All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Auctions

2003 BMW M3 CSL is for sale

In 1999, BMW presented the M3 CSL model, and the first examples left the production line in 2003. The car was produced for only half a year, from June to December, and only 1,383 examples were produced. One of them will be sold this month at the RM Sotheby’s auction.

The BMW M3 CSL is painted in Silver Gray Metallic and is in excellent condition. Although its original destination was supposed to be Japan, the car ended up in Europe. It is equipped with headlamp washers, parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, and Xenon headlamps. For a long time it was exhibited in the owner’s museum, so the odometer shows only 4,698 km (2,919 miles).

Unlike the standard M3 model, this M3 CSL is equipped with a number of unique components including a redesigned front fascia, rear diffuser, unique rims, an aluminum hood and a carbon roof. The interior is covered with Alcantara.

When it comes to the powertrain, the BMW M3 CSL is powered by a 3.2L S54B32 inline 6 engine with 355 hp (261 kW) and 273 lb-ft (370 Nm) of torque. It reaches 60 mph in 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 165 mph (266 kph). The engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

It is offered for sale without registration papers, and the auction will be held on November 26.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Auctions, News

1969 Shelby GT500 FASTBACK for sale

Buying rare cars, especially those that have been owned by famous people can be a good investment. After Carroll Shelby’s 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra sold for $5.49 million USD last year, another car owned by Shelby and Academy Award-winning director Jackie Cooper is looking for a new owner. It’s a 1969 Shelby GT500 FASTBACK.

1969 was the last year for the Shelby Mustang, as Ford and Shelby parted ways, although a few more models were released for 1970. They were actually leftovers from the previous year. The car was offered in two versions, the base GT350 powered by a 5.8L V8 engine with 290 hp (213 kW) and 385 lb-ft (522 Nm) of torque. It reached 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, while power is sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission.

The more powerful version, the Shelby GT500 is powered by a 7.0L V8 engine with 335 hp (250 kW) and 440 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque. Power is transmitted to the rear wheels via the C6 automatic transmission. It hits 60 mph in 6.0 seconds.

The car is painted in Candyapple Red and is in excellent condition. Comes with owner’s manual, Marti Report, Shelby Certificate of Authenticity. The auction will take place on January 4-15, 2023.

Source: Mecum

News

Honda announces all-electric Prelude by 2028

Two decades ago, Honda introduced the last edition of its Prelude model, and now it is widely rumored that a new generation could soon hit the market.

The last edition was a two-door sports coupe and one of the most exciting cars from the Japanese brand. However, the return of old names has become popular recently, such as the Toyota Supra and Acura Integra. So there is hope for the return of the Honda Prelude as well, and the information was published by the Japanese magazine Best Car Web.

Also, Best Car Web states that Honda may introduce two new electric cars, as hinted at by a recently published teaser. Better experts believe that these could be the successors of the Prelude, but also of the Honda NSX model (also called Acura NSX in North America, China and Kuwait). However, Honda says that the two electric cars will be “special and flagship models” and will be sold on the global market. In addition to the electric models shown in the teaser, Honda said that its primary plan for this decade is the North American, Chinese and Japanese markets.

The current generation Honda NSX is powered by a 3.5L twin turbo V6 engine with 600hp (441 kW) and 492 lb-ft (667Nm) of torque. Power is transmitted to all wheels via a 9-speed dual-clutch transmission. It reaches 60 mph in 2.9 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 191 mph (307 km/h).

Source: Honda