Last week the Palm Beach, Florida area was livened up with a wide variety of exotic machinery. The occasion was the annual Cavallino Classic, celebrating Ferrari heritage both on the Moroso track and on the lawn of the sensational Breaker's hotel. Our man on the scene as always was Rob Clements and he has captured all the action. A full report of the event will be published next week, but Rob has already forwarded some shots to build up the anticipation.
The shots feature a spectacular 250 MM Vignale Spyder, which was driven on the track by one of our favourite Ferrari collectors. Last year he stunned the world with the amazing 'barn find' 166 MM. The 250 MM was the first production Ferrari to feature the three litre version of the Colombo V12 engine, which would bring great racing successes in the 1950s and the first half of the 1960s. Although often eclipsed on the track by the more powerful Works Ferraris, the 250 MM was certainly a sales room success as over 30 were constructed and bodied to great effect by Pinin Farina and Vignale. The featured example is one of the very last Ferraris clothed by master coachbuilder Alfredo Vignale.
To honour the great artists that many of them were we have created a dedicated coachbuilders section, which lists every coachbuilder featured in our database. With the cars like today's 250 MM, there is a link to the specific coachbuilder page in the specification table next to the article. The section is still a work in progress and more details will be added in the near future.

BMW has completed their M3 line-up with the addition of a Convertible model. Like the standard 3-Series Convertible, the new M3 drop top uses the popular fold-away steel roof. With 400 bhp available, it is ideally suited for a quick run along the French Riviera. Arch-rival Mercedes Benz has taken the wraps off the CLC at the Berlin fashion week a few days ago. It sounds like a brand new model, but in fact it is the coupe version of the latest C-Class, which was previously referred to as the Sports Coupe.
In Detroit two Japanese manufacturers launched new versions of their sporty four-doors, which on both occasions was almost overlooked as a result of both companies' fantastic new concept cars. Mazda unveiled an all new RX-8, which has been improved both inside and out. At the Mitsubishi stand the Lancer Ralliart made its debut. It bridges the gap between the basic Lancer models and the much more extreme 'Evolution' versions.
Siata is best known for the company's fabulous two seater Roadsters, but the company also offered a variety of coupes. The rarest of these is the 208 S Balbo Coupe, which combines a roadster chassis with a coupe body. Only one of these was ever built. Connaught built only one example more of the AL/SR. This two seater sports racer was constructed for the 1954 season using the previous year's Works Formula 2 cars as a basis. The two cars were raced at a variety of events with a class victory at the Goodwood Nine Hours as a highlight. The featured example is the only one remaining.

In January many of the season's new racing cars are traditionally unveiled. This year is no exception and we have collected seven of them with one closely related classic for today's update.
Reigning manufacturer champion in the World Rally Championship Ford made no major changes to their 2008 contender. Visibly the Focus RS WRC 08 is very different due to a striking new paint-job. A new manufacturer will join Ford this season; Suzuki. They tested their weapon of choice already at selected events, but now they have officially taken the wraps off the SX4 WRC.
One of the biggest surprises this year was the announcement of Aston Martin's entry into prototype racing as an engine supplier. This effectively means that the British company will be represented in five international classes. The engine will be fitted in this B08/60, Lola latest LMP1 car. It did bring back memories for many to 1967 when Lola and Aston Martin first teamed up. The T70 Mk3 proved to be an absolute disaster, with both cars forced to retire from Le Mans less than an hour into the race.
Championship contenders Ferrari and McLaren kicked off the F1 launch season earlier this month and last week it was time for some of the other teams to debut their new cars. Toyota was optimistic as ever when they launched the TF108, but it appears that the higher-ups have now set a deadline for some real success; 2010. A lot closer to success is BMW Sauber, who enter their third year with the F1.08. It would not surprise us if they score their first win this year. At one of the last truly independent teams it is time for a party as Williams F1 celebrates their 30th anniversary, their 50,000th lap and 500th Grand Prix this season. They debuted the new FW30 in a special livery to mark the occasion.

To round off our North American International Auto Show coverage we take a look at another eight cars unveiled in the Motor City last week. Most of them are concept cars from the 'big three' and underline the new, more energy efficient course they have embarked on. Cadillac used the momentum of the successful launch of the CTS sedan with the stylish CTS Coupe Concept. It looks set to join the manufacturers line-up and interestingly comes equipped with a turbo-diesel engine. The concept cars of all three major Chrysler brands came with even more efficient power trains. Only using battery power, the sporty Dodge Zeo two-door coupe was the most extreme. The Chrysler Ecovoyager uses the same electric motor, but with a hydrogen fuel cell as a range extender. Two of the 200 Kw electric motors coupled to a 1.5 litre diesel engine form the drivetrain of the Jeep Renegade. Designed along the same lines, but powered by a more conventional engine is the funky Hummer HX Concept. Ford was more preoccupied with showcasing their future exterior design with the Verve Sedan Concept. It is the third 'Verve' launched since Frankfurt and it will serve as the basis for a new global compact car expected in 2009.
Over the weekend all eyes were on the annual Barrett-Jackson auction extravaganza. Aired live throughout North America, the sale has set quite a few world records in recent years. One of this year's top sellers was the Chevrolet Corvette Rondine Pininfarina Coupe, which was offered on the market for the very first time and sold for a staggering $1.6 million.

