While it says Acura on the front, underneath its skin, this truck is really a Honda Horizon. And under that facade, its really an Isuzu Trooper. Although in this video made by the brand, its much more than any of those.Acura threw together this retro clip showcasing one of its classic SUVs with a wacky, modern twist. It shows an enthusiast buying the vehicle, then taking it home to park it beside his partners new Acura SLX.A couple bottles of liquid are spilled on the floor to create a powerful potion, which, thanks to the magic of 90s video-editing, takes parts from the new vehicle and imparts them into the 1997 model.In real life, Acura modified the original 1997 model year truck to include a bunch of components from its latest models. Namely, theres the 2.0-litre turbocharged VTEC engine, the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive System and the 10-speed transmission. Various suspension components were also upgraded to give the truck better ride and handling that includes an independent rear suspension in place of the original live axle.The video preys on the nostalgia of the 20- to 30-year-olds of today, who perhaps grew up in the back of one of these classic 1990s SUVs and are now trying to relive that childhood. Good luck finding one like the hero car for $500, though.The end of the video shows the same goopy concoction being spilled in order to recreate the effect of the potion, but instead with a brand-new NSX.The vehicle will be on display at the upcoming RADwood car show in Los Angeles, along with a 1991 NSX, the earliest known example in North
Origin: Acura will bring this modified retro SLX to RADwood
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Blink-182 drummer sells classic Cadillac on Bring a Trailer
Travis Barker, best known as the drummer for Blink-182, has quite a penchant for classic cars mostly Cadillacs, if you couldnt tell from his tattoos of the brands logo. But now, some lucky bidder is getting out the pocketbook to own one of Barkers old customs, courtesy of Bring a Trailer.The 1970 Cadillac Eldorado owned, until yesterday, by Barker was modified by Radioactive Kustoms of Van Nuys, California, and features some subtle touches to make it stand out (paint not included; the tri-tone metal flake gold is anything but subtle).The Caddy has been lowered, the door handles and outside trim have been shaved. Whitewall tires and Wheel Vintiques hubcaps complete the look. The vehicle was also given the name Conquistador II by its builders Bob Falini, John DAgostino, Mike Garner and Tony Wood.Powering the beast is a 500-cubic-inch V8 coupled to a three-speed automatic transmission, sending driving power to the front wheels only. This isnt the first vehicle the skin-smasher has sold on Bring a Trailer either; previous cars liquidated from his collection via the site include a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado, 1964 Buick Riviera with custom hydraulics, 1965 Chevrolet El Camino, 1954 Cadillac Coupe Deville, 19741 Cadillac four-door convertible and a 1951 Chevrolet Pickup.Its worth mentioning these vehicles are some of the most tastefully modified weve ever seen a celebrity own. Im sure were all sick of folks gold-wrapping their Bugatti Veyrons, or dipping their Bentley in hot pink paint, but Barker seems to like things more classic and kustom.The Cadillac was sold with no reserve on the bidding for US$12,500, which aint bad, but is less than the last time it was put up for auction. About a year prior, Barker listed the Caddy and it did not sell after topping out at a US$16,000
Origin: Blink-182 drummer sells classic Cadillac on Bring a Trailer
Ringbrothers to bring wildly customized ’69 Camaro, Mustang to SEMA
A teaser image of the Ringbrothers 1969 Chevy Camaro, to be unveiled at SEMA 2019Ringbrothers Renowned customizing shop Ringbrothers is bringing two classic vehicles to this years SEMA show in Las Vegas, a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro and a 1969 Ford Mustang.Of course, they will be barely recognizable compared to the stock versions of each vehicle, judging from the teaser images of the cars.The Camaro is dubbed Valkyrja, and has an extended wheelbase with fender flares. The Mustang takes the name Unkl, and will sport a blue racing livery to go along with its low-slung looks. Both cars have massive front splitters, and huge hood bulges hiding heaps of horsepower.Under the hood of the Mustang is a John Kasse 520-cubic-inch Boss V8. Specs have not been revealed, but rumours of the motor pushing 800 horsepower are circulating.As for the Camaro, a 416-cubic-inch LS engine sourced from Wegner provides the motivation there. Again, specs are top-secret.The teaser silhouette images of the cars let loose by the shop are both way too dark to give us any meaningful idea of what the Mustang or Camaro look like.However, brightening it up a tad reveals a few more of the details on the builds, including a racing number on the side of the Mustang; and a two-tone paint job on the Camaro.Both vehicles obviously have huge wheels, because a rim with a diameter greater than 18 inches is pretty much a requirement to get into SEMA at this point. View this post on Instagram Big things coming at @semashow this year. Stay tuned for more! Any guesses what we’re unveiling? A post shared by Ringbrothers (@ringbrothers) on Oct 7, 2019 at 7:27pm PDTRingbrothers other teaser released on Instagram gave us a better look at the Camaro, or at least the cars rear end. While it may not give us a lot in terms of surface area, it does show off the cars carbon-fibre roof panel, revealed in a style vaguely reminiscent of the originals vinyl top; and the colour palette for the car.It looks like its the classic battle of the pony cars all over again, Camaro versus Mustang. If either of these vehicles were to make their way into your garage, which would you rather
