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Bid on the incredible George Barris Supervan in Scottsdale

Barrett-Jackson's upcoming Scottsdale, AZ, auction features the groovy Barris SuperVan, which came from the mind of car customizing legend George Barris. He even autographed the interior. Passengers enter the SuperVan through the hinged windshield, and once inside they can party in style thanks to the roof-mounted disco ball. However, occupants can't get too wild because the massive side windows don't leave much room for privacy. Barris built the van around a 1966 Dodge Tradesman A-100 with a three-speed manual gearbox and a 318-cubic-inch V8. Barris originally called the van the "The Love Machine," and it later had quite a Hollywood career. Its on-screen appearances included the '70s movie SuperVan, and a repainted version served as a Hill Valley Transit bus in Back to the Future II. After his passing at age 89 last year, Barris' creation might see a further boost in value. Barrett-Jackson doesn't offer a price estimate for the SuperVan, but we can't wait to see what this groovy vehicle sells for with no reserve. Collectors already valued Barris' work before his death. For example, his 1960s Batmobile, which was likely Barris' most famous creation, went for $4.62 million at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2013. Related Video: Lot #1306 1966 DODGE TRADESMAN A-100 BARRIS CUSTOM SUPERVAN Auction Scottsdale 2016 Reserve NO RESERVE Status Available Price Request Bidder Info Lot 1306 Location Tent 7 B - 1 Year 1966 Make DODGE Model TRADESMAN A-100 Style BARRIS CUSTOM SUPERVAN *Includes Buyer Commission Details VIN 24653301 Exterior Color RED/BLUE/SILVER Interior Color RED/BLUE Cylinders 8 Engine Size 318 Transmission 3-SPEED MANUAL Description Lot #1306 - Originally designed by George Barris as "The Love Machine" and reincarnated by Barris for the movie "SuperVan." It was used for many movies and TV shows after that, such as the Hill Valley Transit bus in "Back to the Future II," "Sea Quest" and the 1970 movie "Solar Crisis." The van has been completely restored to its "SuperVan" look and has since been signed by George Barris. Manual transmission. Featured Gallery Barris SuperVan Auction News Source: Barrett-Jackson Dodge Auctions Minivan/Van Special and Limited Editions Classics george barris barris

Stellantis ready to kill brands and fix U.S. problems, CEO Tavares says

  MILAN — Stellantis is taking steps to fix weak margins and high inventory at its U.S. operations and will not hesitate to axe underperforming brands in its sprawling portfolio, its chief executive Carlos Tavares said on Thursday. The warning for lossmaking brands is a turnaround for Tavares, who has maintained since Stellantis was created in 2021 from the merger of Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA that all of its 14 brands including Maserati, Fiat, Peugeot and Jeep have a future. "If they don't make money, we'll shut them down," Carlos Tavares told reporters after the world's No. 4 automaker delivered worse-than-expected first-half results, sending its shares down as much as 10%. "We cannot afford to have brands that do not make money." The automaker now also considers China's Leapmotor as its 15th brand, after it agreed to a broad cooperation with the group. Stellantis does not release figures for individual brands, except for Maserati which reported an 82 million euro adjusted operating loss in the first half. Some analysts say Maserati could possibly be a target for a sale by Stellantis, while other brands such as Lancia or DS might be at risk of being scrapped given their marginal contribution to the group's overall sales. Stellantis' Milan-listed shares were down as much as 12.5% on Thursday, hitting their lowest since August 2023. That brings the loss for the year so far to 22%, making them the worst performer among the major European automakers. Few automotive brands have been killed off since General Motors ditched the unprofitable Saturn and Pontiac during a U.S. government-led bankruptcy in the global financial crisis in 2008. Tavares is under pressure to revive flagging margins and sales and cut inventory in the United States as Stellantis bets on the launch of 20 new models this year which it hopes will boost profitability. Recent poor results from global carmakers have heightened worries about a weakening outlook for sales across major markets such as the U.S., whilst they also juggle an expensive transition to electric vehicles and growing competition from cheaper Chinese rivals. Japan's Nissan Motor saw first-quarter profit almost completely wiped out on Thursday and slashed its annual outlook, as deep discounting in the United States shredded its margins. Tavares said he would be working through the summer with his U.S. team on how to improve performance and cut inventory.

Help find Kenny Wayne Shepherd's stolen 1972 Dodge Charger

Judging by his collection of cars, blues musician Kenny Wayne Shepherd (shown above, at left, with fellow musician George Thorogood) is an enthusiast of classic Dodge muscle cars, so it's no surprise that he is an active member of Mopar-related online communities. When his 1972 Dodge Charger turned up missing from an LA-area warehouse last Wednesday, Shepherd took to the forums of Moparts.org in an attempt to get the word out in hopes of recovering his custom classic.
The Charger was stolen along with four other vehicles, and Hot Rod reports that two women have been taken into custody since - but still no word on the car. With its blacked-out appearance (including custom Foose wheels), this car is definitely hard to miss, but Shepherd also said that the car might be even more distinguishable now due to some body damage that may have occurred as it was being driven from the warehouse lot. Shepherd's website has a full gallery of images for this '72 Charger, which also has a modern 392-cubic-inch V8 under the hood and a six-speed gearbox pulled from a Viper.
If you're in the LA area and happen to see this car, Shepherd asks that you call the LAPD West Valley Division at 818-374-7611. Here's to hoping this one-of-a-kind Charger turns up unscathed.