All posts in “Brand”

Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance 2021 Will Have Ford Performance Cars Display

The Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance has, for 65 years, been the premier place to see exotic, rare, and beautiful cars in absolutely pristine condition. Over the years, the event has grown from a few cars to over 200 treasured and collectible cars, dressed to the nines for the Concours.

For 2021, with the event taking place from July 16 to 18, the Concours will host a chronological evolution display of Ford performance cars, from the very first sports version of a Ford car to the latest and greatest Ford supercar. The special display brings together many rare cars, some of them one of only a few ever made or remaining, with the owners of the cars collaborating with Hillsborough to make the centerpiece display happen.

195 Ford Model T Speedster

195 Ford Model T Speedster

The oldest car in the display will be the very first Ford sports car, the 1915 Ford Model T Speedster. It is, in fact, the first Ford performance production car to carry the Ford badge, but not actually be fully manufactured by Ford, much like how companies like Saleen, Roush, and RTR work with Mustangs today.

Powered by the legendary inline-four, 2.9L Model T engine, the Speedster on display was built racing in mind, and features one of the first racing applications of a water jacket thermosyphon. This cooling system used natural convection with a large amount of water around the engine to push heat out the top of the bonnet, hence the flaps on it to allow that head to be carried away by the air passing over them.

1967 Ford GT40 MkIV chassis G7A J-9

1967 Ford GT40 MkIV chassis G7A J-9

The centerpiece of the display, however, is a 1967 Ford GT40 MkIV, which is famously known as the G7A J-9 chassis. This specific car was made as a test chassis, fully built up to race spec, but using the newly designed 7L, 3 valves per cylinder V8 for Can-Am racing. This engine was one of the first full cast aluminum V8’s and produced over 500 HP, moving a fully aluminum honeycomb body on a lightweight aluminum chassis. In other words, it was fast, but it never actually raced, having only completed test runs around several tracks in the hands of an Italian-American known as Mario Andretti.

1964 Shelby USRRC 289 Cobra

1964 Shelby USRRC 289 Cobra

The display also celebrates the involvement of Carroll Shelby in guiding the Ford performance program through the 1960s, with no less than 7 Shelby cars on display. The ultra-rare 1964 Shelby USRRC 289 Cobra is one of the display cars, but its much better known big brother, the 1965 Shebly 427 Competition Cobra, was the result of that partnership with Ford.

1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra

1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra

Also on display are an original 1965 Shelby GT350 and GT350R, a 1968 Shelby GT500 KR (the first of the “King of the Road” Shelby models), and one of the first Shelby GT500’s to roll off the production line in 2014.

1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429

1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429

Other cars present are a 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429, a 2000 Ford Mustang Cobra R, the 2005 Ford GT VIN #2, and one of the first 50 2016+ Ford GT supercars.

2018 Ford GT

2018 Ford GT

If you would like to attend the event, information on how to get to Hillsborough, as well as tickets and information, are available at the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance website.

2014 Shelby GT500

2014 Shelby GT500

5 Ferrari Special Editions You’ll Drool Over

Just when you thought Ferraris couldn’t get any better, the plucky factory from Maranello devises some of the greatest supercar masterpieces the world has ever laid eyes on. Jokes aside, they’re not really a ‘plucky’ car brand but an unstoppable, desirable supergiant that loves to push boundaries in both style and speed.

The clientele Ferrari attracts is a whos-who of the elite 1% and with that much power and cash, comes the ability to customize anything. Do you want purple seats? Maybe not that extreme, but Ferrari has been known to create some special editions to certain people, or to commemorate their heritage. Whatever it may be, it has a certain aura that only Ferraris can emit and we all love them for it!

250 Europa Coupe by Vignale

250 Europa Coupe by Vignale

250 Europa Coupe by VignaleThe 1950’s was still new territory for Enzo Ferrari and his company. They were mostly an Alfa Romeo racing firm before coming into mass production of cars, but here they were, producing a gem called the Ferrari 250.

Ferrari’s most famous coachbuilder was Pininfarina, but they had a few one-offs, one of them was the 250 Europa created by Vignale. Only a handful of examples were created by Vignale and the V12 coupe is a rare masterpiece, more modern than the Pininfarina counterpart.

Some examples sold more than six-figures, and it’s a desirable piece of automotive history, adding their own flair to an already beautiful vehicle. Personally, we love the massive glass in the rear after the B-pillar, giving the 250 Europa a fastback look and a curvy back.

LaFerrari Aperta

LaFerrari Aperta

LaFerrari Aperta

When LaFerrari was introduced in 2013, it made everyone’s jaw drop. A V12 hybrid supercar was now a reality and was going head-to-head with the likes of the Porsche 918 and the McLaren P1. This was the unspoken territory and Ferrari was determined to leave their mark for generations to come.

Everyone loved the Ferrari LaFerrari and 500 examples were produced. To commemorate Ferrari’s 70th anniversary, they created the convertible version called LaFerrari Aperta. Italian for ‘open’, the LaFerrari Aperta created access to endless miles of sky and fresh air while hearing almost 800 rampaging horses scream for more. Only 210 examples of the Aperta were sold, so seeing one in the wild will be quite a feat.

275 NART Spyder

275 NART Spyder

275 NART Spyder

The Ferrari 275 ruled the land during the 60s as a V12 roadster for the elite. It was the first Ferrari to offer a transaxle, which meant the transmission, the differential, etc., was built into one assembly. Having a transaxle gives the car better weight distribution vs. a transmission and reduces weight overall.

The 275 was bought directly through Ferrari as a convertible ‘spyder’ version and became known as the NART. It was specifically created for an American dealer who had their own ‘North American Racing Team’. It still featured a 3L V12 under the hood, but now with no roof, for you to enjoy the sound even more.

Producing only 10 examples, the NART edition of the 275 is one of the most desirable and rarest Ferraris in history.

Bergman 375 MM Pininfarina Berlinetta

Bergman 375 MM Pininfarina Berlinetta

Bergman 375 MM Pininfarina Berlinetta

The Ferrari 375 MM was a racing legend in the mid-1950’s. Named after the Mille Miglia, one of the most famous endurance races in Italy, the two-door race car from Maranello was a racing legend. With 375cc in each cylinder, the V-12 roadster had almost 4.5L of raw power on your right foot, ready to send you to victory.

The most famous example was when director Roberto Rossellini asked Ferrari to build a special 375 MM for his then-wife, Ingrid Bergman. Most notably known as Humphrey Bogart’s counterpart in the movie Casablanca, Ingrid Bergman lit up the silver screen becoming a Hollywood icon.

Complete with a custom grey paint job, the 375 MM had their own colour called Grigio Ingrid.

Only one example was created and it is a masterpiece. If you happen to see this example, cherish it forever. Cherish and remember that moment whenever you have a bad day because whatever problems you may have don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.

“Someday you’ll understand that.”

Ferrari Enzo

Ferrari Enzo

Ferrari Enzo

Named after the legend himself, the Enzo was released in the early 2000s with great spectacle. Designed by Pininfarina, the V12 monster was a rare spectacle of 400 examples. Featuring Formula 1 technology, such as a carbon fibre body, composite brakes, and an F1-style transmission, this rare supercar couldn’t just be bought at any Ferrari dealership.

You needed to have bought a Ferrari F40 or an F50, and be invited to have the right to buy the Enzo. No other car manufacturer has the gall or the chutzpah to declare that you had to be invited to buy their car. Imagine going to a Volkswagen dealership and seeing a GTI in the showroom, only to be denied rights to buy it because you weren’t invited.

Only Ferrari could pull off something that ludicrous, and pull it off they did.