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Looking back on our favorite cars of Mad Men

The second half of the seventh and final season of Mad Men debuted this week, set to cap a run of public and critical acclaim. A decade's worth of interesting cars also made for good television, if you were paying attention. Vehicles didn't often steal the spotlight from Don, Betty, Roger, Joan and the gang, but they added meaningfully to the tone and beauty of the series. We sorted through the wheeled extras from Mad Men's archives, and choose some of our favorites to highlight. The list consists of cars that had at least a small impact on the plot of an episode, though certainly there are worthy gems hiding in just about every street and driving scene. Check out our subjective top five, and then let us know which of the Mad Men cars would be on your list. 1962 Cadillac Coupe DeVille – Season 2 Don Draper's Cadillac Coupe DeVille, all 500 feet of it, shows up in a few seasons of the show, but it's the first appearance that sets the tone. A Cadillac salesman, cut from the same cloth as Draper, asks what Don drives right now. "A Dodge," Don admits. "Those are wonderful if you want to get somewhere," allows the salesman, "this is for when you've already arrived." For a man on the move up corporate and social ladders that's a powerful message, and a pitch-perfect car. 1961 Lincoln Continental – Season 3 The most stylish Lincoln Continental ever is perfect set dressing for the mod show, of course. Though it's interesting that the car isn't cast as dapper Draper's ride, but rather his father-in-law's. Grandpa Gene does what all great grandfathers are bound to: lets his granddaughter Sally drive the big Lincoln while he works the pedals. Generational bond secured, in fine fashion. When you go back through the first three seasons of the show, you'll notice that Continentals show up more than once, too. There's nothing quite like them to evoke the best of the early '60s. 1963 John Deere 110 – Season 3 The only non-standard passenger vehicle on the list, no self-respecting gearhead/Mad Men fan should quibble with the inclusion of the John Deere 110 riding mower. For starters, the Deere is lovely to look at; a miniature version of the American Heartland icon in its green and yellow duds. The 110 appears as if milled from a solid block of steel, just the opposite of today's sleek, plasticky lawn minders (we're scouring Craigslist for one to bring home). The John Deere also has dear ramifications to the plot, too.

Chevy rolls out Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition at SEMA

It's not just concept vehicles that Chevy is showcasing at SEMA this year. The Bowtie brand is also taking the occasion of the tuner expo to reveal the new Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition. The special edition of the flagship performance model pays tribute to the racing model with a series of special touches and upgrades. The C7.R edition is based on the Z06 in 3LZ trim, and comes equipped with the Z07 Performance Package, including Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. But that's not the end of the story. It also includes special graphics, yellow brake calipers, yellow-striped black wheels, a carbon ground effects package, carbon hood section, metallic gray grilles and vents, and a black leather interior with sueded microfiber trim, Competition Sports seats, and yellow stitching. Buyers will be able to order theirs in black or yellow and in either coupe or convertible body-styles. Only 650 examples will be made, of which 500 will remain in the United States, and each of them is individually numbered starting with the VIN 700001. Of course, being based on the Z06 we already know, it packs a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine good for 650 horsepower and an equal measure of torque. With the Z06 pack, that translates to a 0-60 time of under 3 seconds for the automatic version and 3.2 for the manual. Related Video: Corvette Z06 C7.R Edition Pays Tribute to Racing Legacy Distinctive appearance package complements capability with special-edition style LAS VEGAS – When the Z06 rejoined the Corvette lineup in 2015 as the most capable model in the car's long, storied history, it also joined an elite fraternity of the world's most capable supercars – with performance proven on the track, including winning Car and Driver's 2015 Lightning Lap evaluation. The Corvette Z06's capability is derived in no small part from technology and experience leveraged from the championship Corvette Racing program. That connection is celebrated with the 2016 C7.R Edition. It's offered in Corvette Racing's signature yellow livery – or black – with coordinated exterior and interior accents. Only 650 will be built (500 for the U.S. market), all with the Z07 Performance Package with carbon ceramic brakes, and a specially serialized vehicle identification number.

Artist imagines eerie world where cars have no wheels

The wheel ranks right up there with the telescope and four-slice toaster in the pantheon of inventions that have moved humankind forward. But what if a circle in three dimensions had never occurred to anyone, and we all had just moved on without it? Perhaps we'd be driving around in Lucas Motors Landspeeders with anti-gravity engines. Or maybe we'd have the same cars we do today, just without wheels.
That's the thought experiment that seems to have led French photographer Renaud Marion to create his six-image series called Air Drive. The shots depict cars throughout many eras of motoring that look normal except for one thing: they have no wheels. The models used include a Jaguar XK120, Cadillac DeVille (shown above), Chevrolet El Camino and Camaro, and Mercedes-Benz SL and 300 roadsters.
Perhaps one day when our future becomes our past, you'll be able to walk the street and see with your own eyes the rust and patina of age on our nation's fleet of floating cars. Until then, Monsieur Marion's photographs will have to do.