It seems like the worst of times for investing in anything equipped with a gas tank: Saab has filed for bankruptcy;the U.S. Big Three continue to behave like the Three Blind Mice, running wild with SUVs, corporate bonuses, and denials of global warming ; and the big Japanese manufacturers, renowned for their impeccable quality, are recalling thousands of mysteriously flawed vehicles: faulty brakes, faulty air-bags – and even cars which won’t stop accelerating. At the moment, as they say in East Texas, I wouldn’t touch a new car with a ten foot pole.

But antique cars? Well, that’s another story. Basking in the glory and romance of the olden days, these beauties of engineering represent all the proof you need that they don’t make them like they used to.

Eccentric, quirky: top hats on bicycle wheels, flowing caravans fitted with lanterns that could light up a coal mine, chrome-lined space rockets – with almost as much lift, classic cars transform the most mundane journey into a parade, and remind us that even if our past was glorious and foolish, we, like they, are still very much alive.

And the vintage car market, it seems, continues to survive despite the financial crisis. Antique cars come in three varieties: classic, vintage, and veteran, though the terms are not strictly interchangeable. The youngest generation is the Classic, whose birthday typically falls between World War II and the early ‘80s. Vintage cars, meanwhile, are those which emerged between the wars, while Veterans refer to the first gas-powered spiders ever to have scuttled on four wheels (think Ford’s groundbreaking Model T).

But quite apart from the question of mileage – which in the case of high-performance cars like the Ford Mustang and Chevy Camero can be on a par with the fuel consumption needs of a Saturn V – the question continues to be: Are these cars a good investment?

Those in the know will tell you it’s a bit like putting your money in gold or silver. Basically, the investor gets a solid and reliable asset that can’t disappear overnight in the manner of a fragile ‘dot-com’. Rather, classic cars possess intrinsic value, and since by definition they are limited in quantity, their value follows a much steadier graph than that of the troubled stock market.

AC Cobra

For cars of this class, the critical number is fifteen. That is the age at which, typically, a car’s value stops depreciating and reverses direction, appreciating in value at a rate equal to or greater than  inflation . As late night talk show host and avid car collector Jay Leno says: “You might not make any money on it, but you probably won’t lose anything.” Well, you may not believe everything you hear on talk shows, but this sounds like good financial advice. With more than a hundred vehicles in his private collection, Leno is somewhat of an expert on the subject – the very least you can do, according to him, is break even.

Of course, the initial investment requires careful nurturing. Unlike a gold bar, a car is more vulnerable to the elements; you’ll need a safe place to store it from the rain and sun. You’ll need gas and insuranceif you decide to take it on the road and there’s always the risk of breakdown. In addition, you’ll have to maintain or buy rare spareparts, and all of this costs money.

But the consensus is that it’s well worth the initial and continuing outlay. Jay Grams, co-owner of Volo Auto Museum in Illinois, says it’s the best time for buyers in forty years. Others note how the babyboomers are rabidly scooping up the muscle cars of their youth, at prices hovering in range of scarcer veteran cars.

I pose the investment question to Pavel Lacina, owner of Bohemia Classic Cars in Prague.

It depends, Lacina says, on a number of factors: the make and model, how many were produced in a particular year, condition, whether you want the car to sit in a showroom, or whether you want to drive it regularly or just on weekends. It depends on whether it’s an original, and how heavily or not it has been restored.

For Lacina the question is not about doubling your money in five years but about enjoying the car for the bold style and performance of bygone days. He assumes you already have the money.

“In the old days,” he says, “only a few tinkering enthusiasts could enjoy these cars. Now the number of service centers stocking rare parts has increased. So now if you take out your Skoda Roadster on the weekend and it breaks down, just call us. We’ll come with the replacement part or a tow truck.”

Like automotive alchemists turning base metal into gold, his team of restorers turn forgotten relics into machines so shiny they make your eyes hurt. With a flourish, they banish rust, straighten dents into smoothness you want to lick, and flute doors in ways only thought possible on ball gowns.

Pavel shows me a restored chassis with a propeller sticking out of the engine end that I can easily spin with my little finger. The whole
frog-green frame looks strong enough to withstand bashes by a
sledgehammer and still glide. It’s hard to believe this chassis is going to ft under the rusting shell of a decomposed Buick.

He eagerly describes a Tatra 613 he hunted down in a
garage in Serbia. The communist-era car produced in Czechoslovakia in Kopřivnice had been sitting in the garage for over thirty years with a tree branch blocking the door – but the car was still perfectly intact. Pavel points to another intact original in his feet, a thin-shelled chestnut Velorex whose nose looks like an open umbrella resting
on its side. “Originals in good condition,” Pavel says, “are obviously better investments than heavily-restored vehicles.” There’s no question that an investor would do well if guided by Lucina’s expertise, but if you don’t have someone to help you along, it’s essential to ask for vehicles with solid documentation, verifable factory paperwork, and – If the car has  been restored – pictures before restoration, and certifcation from national restoration societies. On the other hand, if you want to avoid middlemen altogether and go treasure hunting yourself, like Pavel did for that Tatra, it’s perhaps more fun to search the barns of Europe and trailer parks of the U.S. Many antique car enthusiasts swear half the fun is in opening that cobweb-covered door to fnd what grandpa left behind.

Another way to start is to get in touch with your local car club, which seemingly exist for every kind of car. Looking for a 1970 Porsche 911? There’s a club for that. E-bay and auctions are also useful for checking the going rate for the model and make you want, remembering that if you buy your car a auction, a percentage commission fee is added on. Crucially, though, there’s no point in investing in an antique car unless you really love them.

And that means loving them like Radek Uhlir does. Radek certainly fts the stereotypical baby-boomer profle when it comes to cars. He is the owner of several muscle cars (including three Corvettes from 1958, 1964, 1968) but he didn’t buy them for profit. He’s simply fanatical about cars with engines that would give nightmares to the ecologists of today.

