Most race cars retire without fanfare; their exploits quickly forgotten for the latest round of quicker machinery. The cars that weren’t winners are often scrapped, forgotten, or scavenged for spare parts in service of their successors. Lucky ones get a more relaxed second life in historic racing series.

But what of would-be motorsport machines that never arrived at the starting line in the first place? They’re lucky to end up with a few lines in a listicle a decade after their stunted chance at glory.

The racing version of the eighth-gen Volkswagen GTI was headed down a similar path after Vee-Dub pulled the plug on all factory motorsport programs in 2020, midway through the GTI touring car’s development. The Volkswagen Motorsport staff was split up and reassigned to work on other projects within the company, and the prototype they’d been working on—the Mk8 GTI TCR—joined the brand’s museum inventory, unfinished.

The one-of-one work-in-progress subsequently traveled to the United States as a marketing and PR asset, trotted out to local circuits to reel off routine demonstration laps instead of traveling the world and angrily banging doors with the Hyundais, Hondas, and other competitors in TCR-class racing series. But fate had another path for this special GTI, and it would soon be yanked out of obscurity and onto one of the biggest stages in motorsport.

As part of the 50^th birthday celebrations of the Golf nameplate in 2024, VW decided to honor its hatchback’s venerable racing history with a special project that evolved into a plan to compete at the Nürburgring 24 Hours (N24). With just months until the race and without a factory racing division, building a new car was out of the question—but what about that old Mk8 GTI TCR prototype that’d been kicking around in America?

And so began the fast-tracked process of turning a half-finished racer into a world-class competitor. The Volkswagen Motorsport engineers who’d formerly been involved with the project the first time around were willing and eager for another go. They knew the car well and were champing at their bits to pick up where they’d left off, but they’d have to work at night after their day jobs, and they needed a little extra help.

And Max Kruse Racing was there to provide it. Co-founded and run by Volkswagen development driver, brand ambassador, and professional racer Benny Leuchter, the racing team complemented VW’s in-house engineers by providing invaluable experience with setting up and running a car in a 24-hour endurance race. Leuchter’s familiarity with Volkswagen Motorsport made the partnership even stronger.

The Mk8 GTI TCR prototype was shipped back to Germany, where it was immediately routed to Max Kruse Racing’s HQ in Duisburg. With a four-month countdown to the N24, time was of the essence.

The powertrain package was largely left as-is, with the most significant changes occurring on the software rather than hardware side. Namely, the ECU was adapted to run the newly developed Shell E20 fuel that would power the GTI in the N24. “The engine is the stock GTI gen-four 888 engine [a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder],” VW spokesperson Martin Hube told us at the Nürburgring. “We are competing in the alternative fuel class, so it’s running E20 that we are using together with Shell, [which is] capable of getting rid of nearly 50% of CO2. We wanted to show that a stock engine is capable of competing with this new [bioethanol] fuel under the hardest conditions. [The car] also gained some power because the fuel is a bit more than 100 octane.” The total output in the rechristened Mk8 GTI TCR—now called the Volkswagen GTI Clubsport 24h—is 348 hp, which is just about 50 more than the recently unveiled road-going version.

The GTI Clubsport 24h’s most noticeable augmentation, though, is its redeveloped aero package. Marketing is one reason for the revamp, seeing as the prototype featured the pre-facelift Mk8 GTI’s styling cues and would need to be updated to match the current model’s look. Win with a one-off car on Sunday, sell more base Golfs on Monday, or something like that . . . However, those with extra keen eyes for GTIs will notice that the Clubsport 24h has a mix of pre- and post-facelift design elements.

That said, the main impetus behind the aero makeover was performance-focused, with the engineers incorporating the latest principles into their old car’s new fenders, wings, splitters, diffusers, and every other wind-shifting bit and bob. The resulting look is the meanest looking widebody ever worn by a factory-backed Volkswagen. Like the prototype, the finished Clubsport 24h completes its silhouette with a chunky rear wing hung from swan-neck supports attached to the hatch, and a single very purposeful-looking center-exit exhaust.

With the bodywork buttoned up, it was time for the new roll cage and safety structures to be homologated with just a few weeks before the green flag, so the Clubsport 24h was flat-bedded to a testing and certification center in Spain to make sure everything was in order. With its up-to-date safety compliance in hand, it then headed back to Germany for last-minute shakedowns at Volkswagen’s test track in Ehra-Lessein. The VW engineers and the Max Kruse Racing team had just enough time to define the parameters and tolerances of their car’s systems—for example, how hot the gearbox oil could get without leading to mechanical failure, and which shift points to use to maintain the appropriate operating temperature—before it was time to put all their efforts to the test at the Clubsport 24h’s first-ever race.