Origin: Ringbrothers to bring wildly customized ’69 Camaro, Mustang to SEMA
Domino’s and Nuro bring autonomous pizza delivery to Houston
Planet Earth may be experiencing an accelerated environmental decline while our most powerful politicians inudate us with scandal after scandal, but at least part of the future looks bright. Bright and cheesy! International pizza chain Domino’s and California-based robotics company Nuro have announced a partnership that will see autonomous vehicles deliver pizza to customers in Houston, Texas this year. We are always looking for new ways to innovate and evolve the delivery experience for our customers, said Kevin Vasconi, Domino’s executive vice-president and chief information officer in a press release announcing the partnership. Nuro’s vehicles are specially designed to optimize the food delivery experience, which makes them a valuable partner in our autonomous vehicle journey. The opportunity to bring our customers the choice of an unmanned delivery experience, and our operators an additional delivery solution during a busy store rush, is an important part of our autonomous vehicle testing. Toyota and Pizza Hut collaborated on a similar project last year, but their pizza-cooking-and-delivering Tundra PIE Pro pickup was just a concept, which will probably never actually deliver cheesy satisfaction. This unmanned rolling kitchen called the R2, however, is actually going to be cruising around the roads of Houston dropping off hot pies. Seems futuristic, but Nuro’s autonomous vehicles have already been delivering other items in the Houston metro area since March, 2019, and in Scottsdale, Arizona, before that. But what about the rest of us who want to stuff slices of pepperoni ‘za into our pie holes without having to make eye contact with a delivery person? If it goes well in Housto – and the city’s notorious reputation as one of the most overweight in America bodes well for it – it probably won’t be too
Origin: Domino’s and Nuro bring autonomous pizza delivery to Houston
Buick will bring the Encore GX to Canada for 2020
2020 Buick Encore GXBuick General Motors is cranking out new SUVs and crossovers apace, today showing off the 2020 Buick Encore GX. More than just an extra trim level for the diminutive little scamp already on sale, the GX is a different vehicle altogether. Set to be sized in the sliver of room existing between the existing Encore and Envision, the GX will have a cargo area some 142 litres (5 cubic feet) larger than the former, and about 85 litres (3 cubic feet) smaller than the latter. Said to offer a greater-than-expected level of kit on the safety front, all Encore GX models will come equipped with front pedestrian braking, forward collision alert and lane-keeping. The neato Rear Camera Mirror will be lifted from the Enclave and made available on high-zoot trims of the Encore GX. Does all this sound familiar? It should, as the Chevrolet arm of GM introduced its Trailblazer model just yesterday, and its description sounds a heckuva lot like this new Buick. Absent of any official sizing information from Chevy on that rig, this detail from the Tri-Shield brand gives us a bit of insight as to the Bowtie’s dimensions, as well. It’s not quite badge engineering as in the bad old days—but similarities between the two vehicles are remarkable. Close study of the press photos reveal an ST badge, complete with red accents on the lower part of the bumpers and peppered amongst the grille detail. Could this portend a slightly-hot Encore GX? Or at least one that’s more than lukewarm? The vehicle shown here is riding on Hankook Kinergy GT rubber, tires described as premium grand touring all-seasons. Its interior is very similar to that of the Trailblazer shown yesterday, though with the crucial addition of dual climate control. A button for downhill descent assist pops up here, too, along with a button suggesting the Encore GX’s all-wheel-drive system will have different driving modes. If you want proof as to the importance of crossovers and SUVs in Buick’s lineup, look no further than the one-liner that asserts a full 90 per cent of Canadian Buick sales come from the segment. Product specifications and pricing will be announced when the Encore GX begins arriving at Canadian
Origin: Buick will bring the Encore GX to Canada for 2020
Will Toyota bring the 2.0-litre turbo Supra to Canada?