For Uhlir, love is the key. And that means lavishing money on his acquisitions – up to fve times the original price in the case of one

of his Corvettes. Where some people might check their email, he obsessively checks the images returned by the webcam hovering over two of his babies currently being restored in a dealer’s garage. Not satisfed with 24-hour images, Radek also visits the same garage three times a week to monitor in person the piece-by-piece assemblyof these very expensive Humpty Dumpties.“They restore better in the Czech Republic than in the U.S.,” he says. “Here they take care down to the last bolt.”

This man’s love for old vehicles began when he was a boy, zooming around on his grandfather’s motorcycles. He built his own at 13, and even now a pristinely-restored BMW motorcycle from

1927 stands in his office, somewhat oddly rubbing shoulders with brochures for operating theaters (Uhlir works for a company that sells medical equipment). I am eager to hear details about racing to IKEA or around the Krkonose mountains but Uhlir says he never races because he knows he’ll win every time. “I drive within the speed limit,” he says. I think immediately: ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick…’

This falcon, I suspect, is hiding his claws. But Uhlir does admit to turning his head to inspect whenever he hears a loud engine rumbling nearby. “Much more than I do for women,” he says, smiling for the frst time. Before I leave, Uhlir shows me photo after photo of his fully restored Sting Ray.

It’s like a brilliant time machine whisked of to diferent locations – to forest, bridge, or supermarket parking lot – at the touch of a button. He’s a proud man, and you know that he onlydoes it because of two essentials: unique, beautiful engineering. And love.

The Nuts and Bolts of Car Restoration

Everyone gets it: Our highway-loving, gas-guzzling way of life is strangling the planet. We have to wean ourselves off fossil fuels, cut greenhouse gas emission levels and reduce our carbon footprints. However, do sustainable living habits mean we have to completely give up machines that have speed and style?

With today’s breed of electric vehicles or EVs, increasingly the answer appears to be no. Look no further than the hot new trend of electric motorcycles for proof that you can get high performance, maintain your panache, and do your part to help Mother Earth.

While eco-friendly four-wheeled vehicles have been in the spotlight for years, two-wheelers are finally coming into their own and getting noticed in respected circles.

At this year’s Isle of Man TT Races, the renowned international motorcycle racing competition, a new Grand Prix race (TTXGP) was introduced for electric motorcycles.

Billed as the world’s first zero carbon, zero emission race for motorbikes, the lineup featured EV racers from solo inventors and hobbyists, entrepreneurs and well-financed startups. The winning electric motorcycle posted an average speed of 87.5 mph, with a top speed of 97.8 mph along the 37.5-mile long course.

Low speeds and touch-and-go performance issues have long plagued the electric vehicle movement, dampening uptake among consumers, but with the numbers coming from TTXGP doubting Thomases have good reason to start to reconsider their biases.

“Until now, range and performance have been a concern for electric vehicles. With the arrival of new battery and power train technologies that barrier to adoption is falling,” says Mason Cabot, co-founder of Mission Motors, a California-based company that participated in the inaugural e-Grand Prix. The company’s prototype motorcycle, the Mission One, promises a maximum speed of 150 mph, the highest in the industry.
Power sources for electric motorcycles vary, but many run on high-energy lithium ion batteries and only need to be plugged into a standard 110v/220v socket for charge power. Charge times fall in the range of two to eight hours depending on the bike make and the voltage current. Worried about the impact on your utility bill?

The cost to power an electric roadster is surprisingly minimal. A full charge of Mission One will set you back a jaw-dropping low price of USD 1.96 (EUR 1.40) if powered up in California, which ranks 11th in electricity price rate in the United States. Oregon-based Brammo, a maker of ultra efficient plug-in vehicles, boasts a charge rate of USD 0.007 (EUR 0.005) to the mile for its Enertia Power Cycle. Vectrix, another American electric motorbike maker, claims USD 0.01 (EUR 0.007) to the mile for its VX-1 model.

At these prices, is an end to fuel-powered vehicles around the bend? Not necessarily. Electric vehicles have a limited drive range. Fossil-fueled vehicles still offer better mileage for long trips. But for shorter commutes, EVs are a fuel-saving bargain. Companies like Vectrix, Mission Motors and Brammo, to name a few, are rolling out sleek, innovative two-wheeled beauties that promise clean, high performing, reliable and affordable transport. They anticipate that their market base will expand as the green movement continues to grow. The eco-conscious masses are already paying attention.

When Cabot and Mission Motors unveiled their prototype motorcycle at the TED 2009 conference in February, the response was overwhelming.

“TED provided an excellent venue to launch our company and give the world a first look at our Mission One Prototype,” says Cabot, a computer hardware engineer who spent a decade at processor-maker Intel. Mission’s website has seen over 100,000 unique visitors since the conference; race videos on their site have reported 40,000 views.
The company has scheduled a 2010 release of 300 units of Mission One: 250 Standard Editions, and 50 Premier Limited Edition that will be individually numbered and assembled with top line components (including suspension from Ohlins, Brembo brakes, and Marchesini wheels). Ultimately, the company plans to add more models at different price points to its lineup and position itself as a leader in the EV motorbike pack.

“We see ourselves at the forefront of this movement towards performance electric vehicles, proving that top performance and green are not mutually exclusive.”

The appeal of electric motorcycles cannot easily be overlooked. Low cost to power up; simple to use; easy to maintain; a quieter drive; and environment-friendly. And just simply a stylish ride for that quick commute to work or to run errands around town. To further clinch the deal: purchasing an electric motorcycle (or vehicle) comes with tax breaks in some domiciles. Do you need any more reason to plug and zoom?
As electricity storage technology advances, and manufacturers are able to deliver more power to electric motorcycles and cars, the barriers to entry for consumers will surely continue to drop. In the meantime, today’s crop of electric motorcycles gives us a nimble and striking test drive of things to come.

Prague gets greener.

