with the roof down, but I did not have much legroom behind the wheel.

The Smart ForTwo Cabrio is powered by a 1.0L I3 engine that produces 70 hp and 68 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 12.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 90 mph. The Smart ForTwo Cabrio has the same performance as the Smart ForTwo Cabrio. Whether the Smart ForTwo comes with a retractable roof or not, it is still underpowered and very slow. The car felt slow on the roads and highways. Just like with the Coupe version, I felt a delay with the transmission in the Cabrio version. The wider wheels help the car with stability on the highway. The wind does not affect the Smart ForTwo with the wider wheels. But, I still could feel the wind push the car from side to side. The Cabrio is a convertible, and you will get wind noise with the roof down in almost any convertible. Prices for the Smart ForTwo Cabrio start at $18,640, which is $3000 more than the Smart ForTwo Passion Coupe.

Overall, I do not like the Smart ForTwo, whether it is the Coupe version or the Convertible version. There are just too many issues I have with the car. I noticed a delay with the transmission. The car is underpowered and very slow. The Smart ForTwo is so light that it gets pushed around by the wind. I did not have much legroom behind the wheel. And the car just feels cheap. If you want a supermini car, go with a Fiat 500, a Chevrolet Spark, or a Mini Cooper. If you want a supermini that has a retractable roof, go with the Fiat 500C. The Smart ForTwo is just bad. The main purpose for the Smart ForTwo line is that it raises the overall MPG rating for Mercedes-Benz, the parent company for Smart. This allows Mercedes-Benz to make high performance like the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, and the Mercedes-Benz S 65 AMG. Other than that, I do not see a reason for the Smart ForTwo to exist.

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First Drive: 2013 Fiat 500C

The original Fiat 500 Topolino was produced from 1936 until 1955. There was even a convertible version of this micro car/supermini/city car. From 1957 until 1975, Fiat produced the Fiat 500, a rear engine, rear wheel drive micro car. Unlike the Topolino, the Fiat 500 was not available as a convertible. In 2007, Fiat brought back the 500 name for its new city car. In December of 2010, production for the American version of the Fiat 500 began. In Spring 2011, the Fiat 500 went on sale in the United States and Canada. This was the first car to be sold under the Fiat brand in Canada and the United States since 1984. While the Fiat brand just recently returned to these two markets, Fiat's other brands, Ferrari and Maserati, were still sold in these two markets while during those 27 years. Another one of Fiat's brands, Alfa Romeo, made a short return these markets with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione and 8C Spider in 2008. The last Alfa Romeo to be sold in the United States occurred in 1995. After starting production of the Fiat 500 in 2007, Fiat started production on the convertible version in 2009. Fiat called this retractable soft top version the Fiat 500C. The Fiat 500C was available for the United States in 2011. The Fiat 500C is front engine, front-wheel drive, four passenger, two door convertible. The 500C comes with a five-speed manual transmission. I first saw the Fiat 500C at the September 2011 edition of Houston Cars and Coffee. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, I took a Fiat 500C for a test drive. The version I drove came with a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shifting mode.

On the exterior, the Fiat 500C looks just like the Fiat 500. The 500C is one of the better looking city cars available for the American market. It has sleek body lines, something missing from the Scion iQ and the Smart ForTwo. The 500C shares some styling characteristics from the classic Fiat 500, including the round head lights, the hood, and a sloping rear end. It even has a similar body line going along the side of the car, just under the wind. This was a feature on the classic  Fiat 500. The Fiat 500C has a stylish interior. It is classy, but functional. Behind the wheel, I had good leg room and head room. The car feels more open with the roof down. Since this is a city car with only two doors, there is not much room in the rear for adult passengers. The rear seats are better suited for smaller passengers.

The Fiat 500C is powered by a 1.4L I4 engine that produces 101 hp and 98 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 110 mph. While the performance of the 500 is not great, it is still better than the performance of the Smart ForTwo Cabrio. For a small car, the Fiat 500C has a smooth ride. The car responds well when I turn the steering feel and has an agile feel to it. Unlike the Smart ForTwo Cabrio, the wind had little effect on the car. It was quiet inside the 500C. I could hear the product specialist explain the features of the Fiat 500C, even with the roof down. And most of all, this is a fun car to drive. Prices for the Fiat 500C Pop starts at $20,000. Prices for the Fiat 500C Lounge start at $24,000. While the Smart ForTwo Cabrio is cheaper, with a base prices around $18,500, the Fiat 500C is a better car.

The Fiat 500C has been featured in Gek Op Wielen, St. Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold, Letters to Juliet, Camping 2, Monte Carlo, Der Letzte Bulle, Switch, Ein Sommer Im Elsass, Dolfje, Jo, Borgen, Frankie, Motorweek,, Wainy days, The Office, Pod Prikritie, and Top Gear Korea.

Overall, this is a good city car/super mini/micro car. For a micro car convertible, it has decent performance, especially when compared to its rival, the Smart ForTwo Cabrio. While having a 0 to 60 mph time of just under 10.0 second is slow, it has some zip to it when driving on city streets. With a top speed of 110 mph, it is one of the faster city cars out there. And the Fiat 500C is fun to drive, whether the top is up or down. There is a high performance version of the Fiat 500C, the Fiat 500C Abarth, which has a turbocharged 1.4L I4 engine that produces 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. It is only available with a five-speed manual transmission. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 129 mph. It costs $26,700. Still, if you want a city car with a little performance, go with either the Mini Cooper Hardtop and Coupe lines or the Fiat 500 line. For a city car, the Fiat 500C is a good choice.

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