There are less daunting debuts than a day-long trial by fire (and fog) at the Nürburgring, but the Clubsport 24h was immediately impressive upon its arrival in Nürburg. Before the race proper, the car set a new front-wheel drive racing car record at the track (which combines the shorter and more modern Grand Prix circuit with the infamous Nordschleife for a total lap length of just under 16 miles) during qualifying: With Benny Leuchter at the controls, the Clubsport 24h clocked a 8:53.239 lap to start the race at the front of its class.

On race day, the #50 car was to be driven by Leuchter, Johan Kristoffersson, Nico Otto and Heiko Hamme over the course of the 24 hours. Mother Nature had other plans however, and the dense layer of fog that immobilized the emergency services helicopter saw the race halted after 7 hours and 22 minutes. Track conditions were closely monitored as hundreds of thousands of fingers were crossed for a restart that never came. To the disappointment of nearly a third of a million people who’d come to compete at, watch and camp out next to this year’s race, the 2024 edition was the shortest in the N24’s 52-race history.

Despite that, the team behind the Clubsport 24h wasn’t upset with taking home the class win. The car finished in 43^rd overall, conquered its category, beat more than half the overall field of finishers, and fulfilled its purpose. “We wanted to show the people in the woods, the people around the track, that this car is really capable,” Hube said, “and now we have the fastest museum car ever made by Volkswagen.”

It still is a museum piece, after all. With one race and one class win under its belt, the Clubsport 24h’s next job is back under the marketing and PR umbrella, where it will be attending the annual GTI Treffen—the world’s largest hot hatch VW celebration—in Wolfsburg during the last weekend of July. But its time as a contemporary racer may not be over, either…

On that topic, Hube told Hagerty, “We have huge motivation now. We expected to be competitive, but we haven’t expected to come to the ‘Ring and record a record lap time. That shows the capabilities of this car, and the engineers have so many ideas for further development. We’re really inspired and there is an idea to use [the Clubsport 24h] as a development car for the next years. We have two more things to celebrate: in 2026 it will be 50 years of GTI. 2027 will be 25 years of R.”

Could this car’s successful second chance revive the defunct Volkswagen Motorsport department? “Now we have to convince the board that it’s necessary to be here [at the Nürburgring], that it’s necessary to present the Golf in front of the fans here. We have to come back.” Asked how they will convince the board, Hube smiles and says with typical German playfulness masked in straightforward phrasing: “It’s better to argue our case with a good result than with a bad result.”

***

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Germany’s Eifel Mountain region is perfect for early-summer camping and hiking. The forested peaks rise and fall through the fog and are populated by charming hamlets and farms, the edges of which are often lined with shocks of wildflowers. Rain clouds and bluebird skies trade places throughout the day before the sun sets about 10 p.m.

Peaceful.

That is, unless you arrive at any part of the Nürburgring Nordschleife during the Nürburgring 24 Hours (N24) race weekend, where a quarter-million fans show up, dedicated to a schedule that’s dominated by three things: drinking beer, grilling sausages, and watching cars hurtling up, down—and occasionally off—one of the greatest circuits in the world. The chirp of songbirds is replaced by the thrum of generators, a half-dozen Eurobeat tracks thumping out of temporary discotheques, and the constant doppler effect of racing engines near redline.

Unlike this year’s shortest-ever N24—red-flagged for nearly 17 hours due to dense fog that wouldn’t let up—the party rages at all hours, impervious to foul weather. The peace is thoroughly disturbed. 

In the weeks leading up to the ‘Ring’s premier endurance race, dedicated fans descend on the countryside to stake out their plots along the nearly 13 miles of asphalt. There they erect temples to Bitburger, Jägermeister, Paulaner, and Warsteiner.

Their plywood scaffold creations sometimes include mud-stained living room couches draped in Christmas lights. One setup even had an assisted-mobility chair on an electric track to ferry guests up and down. Plastic banners span these double- and triple-decker structures, broadcasting motorsport allegiances and beverage brands of choice.

On the trampled ground below, empty alcohol bottles and cans are stacked into pyramids, or unceremoniously piled up, or just flattened into the earth. Cigarette smoke wafts through the leafy canopies, joining the plumes of bonfires and barbecues that still linger in your clothes Monday morning. 