Ekolo.cz, a Prague company that specializes in power-assisted bicycles, electric scooters and electric motorcycles, opened its first showroom in May 2008; to keep up with interest and demand the company plans to open additional stores in 2009. Their offering, and far more modest pricing structure, show the possibilities and applications to urban commuters, businesses and municipal service providers.

For cities, services such as postal deliveries and neighborhood police patrols can mean dramatically reduced fleet vehicle purchases, operating expenses, and emission of pollutants. If the green argument isn’t strong enough to move local governments alone, the financial incentives certainly should help.

Here comes hydrogen: In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger envisions a “hydrogen highway” with numerous refueling stations along major California thoroughfares; across the Atlantic, a small company with big connections recently debuted the newest entry in the hydrogen game—a cousin to the Smart Car that could be on the market as early as 2013. Chevrolet’s response to the alt-energy question, a hybrid plug-in model, is gearing up for a 2010 launch, and at press time multi-national newcomer Tesla Motors was taking reservations for its Model S, an electric sedan debuting in 2011, predicated to beat its already impressive electric Roadster sports car on the endurance front (Arnie has gotten behind the wheel of the Roadster, too).

For those uninitiated in the hydrogen vs. electric debate: Hydrogen-powered cars use fuel cells, electrochemical devices that combine hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity and give off water and heat as byproducts. This non-combustive conversion of fuel to energy makes for cleaner, quieter, more efficient cars—two to three times more efficient than fuel-burning models. A plug-in electric vehicle is a battery-powered machine recharged by connecting a plug to an electric power source to ensure zero emissions. In hybrid models, when the battery power gives out, fuel injection kicks in.

Hydrogen cars currently outpace electric cars in driving distance and recharge time. They don’t require a major lifestyle change compared to electric vehicles, though naysayers cite the lack of fueling stations as a major inconvenience. Proponents of battery-electric machines note that it’s three times more efficient to produce electricity and store in a battery than to convert the energy to hydrogen and back to electricity to power the car again. Questions of affordability and infrastructure raise another valid point against alternate-fuel vehicles, and yet, say supporters of green motoring, who could afford a first-generation mobile phone?

For now fossil fuels may still be king. But as the need for alternative fuel sources intensifies, so does the race among major auto makers to deliver environmentally responsible transportation—quite a departure from the recent past when improving, or even just maintaining, a healthy environment wasn’t a priority to the industry. Here, a look the contenders.

Riversimple: Moving People Sustainably Sebastian Piech has a pedigree that’s suited to pursuits of the auto variety. The grandson of Ferdinand Porsche financed the development of UK company Riversimple’s “open source” vehicle; a hydrogen-powered concept car designed for use in urban areas, a prototype of which was released in June. The Riversimple model, roughly the same size as a Smart Car, weighs just 350 kilograms with a top-speed capability of 80 kilometers per hour and a range of 300-plus kilometers on a small fuel cell and hydrogen tank.

A company spokesperson had this to say about Riversimple’s revolutionary ideas of ownership and personal transport: “The purpose of Riversimple is to move people sustainably. We will work systematically towards the elimination of the environmental impact of personal mobility”. The Riversimple sales scheme is just as innovative and interesting as the make itself. The cars will be leased for 20 years for approximately £200 a month, including any repair work needed and (are you sitting down?) fuel costs. The company has partnered with BOC, a British supplier of gases and to build a small number of refueling centers in the next few years. By leasing the cars, Riversimple says that it, “Aligns the interests of the manufacturer with the interests of the consumer and of the environment—everyone wants cars that have a long life span with maximum efficiency and minimum materials usage.”

The company hopes to release ten prototypes in a yet-to-be-announced UK city in 2010 and has set a 2013 production date. A breath of fresh air, indeed. GM Chevrolet Volt: The Future Is Electrifying General Motors-owned Chevrolet, one of America’s best-known automakers, has never really been associated with high-concept design, yet as the company’s new Volt model rapidly becomes a reality (it’s scheduled for production in late 2010 as a 2011 model) the brand is sending shockwaves through the industry. GM Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson says, “From the data we’ve seen, Chevy Volt drivers may be able to operate in pure electric mode on a daily basis without having to use any gas.” He goes on to call the Volt, which achieves triple-digit fuel economy, a “game-changer.” And given its goal of moving 75 percent of America’s commuters without a single drop of gas, it’s difficult not to agree.

Expected to travel up to 40 miles on electricity from a single battery charge and able to extend its overall range to more than 300 miles with its flex fuel-powered engine generator, the Volt is seemingly a response to data recently released from the U.S. Department of Transportation that reveals eight of 10 Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day. The Volt purports to be the first mass-produced vehicle to claim more than 100 miles per gallon of composite fuel economy.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) weights plug-in electric vehicles as traveling more city miles than highway miles on only electricity. The EPA methodology uses kilowatt hours per 100 miles traveled to define the electrical efficiency of plug-ins. In plain dollars and cents: GM expects the Volt to consume as little as 25 kilowatt hours per 100 miles city driving. At the US average cost of electricity (approximately 11 cents per kWh), a typical volt driver would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents per mile. With an anticipated $35,000 price tag, the car’s impressive mileage stats are no small comfort.

Tesla Model S: Social Responsibility Gets Sexy

Innovative start-up Tesla Motors is shattering the myth that electric cars must sacrifice performance and style. Its Roadster Sport goes 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, promises a smooth- as-silk ride, and comes in a shade of fire-engine red that’s guaranteed to turn heads. The company promises “zero emissions vehicles for zero guilt” and encourages its drivers to generate their own energy to fuel the cars by installing long-lasting solar panels in the back yard.
According to the company, the Roadster is faster than a Porsche 911 or Audi R8 and twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius—but the big news here is that it’s the only highway-capable electric vehicle for sale in Europe or North America and the first EV to travel more than 300 km per charge.
In terms of cost, the Roadster qualifies for numerous tax benefits in Europe, including sales, luxury, and use tax waivers in Scandinavia and exceptional incentives in Holland, making the car an unquestionable bargain compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. The relatively high cost of gas in Europe dramatically lowers Teslas’ total cost of ownership relative to gas-guzzlers. Eventually, the company expects sales to be roughly split between North America and Europe. And with the release of the Model S, a sedan that seats five, Tesla isn’t just cornering the mid-life crisis market, it’s ratcheting up its family appeal.

