1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Gs Convertible 2-door 2.4l on 2040-cars

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Incredible French barn finds could fetch over $18M [w/video]

We all dream about taking a drive and discovering the mythical barn find of a vintage Shelby Cobra or Porsche Speedster hidden way under a sheet, totally forgotten. An upcoming auction from Artcurial in France on February 6 proves that these treasure troves still really do exist, and this might be one of the ultimate barn finds ever. Decaying away on a French estate, there was a collection of about 100 dirt-covered cars that had been undisturbed for decades, according to The Telegraph. They included all of the great European marques, like Bugatti, Porsche, Maserati, Ferrari and many more. Most of the vehicles were underneath a shed but generally exposed to the elements; however, two very special sports cars were hidden away in a garage (pictured above). In there was a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider with covered headlights. It was one of just 37 made and thought to be lost. Beside the Ferrari was a 1956 Maserati A6G Gran Sport Frua. The collection belonged to Roger Baillon, a French transport magnate, according to Artcurial. He amassed this wonderful collection, but when his business fell on hard times in the '70s, Baillon sold part of the group off. These were the ones he kept, but they eventually went forgotten. Artcurial thinks that only 60 of the cars are actually in salable condition, and they cross the block during the Retromobile Salon in February. The auctioneers believe the Ferrari could sell for as much as 12 million euros (14.74 million) and the Maserati for 1.2 million euros ($1.5 million). Check out the gallery to glimpse the breadth of classics in this collection. Be sure to scroll down for a must-watch, gut-wrenching, patina-laden video showing off the collection and for Artcurial's press release about the sale. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. ??PRESS RELEASE 05.12.2014 BREAKING NEWS: ARTCURIAL DISCOVERS A FORGOTTEN TREASURE IN FRANCE - SALE FRIDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2015 - ?1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider • Chassis 2935 • Ex Alain Delon • Baillon Collection Estimate : 9 500 000 – 12 000 000 ˆ 1956 Maserati A6G Gran Sport Frua • Chassis 2140 • Baillon Collection Estimate : 800 0000 – 1 200 000 ˆ Paris – The Collectors' Car Department at Artcurial has discovered 60 collectors' automobiles, all major marques dating from the early days of the motor car through to the 1970s.

Maserati GranCabrio First Drive Review: Want an electric convertible? This is it

LAKE MAGGIORE, Italy — Driving the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore on its picturesque home turf, and studying MaseratiÂ’s press materials, IÂ’m convinced the Italian automaker has buried the lede. Especially when every auto journalist is questioning a pricing strategy that finds some GranTurismo coupes and GranCabrio convertibles brushing past $200,000. That gets into Cloud 9, Bentley-and-Aston-Martin territory.  To counter the whispers, hereÂ’s the part IÂ’d be shouting about: The GranCabrio Folgore is the worldÂ’s first and only luxury electric convertible. That alone might intrigue some free-spending, first-on-their-block buyers. Then, Exhibit B: Like the plug-in GranTurismo coupe, the convertible will out-accelerate any rival Bentley Continental GT or Aston DB12, a margin that grows positively yawning as speeds climb. A rocking 750 horsepower and rock-crushing 995 pound-feet of torque will do that. This Italian job is also noticeably more agile and connected to the road than the isolated Bentley droptop, and easily on par with AstonÂ’s best GTs. That includes a gasoline Trofeo version whose 4,316-pound curb weight undercuts a GT Speed convertible by more than 1,100 pounds; mated to 542 horses from its twin-turbo, 3.0-liter Nettuno V6, a detuned version of the engine in the MC20 supercar. This Italian sexpot is arguably a prettier car than the Bentley, and nearly as head-turning as the Aston, judging by public reaction to our convoy of beautifully painted models: Rose gold was a knockout specimen, along with a deep blue with metallic flake called Night Interaction, a burnt orange and a sizzling red. Anything but bright yellow, grazie. The Maserati also carves out more passenger space than the British duo. ItÂ’s a legitimate four-seater with room for two adults in back — after a bit of space-sharing from front-seaters — versus a Bentley or Aston whose back seats are glorified parcel shelves. Finally, the MaseratiÂ’s vividly realized electric powertrain advances the tech future, where Bentley and AstonÂ’s relatively pokey corporate V8s are rooted firmly in the past. So thatÂ’s four objective wins for the Maserati, in key areas I assumed auto journalists also cared about: Power and acceleration, sporty handling, interior space and technology. Honestly, the BentleyÂ’s only decisive win is its gorgeously wrought London library that doubles as a car interior. The AstonÂ’s cabin also tops the MaseratiÂ’s in materials and execution.

Maserati Levante could get a V8 to battle the Cayenne Turbo

Maserati's new Levante crossover is based on the platform shared by the Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans. The Quattroporte's top engine is a 523-horsepower, twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8. When asked if that engine would fit in the Levante, a Maserati engineer gave the answer we were hoping to hear almost immediately. "Yes, it fits, and we have a prototype already," said Davide Danesin, the head of Maserati vehicle programs. The Levante will launch with two models, both of which use the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that Ferrari builds for Maserati, but in two different tunes. The first generation of the V6 launched in the Ghibli and Quattroporte. While the V8 is only currently used in the rear-drive Quattroporte GTS, Danesin assures us that packaging the V8 and an all-wheel-drive system works. There is that prototype, after all. The fact that Danesin volunteered that a V8 prototype exists leads us to believe it's being very seriously considered, since manufacturers reluctantly acknowledge that there will even be a future, let alone one that will bring new, as-yet-unannounced products. Maserati officials caution that it may be tough to make a case for such a vehicle, however, as the over-500-hp SUV segment is pretty small, at about 12,000 units per year by their estimates. It's also relatively crowded, with the logical bogeys being the Porsche Cayenne Turbo (520 hp) and Turbo S (570 hp) and the Range Rover Sport SVR (550 hp). None of them will touch the Levante's upcoming American cousin, the Hellcat-powered Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, but that's cool. View 21 Photos We'd guess that the yay/nay on a V8 Levante will hinge on the overall popularity of the new model as well as the mix of 345-hp Levante versus 424-hp Levante S models once customers start ordering. Which is to say, if you think you'll want a V8 Levante eventually, get out there and buy a few Levante S models when they hit dealers this October. In other Maserati powertrain news, we're told the second-generation V6, which makes 20 more horsepower in its angriest tune and debuts in the Levante, will show up in the Ghibli and Quattroporte "soon." We'd peg that at mid-cycle refresh time, which should be in a year or so. The second-gen V6 gets its extra power from re-profiled camshafts, some redesign work on the heads, and other tweaks, likely in software. Oh, and for more on the first Maserati crossover and that updated engine, watch for our first drive of the twin-turbo V6 Levante very soon.