It is a wonderful place to be, and not just as a racing fan. The camaraderie is infectious, regardless of what team you’re rooting for. And believe it or not, it can be very family-friendly: Toddlers are perched on their parents’ shoulders, heads lolling, all top-heavy thanks to the comically oversized earmuffs that mom and dad insist upon. Little hands furiously wave cheap plastic flags adorned with car brand logos with the same enthusiasm of older diehards who’ve made this race an annual tradition. The kids are alright. 

And so are the adults. I lost count of the number of beers I had to politely turn down as I tromped around the perimeter of the circuit, pulling at my photographer’s credential to show that I was, despite my senses telling me otherwise, at work. In addition to watching one of the official Nürburgring-owned jumbotrons, I popped my head into a few tents to check out the race feeds to see what was happening on the rest of the course. Without fail I was offered some form of hot food, a shot of liquor or another bottle of beer.

After miles of trudging and eight hours of holding stiff photographer stances, my feet ached and my stomach pleaded, so I broke down and accepted an offered plate of currywurst. I was grateful for the kindness that endurance racing seems to foster.

On Sunday morning, the bonfires were fed with the wooden frames that provided the prior night’s grandstands. Some people were still drinking, some slowly packing their cars and campers, hot coffee in hand. It was quieter this year as the red flags for weather left the track empty since before midnight. People grumbled about that, but you know they’ll be back next year, just like they were the year before. The traffic jam to leave the ‘Ring is thick but quickly disperses once you get clear of the main parking and camping zones. They come from every direction and leave the same way. 

With the race over, the countryside quickly returns to its idyllic natural state. Sounds from the forests and farmland take up where the cars and crowds left off. Cleanup crews stab bits of trash with their pokers and a few service trucks prowl the circuit to make minor repairs to the guardrails.

We’ll all be back next year, weather permitting or not. See you there.

***

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The 52^nd edition of the day-long endurance race through the Green Hell was the shortest in history, clocking a total of just 7 hours and 22 minutes of racing over the course of 50 laps. The stunted duration of the “N24” was thanks to the Eifel region’s infamously inclement weather, which draped the course in a dense layer of helicopter-immobilizing haze that compromised emergency safety services and wafted through the forested hills as if pouring from the devil’s very own fog machine.

The red flags flew at 11:23 PM local time, and the nearly 130-car field was rendered stationary until a handful of formation laps were run behind the safety car in the final hours of the race weekend—a small but welcome concession for the soggy fans. The #16 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II of Scherer Sport PHX claimed the big trophy, local favorites Manthey Racing snatched silver in their #911 Porsche 911 GT3 R, and BMW M Team RMG’s #72 M4 GT3 filled out the podium’s third spot. 

The result marked the seventh overall victory for the Audi R8 and Scherer Sport PHX at the N24, which sees the team now tied for the record with Manthey Racing. But it was a bittersweet moment for the blue-and-white R8, as this was the first year that it raced without Audi’s factory support. It will also likely be the model’s last chance at winning the event due to Audi’s withdrawal from GT racing, and a Scherer team that is readying itself to compete with a new car next season. There are worse ways for a competition car to age into retirement than winning at the Nürburgring, even if it was under weather-shortened circumstances.

Despite the race’s record-breaking brevity, there was still sufficient time for motorsport drama. Cars caught fire, were flung into the air, and fiercely fought for position on the Nordschleife’s narrow and undulating asphalt. It might not have the same prestige as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but there’s nowhere but the Nürburgring where you can see a top-spec GT3 Porsche getting airborne before weaving through a bunch of 3-Series sedans—and a Dacia Logan!—and clipping a moving apex in the form of a flatbed truck hauling the carcass of a wrecked race car. At the N24, the recovery vehicles share a live track with the racers, making for some spectacular displays of adaptive driving and adding another bit of flavor to this singular event.

When combined with the Grand Prix circuit, the full course for the 24-hour race is a memory-testing 15.77 miles long, and during the race weekend it was lined with over 240,000 spectators and their architecturally questionable homebrewed grandstands, sausage-sizzling barbecues, and bountiful beer bottles. Like the infield at Talladega and the ritzy balconies of Monaco, the atmosphere during the ‘Ring’s premier race weekend is its own spectator sport. More on that in a story to follow—in the meantime, enjoy the sights of the shortest-ever Nürburgring 24.

***

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Larger SUVs are rarely designed to appeal to those who enjoy driving. By their nature, the best they can offer is a compromise.

That hasn’t stopped Mazda from trying, though—the company has never been afraid to give their SUVs some of the magic that makes their cars so enjoyable. The brand-new 2025 CX-70 continues that trajectory by offering something that can fight the suburban skirmishes on multiple fronts without losing focus on the commander at the controls. It will ferry the kids to school, and tote your clubs to the club, tow your Miata to the track, but it can also haul its own ass around that one fun corner between the grocery store and your garage to a degree that belies its size.