Saturday the 2008 North American International Auto Show will finally open its doors to the public after six days with access restricted to industry specialists and the media. The crowd will have little over a week to discover the latest design directions and technologies. More than ever this year's Detroit Auto Show is dominated by eco friendlier machines; even Ferrari has jumped on the bandwagon. Many of these 'green' cars have been produced more with the corporate image in mind and less so with actually solving the problems There is also a wide variety of concept cars on display highlighted by the exquisitely styled Mazda Furai and the ferocious Audi R8 V12 TDI. Many of the visitors will no doubt be interested in the latest production cars as well. Both Ford and Dodge introduced a new rendition of their highly popular F-150 and Ram models. General Motors has taken the high performance route with the Cadillac CTS-V and the Corvette ZR1, both powered by a new supercharged V8 engine.
Our man on the show floor this year for the press preview days was Rob Clements. He captured the entire show both in a full report and a 200-shot slideshow. Enjoy!

With the ever growing pressure from society, all major manufacturers are working hard to establish an environmentally friendly line-up and most importantly image. This week at Detroit even Ferrari jumped on the bandwagon with a F430 Spider that runs on E85. Currently the hybrid electric drivetrain and biofuels are the most popular green choices, but work is under way to create a new range of much more efficient drivetrains. Most companies concentrate on creating alternatives that don't require fossil fuels at all, we however don't think they will prove to be viable options in the near future. The most interesting 'new' drivetrain was brought in the limelight last year in the Chevrolet Volt Concept, but it has been used for many years in ships and train locomotives. The system uses a conventional engine to power a generator, which in turn charges the batteries and powers the electric motors. This allows the petrol or diesel engine to run in its most efficient rev range at all time.
At the NAIAS earlier week the very first production car with this petrol-electric drivetrain was announced; the Fisker Karma, which will be available from the second half of 2009. On its batteries the car has a range of 50 miles. When they run out a petrol engine will take over and unlike the fuelcell, hydrogen or fully electric alternatives, the Karma can be refueled at any gas station. Not only is the Karma equipped with the highly efficient drivetrain, it also comes complete with a Henrik Fisker, of Aston Martin Vanquish fame, designed exterior and interior. Both look quite unique. Fisker expects to produce up 15,000 examples per year of this $80,000 luxury sedan. It is a major step forward and gets our thumbs up!

Yesterday the North American International Auto Show in Detroit opened its doors for the first of three media days. Although some exciting manufacturers like Porsche and Aston Martin are missing this year, there were still dozens of major releases. Today we take a look at the first of those and later in the week you can expect a full report from the show floor.
Audi looks set to steal the show with the insanely powerful R8 V12 TDI, which comes equipped with a 1000 Nm V12 oil burner. Easily recognizable by its new nose and roof air intake, the diesel R8 is still a concept car. When it does get released, it will be the very first diesel supercar. Also powered by a diesel engine is the funky Mitsubishi Concept-RA. The concept car is both a styling exercise for a new generation Eclipse and also a showcase for the company's latest technologies. Best known for their luxurious high quality cars, Lexus is quickly expanding into the high performance market. In Detroit they took the wraps off the stylish LF-A Roadster Concept. It is similar in design to the highly acclaimed LF-A Coupe launched earlier and is powered by a high revving V10 engine. While the previous three concept cars will most likely be turned into production cars, this can not be said from the Mazda Furai Concept. Based on the rotary engined Courage LMP2 racing car, the two-seater is another exceptionally styled Mazda concept car.
General Motors' newly developed supercharged V8 engine can be found in two new cars. The first is the ZR1 Corvette and the other is the 550 bhp Cadillac CTS-V. The Cadillac version of the engine is slightly more refined and quieter than the one found in the 'Vette. Volkswagen follows in the footsteps of Mercedes Benz with the introduction of the Volkswagen Passat CC four door Coupe. Production will start this spring and the most powerful engine produces a cool 300 bhp.