The new GranTurismo S unveiled by Maserati is the ultimate expression of automobilized sportiness. Maserati’s new interpretation of the perfect balance between sportiness and comfort shifts the emphasis onto performance and driving enjoyment.

With its decisive personality and blend of power and elegance, the Maserati GranTurismo S is a modern day masterpiece. What’s more, its style and design are combined with a presence of unrivalled physicality and drama. Inspired by the Maserati Birdcage 75th concept car, the exterior appears muscular, with a natural fluidity that starts at the front grille and extends all the way along the sides to the tail lights. This stunning design, with careful attention paid to every tiniest detail, is the outcome of lengthy and meticulous aerodynamic studies. The wind tunnel, where the finishing touches were put to the GranTurismo’s lines, was a crucial stage in this Maserati’s development.

The engine
The new 440 HP V8 4.7 engine, electro-actuated gearbox with fast MC Shift, Transaxle layout, sporty exhaust and brakes made with dual-cast technology make the GranTurismo S the new flagship for Maserati sporting flair, with acceleration from 0 to 100 Km/h in 4.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 295 Km/h, the highest ever reached by a standard production Maserati.

The new Maserati GranTurismo S
is the ulti mate in on-board functinctionality and comfort

The compact and lightweight 4.7 liter V8 engine develops maximum power output of 440 HP at 7,000 rpm and peak torque of 490 Nm at 4,750 rpm, and ensures high specific power output and more torque at lower speeds as well, without affecting the capacity to reduce and up the revs quickly, typical of racing engines.

The increase in power output and torque has not affected the versatility of the power unit, which continues to be readily harnessed even during everyday use. The power unit sounds deep and throaty, but the exhaust valve pneumatic control can also be activated to make it discrete and comfortable.

An electro-actuated 6-speed gearbox is paired with the 4.7 liter V8 engine, and has MC-Shift software which harnesses the new engine’s power output, ensuring gearshift speed and quality that represent a point of reference for the entire sports car range.

The exhaust
The Maserati GranTurismo S gives voice to its 440 HP with a special sporty exhaust system, designed to emphasize the deep throaty growl of the new V8 engine, but also provide the level of on-board comfort expected from a granturismo.

The steel exhaust system consists of two exhaust lines, one for each bank of cylinders, compensated with a central silencer. Two pneumatic valves, controlled electronically by the engine contro lunit and operated by the driver through the “Sport” button on the centre dashboard, are fitted close to the two rear silencers.

In normal conditions the valves are closed forcing the exhaust gases along a long and tortuous route so that they lose their energy and are emitted outwards with very little noise. This all changes when the “Sport” button is pressed: the valves which were initially closed, open up through a pneumatic control and the flow of exhaust gases is channeled down a route that leads directly to the outside. This provides enthusiasts with a distinctive resonance.

The exterior
The Maserati GranTurismo S is recognizable on the outside due to a number of aesthetic details that really bring to the fore this model’s sporty credentials, but without detracting from the elegance of the lines expertly designed by Pininfarina.
The Maserati GranTurismo S is distinguished by the new-design

side skirts, the rear spoiler integrated in the boot and the specially designed seven-spoke 20” rims. This instant recognition also extends to the opaque black grille; the same color is applied to the interior parabola of the headlamps.

The application of the side skirts and rear spoiler, which are, without a doubt, the most distinctive features of the Maserati GranTurismo S look, not only give the car a decidedly more sporty and gutsy appearance but were fine-tuned in the wind tunnel in order to increase the overall aerodynamic efficiency of the car body: the side skirts help to streamline the flow of air towards the rear wheels, whilst the rear spoiler increases the car’s aerodynamic load at the rear.

The Interior
Without a doubt, the most distinctive features of the interior of the Maserati GranTurismo S are the seats, with the contrasting central section characterized by piping running horizontally. The interiors are upholstered in Frau Leather and Alcantara: In the standard configuration the Alcantara is used for the central section of the seats and for the steering wheel’s rim, and can be extended on request right up to the headlining.

Frau Leather and Alcantara is not the only combination of materials available for the interior; the customer can select a more classic interior trimmed entirely in Frau leather, or substitute the Alcantara lining the seats with Peccary leather for a more sporty and sophisticated option.

Peccary leather is a full-grain leather with the characteristic embossing that sets it apart from ordinary leathers normally used in the car industry due to the lack of coatings or films. The leather is not chemically treated to preserve its natural look and distinctive velvety feel. The leather is treated another way however, so that it is both oil- and waterproof, and meets all the quality standards required for use in the automotive industry.

Behind the wheel, the driver’s attention is drawn to the elongated paddles of the electro-actuated transmission, enhanced by a decorative profile around the edge. The electro-actuated transmission can also be noted on the center tunnel, where we find the elegantly chromed panel with the buttons for engaging first gear and reverse.

There are even more customized options available for the GranTurismo S. Customers can choose the type of molding they want for the dashboard and door panels/rear sides. They are available not only in fine varnished wood, but can also be upholstered in AluTex, an aluminum-coated fiberglass fabric with a hi-tech, modern look. What makes AluTex so special is the autoclave process it undergoes during manufacturing — a fine powder of pure metal is applied to the surface which gives the fibers an unusual brilliance and three-dimensional effect.

If you have enough spare time and money, car collecting can be a relaxing and fulfilling hobby with
an added bonus of investment.

Cars – whether classic old-timers or flashy sports models – top the wish-lists of many consumers, and not only those of the male persuasion. And if you know what you’re looking for, you could find yourself behind the wheel of a decent investment, too. All you have to decide is how much you want to
spend – and how great you want to look in your new rolling stock.