To find out how Mazda’s latest, and largest two-row SUV performed both around town and on true driver’s roads, we took Mazda up on their offer to explore the CX-70 lineup and test the Turbo S Premium Plus in the searing scenery of Palm Springs, California. 

The CX-70 is part of Mazda’s recent push into a more upscale market. It’s essentially the same machine as the CX-90 (minus the third-row seats) that kicked off that effort last year with the North American debut of Mazda’s new “Large Product Group” platform. What that platform lacks in an evocative name, it makes up for in its driver-focused, rear-wheel-biased all-wheel drive system and turbo inline-six.

There’s a host of modern engineering beneath the CX-70’s skin, but the wrapper itself has become an increasingly critical selling point in this crowded field. The CX-70 looks and feels closer to a status symbol than a sensible choice—especially in the Premium Plus package that fills the CX-70’s guts with aspirational levels of leather and metal. This is a path that previous Mazda SUVs have ventured down, though not as comprehensively.

To that end, while the CX-70 competes against similarly priced vehicles like the Honda Passport and Toyota Highlander, Mazda also wants to snag a few cost-conscious customers away from more luxury-oriented offerings like the BMW X5, Lexus RX, and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe (all of which Mazda had on hand for static comparison). Mazda’s long argued that its SUVs provide a more characterful experience than other similarly priced models, but in aiming higher, the company now also makes the case that against these new foes, any gap in capability is narrower than the gap in price.

To cover a broader swath of buyers’ needs, Mazda provides a healthy range of options and pricing within the made-in-Japan CX-70’s seven varieties. For starters, there are PHEV and mild hybrid powertrains. The mild hybrid versions are all powered by Mazda’s e-Skyactiv G 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six, with two levels of power to pick from: Turbo, and Turbo S. The Turbo models produce 280 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque on 87-octane fuel, and come in three tiers of luxury: Preferred, Premium, and Premium Plus. The cheapest of all seven CX-70s, the Turbo Preferred, starts at $40,445, while the Turbo Premium Plus starts at $48,900. 

For those seeking more shove, the Turbo S models churn out a hearty 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque on 91-octane fuel (should you need to use 87 octane in a pinch, you’ll drop down to 319 hp, but retain the same amount of torque). The Turbo S ditches the entry Preferred trim and is only available in either Premium or Premium Plus spec, starting at $52,450 and $55,950, respectively.

Specs: 2025 Mazda CX-70 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus

• Price: $55,950 (base); $56,545 (as-tested)
• Powertrain: 3.3-liter fuel-injected, turbocharged, dual-overhead-camshaft inline-six with 48V mild hybrid system; 8-speed automatic transmission
• Horsepower: 340 (on 91-octane premium fuel, 319 hp on 87-octane) @ 5000 rpm
• Torque: 369 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
• Layout: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
• Weight: 4863 lbs.
• EPA-rated fuel economy: 25 MPG combined
• Competition: Honda Passport, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Lexus RX

The 48V mild hybrid system is designed to aid low-speed efficiency and the operation of auxiliary functions like air-conditioning, but for customers who want a genuine plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), the CX-70 also comes with a powertrain option that combines a 189-hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four with a 173-hp, 100-kW electric motor powered by a 17.8-kWh battery pack. The combined product is good for 323 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque on 91 octane. The PHEV version of the CX-70 is available in either Premium or Premium Plus spec, which start at $54,400 and $57,450, respectively. 

The PHEV’s EV-only mode provides a max range of 26 miles according to Mazda, and has an EPA-rated fuel economy of 56 MPGe for gas plus electric; 25 MPG overall gas only. (The mild hybrids return 25 MPG combined.) If you want to tow something, your best bet is the inline-six in Premium or Premium Plus trim—it has a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs compared to the PHEV’s 3,500 lbs.

Finally, every variant of the CX-70 is equipped with the same eight-speed automatic found in the CX-90, which Mazda developed specifically for the Large Product Group platform, and uses a wet clutch mounted at the rear of the transmission rather than a torque converter at the front. Mazda says it’s chosen this somewhat unconventional setup to free up space for both the inline-six’s mild hybrid unit and the PHEV’s larger hybrid system, while reducing rotational inertia across the board. 

Moving on from the on-paper specs to real-world impressions, the CX-70 cuts a handsome figure. It stands out in that it doesn’t try to stand out—the grille isn’t enormous, nor is there any flame-surface try-hard design. Besides the black-and-silver 21-inch wheels, the CX-70 is basically devoid of bling—but it does have enough stylistic gravity to warrant a double take.

