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TST Dream Garage: ’64 Aston DB5 LWT Race Car

Monday, November 28th, 2011

 

This is one of the sexiest race cars I’ve ever seen. The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 Lightweight Race Car. Dear god is it sexy. I want to say it’s fitting, because it’s an Aston, but really this caught me by surprise. I don’t care whose name is on the front, it’s just incredible to see something made in 1964 that looks this good, while also being purpose-built.

 

I think road cars are better looking than their racing counterparts. There’s too many wings, too many splitters, too many sponsors and just too many parts. A road-going R10 TDI would be no beauty queen. Sure, the race car will be tough. It will spark a different part of your brain; the part that likes chaos and danger and appreciates ability and engineering. But that’s different than the part of your brain. It’s the difference from enjoying the view of Iceland and the Hoover Dam. (more…)

28.11.2011 Editorials, Photos No Comments

Inaugural California Cars and Cockpits Event – Mega Photo Gallery!

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

The Smoking Tire was fortunate enough to be able to attend the first-ever “Cars and Cockpits” event at the Lyon Air Museum this past weekend. It was a great change of pace from the usual Cars and Coffee and Supercar Sunday, because not only were there several million dollars worth of metal in the parking lot, but also the museum opened its doors to us, so we could appreciate some fine vintage aircraft and military vehicles. Some highlights of the show included the famous “triple black” Ferrari Enzo (pictured above), many other Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, Aston’s Bentley’s, Nissan GTR’s, BMW’s, Porsches, and crazy tuner cars, including the world’s ugliest vehicle, the Mansory Panamera Turbo. In the gallery, check out the yellow F430 Spider, which isn’t special except that it’s fitted with carbon fiber hand controls so its wheelchair-bound owner can wind out the 4.3L V8 using his right hand. Inside the Lyon Air museum, we were treated to some elegantly restored World War II-era aircraft and vehicles, my favorite of which was the minimally restored and completely functional 1934 Mercedes 6-wheel parade car, formerly owned by Adolf Hitler. Hit the jump for the 80-image mega gallery of the event.

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26.01.2011 News, Photos 3 Comments

Video: 24 Hours of Dubai – The Coolest Race You’ve Never Heard Of (Update! Video Link Fixed)

Friday, January 21st, 2011

The Smoking Tire’s Tom Morningstar was fortunate enough to attend the coolest race ever that no one’s heard of: The 24 Hours of Dubai. Held at the Dubai Autodrome, surrounded by unfinished buildings and general nothingness, the endurance race features privateer racing teams fielding such cool race cars as the Audi R8 LMS, SLS AMG GT3, Porsche 911 Cup, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, and more. Check out the video to see Tom doing what he does best: getting great shots of cars.

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21.01.2011 News, Video 20 Comments

TST Dream Garage: Aston Martin DBS

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

The Aston Martin DBS. Not only was this car a no-brainer for our Dream Garage, but it is at the very tip top of my “Things to Buy When I marry a 90 year-old Billionaire” list. (That and a bucket of roofies, for myself).

While our garage would probably need to be the size of a Boeing hanger to hold all our dreams, I would want this one parked just inside the door. I’d park in my bedroom if I could, so that every morning it would be the first thing I see. I would be in a better mood each morning, something my friends would greatly appreciate.

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30.11.2010 Editorials, Photos, Viewer Submission 21 Comments

Video: 2011 Aston Martin Rapide Review

Sunday, October 17th, 2010

The Smoking Tire hits the links in the best looking 4-door car money can buy: The Aston Martin Rapide. With 470 horsepower on tap from a 6.0L V12 and a real back seat, this should be the perfect car to take Matt and his friends golfing for the day up in the canyons. Or is it? Hit the jump to find out.

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17.10.2010 News, Reviews, Video 24 Comments

Aston Martin V12 Vantage Review – The Devil Wears Carbon **UPDATE**

Monday, August 30th, 2010

If someone tries to sound smart by telling you that the $240,000 $185,000 ** Aston Martin V12 Vantage takes .9 seconds longer to hit 60 than a Ferrari 458 for the same price, or .8 seconds longer than a Porsche GT2 for $20,000 less, punch them in the face right then and there, because they just don’t get it, and never will.

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30.08.2010 News, Reviews 21 Comments

Aston Martin V12 Vantage and Racing Rapide Appear in Los Angeles

Friday, August 27th, 2010

One of the best parts about living in Los Angeles is that, in the weeks following Pebble Beach weekend, many of the cars make their way south, where their respective showrooms throw parties and invite really cool/rich/beautiful people to come admire them. Obviously, I wasn’t invited, so I went to Galpin Auto Sports anyway, wearing a seersucker blazer, and made myself at home.

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27.08.2010 News, Photos 3 Comments

You Have $250K. What do You Do?

Friday, May 14th, 2010

Despite the energy crisis and a recession, supercars seem to be getting better at an exponential rate. The future of the automobile is uncertain, making the future of the super-automobile even more shaky. Companies are fighting for a shrinking pie, one that got even smaller with the economic shit-storm of 2009.  But like the raging bull that graces the front of a Lamborghini, no one is going down easy. Each passing year is like another prick from the matador, only infuriating the bull and making it fight harder.

In 2010 the fight shows no signs of waning. There are handfuls of incredibly fast, beautiful and powerful cars coming our way. They are all so good, yet so different, the only answer I can think of to, “Which would you buy?” is “All of them!” And that got me thinking, what would I-or you-buy?

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14.05.2010 Editorials, Viewer Submission 28 Comments

The Least Surprising News You’ll Hear All Day: Middle Eastern Man Buys 10 Aston Martin One-77′s

Friday, February 19th, 2010

The Aston Martin One-77: What’s not to like? Despite its million-dollar plus price tag, if I could afford one, they would already have my deposit. But if I were sitting on, say, $23,000,000, I could probably find something more creative to do with it than buy myself and 9 of my family members the same exact supercar. But in the Middle East, where creativity is frowned upon and only excess exceeds, someone with too much money and too little taste has done just that. Ten One-77′s for $23,000,000. We hear that at first, Aston Martin was reluctant to sell that many cars to a single person, especially given the car’s limited production run. Unsurprisingly, paying about a 75% premium on the cars’ actual values greased the wheels a bit.

Source [Luxury4Play.com]

19.02.2010 Editorials, News 7 Comments

Automotive Atrocities in Thailand: Aston Martin kit car

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Whenever I travel abroad, I am amazed at how many products are copied, badly, and sold on the streets. Fake Rolexes are the common example, but Louis Vitton bags, leather wallets, Ferrari jackets and even women (watch for adam’s apples) are poorly replicated around the world and sold to tourists looking to get luxury at a steal. I have no problem if someone wants to sell you a fake Burberry scarf for $10, because I think the fact an authentic ugly plaid one costs $350  is retarded. It’s not an attractive design, it’s just unique and lets the world know you have a nice bank account.

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06.02.2010 News, Viewer Submission 10 Comments

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