Positive market outlook

The collector car market seems to have finally recovered from the crisis it has suffered since the early 1990’s. Then, enthusiastic but ill-informed speculators drove up the prices of everything from late-model production Ferraris to Fiats. The following crash put hundreds of these wannabe investors stranded on the side of the financial road and left many more hesitant about investing in cars. Things are different today. Most of the recent gains appear sustainable because, thanks to wealthy baby boomers trying to regain a piece of their youth, exclusive cars are selling for increasingly high sums.

Don’t go spending your family´s savings on a car, unless you want to find yourself divorced or otherwise dumped in the dust faster than your new car can hit 100 km/h.

While it may be tempting to sell your conventional investments and start your own car collection, a word of caution may be wise: Don’t go spending your family´s savings on a car, unless you want to find yourself divorced or otherwise dumped in the dust faster than your new car can hit 100 km/h. Unlike stock certificates, old cars require frequent maintenance, insurance, and a garage. Conversely, reviewing your portfolio performance is nowhere near as much fun as experiencing the performance of, say, an Aston Martin. If you do your homework, buy the right car, and enjoy it sensibly, you’ll definitely maximize the return on your investment.

Are you ready for it?

Restoring, or just keeping, an old car can be taxing on personal time and the wallet. When you do find a potential car, be wary. As in buying any used car, buying an old car is a risk. Follow these tips to minimize the risks:

Fall is the best time to shop for old collectors’ cars. It’s the time of year when a lot of cars are changing hands, and the market is tipped towards the buyers rather than the sellers. Lack of winter garage space, unfinished summer project cars, and classic-car dealerships cutting their inventories are all reasons why fall is a good time to buy.

Check for obvious alterations or flaws and have the car examined by an expert. Sometimes, only the experts will be able to tell a poor restoration from a good one. Have a place to properly store your car and insure your investment. And finally, be prepared for costly repair bills and maintenance, since routine repairs can cost a fortune.

Where to look

As with investing, make sure you know what you’re buying, since the second-hand car business is notorious for pitfalls. In shopping for classic and vintage old cars, the local newspaper is probably not the best place to look. Collectors’ meetings and car shows might be a better option. The largest used-car dealer in Central Europe, AAA Auto, is based in the Czech Republic and you could start your search for a good deal on their website.

CEO Anthony Denny is happy to concede that the name of his company is “cheesy and tacky.” But his brazen attempt to ensure the name is at the top of the phone directory has not prevented it from gaining almost universal brand recognition in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and Poland. The 45-year-old Australian with Czech roots has nurtured his used-car company from a single lot into central Europe´s largest second-hand dealer. AAA Auto this year became the second used-car dealer to go public, following in the footsteps of CarMax of the US, raising €39m by listing on the Prague and Budapest stock exchanges. In a region where vehicle theft is rife and rolling back odometers is common practice, selling cars owned by the dealer (breaking with the prevailing local custom whereby dealers act as sales agents for car owners), with a money-back guarantee if there is a legal problem, gives buyers a sense of security. “Used cars in central Europe are often associated with fraud and crime,” Denny says. “AAA´s approach means customers are pretty sure of what they´re buying.”

Another alternative source to find your dream car could be to take a little trawl through eBay under the category “classic cars.” It’s no problem picking up vintage cars there for a bargain. And the import costs will often be no more than the pric of a ferry ticket, as long as the car is drivable.

In the end, all you can do is seek out a vehicle that looks good on you and go for what you can afford. If it turns out to be worth a fortune one day, then that is great. If not, you will still feel great on the road wherever you go.

How much?

To give you a little perspective on what it is buyers in this market can and will spend, here’s a list of ten of the most expensive cars available. But this isn’t precisely a top ten list of the most expensive cars. That would basically be a bunch of Bentleys and Rolls-
Royces and only a few others. So instead here are the most expensive cars of each of ten carmakers, so no manufacturer got two slots. After all, even if you could afford a garage full of Rollses, you’d probably like to have a Ferrari or Lamborghini, too…

• Saleen S7 €288,000
• Bentley Azure Convertible Mulliner €274,480
• Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible €265,000
• Lamborghini Murciélago €199,290
• Aston Martin Vanquish €166,440
• Ferrari 575 M Maranello €156,950
• Porsche GT2 €131,400
• BMW Z8 €94,900
• Mercedes-Benz CL 600 €86,870
• Jaguar XKR 100 Coupe and Convertible €71,540

Source: FORBES

A coupe above

This groundbreaking vehicle comes standard with the world’s first Dynamic Performance Control system

The all-new X6 Sports Activity Coupe redefines the very definition of a coupe – the SAV (sports activity vehicle coupe) – with five doors and four sculpted seats, a higher ride, and loads of cargo space.

The BMW X6 is available in two engine variations: the xDrive50i (4.4 V8 engine, 400 hp, 450lb.-ft torque) and the xDrive35i (3.0 inline six-cylinder engine, 300 hp, 300 lb.-ft torque), both with Twin Turbo and direct injection, combining the sporting elegance of a large BMW Coupe with the powerful presence of a BMW X model.

The BMW X6 comes as standard with BMW’s intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive technology with electronic control for variable distribution of drive power between the front and rear axles, consistently adjusted to driving conditions at all times and in all situations. Featured for the first time as standard in the BMW X6, Dynamic Performance Control likewise ensures variable distribution of drive forces between the two rear wheels. Dynamic Performance Control incorporates an advanced computer control and an innovative rear differential incorporating two planetary gearsets and two clutch packs that enables the system to multiply torque on an individual rear wheel.

The result is that Dynamic Performance Control can help steer the vehicle by directing torque to either of the rear wheels. This cutting-edge technology is effective whether the driver is accelerating or decelerating and significantly enhances steering precision and, as a result, the agility of the vehicle at any speed. In fast corners with abrupt steering maneuvers or with the driver suddenly releasing the gas pedal, Dynamic Performance Control serves to improve the stability of the entire vehicle, thus allowing the driver to safely enter and enjoy new dimensions of driving dynamics. On slippery or uneven surfaces, Dynamic Performance Control provides the further advantage of even safer and more stable traction.