The proportions do the aesthetic heavy lifting, and for a vehicle that’s a smidge over 200” long and 68” tall, it looks more like a fattened-up wagon than a slimmed-down SUV. You could almost call it svelte. The body’s dash-to-axle ratio suggests the sportiness of its longitudinal-engine layout, and that, combined with a front overhang that’s much shorter than the rear, gives the CX-70’s silhouette the look of being swept back under the persuasion of acceleration.

The exterior isn’t controversial or stunning; it’s attractive and will continue to look good when you’ve lived with it for a while. Aside from a few flashy color options, the reserved look carries into the interior. If you opt for the Turbo or PHEV in Premium Plus spec, you can get a striking red color for your Nappa leather, but to get the best of what Mazda offers you’ll want the tan diamond-quilted seats, suede accent panels, and two-tone steering wheel in the Turbo S Premium Plus.

Sight isn’t the only sense that Mazda appealed to: Materials felt of excellent quality in the Turbo S Premium Plus, and the contrast between materials (metal inserts, smooth Nappa, and suede) gave the impression of something pricier than a Mazda. The fit and finish was pretty faultless, too, with even stitching lines and tight gaps throughout.

Of course, this is an SUV, and the space behind the front seats matters at least as much as material choices. The rear appointments mirror the front, and the second row folds flat with a touch of a button. (You’ll need to manually flip them back up, however.) The CX-70’s 75 cubic feet of cargo space is class-competitive.

After familiarizing ourselves with the CX-70’s details, we set out, first spending time on full-size freeways, two-lane highways, and stoplight-to-stoplight surface roads with the Turbo S Premium Plus.

Underway, the seating position gives a good sense of where all four corners are located and provides ample headroom even for taller drivers. Overall visibility is adequate, with the only noticeable obstruction coming from the wide D-pillar. The head-up display—standard on all but the Turbo Preferred—is a nice safety feature/creature comfort to have as well. The full suite of information comes via the 12.3” digital cluster, which is accompanied by another 12.3” screen for infotainment located in the center of the dash. 

Said infotainment system is intuitive and simple to operate at a stop or in motion, and from either the steering wheel controls or the center console-mounted navigation wheel. The CX-70 features hands-free infotainment controls via Alexa (a Mazda crossover first) plus wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 12-speaker Bose sound system in our test vehicle performs adequately but not notably better than other higher-end OEM audio systems, with a soundstage centered around the dash’s mid panel. 

Up front, the seats are comfortable for cruising around town. The adjustable lumbar support on Premium packages and above is a welcome feature, especially on longer freeway stints, and they’re supportive enough to prevent rag-dolling when cornering. If spec’d with the Premium Plus package, the CX-70’s front seats get ventilation in addition to heat (which comes standard for the fronts on all trims; to get rear heat you’ll need to spring for Premium Plus). Hopping in the back for bit, we discovered that the rear seats are comfortable as well, but lacking the support of the fronts. Rear legroom is adequate but maybe a smidge less than you’d expect from the wheelbase.

The six-cylinder in the Turbo S has more than enough power to merge safely onto the freeway or squirt through a yellow light, but a few instances of excessive shifting pop up when manipulating the throttle at lower speeds. Brake feel is excellent, with a reassuring sense that more pressure on the pedal meant more braking force instead of the jarring on-off binary that some new cars offer.

Although the CX-70’s steering ratio isn’t exactly quick and snappy, it is pleasantly linear and perfectly easy to wheel around in a congested parking lot, if a tad heavier than competitors. Combined with a minimal dead zone on center, the Mazda is impressively reactive without feeling twitchy.

The ride is stiffer and more communicative than expected from an SUV that will probably be used around downtown grids more often than backroad esses. It feels perfectly fine for someone who likes driving sports cars, and is consistent with Mazdas like the CX-5 that have proven popular, but could be a bit much for someone cross-shopping a Honda or Toyota (or Lexus). Given the company’s push toward luxury and how well the double-wishbone front end and multilink rear performed in the mountains, Mazda may have missed an opportunity to equip the CX-70 with adaptive dampers for softer in-town manners—that might have captured a broader array of tastes.

Speaking of mountains, the snaking section of Route 74 running high above the Coachella Valley proved the CX-70 to be a capable enough curve-carver. There’s no way to completely hide the Turbo S’ 4863 lbs (the PHEV comes in at 5198 lbs), but it’s composed, consistent, and confidence-inspiring. Driven hard in this environment, the eight-speed shifts when expected, the powerband is ready and willing, and the AWD is surefooted. The various driver aids stay very much in the background.

