New Owner Plans to Resurrect Studebaker with a Hybrid Twist in the 21st Century

Even though you may know the name and perhaps even seen one of its models, chances are that you were either too young to remember or not even born yet when the Studebaker Automobile Company closed shop in 1966. Fast forward to today and the company may have a second chance in life - hopefully with better designs than the official CGIs you see here... According to a report from FoxNews, Ric Reed, who bought the rights to the Studebaker brand in 2001, has revealed new plans to resurrect the famous nameplate.
Reed, who runs the Denver, Colorado-based Big Kahuna apparel company, told the news site that he wants to revive Studebaker's classic monikers such as the Lark, President and Hawk for the new model series, adding, however, that the cars themselves will be 21st-century hybrids.
"As the entrepreneur at the helm of Studebaker Motor Company, it is my earnest goal to create vehicles that are in some way reminiscent of classic Studebakers, or in other words, definitively Studebaker, yet brought into the 21st Century, and again to see Studebaker Motor Company the American Icon it once was," says Reed on the company's website.
"It is also my dream to develop or reopen factories, employ Americans in those manufacturing and assembly plants, which shall be on American soil. I desire to make vehicles that not only compete, but have a significant cutting edge in a highly competitive world market," he adds.
Reed said he wants to employ hybrid technology because he thinks that electric cars still have a long way to go. He intends to use the Hydristor, a device invented by Tom Kasner for a sports car that John DeLorean wanted to make before his demise. The Hydristor is a hydraulic transistor, which Kasmer claims, is akin to a highly efficient CVT gearbox.
Before rolling out his brand-new models, Reed says he may cooperate with another, yet unnamed company, to build a US$70,000 limited run of a retro-themed modern iteration of the Chump pickup truck in order to raise some cash and mainly attract investors.

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Mercedes 300 SL in Existence Shines at the Detroit Motor Show

Sad to say, many classic vehicles are often left to rot and inevitably make the dreaded trip to the crusher, after being stripped out of anything that can be recycled. Thankfully, that’s not always the case and some vehicles survive even after 60 decades. Even though the first-ever 300 SL, a racing model from 1952, was destroyed, the second car that was built with chassis number 194 010 00002/52 survived as it was in Mercedes’ ownership.
This makes it the oldest 300 SL in existence and in order to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the series, it was painstakingly restored to its original condition at Mercedes’ Classic Center in Fellbach, near Stuttgart.
The W 194 was the first racing car to be manufactured by Mercedes-Benz after the end of World War II. On June 15, 1951, the company’s management decided to participate in the 1952 season and ordered the development of the 300 SL Super-Light – which was later changed to 300 SL.
The car's most characteristic feature were its gullwing doors that were widened compared to the initial design in order to make access easier for the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.
Rudolg Uhlenhaut, head of Mercedes passenger car testing, developed a special frame that weighed just 50 kg. The bodyshell was manufactured out of aluminum and magnesium and the 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine was borrowed from the 300 saloon, aka the “Adenauer Mercedes” after Germany’s first post-war chancellor.
The engine was tuned by Mercedes engineers who increased its output to around 170HP. It was placed at a 50-degree angle to the left and fitted it with a dry sump. Thanks to car's low weight of 1,069 kg (2,356 pounds), the six-cylinder unit was capable of offering the SL a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph), which was impressive at the time.
Overall, ten cars were constructed for the 1952 racing season, while the Stuttgart-based company developed an additional car, code-named W194/11, for 1953. However, the latter never participated in a race as Mercedes entered Formula 1 and the W 194 went on to form the basis of the W198 production 300 SL, the car that would live on for six decades and spawn six generations, the most recent of which made its world premiere at the 2012 NAIAS.

