Hagerty Articles

Following several teasers and one early leak, Acura has finally revealed the upcoming Acura TLX sedan. For 2021, Acura is trying to make a compelling case that its mid-size four-door be once again respected as a sport sedan.   The 2021 TLX will arrive at dealerships early this fall, starting in "the mid-$30,000 range." For that, Acura will give you a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, delivered via a 10-speed automatic. Acura's fourth-generation Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system (SH-AWD) remains optional but is included with the top-performing Type S. ... View more

Today we’re celebrating Al Unser Sr.’s 81st birthday. The youngest brother in a family of royal speed, Al continued the Unser legacy following in the footsteps of father Jerry, brothers Bobby and Jerry, Jr., and uncles Louis and Joe.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/al-unser-sr-on-turning-81-plus-tractors-and-alpacas/ ... View more

The joy of driving is so easily interrupted by any number of problems; thankfully, the key to preventing many of those issues comes down to keeping the fluids in your car fresh. Though the liquids throughout your car vary widely according to their task, the process of changing each one is similar. We found a great tutorial by ChrisFix over on YouTube to help you change each important fluid in your car, but here are five extra tips to keep in mind as you go through the process.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/5-tips-to-keep-your-favorite-cars-fluids-in-top-shape/ ... View more

In 1988, Concept Coach Builders of Milwaukee made all sort of stretch jobs in the name of affordable luxury (and underseat briefcase storage solutions), including Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, Silver Spirit and Silver Spur conversions priced in the $125,000–150,000 range for the less budget-conscious. However, those with only $29,900 in their pocket could still call Scott Sampson at 414-273-2225 to order their very own custom-built Oldsmobile Delta 88 Limousine instead.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/this-80s-olds-limo-is-all-about-the-unexpected-pleasure-of-affordable-luxury/ ... View more

Gordon Murray always preferred to save weight rather than push a drivetrain to wild outputs, a process which would require the addition of heavier components to handle the extra power. That’s why he approaches car design from a weight-to-power angle instead of the usual power-to-weight perspective, stressing that “a heavy car can never deliver the dynamic attributes of a lighter one.”   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-design/how-gordon-murrays-t-50-becomes-a-2160-pound-v-12-supercar/ ... View more

Just as the 2020 zombie apocalypse was hitting its peak, Audi offered up a new R8 for us to play with for a few weeks. Perhaps the automaker felt more comfortable handing us the key to its $215,150 wondercar knowing full well that there wasn’t any place to go in it. A long road trip was out as hotels were closed and townsfolk were looking askance at anyone with out-of-state plates. We would have to pack a picnic for any lengthy day trip because restaurants were mostly shut up tight. In fact, the best place to drive a 602-hp super coupe at that moment was through downtown Los Angeles, which was as empty as ancient Carthage after the Romans worked out their anger management issues on it.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/review-2020-audi-r8-performance/ ... View more

Dario Franchitti and Tom Cotter are distant but kindred spirits. They share a passion for cars and a love of motorsports, and they both know the thrill of a victory lane celebration. Franchitti and Cotter also share firsthand knowledge of just how quickly the joy of racing can turn to heartache.   Read the entire article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/the-love-of-cars-indycar-champ-dario-franchitti-barn-find-hunter-tom-cotter-discuss-the-highs-and-lows-of-racing/ ... View more

There was nothing the automotive community—or anyone else—could do to prevent floodwaters from wiping out Fieros Forever  in Sanford, Michigan, earlier this May. Though owner Tim Evans, his wife, and the couple’s home emerged unscathed, the grounds of Evans’ shop and museum were scattered with belly-up Fieros and littered with front clips, wheels, and exhaust tubing.  To help clean up their grounds, the Evans are offering anyone the chance to scavenge Fiero parts from their property before May 31—and they aren’t charging a dime.   Read the full article at Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/fieros-forever-offers-free-pontiac-parts-to-clear-off-land/ ... View more

Between the Mustang GT, two Performance Pack levels, the GT350, and the GT500, there is already plenty of high-performance variety in the Mustang lineup. That said, we won’t say no to yet another V-8 pony car in the stable, especially one with such a beloved badge.   Confirming longstanding rumors, a Mustang Mach 1 is headed our way for the 2021 model year. Although Ford isn’t saying much beyond that, we do know that under the Mach 1’s hood is a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8, and these images of a camouflaged prototype betray a few other technical tidbits.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/ford-confirms-2021-mustang-mach-1-with-5-0-liter-v-8/ ... View more

With its twin intercooler scoops perked up like a wildcat's ears, this Buick V-6 looks poised to produce some serious horsepower—and thanks to the madman known as Kenny Duttweiler, it lives up to that first impression. Local Craigslist trawling dredged up this nugget, an all-aluminum Buick 3.8-liter V-6 that pumps out nearly 800 hp at full tilt.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com:  https://www.hagerty.com/media/buying-and-selling/this-craigslist-find-800-hp-buick-v-6-haunts-us/ ... View more