Two big factors in the CX-70’s composure are the i-Activ AWD system and Mazda’s Kinematic Posture Control (KPC). The i-Activ system sends torque to the corner with the most grip as expected, but there’s also a baked-in consideration for steering input that prioritizes a consistent and smooth power output for the driver. This system complements the KPC tech, which has a similar end goal of consistent, predictable, unadulterated handling. The KPC algorithms work to—as subtly as possible—keep the suspension compression and dive angles as neutral as possible through a corner, which it achieves by minor manipulations of the brakes and differentials. The result we discovered is a vehicle that’s playful for its size, communicative, and competent.

After experiencing the CX-70 across the full range of its natural habitat, it gives every impression of being a solid addition to Mazda’s burgeoning effort to pierce the premium side of the market. It may not compete outright with the X5s of the world, but it doesn’t have to—the Mazda has the BMW beat on price to the point where it just might peel away a few buyers. And compared to its more direct competition, the Mazda is more fun to drive. Not everyone cares if their A-to-B SUV can boogie, but Mazda’s found success with this value-meets-driving-pleasure combination before. We’ll soon see if it works for the CX-70.

2025 Mazda CX-70

Highs: Good-looking inside and out without design gimmicks, fun to drive, solid range of trim levels.

Lows: A little bit stiff around town, not always smooth at low speeds.

Takeaway: Indubitably Mazda. Admirable focus on driving dynamics. Not all things to all people, and that’s ok.

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]]> https://www.hagerty.com/media/new-car-reviews/first-drive-mazdas-cx-70-pitches-driving-fun-and-value/feed/ 3 https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/we-hit-the-tesla-cybertruck-with-sledgehammers/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/we-hit-the-tesla-cybertruck-with-sledgehammers/#comments Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:00:24 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?p=356900

Check out our brand-new film on the Tesla Cybertruck in the latest installment of “Jason Cammisa on the ICONS,” which you can watch right now on the Hagerty YouTube channel.

 

If being visionary means having the power to peer into and understand the future, how do we define the ability to create the future? Is that not much rarer? Doesn’t it demand a boldness that verges on being preposterous, a willfulness that balks at the conventions that block so many others? Can it take the form of … an unpainted pickup truck?

What about an electric, 800-horsepower tri-motor four-wheeled Frigidaire that completes the quarter-mile in 11 seconds flat and can outrun a go-kart… on a go-kart track?

We just spent two days at Sonoma Raceway filming, drag racing, and whacking the Tesla Cybertruck with sledgehammers in vain attempts to dent its “HFS” exoskeleton. (It was a riot.) HFS, by the way, is short for Tesla’s immature-but-accurate name for the in-house alloy developed for the Cybertruck: Hard F*cking Steel. That it seems a fitting but clunky moniker for an aspiring adult actor is pretty in line with Musk’s brand of humor. But we digress.

This truck doesn’t need crude jokes to get noticed. Even at California’s Sonoma Raceway, a place regularly populated with high-end racing cars (more than a few scenes had to be reshot thanks to the sporadic background yawps of a hotlapping Fly Yellow GT3 Ferrari) the Tesla slab was a gravity well of attention. Every single soul who caught a glimpse wanted another. And they all had something to say: “What in the Cyberf*** am I looking at?“ “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!” “That’s hideous. May I please test if it’s bulletproof?”

Hagerty video host Jason Cammisa summed it up best: “[The Cybertruck] is going to become a polarizing status symbol parked in the driveway of every Lamborghini owner as their ‘suburban assault’ daily driver, but very much like a Lamborghini, there’s real genuine substance baked in … And the sad part is, you’ve already made up your mind about the Cybertruck based on the way it looks. So did I, so did everyone else. But that’s not fair to this thing.”

 

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He’s right. Beneath the controversially curveless skin lies the truly interesting bits. For starters, the Cybertruck features a “steer-by-wire” system wherein there is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels. Instead, a group of sensors interpret it all for the driver, changing the steering ratio depending on the environment. This technology isn’t new, but Tesla’s use of it here feels dramatic, and there’s no physical failsafe as there was in the decade-old Infiniti Q50. While hauling down the highway at 80 mph, the ratio is high; while navigating a tight parking garage causes the ratio to drop so you’re not rotating the wheel around like you’re driving a dump truck. In other words, the Cybertruck’s four-wheel steering system is bolstered by a variable steering ratio for greater adaptability. That’s not just a party trick, like the Tesla whoopie cushion gag that makes a fart noise when you sit down, that’s a very practical piece of tech. The Cybertruck uses proprietary batteries that are both more efficient for vehicular power and manufacturing. The batteries feed a 48-volt electric architecture.

