02 Cl500 Amg Wheels Clean Carfax Keyless Go Navigation Sunroof Xenon Fl on 2040-cars

Auto blog

A 1985 Ford Escort for $915,000? If it was owned by Princess Diana

What makes a used car worth more than the car itself? If it was owned by John Lennon. Or Muhammad Ali. Michael Schumacher, perhaps, or Stirling Moss. This year’s edition from the Hagerty organization of its “Power List” makes for amusing reading even if youÂ’re not on it. But you can make believe that you are. Essentially, the list, which was launched only last year, tracks the impact of celebrity ownership of a vehicle on its value, as measured by its worth at auction. Nearly 400 sales of celebrity cars and bikes have been analyzed from around the world by Hagerty using market data and “expert” analytics. Hagerty is aware, certainly, that famous folks — from royalty, sports, movies and music — grab gobs of attention from ordinary people. ThatÂ’s why the 2023 Power List comprises these categories: Art Cars, Racing Drivers, Movies and TV, Musicians, Royalty, Screen Stars, Sporting Icons. But you don't have to be a rock star or a F1 pilot to get listed: Princess Diana, besides an Escort Turbo RS that she owned between 1985 and 1988, numbered a convertible 1994 Audi 80 Cabriolet and a Jaguar XJS Cabriolet among her rides. HereÂ’s a look at some of the more notable entries: Racing driver category: In pole position was an unlikely titleholder, a 1976 Ford Bronco. This was the car bought new by legendary Canadian Formula 1 driver Gilles Villeneuve and untouched since his death; it sold at the Aguttes auction in Paris last December for $148,000, a huge 210% increase over the $47,800 that Hagerty would value a regular example in the same condition. Just a note: The list doesnÂ’t include race cars, only vehicles kept privately by the drivers. Musicians: A 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow had been Freddie MercuryÂ’s personal chauffeur-driven transport from 1979 until his death in 1991. Without celebrity ownership, Hagerty would value the Silver Shadow at a lowly $9,500, a car that would take a lot of time, effort and money to restore properly. But add in MercuryÂ’s aura and bids ended at $362,500. “ItÂ’s no surprise that MercuryÂ’s car dominated our Musicians list on the 2023 Hagerty Power List,” the company said. Movies and TV: For those readers now emerging from hibernation since 1968, the news is that the historic Highland Green Mustang from “Bullitt” remains at the top of the Power List for the second year running.

Time to catch up with Jay Leno's Garage, including his Lamborghini Espada restoration

If you're already jealous of the time, effort and money that Jay Leno can devote to his massive car collection, prepare to get a little greener with envy with this latest video from Jay Leno's Garage. Instead of the usual format of discussing a model for about ten minutes and then taking it out for a test drive, this week Leno gives viewers on a tour of over a dozen projects concurrently happening in his stable. The breadth of the vehicles shown and the things being done to them run the entire span of the automotive hobby. At the same time, Jay's shop is working on just a simple restoration of his 1969 Lamborghini Espada (pictured), and at the other side of the building, the team is rebuilding a wood-bodied 1914 Detroit Electric from scratch. He eventually plans to slot a more modern electric drivetrain into it. If bikes are more your interest, there's a freshly completed Brough Superior just waiting for a ride, and if American models are your thing, a Ford Bronco is getting a Coyote V8 installed into it. You have some very specific tastes if you can't watch this clip and start wishing at least one of these vehicles could be in your own garage. Other than the personal projects his mechanics are working on in the shop, Jay gets to have them all, plus plenty more.

Brabus takes Mercedes-Maybach even further

Hard as it may be to imagine for most, even the flagship Mercedes-Maybach S600 won't be enough for some. And those individuals can now turn to Brabus to customize their limousines even further. The latest tuning package includes an array of enhancements, starting with the engine. That's where Brabus has installed all the upgrades from the Brabus Rocket 900, boring the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 out to 6.3 liters, and producing a massive 887 horsepower and 1,106 pound-feet of torque. That'll propel the limo up to an Autobahn-crunching top speed quoted at 217 miles per hour, reaching 62 in just 3.7 seconds. Buyers going for the less potent Maybach S500 offered in certain markets can also opt for the Brabus B50-540 performance kit, which offers 83 extra hp and a further 88 lb-ft of torque. Brabus has also fitted a choice of 21-inch wheels, retuned suspension dropped by an inch, a full aero kit, and new radiator grille. And as sumptuous as it is already, the tuner is also offering upgrades to the interior with special leather and Alcantara upholstery, wood and carbon-fiber trim, and its full iBusiness suite. All of which promises to make the flagship Mercedes even more expensive, of course, but if there was ever an example of "if you have to ask, you can't afford it," surely the Maybach is it. BRABUS refines the new Mercedes-Maybach 662 kW / 900 HP, 1,500 Nm, top speed 350 km/h plus, high-tech forged wheels, sporty-elegant design and even more luxurious BRABUS fine leather interiors The new Mercedes-Maybach represents the absolute pinnacle of state-of-the-art automotive engineering. Nonetheless, even this luxury sedan offers room for individual refinement, which BRABUS (Brabus-Allee, D-46240 Bottrop, phone + 49 / (0) 2041 / 777-0, fax + 49 / (0) 2041 / 777 111, internet www.brabus.com) realizes with a select team of the best engineers, designers, technicians and master craftsmen. The BRABUS ROCKET 900 6.3 V12 twin-turbo increased-displacement engine provides the Mercedes-Maybach S 600 with an enormous rated power output of 662 kW / 900 HP (887 bhp) and a peak torque of 1,500 Nm (1,106 lb-ft). Top speed is in excess of 350 km/h (217 mph). To match the extreme performance of the luxury liner, the appearance of the four-seat car receives some sporty-elegant emphasis with BRABUS aerodynamic-enhancement components and BRABUS Monoblock "PLATINUM EDITION" 21-inch forged wheels. Another BRABUS domain is exclusive interior design.