The last seven installments of his internet-famous Gymkhana videos featured Ford vehicles, but Ken Block is now opening the door for Travis Pastrana to bring the stunt video franchise back to its Subaru roots for Gymkhana 11.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/ken-block-hands-over-the-next-gymkhana-installment-to-travis-pastrana-and-subaru/ ... View more

Hagerty's Tiger-swap meister Brad Phillips and auction guru Andrew Newton didn't pick their favorite 2000s-era cars based on speed ... but hey, who's complaining? In a recent livestream, two of our resident automotive experts spent an hour discussing the strengths and weaknesses of their favorite five cars from this decade. Many of vehicles Phillips and Newton choose are, as they noted, transitioning from "used car" status and carving out a space for themselves in the collector car world. That's the fun thing about this list; you likely saw a few of these cars in a parking lot or highway this week and have some strong opinions of your own about their collector-car eligibility (or ineligibility).   Read the entire article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/lists/10-of-our-favorite-cars-from-the-2000s/ ... View more

It's nothing new to see modern engines that are packing more and more technology in smaller and smaller packages. While that typically means smaller displacements, the new GM 2.7-liter inline-4 proves that is not always the case. The go-to four-cylinder engine for many OEMs is a two-liter turbocharged mill, but Cadillac and Chevrolet are now building an engine with almost 150% the capacity along with a unique turbocharger. Here's why.   Read the full article at Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/here-is-a-look-at-the-tricks-inside-gms-big-2-7-liter-four-cylinder/ ... View more

A bizarre, customized Dodge Colt is coming up for sale at Mecum’s Indy auction currently scheduled for July 10–18, 2020. The 1981 Dodge Colt(s), dubbed, “Double Header” was made from two Dodge Colt/Plymouth Champ hatchbacks that have been joined together at the B-pillar. Best thing to happen to Indianapolis since Peyton Manning? You decide.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/oddball-dodge-colt-packs-two-of-everything-into-a-double-header/ ... View more

Just about every repair or maintenance job on a car requires tools. If you're like me, your garage is piled with stacks of tools on shelves and in neat organizers. Dozens of wrenches, sockets, and even a slew of specialty items that are intended for only one task. Humans have been using tools for roughly three million years. Advanced use traces goes back 10,00 years. Maybe these primitive roots explain why building one's own tools provides a satisfaction unlike anything else for the home do-it-yourselfer.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/the-feeling-of-success-from-building-your-own-tools-is-worth-the-grind/ ... View more

  This episode we dive deep into the nitty-gritty process of moving parts from the 260 to the Redline Rebuild 289. We'll explore some components that tell A Touring Tale and even get a sneak peek at some other enhancements bundled into the Tiger's engine swap.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/sunbeam-tiger-engine-swap-project-ep-5/ ... View more

We knew Nissan's 370Z successor was on the horizon after the brand registered its latest retro-themed Z logo, and now, Nissan's "A to Z" product preview confirms that very logo on the C-pillar of its new sports car, which features a familiar roofline over a fairly small footprint. Especially when parked next to the upcoming Terra.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/nissans-new-z-car-looks-promising/ ... View more

Earlier this year, we teased you with the news that Automobili Lamborghini and the Lego Group had joined forces and were planning to release a first-ever Lamborghini super sports car by Lego Technic. The catch: you had to wait until June 1 to get one.   At the time it sure seemed like an excruciatingly long time to wait, didn’t it? Check your calendar.   Say hello to the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37: a 3696-piece, 1:8-scale model that is surely easier than the real thing to build at home. Read the full article on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/lamborghini-sian-fkp-37-roars-into-lego-stores-on-june-1/ ... View more

Mecum’s Indianapolis sale has been postponed to July, but the docket is already full of stunning vehicles. Back in March we highlighted the announcement of the first-ever Shelby GT350R, part of the John Atzbach collection that features numerous rare and important Shelbys. Among them is this super-rare 1966 GT350 Convertible, offered at no reserve.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/auctions/this-ultra-rare-1966-gt350-convertible-can-soon-be-yours/ ... View more

For 2021, BMW's North American 5 Series lineup includes four powertrain choices under the hood of the seventh-generation midsize sedan. At the bottom of the range sits the four-cylinder, 248-hp 530i and its plug-in hybrid sibling, the 288-hp 530e PHEV. The mid-level 540i packs a 335-hp six-cylinder and a mild-hybrid system, and the range-topping M550i combines a 523-hp, twin-turbo V-8 with all-wheel-drive. While the M550i comes exclusively with all-wheel drive, its less beefy siblings can be yours in either all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive configuration.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/bmws-refreshed-5-series-goes-hybrid-with-a-bigger-grille/ ... View more