The BMW X6 xDrive50i accelerates from 0–60 mph in just 5.3 seconds and boasts ample power reserves for exceptionalacceleration also at higher speeds. When equipped with the optional 20 inch wheels with performance tires, the top speed is a truly impressive 155 mph limited electronically by the engine control unit. The new V8 engine is the most efficient engine in its class. Combined with a number of further technologies developed in the overall context of BMW Efficient Dynamics, the engine gives the BMW X6 xDrive50i
fuel consumption and emission figures significantly better than other eight-cylinder vehicles competing with the BMW X Models.

Hence, the BMW Sports Activity Coupe is an exceptional vehicle beyond the direct rang  of BMW X Model competitors, ensuring unparalleled performance in all situations.

Unique design: dynamic line, powerful presence

In its design, the BMW X6 definitely offers all the DNA of a genuine BMW X Model, interpreted in a brand-new, sporting style. Various design features typical of BMW also stand out in the car’s details, ranging from the BMW kidney grille to the dual round headlights optically “cut off” at the top, and the powerful contour line along the side, all the way to the horizontal lines at the rear emphasizing the sheer width of the vehicle.

Large air intakes are positioned far to the outside for more than just meeting the cooling requirements of the powerful engines. Rather, interacting with the side panels extending far to the inside over the headlights, the air scoops provide clear orientation towards the wheels, emphasizing the powerful stance of the vehicle on the road.

Sportiness and luxury within the interior

To the very last detail, the interior of the BMW X6 offers a unique synthesis of luxury, sporting dynamics, and powerful style. Kneepads on both sides of the center console, paddles on the sports steering wheel featured as standard, and the fine scale on the circular instruments create an excitingly different driving experience in the new BMW X6 both on the road and off the beaten track. Like all BMW X Models, the new Sports Activity Coupe offers the occupants of all four seats an elevated, commanding seating position. In particular, this gives the driver a clear feeling of being perfectly in control of his BMW X6 in all situations. In conjunction with the cockpit simply begging the driver to drive, this creates an innovative impression of genuine, all-out sportiness.

A further point distinguishing the Sports Activity Coupe from the other BMW X Models is the sporting design of the individual rear seats separated from one another through the center console, the high-rising side supports, and the integrated headrests on all four seats. Multifunction buttons on the steering wheel operate the telephone and audio systems quickly, smoothly and without the slightest distraction, whiletwo additional buttons may be programmed individually according to the driver’s personal preferences.

Lots of space, lots of customization options. Wide opening rear doors facilitate access to the two rear seats, while head-room in the rear is unusually generous for a coupe – seat height of 37.2 inches guarantees supreme comfort and convenience, even for tall passengers.

A wide range of materials and colors highlighting the sporting character of the BMW X6 adds to the individual style and personality of this unique vehicle. The exterior paintwork for example, comes in a choice of no less than ten exterior colors; eleven leather options and three trim options ensure awide range of individual style and choice.

Trim in ash grain has been created especially for BMW’s Sports Activity Coupe. And while the wood variant exudes a particular touch of discreet exclusivity, the sweeping polish on the aluminum version shows a clear and distinct reference to motorsport.

The passenger and luggage compartment on the BMW X6 are distinctly separated from one another in the usual style one would expect of a fully-fledged coupe. Offering almost 25.6 cu ft of storage space, the luggage compartment behind the rear seats of the BMW X6 is far larger than in a conventional coupe, providing enough space to store four full-size golf bags in the luggage compartment – even with four passengers.

BMW’s new Sports Activity Coupe also boasts a firm, folding cover on top of the luggage compartment that can be folded and stowed beneath the floor for convenient transportation of bulky objects. To increase the transport capacity available, the rear-seat backrests may be folded down in an asymmetric split, expanding loading capacity to a substantial 59.7 cu ft.

An automatic tailgate opening and closing function is available as an option on the BMW X6 allowing the driver to vary the final position of the tailgate when open. This helps to reduce the risk of damage, for example in an underground car park or garage with a low ceiling.

The Sports Activity Coupe from BMW once again sets the standard in a market segment characterized by particularly dynamic growth. Through its concept and drive technology, the BMW X6 clearly proves and confirms the exceptional innovative power of Germany’s premium carmaker.

Who ever thought that a drive with the parish priest could lead to a career test-driving exotic cars around the globe? Certainly not Valentino Balboni. The eighteen-year-old Italian was simply on his way to lunch at the home of the priest’s family. He’d just finished his apprenticeship training and was looking for work. Along the way, they passed the Lamborghini factory, where five beautiful cars were parked in front.

Call it an epiphany. “When I saw these car bodies ready to be assembled. I asked the man at the security desk for an application. After two days, I was employed,” recalls Balboni.

He began as a mechanic’s helper, cleaning floors and handing tools to more experienced workers. But he wanted more. “There was the passion of driving the car. I wanted to learn how to test and drive,” says Balboni. “On September 5, 1973 I started testing.” He started under the tutelage of famed Kiwi race car driver Bob Wallace.

Test driving at Lamborghini was about much more than speed. “The test driver is the link between development engineers and the product,” Balboni explains. The Lamborghini reputation has always been based on high performance race cars that can be driven on the open road. “We test to see if it meets the engineers’ expectations. They make the calculations, the test driver must transfer to the engineer how the car really behaves.”

Balboni began working closely with Lamborghini’s R&D during the creation of the Diablo with its all-wheel drive systém. “There is always a kind of conflict, which becomes cooperation,” says Balboni. “Sometimes engineers do not accept what we tell them. Two plus two equals four, but this is not the way it is when you drive a car. We test and change, and end up at the point where they really want.” Balboni has spanned the time when cars went from machined perfection to the digitally-enhanced objects they are today. Inevitably, his job has changed. “A long time ago, the test driver was the only reference for the engineer.