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The Original “Eleanor” Mustang GT500 Film Cars Going under the Hammer

If you’ve seen the 2000 blockbuster film “Gone in 60 Seconds”, you may recall Angelina Jolie walking into a garage full of Ferraris and saying in her husky voice “Hello, ladies. I always was a sucker for a redhead”. You’ll no doubt also remember the name of the protagonist's favorite car “Eleanor”, a 1967 Ford Mustang GT500 that master thief "Memphis" Raines decided to keep for last in his attempt to steal 50 cars in a single night to save his brother’s life.
It was also the name of the 1974 original film’s 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 – yes, in case you didn’t know it, the Cage-Jolie-starring movie was a remake.
The producers wanted to use a special Mustang for the new film. Therefore, they enlisted the help of Hot Rod illustrator Steve Stanford to create a 1967 Mustang GT500 and designer Chip Foose to transform Stanford’s sketches into a real car.
Well, twelve cars to be exact, five of which did not survive the movie – probably destroyed at the chase scene towards the finale. Three of them were the “hero” cars; fully functional and used by the actors themselves at filming.
Car number 7, which was used for driving shots, for dialogue and interior action shots with the actors, is going under the hammer by COYS at the Autosport International show in Birmingham on Saturday January 14. It is estimated that “Eleanor” No7 will fetch £75,000-100,000 (US$115,000-154,000).
According to the supplied copy of the build sheet, apart from the changes on the body, the modifications in this Mustang with chassis number 7R02C173895 include a 351 cubic inch V8 FordRacing crate motor fitted with a “big” camshaft and 700cfm Holley 4-barrel carburetor.
It also sports a Total Control Products coil over lowered front suspension and Willwood disk brakes all around with 6 piston calipers up front. After the movie, the side exhausts were made functional by Cinema Vehicle Services and the tank is filled through a Mach 1 cap on the C-pillar.
“This is one of only two original cars in private hands. We are offering the opportunity to acquire one of the cars that actually appeared in the movie and which will undoubtedly increase in value in years to come," said Coys’ managing director, Chris Routledge.

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The Classic of the Cadillac Ciel Concept

Cadillac has seen some dramatic ups and downs (mostly the latter…) over the past few decades but General Motors' flagship brand seems to be heading down the right road in the 21st century, slowly but steadily improving its product portfolio. And it's not just the upcoming ATS small sedan, the XTS full-size saloon or the pure-electric ELR coupe that make the future look very promising; it's also Cadillac's most recent conceptual model, the Ciel, which drew a lot of attention at the Pebble Beach classic car show in August.
A modern day Eldorado convertible with four doors measuring a lengthy 203.7-inch (5,174mm) from nose to tail isn't exactly a recipe to rev up enthusiasts, yet Cadillac's designers somehow pulled it off and the Ciel proved to be a hit with most show-goers, not to mention readers as well.
The more you look at the Ciel, the more you appreciate the details and the work that went into designing the car. One of many such examples is the lower, nickel-plated profile strip that begins from the front bumper and swoops up at the rear-end of the car. Together with the subtle twin upper creases, and the rounded body sides, it helps lighten up and reduce the visual weight offering a balanced blend of dynamism and elegance to the Ciel's form.
While not so obvious at first, Cadillac's designers drew the essence of their inspiration from two Eldorados of the past: the lavish 1957-1958 Eldorado Brougham, and the edgy 1967-1970 Eldorado coupe.
The 1957-1958 Eldorado Brougham was one of GM's great designs made under the supervision of Harley Earl and a milestone for Cadillac styling. At $13,074, the hardtop model with the small suicide-style rear doors was GM's most expensive offering ever costing twice the price of a regular Eldorado and nearly as much as a Rolls Royce. The Brougham loaned its body style and wraparound windshield to the Ciel.
But when it came to the styling details, the vehicle that inspired Cadillac's designers the most was the 1967-1970 Eldorado. Penned under the direction of another great GM designer, Bill Mitchell, it was the first front-wheel drive model of the series and it shared its underpinnings with the Oldsmobile Toronado.
No where can the 1967's model styling influence on the Ciel Concept be seen more than at the rear end of the car with its razor lines and slim, almost jewel-like tail lamps.
If you take a look at the pictures below, you'll see that the front end of the Ciel also owes much of its existence to the 1967-1970 model with its edgy lines and elevated center section of the hood as well as the vertical headlamps that hark back to the 1968-1970 Eldorado's parking lights (the headlamps were hidden on the 1967/1968 models).
And there you have it. Now, if only GM's brass could find the courage to take the Ciel, put a roof on top and create one fancy flagship limo...
You can take a look at our gallery below and share your thoughts in the comments section.

2011 CADILLAC CIEL CONCEPT

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