Nineteen sixty-five was a big year. For Cadillac, for GM, and for the U.S. auto industry as a whole. Many, many records were set that year. Many new models, lots of attractive new designs, and big sales. All the full-size GM cars—from Chevrolet to Cadillac—were new, the Corvair was new, and even the midsize cars got a major revision. And everything looked attractive. So many eye-catching cars, and not just at The General. You also had the new Mustang, a facelifted Lincoln Continental, and fresh full-sizers as well.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/klockau-classics/the-1965-de-ville-convertible-was-a-country-club-chariot/ ... View more

Today's featured car is a 1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. These handsome little vehicles combined the Beetle's frugal air-cooled flat four with elegant Italian styling. Turin-based Ghia designed the petite coupe's shape, and German coachbuilder Karmann constructed the bodies. With 46 horsepower from its 1585-cc four-pot, VW could hardly market the 1974 Karmann Ghia—or any other year—as a fire-breather. Instead, the car delivered on the promise of stylish, practical everyday transportation.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/rides-from-the-readers-1974-vw-karmann-ghia/ ... View more

In a very general sense, those who enjoy the open road on two wheels tend to fall into two groups: custom builders and the finance-the-leather-jacket-with-the-bike owners. Outfits like Honda have regularly sought to blend the two together by building a factory custom. Something wild enough that the buyer doesn't need to take the bike from the showroom straight to a custom shop to stand out from the crowd. The Honda Rune is one such attempt, and for one year only it was the wildest thing on the road.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/motorcycles/could-this-wild-honda-cruiser-rune-your-bank-account/ ... View more

When the Cadillac XLR entered the market for 2004, it was the brand’s first two-seater (and first convertible) since the Allanté was retired in 1993. That final year of the Allanté used a 4.6-liter Cadillac Northstar V-8, just like the XLR, but the similarities end there. While the 295-hp Allanté was front-wheel-drive and based on a modified version of the E-body chassis used in the Buick Reatta and Cadillac Eldorado, the 320-hp XLR was based on the C6 Corvette’s rear-drive chassis. It was even built in the same Bowling Green, Kentucky, assembly plant as “America’s sports car.” All signs suggested Cadillac was serious about building a luxury sports car.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/buying-and-selling/2004-2009-cadillac-xlrs-might-never-be-more-affordable-than-they-are-right-now/ ... View more

Although 2020 has already featured a historical phenomenon we were never hoping would repeat itself—hello, pandemic—thankfully COVID-19 won’t prevent one of our favorite parts of automotive history from roaming the roads again. Private roads, that is, because Aston Martin’s 25 painstakingly recreated, James Bond-spec DB5s won’t be street legal. Production of these continuation cars, each loaded to the gills with functioning gadgets, has officially begun—55 years after the last original DB5 rumbled to life in Buckinghamshire, England.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/aston-martin-db5-goldfinger-continuation-cars/ ... View more

Setting Top Dead Center (TDC) is a major step during engine work as it is the point at which all mechanical events are timed to.  We're going show you how to build a quick and cheap piston stop using a generic spark plug anti-fouler, which costs under $5. These tools can be found online and in many speed shops, but are becoming less common in local parts houses, so we'll dive right in on a DIY solution!   Read the full article at Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/wrenchin-wednesday-how-to-build-a-diy-piston-stop-for-5/ ... View more

The NFL’s Miami Dolphins are opening the gates to Hard Rock Stadium. Just not for football … yet. Read the full article on Hagerty.com:   https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/miami-dolphins-to-turn-stadium-into-massive-drive-in-theater/ ... View more

The McGee Roadster is the hot rod of hot rods. The ideal. The quintessential trend-setter. It’s also the latest subject of Up Close, the Historic Vehicle Association’s text-based, story-telling video series about vehicles in the National Historic Vehicle Register.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/watch-the-hvas-up-close-video-about-the-iconic-mcgee-roadster/ ... View more

  Often ridiculed following its debut in the turbulent 1970s, the AMC Pacer’s radical interpretation of a compact car has since accomplished an impressive feat—it’s become a legitimate cult classic. One part of its shocking design included a large amount of glass to make the car both look and feel bigger, which is something Chip Foose reimagines as a custom delivery van.   Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/videos/chip-foose-rethinks-the-amc-pacer/ ... View more

While Acura is still teasing us with the TLX Type S's twin-turbo V-6, dedicated platform, and double-wishbone front suspension, somebody over at Acurazine has already leaked part of a dealer presentation straight from the mothership. With that, I present to you the 2021 Acura TLX Type S sports sedan.    Read the full article on Hagerty.com: https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/behold-the-awd-twin-turbo-v-6-acura-tlx-type-s/ ... View more