And that bodywork that we had so much fun slamming with our sledgehammers? It’s not just a fun way to show off your Mars-mobile to your idiot friends—it translates into a structure that’s so tough that Tesla doesn’t need to put crash bars in the doors. If you want to see what that looks like in a crash test, pay special attention to that part of our Cybertruck film, which goes into much more technical detail on the aforementioned gizmos.

Time will reveal whether the Cybertruck heralds our driving future, or if it merely becomes one of many alternate realities that atrophied in ours. What’s certain, though, is that it’s unlike any other new vehicle. And even the people firmly opposed to its existence must admit that this truck is fascinating. In a time when we’re seeing a massive paradigm shift in the way we think about personal transportation, yet only see a handful of cars and trucks that seem to be doing more than trend-chasing, we say “the more the merrier.”

Backing up a provocative design like the Cybertruck with genuine innovation is how seemingly farcical visions become visionary realities, and this thing falls squarely (or is it rectangularly?) in the latter category.

 

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]]> https://www.hagerty.com/media/video/we-hit-the-tesla-cybertruck-with-sledgehammers/feed/ 60 https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/how-many-fun-coupons-will-buy-the-wrecked-countach-from-the-wolf-of-wall-street/ https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/how-many-fun-coupons-will-buy-the-wrecked-countach-from-the-wolf-of-wall-street/#comments Thu, 02 Nov 2023 21:00:41 GMT https://www.hagerty.com/media/?p=350559

Where did the universe come from? What is our role in it? What do you buy if your penny stocks have paid off, if not a white-on-white Lamborghini Countach? These are important questions. One of them has an easy answer.

In the late 1960s, Marcello Gandini hammered a wedge into the supercar styling paradigm with the original Countach design. Horacio Pagani gave it a radical sendoff two decades later with his work on the 25th Anniversary model. But only one Countach was modified under the direction of cinema’s Martin Scorsese. Unlike the sketchbooks and clay of bygone, brilliant automotive designers, the Oscar-winner opted to use a few golf carts and a flatbed truck to achieve his vision.

On November 25th, the Bonhams auction house will auction off the (anti)hero car driven by Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, Jordan Belfort, in 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street. The sale is part of Bonhams’ inaugural “On the Grid: The Abu Dhabi Auction” at the Yas Marina Circuit.

The Bianco-Polo-over-Bianco-leather 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary car featured in Wolf has been preserved in as-destroyed condition since the 2013 premiere of the film. Bonhams estimates it will sell for $1.5–$2 million. That’s a lot of “fun coupons” for an already ridiculous car, in this case rendered immobile in pursuit of movie magic.

Just under 660 examples of the Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary model were built, with the going rate for a #2 (Excellent) condition example in excess of $600,000, and a merely #4 (Fair) condition example commanding $345,000 on average. But if true excess is what you seek, why not spend multiple times that amount to own an inoperable one used in one of the most debaucherous driving sequences ever put to film? You may not be the fraudulent Wall Streeter-type, popping ‘ludes and opening scissor doors with your feet after rolling down the stairs of the Brookville Country Club, but you can still own the ultimate signifier of unchecked hedonism.

The auction lot also includes a costume from the scene; a director’s chair and clapboard signed by Scorsese, DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie; two crew hoodies; and not one, but two—yes, two—copies of the film on DVD. (A pair of VHS tapes would be more period-correct, but at least the car is the real deal.)

In fact, two Countach 25th Anniversaries were used for the scene, the other being an unscathed backup car seen only for a few seconds. That makes the star car shown here a true cinematic one-of-one. In that context, we can better wrap our heads around its potential value exceeding even the most perfect, most original Countach 25th Anniversary.

As-is the car is more or less sculpture. Tampering with that, even to restore it to perfection if that’s possible, likely would reduce its value even though certificates of authenticity proving the Lamborghini’s on-screen provenance might still make it worth more compared with a “normal” one.

Another option is to get the thing mechanically sorted and drivable while leaving as much of the aesthetic damage intact as possible—call it movie prop patina. Then again, anyone with more than a million to spend on a non-running wrecked Lamborghini might have an suitable spot to simply display it in a Scarface-esque compound somewhere.

The Wolf of Wall Street is one of the rare movies that rivals Goodfellas in terms of fans taking the wrong message from the  corrupt characters’ exploits on screen. But if someone unironically thinks greed is good, this Countach would look quite cool displayed next to a pillar holding up a diamond-encrusted skull by Damien Hirst or something.