Now, the equipment sometimes replaces the sensibilities of the man,” he notes.

Balboni exudes passion, albeit restrained for an Italian, when he speaks about cars. His fingers move deliberately, hands remain almost stationary. “For me they are humans.

I appreciate their temperament, their different reactions,” he says. “I appreciate everything on four wheels with an engine and that makes noise. It gives you some feeling.” More than just a car aficionado, Balboni is also what is sometimes called “a gear head”

Balboni first went on the road with the Lamborghini Gallardo European Roadshow in 2006, a concept pushed by the technical department at the automaker. The road show blends promotion of new products, driver training, and strengthening the automaker’s links to its select customer base. The goal is simply to put the cars in an environment where they can be properly savored. “We want people to enjoy the performance of the product, and we can show them how to drive it so they can get the best from it,” explains Balboni.

There are usually around ten on the road with Balboni, four driving instructors and six in the support crew. Most of the time they travel within Europe, but additional stops in America are on the agenda. The schedule allows Balboni to follow his major passions: Cars and those who drive them. “I love going, going. We have customers I met when I was 25 and I still meet them,” he exclaims.

In the Czech Republic, the roadshow was at the Sosnové track near Ceska Lipa, a location that does to a Lamborghini what a fashion runway at Cerny Most would do to Tereza Maxova – displaying only the exterior curves and leaving no room to shine.

While not a development track, it still fits Balboni’s definition of a suitable site, namely “Anywhere I can drive a Lamborghini.” Of course, higher up on his list are test tracks, German highways without speed limits, the beautiful bends on the Brennero highway in Italy and, of course, the roads around the Lamborghini factory in Sant‘ Agata, Italy.

Driving, whether alone or when teaching others, is about expanding boundaries. “We have to learn to go to our own as well as the car’s limit. The pleasure, the joy is to reach it with a certain progression,” muses Balboni.

With a rampaging bull as a logo, there is simply no disputing the masculine edge to the Lamborghini brand and the firm’s market image. “It’s a boy’s toy, but with power steering and airbags, they are also nicely suited to a woman,” he said. Part of the male predominance among Lamborghini drivers is simply due to past technology.

“Women could never drive the sports car of 30 years ago with its tight steering and heavy clutch,” Balboni claims.

But times are moving fast, and today, so are women in Lamborghinis. “You just missed it. There was a beautiful blonde who just left in a Lamborghini before you came in,” he insists.

But it’s not enough merely to discuss cars and the philosophy of movement with Balboni. “Did you try the cars?” he asked. Striding outside the dealer tent, he waved down the support crew as they carefully moved an orange Gallardo Superleggera inside a transport truck. “také it out. Let’s go on the road.”

The Superleggera exudes the Lamborghini essence: angular lines, transparent engine cover, even the detailed brake disks. Buckling into the four-point safety harness, it is clear that this is not the car for a run out to the hypermarket. Turning out from the race track onto the main road, the car corners solidly on the gravel-sprinkled asphalt. “Nice, isn’t it?” my co-pilot queried.

Balboni accelerates with a zen-like calm, flipping the toggle switches on the steering wheel with an intuitive, effortless feel. After all, he’s been driving these cars for more than thirty years.

From the passenger perspective, the Lamborghini experience is different from that in a normal luxury car. Simply put, the car is a sensory experience in motion, not in cocooning away from reality. Some of this is anticipated: The pulsing V10 5-liter engine creates a g-force that pushes you into your seat during acceleration. Other aspects were not: The surprising roar of the engine as Balboni went through a series of downshifts to decelerate. “It’s part of the game,” he says, his satisfaction showing in the corners of his eyes and a slight smile.

Unlike most people, Balboni seems almost detached while driving. It is not that his attention is elsewhere, it’s just that his eyes have already factored in the road directly ahead and are now looking a few kilometers farther on. “I always say that if someone drives like me, I would never get in the car,” he laughs.

He also manages to take in little non-car details from his surroundings. “What was that?” he asked as we drove past people selling blueberries on the roadside. But we didn’t stop. I didn’t want to be the first person to pick mashed blueberries out of this Lamborghini.

From the passenger seat, it’s not possible to see the Superleggera’s speedometer, at least the upper ranges.

I had to guess, and this is where Balboni turns reticent. “I won’t say,” he responds with another small smile. As we return to the race track and the attendants place the car back in the transport truck, Balboni reflects on the day and his life: “There is always something new and interesting going on. I never expected to put so many experiences together.”

The Bull Speaks

The origin of the species goes to one man’s desire to have a high performance car that did not break down. And when Ferruccio Lamborghini got the brush off from a certain Enzo over the clutch problems in his Ferrari, Mr. Lamborghini grew angry enough that he founded his own car manufacturing company.

It helps to note that Mr. Lamborghini earned his fortune making tractors in post World War II Italy. This gave him both the financial resources and the mechanical aptitude to direct the start of a specialty car manufacturing company. From its start in 1963, the company secured a reputation with its 350 GT and the Miura that followed. While Mr. Lamborghini stepped out in the 1970s to concentrate on his vineyards, his company is now safely under the wing of Audi, the sports car arm of Volkswagen.

Lamborghini unveiled its Reventón coupe at the Frankfurt autoshow. The coupe draws its sleek design from fighter aircraft, even to its use of carbon fiber panels and the matte-black finish. Armed with a 12 cylinder engine, the coupe can accelerate to 100 kph in 3.4 seconds. With a top speed of 340 kph, one might hope that the car also incorporates the radar deflecting capabilities of the stealth bombers. The car is truly a fast-moving consumer good. Despite a price tag of one million euros, the Reventón will never make it to your local Lamborghini dealer. The entire production run of twenty units has already been sold. Unless, of course, they decide to build a few more…

The Jaguar XK convertible answers that unasked question: What car would Venus de Milo drive, had she lived in modern times?