2020 Toyota SupraDerek McNaughton / Driving Up until now, the 2020 Toyota Supra has come with a single engine option in North American markets: a 335-horsepower 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six sourced from BMW, but that could all be changing according to emissions documents filed by the brand. According to Automobile Mag, the 2.0-litre turbo engine that the 2020 Supra receives in other markets is coming to the United States. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has just certified the engine for sale in California, for use in both the Toyota Supra and the BMW Z4 with which it shares a platform. The real question is, will the engine make its way onto Canadian market Supras? “Toyota Canada would be smart to bring in the rumoured 2.0L Turbo version of the new Supra,” says our own Motor Mouth, David Booth, noting that with the current proposed lineup, there would be a huge gap between the bargain-basement 86 and the full-zoot six-cylinder Supra. The 2.0-litre turbo-four that the Supra receives in Japan makes 194 horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque, exactly the same as the BMW Z4. The smaller engine should also command a lower price, just as the Celica/Supra did in the 1980s. Booth adds: “A mid-priced Supra would slot in nicely between those two and give Toyota dealers a full range of sports car offering, which, I have to assume, is their eventual goal. So, yes, look for a Supra four-banger, but not before the top-of-the-line 3.0-litre six makes a splash.” In some markets, the BMW Z4 also comes with a manual transmission when specified with the 2.0-litre turbo, so if Toyota really wanted to light our manual-loving purist hearts on fire they could add that down the road as
Origin: Will Toyota bring the 2.0-litre turbo Supra to Canada?
Hemmings launching online auction site to rival Bring A Trailer
Change is coming to the online car sales scene. First, Craigslist recently began charging for car ads placed on its popular online sales platform. It’s not drastic, but hey, five bucks is five bucks. And now – in a move that’s really only good news for buyers, unlike the Craigslist tax that may be just enough to deter some users – Hemmings Motor News has announced its plans to put forward an online auction platform, offering its rare and collectible vehicles for sale to anyone with an Internet connection (and a bunch of disposable income). “The name that invented the collector car category is now the last word in online collector car auctions,” the Tweet reads. That’s quite the proclamation, but Hemmings does have the credentials to back it up. The Pursuit Is On!We’re designing a whole new online auction!The name that invented the collector car category is now the last word in online collector car auctions.Sign up today to receive the latest insider info as we launch:https://t.co/jAkSrWCDqY pic.twitter.com/QRsAqRxihS Hemmings Motor News (@HemmingsNews) April 10, 2019 Famous for its classic car coverage, Hemmings Motor News is the largest and oldest publication of its type in the U.S., according to Wikipedia, and Hemmings itself claims to be “The World’s Largest Collector Car Marketplace.” Soon, buyers won’t have to drive down to Kokomo, Indiana, to get that Shelby GT 500; they’ll simply be able to sign in and register their bids online. The publication has its sights set on one rival in particular, Bring A Trailer, which holds popular online auctions for often rare and special vehicles and has all but dominated the online auction space in North America. There’s sure to be some competition between the two factions, but the Internet is a big place and there’s likely room for both, especially considering the difference in brand feel—one is time-tested with a storied name, the other is an upstart with a joke in its name. Hemmings hasn’t said when the site will go live, but you can sign up to be kept in the loop at the placeholder site here.
Origin: Hemmings launching online auction site to rival Bring A Trailer
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