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Barn Find of the Decade: 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante

Close your eyes and imagine opening a deserted garage door, only to find a forgotten four-wheeled treasure sitting there in perfect condition. What would it be? We have a feeling we'll get all sorts of answers in the comments section, but for many enthusiasts, the answer would be, without hesitation, the Bugatti Type 57S Atalante. And that's exactly what the children of the late (and appropriately named) Dr. Harold Carr found in their father's garage. The Atalante is among the most beautiful, the most coveted and the most iconic of Bugattis ever produced. Not to be confused with the even rarer Atlantic, of which only two of the original three remain in existence, the 57S Atalante was made in a limited run of 17 examples, and a quarter of them are housed in a museum in rural France. This one went missing half a century ago, only now to be found again. It was originally owned by Earl Howe, first president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, and changed hands several times before the reclusive Dr. Carr mothballed it. Estimated values for the car are all over the map, with values as high as £6 million (about $8.8M USD) being discussed. Naturally, as rare as it is for a classic like this to change hands, its real value will be determined by how much a well-heeled collector is willing to pay for it when it rolls onto the block in February at Bonhams' "Retromobile" auction in Paris.
posted : 1/5/2009 @9:23:01 PM
More of the Same: Volkswagen Polo GTI rumormill swirls

The interwebs were all alight like Times Square last night with reports of a new Polo GTI on the way. According to Auto Express, the mini-GTI will upgrade on the upcoming replacement for the current Polo with all manner of GTI-trademarked upgrades, from sport seats to the black grille with red stripe, with power provided by the same 1.4-liter twin-charged TSI four as the upcoming SEAT Ibiza Cupra and driving 178hp through a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG to reach sixty in about seven seconds. Sounds good, though we're not likely to get the Polo in the American market, in regular or sport versions, for the foreseeable future. What the reports apparently neglect to mention, however, in their enthusiasm for a revived Polo GTI, is that Volkswagen already makes one. The current Polo GTI revived the model in late 2005 with a 1.8-liter turbo four offering up 148hp. Because that didn't measure up against the competition, VW came out with the Cup Edition that boosted output up to 178hp, the same output which Auto Express pegs for the new version. If the new Polo GTI does indeed bow this year in Frankfurt, we'll be on hand to bring it to you live, but one thing's for sure: Wolfsburg will hardly be reinventing the wheel if and when it does.
posted : 1/5/2009 @9:21:47 PM
Tata Indica celebrates decade of sales with special edition

This cute little guy is the Tata Indica Vista, a special edition created to celebrate ten years of Indica sales. The Indica has perennially been one of India's best selling cars, as well as being Tata's prime mover. Given credit for greatly lifting the fortunes of the company, the Indica walks off with 78% of sales among the cars built on its platform (like the Indigo and Marina). With design elements that might be generously taken from Ford's European design language, the Vista's changes from the regular Indica are all cosmetic. It will get a specially designed number plate, an interior with better materials and design, an integrated audio system and double-stitched seats. It will come in a selection of colors and a variety of wheel options, and if you're keen on the Vista, you can even read a review. For the rest of you, the full press release is after the jump. Let's hope Tata can create the same magic with Jaguar and Land Rover after ten years of ownership.
posted : 1/5/2009 @9:20:24 PM
UK police admit almost half of all speed cameras are offWe all know the drill. You see a speed camera, you slow down, you look at the camera, you check your speedometer and look for the camera again. But in the UK at least, reports now indicate that nearly half of the 1,000 speed cameras installed are entirely inactive. Because many of the cameras installed in the UK during the 1990s failed to meet transportation department criteria for deployment, some 40% were immediately decommissioned. However, the boxes that house them are still there, even though many of them are empty altogether. Motorist groups are lobbying to have the inactive devices removed, citing them as a dangerous roadside distraction, but the government insists that whether they're in use or not, the visible presence of the camera boxes keep drivers' speeds in check.
posted : 1/5/2009 @9:19:32 PM
Just-in-time supply lines could fall victim to financial crisis

One of the key improvements in automotive manufacturing efficiency over the past three decades may soon fall victim to America's current economic turmoil. Toyota made "just-in-time manufacturing" a common term and it has since been adopted by the entire industry. Unfortunately, in order for just-in-time to work, assembly plants need a stable supply base that can reliably deliver the right parts at the right time, every time. If a company's suppliers are in danger of shutting down due to lack of funds, they cannot reliably function without an inventory bank of parts. The net-net is that if one or more automakers goes belly up in the coming months, numerous suppliers are likely to follow that company down the drain. Since most suppliers provide parts to multiple automakers, the effects will cascade. If Toyota, Honda, Ford and everyone else have to start stockpiling parts, this will raise costs at a time when they are desperately trying to cut expenses. Even though suppliers have tried to diversify and line up as many customers as possible, price pressures from every automaker over the past decade have put most suppliers (especially smaller ones) into a tenuous position. The interconnected nature of the industry means that everyone feels the pain, and companies like Toyota are going back to the drawing board to analyze and modify every step in the production chain.
posted : 1/1/2009 @10:02:24 PM
New Jersey Motorsports Park Suing Shelby American Car Club

The hits just keep on coming for the embattled Shelby American Automobile Club. News has quieted down about the contention between Caroll Shelby and the SAAC just in time for Ken Eber, the club's national director, to steer the organization right into another lawsuit. This time, it's New Jersey Motorsports Park suing to recover nearly $116,000 it's been owed since last August. Both parties are trying to work the issue out, but Eber's assertion that the club has reached a verbal agreement on the issue and will be adding an event to the 2009 calendar doesn't jive with the venue's schedule, though Joe Savaro, a co-owner of the park, has indicated a desire to have the Shelby club back. Even though the park made a concession to allow the SAAC to pay for its use of the track after the event, Eber reportedly left the event early and wouldn't return to settle up. Eber says the club will be back at the park in 2009, and they'll be using whatever proceeds the event generates to make good on outstanding commitments. Let's see, a club that charges each of its reported 5,500 members $57 per year, that works out to $313,500, though the club uses those proceeds to run a decent website and produce a newsletter and magazine, as well as pay a couple of salaries. Perhaps pre-selling tickets might be a better idea this year?
posted : 1/1/2009 @10:01:25 PM
REPORT: Petty Enterprises to close shop, merge with GEM

You don't have to be a NASCAR fan to bemoan the latest reports that Petty Enterprises is closing down. The team is one of the oldest and best known racing outfits in stock car racing, or in any other type of racing for that matter. Lee Petty, winner of the very first Daytona 500 in 1959, was its founder, and his son Richard Petty became the best-known driver in the sport's history, wracking up a record 200 victories. But after 60 years in operation, Petty Enterprise is shutting down. Reports indicate that a deal was reached on Christmas Eve to have the team merge with rival team Gillett Evernham Motorsports. When the deal is officially announced, the new team may very well carry over the Petty name, but it's bad news for the company's staff who will, for the most part, be left without jobs in the new year.
posted : 1/1/2009 @10:00:32 PM
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