Of course, Venus could perhaps be persuaded to drive something else home off the dealer’s lot. After all, love is blind, fickle, and fidelity is not known to be one of Venus’ primary virtues. But, if one can overlook the difference between marble and stamped metal, both Venus and a Jaguar XR convertible share a lot of the same attributes – with or without a top on.

As her statue shows, Venus has curves, balance, and poise. Frozen in position over 2,000 years ago, she has a curious dynamism to her that is visible from the front, back, and side perspectives. Even without arms, this woman exudes style and she knows it.

And then there is the new XR convertible. This is a car that remains in motion, even while firmly parked. The front end of the XR successfully taps the lines of the E series XK from the early 1960s, and given a change of external climate or internal temperament, her top can be removed in 18 seconds.

Both Venus and the XR share a Vulcan connection. For Venus, the god of the forge was her husband. And for the XR, it would be negligent not to comment on the aluminum frame and skin underlying those sensuous curves. Or the 4.2-liter V8 engine under the hood. For a car that is comparable to a museum piece, the XR has the unusual ability to accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.3 seconds. This piece of art is indeed a movable feast. Just think of the XR as Venus on the outside, with the Vulcan touch underneath.

Jaguar traditionally follows a technological tightrope: driving performance on one side balancing the aesthetic demands on the other. The XR shows that this can be a win-win situation. The car has collected a bevy of awards alluding to this point, including the UK’s Top Gear magazine “Car of the Year” and “GT of the Year” for 2006. Editor Michael Harvey, not one to mince words in any direction, described the XR as “magnificently beautiful”.

With the XK, Jaguar is acknowledging that it is simply not enough to just look good – although the lighted vanity mirrors for both of the front seat occupants will certainly help with that. From the inside, the XR envelops its passengers with bucket seats fitting the body like the proverbial glove. Seating controls are located on the upper front portion of the door, an unusual but logical location, as the car’s narrow profile would make the traditional locations off to the side inaccessible. In addition to the usual movements, these seats include electronically adjustable side and lumbar cushions.

The instrument panel fits the traditional Jaguar aesthetic of merging simplicity with a touch of chrome elegance. Among those instruments is a Jaguar first – a navigation system for the Czech Republic. However, with a top speed of 250 kph (electronically limited), it shouldn’t take very long to break through borders in about any direction. And with microphones for the Bluetooth system built into the central interior lighting module, keeping in touch with lesser mortals won’t be difficult.

The KR glove compartment is large enough to hold a ladies handbag, while the 20-inch Senta wheels are a bit of overkill. But then, archeologists don’t believe Venus de Milo was content to be dressed in plain white marble – she was decked out in jewelry and all made up. No doubt she would love those wheels, and this car.

A climb into the cockpit of the new Land Rover Freelander II makes it official. There is virtually nothing connecting this vehicle with the wellworn jalopy in the cult film classic The Gods Must Be Crazy except the Land Rover emblem – and the promise of traveling about anywhere.

But that connection is all that is required to fully appreciate the Freelander II.

Apart from Nambian bushman N!xau, the star of The Gods Must Be Crazy, was the old Series I Land Rover. Dubbed the Anti-Christ by its mechanic, the car was cursed with tight piston rings and blessed with the ability to winch itself up a tree.

Tough, crude, irrascible, and yet virtually unstoppable – Land Rovers have been the vehicle of choice for African safaris for nearly half a century. They are the car that we expect to see when a pride of lions grazes nearby or a few giraffes come galloping along. They have become as intrinsic a component of the landscape as the flat-topped acacia trees.

But this is just part of the Land Rover image. In recent decades, the manufacturer has worked to bring its cars closer to the needs of modern civilization without losing its ability to drive beyond the limits of the paved road.

While there are a few individuals that do need a vehicle that can travel just about anywhere under extreme weather conditions, Rover recognized that the need for a car that can safely and comfortably get its passengers to the grocery store or the opera was just as great as the demand for a vehicle that can ford streams and be repaired with a few hammer blows.

The Freelander II is aimed at this market. A highly refined, premium 4×4 that is perhaps more at home on the paved road than pursuing elephants in the bush, the Freelander II meshes the run-of-the-mill SUV profile with the more classic and boxy lines of the iconic Defender.

As the second generation Freelander, this car is both larger and better equipped than its predecessor. The clearest sign of its technological evolution is Land Rover’s Terrain Response™ technology, which automatically synchronizes all electronic systems in the car according to one of the four selected driving conditions.

In addition to the program for general driving on most road and light off-road conditions, programs for snow, mud, or sand are just the twist of a knob away. This technology was previously available on larger models such as the Discovery or the Range Rover. Thumbs are an intrinsic component of the Freelander II driving experience. While turn signal indicators and headlight switches are in the traditional steering column location, controls for the onboard computer, stereo, and phone are mounted within thumb’s reach, directly on the steering wheel. Even with modern technology, driving a car shouldn’t be a hands-free experience.

The Freelander II also comes with the full raft of gadgets we now expect in upscale, luxury cars. In addition to an impressive stereo as standard equipment, there are optional fittings for Bluetooth phones, iPod connections for both the driver and back passengers, and LCD monitors in the headrests for back seat passengers to view video entertainment. Options packages that reveal the vehicle’s wayfaring origins include a heated windshield to reduce ice-scraping on artic mornings.

The outdoor design of the Freelander is especially visible in the back end of the car, an area prone to neglect by automotive designers. For starters, the back door of the Freelander II has become more user-friendly. An upward swinging fifth hatch has replaced the side-hinged back door of the previous generation. On the negative side, the jockey box for the front passenger is about half as large at its exterior would suggest.

The vehicle also comes with a wide assortment of protective options to keep the interior as pristine in use as it was at the dealer. These include waterproof liners, cargo nets, and loadspace protectors. The Freelander II also has a range of specialized roof racks and tow bars available.

The Freelander II is available with two engine options: A V4 2.2-liter turbo diesel or a 3.2 gasoline V6. And drivers can navigate the route to work or across a rugged tundra using a six-speed automatic or manual transmission.