Auto X Pert - Automotive Blog

Elton John’s Jaguar E-Type for sale

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 06:28:00 +0000

Filed under: Consumer A lovely red classic Jaguar E-Type once owned by the inimitably flamboyant Elton John is up for auction. The car, once named as the best ever made by a little know car journalist called Jeremy something-or-other , is expected to fetch up to £70,000 when Bonhams put it under the hammer in March. However, its pop star provenance hasn’t really helped with the price, because its current owner may have to swallow a £30,000 loss – he paid £81,000 for it at a Christie’s auction arranged by the Candle In The Wind singer in 2001. The car’s official reserve price is £50-70,000. Nonetheless, it’s a beautiful thing, in immaculate condition throughout, and it comes with Elton’s original ‘OKE 1′ number plate. Because of the plate, the car came to be nicknamed ‘OK Elton’ by the man himself and his staff; it’s a phrase the old diva has no doubt heard many, many more times throughout his career than ‘No, Elton’. The car is a 1965 Series 1 E-Type Roadster, powered by a 4.2-litre engine capable of pushing it to 62mph in under seven seconds and on to 150mph. That’s hot hatch performance these days, but back then the E-Type was outrageously fast – and stunning, with Enzo Ferrari himself famously calling it the “most beautiful car in the world.” High praise indeed. According to the Daily Mail , the current owner has only done 1,000 miles in the car in the 11 years he’s owned it. Jaguar E-Type prices vary significantly depending on provenance and condition – as with most classic cars – and Elton’s ex-runabout is roughly in line with current prices . Other cars for sale at the March auction, being held at Bonham’s Oxford, include a 1961 Morgan Plus 4 Supersports High Line, which has “undergone a £100,000 restoration,” according to Bonhams, but is expected to fetch, oddly, around £60,000. A 1961 Ferrari 250 GTE is on the cards too, expected to go for £50,000, as well as our particular highlight, a 1966 Citroën DS21. The French car, below, is one of only 50 ever sent to the UK and is famous in Citroen circles for being perhaps the best example left. It should change hands for about £40,000.

One in six cars on the road have been written off before

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:36:00 +0000

Filed under: Consumer New figures have revealed that one in six cars currently on the road have been written off before. That’s according to car history website mycarcheck.com, and it’s higher than the figure previously thought, which was one in seven cars. Car write-offs come in four categories labelled A to D. ‘Cat A’ write-offs are cars deemed too heavily damaged to be back on the road; ‘Cat B’ cars have sustained significant damage and shouldn’t be back on the road either, but can be salvaged for parts; ‘Cat C’ are those with repairable damage, but which exceeds the value of the car; and ‘Cat D’ are relatively ‘minor’ write-offs, whose damage is significantly expensive but can be repaired. As such, despite the phrase ‘write-off’ alone being enough to make most used car buyers steer well clear, a written off car isn’t necessarily an absolute no-no. Research by mycarcheck.com has shown that 21% of buyers would consider purchasing a written off car – but it’s vitally important to know its specific history before buying, says the company, who happens to provide such a service. Even though a write-off is technically ‘repairable’, it doesn’t mean the car goes back on the road in as new condition. According to Thatcham , a bad repair job can “make [a car's] Euro NCAP safety rating null and void.” There are around 46,500,000 million cars on the road in the UK today, 8.2 million of which have been previously categorised write-offs, according to mycarcheck.com figures. Speaking to Autoblog, Malcolm Tarling of the Association of British Insurers (ABI) explained that while it is “perfectly legal” for repairable write-offs to go back on the road, it is illegal to repair and re-sell a major write-off (Cat A and Cat B). “Some insurers will even re-insure a repaired vehicle that they’ve deemed a write-off in the past,” he said. Roger Powell of mycarcheck.com said: “Even when money is tight, safety should always be the primary concern. Some write-offs can be repaired to their pre-crash condition but Thatcham has demonstrated the frightening difference between a good and bad repair. “Car buyers must consider the implications of being involved in an accident in a car that has already been structurally weakened.”

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One in six cars on the road have been written off before

Mercedes eyes new two-year deal for Schumacher

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:12:00 +0000

Filed under: Formula One Mercedes is eyeing a new two-year contract extension for Michael Schumacher, according to the major German newspaper Bild. The seven time world champion, having returned to F1 with the famous German marque in 2010, has not decided whether or not to continue his comeback beyond this season. “Bild knows that Mercedes wants to keep him,” said the newspaper, after the Brackley based team’s new W03 car was launched in Barcelona. The report said Mercedes has decided to offer Schumacher, 43, a new two-year deal through 2014. “Before we talk to any other candidate, our first contact will definitely be Michael,” confirmed team boss Ross Brawn. Schumacher commented: “I’ll decide when the time is right.”

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Mercedes eyes new two-year deal for Schumacher

Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 124

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:17:08 +0000

Hit play for an audio recording of a mystery car’s exhaust note, and then share your guesses or get a few hints from other visitors in the comments below. Be sure to check back on Thursday for the answer!

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Name That Exhaust Note, Episode 124

Ford Tourneo Custom Concept: A Fancy Van For Europeans [Geneva Motor Show]

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:01:00 +0000

Look at this image of the Geneva-bound Ford Tourneo Concept once. Mull it over. Then forget it. Unless you live in Europe and you’re in the market for a small van it doesn’t matter to you. Ford is killing the E-series to replace it with a Transit van, but it’s not this one. More »

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Ford Tourneo Custom Concept: A Fancy Van For Europeans [Geneva Motor Show]

This 700-hp BMW M3 Once Had More Chassis Than Engine [Video]

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:30:00 +0000

It’s the smartest of tuning strategies: Take a car with more chassis than engine — like the E92 BMW M3 — and add more engine. “Smart” and “tuning” don’t always join in acts of automotive congress. But bully for us when they do. More »

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This 700-hp BMW M3 Once Had More Chassis Than Engine [Video]

Your Ridiculously Cool 2012 Ken Block Ford Fiestas Wallpaper Are Here [Video]

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:15:00 +0000

Ken Block has new liveries to go with his sense of humor . There’s the H.F.H.V and Gymkhana World Tour Fiestas with their new look. Btw, if you aren’t’ familiar with the whole Ken Block phenomena crawl out from under your rock and go here . More »

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Your Ridiculously Cool 2012 Ken Block Ford Fiestas Wallpaper Are Here [Video]

COTD: Know Your Rights Edition [Video]

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0000

It doesn’t matter if you’re planning on smoking weed all day and then go running through your neighborhood naked, or if you’re going to visit the elderly and then sing prayers at a homeless shelter. You’ve got to know your rights. More »

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COTD: Know Your Rights Edition [Video]

Why Do Hummer Drivers Keep Crashing Into Icy Lakes? [Car Crime]

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Last month, a Washington State Fish and Wildlife Police Sergeant found a stolen Hummer H2 abandoned in a lake , having broken through six inches of solid ice. Just like some intrepid Hungarians , American robbers can’t stop sinking H2s. More »

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Why Do Hummer Drivers Keep Crashing Into Icy Lakes? [Car Crime]

2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG Photos and Info: Twin-Turbo V8, Up to 557 Horsepower

admin — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:11:16 +0000

Attention, landed gentry and Hollywood elite: The previous-gen SL63 sitting in your pea-gravel driveway is outdated and should be disposed of immediately. Mercedes-Benz and AMG have now birthed its successor, a new SL63 created by marrying the SL-class chassis with AMG’s fire-breathing, twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8. Keep Reading: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG – Official Photos and Info

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2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG Photos and Info: Twin-Turbo V8, Up to 557 Horsepower