Car enthusiasts would likely prefer to own a different Wolf’s Countach—Walter Wolf’s to be specific—but nobody can promise such a purchase would come with a pair of sweatpants and $35 worth of DVDs. Tough call how to spend those fun coupons.

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Dr. Frankenstein’s infamous creation combined a terrifying exterior with a tender soul. Car builder and drift racer Faruk Kugay’s brand of mad science is something of an inversion of the fictional Victor’s original formula; the beautiful blue bodywork of his Jaguar XKE 2+2 houses a modified 750-horsepower monster heart transplanted from a Mk. IV Toyota Supra.

It’s equal parts sacrilege and thoughtful homage, depending on your point of view. In essence, however, this is a straightforward restomod that improves on the base blueprint’s performance. The foundational Jaguar E-Type has been upgraded with a more powerful engine, but it maintains a degree of respect for the original layout by keeping a straight-six. The car wears bigger wheels, beefier brakes, more rubber, and bulging fenders to contain it all, but it’s still clearly identifiable as a Jaguar, even without any badging. Squint, though, and you’ll take note of several deviant details from Coventry’s spec.

The heavily tweaked, single-turbo Toyota 2JZ-GTE 3.0-liter under the long clamshell snout isn’t the only dose of purist poison here. There are also front brakes borrowed from a Corvette; a ZF five-speed taken from an E36-generation M3; a differential, rear subframe, and rear suspension from BMW’s E60 5 Series; and a carbon-fiber-reinforced, 3D-printed widebody kit filled out by 17-inch Rotiform wheels designed in Southern California.

The overall package, built by Kugay’s Sonoma Raceway-based DevSpeed Motorsports, is a vision that stands in contrast to the all-English E-Types restored and perfected by Eagle, but once you look beyond the mixture of Japanese, German, and American additions, you’ll find that this car hasn’t forgotten its roots, it’s just a more radical reinterpretation. Despite the international DNA, it’s still an evolution of the original formula that dates back to Malcolm Sayer’s and Jaguar’s first concepts in the late 1950s. We especially like the gold paintwork on the 2JZ’s valve cover—a subtle acknowledgement of the early XKE inline-sixes that wore the same scheme.

The most obvious homage to the E-Type’s history? That would be the bodywork. Heavily influenced by the designs of the original factory E-Type Lightweight racing cars which also ditched the road version’s chrome bumpers for a smoother, more aeronautical appearance, the Illumaesthetic-designed widebody is aggressive enough to fit modern wheel and tire sizes without bastardizing the the E-Type’s timeless proportions.

Similarly, while those cavernous rear haunches may be hunkered down over two-piece 17”×10” wheels that would swallow the originals on even the racing versions, the Rotiform STLs (STeeLies, cute.) can easily be seen as a modernized take on the Lightweight’s footwear. The rears are wrapped in 255/40 R17 Bridgestone Potenza RE-71 RS tires, while 17-inch ×8.5-inch fronts wear 225/45 R17s. It is a handsome setup, but we’d love to see what it would look like on smaller-diameter wire wheels and chunkier tires.

The livery is refreshingly simple, especially amid the sea of attention-grabbers at an event like SEMA (where this build was joined two other heavily modified machines sponsored by the Japanese motor oil company, ENEOS). The rear window has the typical smattering of sponsorship logos, but the eggshell blue paint combined with the prominent white “meatballs” on the doors is undeniably classic, perfectly suited for a Lightweight-inspired E-Type.

Most of the elements in Kugay’s E-Type build can be traced back to Jaguar’s original ideas and components, but the connection past the cylinder count and layout is pretty thin. Part of that just comes from necessity to operate in the modern restomod space; in the 1960s, 265 hp was plenty of power for a 3.8- or 4.2-liter sports car. You need a lot more to hang with SEMA show cars in 2023.

Tuned 2JZ motors have been making insane power for years now, and Kugay’s 24-valve twin-cam single-turbo is no exception. The party piece for the 750-hp-capable mill is a small-animal-swallowing BorgWarner EFR 8474 turbocharger, which is supported by CP-Carillo pistons and connecting rods, engine bearings from King, and and interestingly aligned intercooler supplied by Vibrant Performance.

Additional supporting pieces include a new USDM-spec cylinder head with Deatschwerks injectors, a throttle body setup from Driftmotion, a Link G4 Fury ECU, a Lightcell fuel cell, and a complete replacement of the fuel injection system courtesy of Nuke Performance.

Is anyone else imagining Jesse, the “mad scientist” from The Fast and the Furious, rattling off this list of mods from under the Jag’s clamshell hood?

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