Today we have added the 100th Alfa Romeo to our 2900+ car database. To celebrate this fittingly we have decided to highlight one of the finest machines ever produced; the 8C 2300. With three wins in both the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia and four in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it is safe to say this eight cylinder Alfa is one of the most successful racing cars ever constructed. Which is not bad for a car that was sold for road use as well. In this feature we take a look one of the most potent versions; the bored out 8C 2600 Monza. Best represented, with well over 200 entries, is Ferrari, but there are still several famous examples missing. We have come a little bit closer to completion with the addition of the Ferrari 250 MM Pinin Farina Berlinetta.
Birmingham will host the Autosport International Show this weekend, which is dedicated to motorsport and high performance road cars. One of the new cars on display there is the MMI Avocet. The featherlight two-seater roadster is powered by an engine taken straight out of a Fiesta ST. British customers can also look forward to dealer tuned, 183 bhp versions of the ST, known as the Mountune.
Later in the month Mercedes Benz will launch their new compact coupe model, which has been rebranded CLC. It will (fittingly) be unveiled at the Berlin fashion week.
Rounding off today's update are two machines that will be shown in Detroit next week. The most important is the Genesis; the marque's first rear wheel drive sedan. Cadillac continues on eco-friendly route with the Provoq Concept, which is powered by a fuel cell.

Even though the 2007 racing season is still fresh in most memories, the first new racing cars have already been introduced. Formula 1 World Champion Ferrari were the first to debut their 2008 contender. Dubbed the F2008, it is very much a development of the successful F2007. Our favourite new detail is the nose with integrated wing. Porsche and Ferrari will face even stronger competition in the GT2 class this year in the form of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT2. Built by Prodrive, it will be raced in the ALMS, Le Mans Series and at Le Mans.
Next week, the North American International Auto Show in Detroit will kick off. To warm you up, we have taken a trip down memory lane to highlight one of the most interesting cars ever launched in Detroit; the Chevrolet Corvette CERV III Concept. Powered by a 650 bhp V8 engine, this carbon fibre marvel came equipped with four wheel drive, four wheel steering and fully active suspension. Times have changed considerably, underlined by the following three cars to be unveiled at the NAIAS in a weeks time. Ford will take the wraps off the Explorer America Concept to showcase their new range of eco-friendly direct injection engines. Compact has been given a new meaning by Mercedes Benz, who will reveal the 'compact' Vision GLK Freeside. Toyota's A-Bat Concept seems destined to further strengthen the company's position in the popular truck market.
A further trip down memory lane brings us to the 1960s when Grands Prix were disputed by high revving 1.5 litre engined racers. In this era world champion Jack Brabham debuted as a constructor. The featured BT7 was driven to the marque's first two F1 wins by American Dan Gurney. Powered by a slightly larger V8, the Siata 208 S Spider must be one of the most beautiful cars ever constructed. The tiny two-seater also proved to be very quick on the racing track.

Most car enthusiasts are familiar with the McLaren F1, which is still considered the finest road car ever constructed, but far less people know that this was not McLaren's first road car. Officially launched at the London Auto Show early in 1969, the McLaren M6GT was intended to be the company's first street car and a contender for Le Mans glory. Based on the highly successful M6 Can-Am racer, the M6GT was very much the brainchild of company founder Bruce McLaren, much like the F1 was Gordon Murray's pet project. Unfortunately the car's future was cut short very early in the development due to rule changes and the entire road car project was shelved after Bruce McLaren's untimely death early in 1970 at Goodwood. It is fitting that his final trip on public road to track was in his personal M6GT. This car was bought by his team-mate Denny Hulme and displayed for many years in the Auckland Museum of Transport in McLaren's native New Zealand.
Apart from Bruce's own car, only two other M6GTs were produced in 1969. In the 1970s various Can-Am racers were converted to coupe form, but there are only three original cars, which are all accounted for today. The car we feature today is the only example that has contemporary racing history. Amazingly only a few years after it rumbled around Europe's racing tracks, it was used to bring the next owner's kids to school. In 2006 it was bought by the current owner, who has brought it back to its 1969 competition specification.
We have uncovered every detail of this little known machine in a thorough article and 18-shot gallery, showing the M6GT in action at last year's Monterey Historic Races.

We would like to start off the New Year with eight cars that were recently launched or will be launched in the coming days and months. A subject of years of speculations has now finally been confirmed by Ford; the Focus RS will be built. The announcement and attached image are still very sketchy, but the successful World Rally Focus is most certainly the inspiration for the RS. Another high performance machine featured today is the Hennessey Venom 650R. Based off the latest Dodge Viper, it promises a Corvette ZR-1 matching performance with an estimated top speed north of 200 mph. In May the Corvette will be the official pace car for the Indy 500 for a record breaking tenth time. Racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi and ethanol producer will drive the Z06 E85.
In the build up to every Geneva Motor Show one of the questions is; what will Frank Rinderknecht come with up next? He rarely disappoints and his 2008 concept promises to be the craziest yet. Dubbed the sQuba, the new Rinspeed would not look out of place in a James Bond movie as it doubles as a submarine. At Detroit next week Nissan will show this Forum Concept. It combines a clean exterior with a nicely appointed and versatile interior, topped off by a full length and width glass roof. Suzuki has chosen the booming Indian market to showcase their future A-segment model with the A-Star Concept.