All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Smart is considering returning the Roadster to its fleet

Between 2002 and 2005, Smart produced a two-seater sports car, the Smart Roadster, and approximately 43,000 units left the production line before the model was discontinued. Two decades later, rumors surfaced of its return as an all-electric car.

“A colleague created the first drawings of the new Roadster. We have three great cars, and none of them are Roadsters. But why not? If we produce a Roadster, be sure that it will be very compact and a two-seater,” said the CEO of smart Europe GmbH Dirk Adelmann.

The idea of ​​returning Rosadster to the fleet appeared four years ago, and in the meantime the Chinese company Geely bought 50% of Smart. However, the manufacturer did not give up the idea of ​​starting the production of this model, so we could see its production version soon.

Smart in its fleet currently has models #1, #3 and #5, and soon a new generation of ForTwo models could arrive on the market, if the company finds a partner. The car should be built on the ECA (Electric Compact Architecture) platform, and entering this “adventure” is a big financial pressure for the German company, so the search for a partner is ongoing.

Source: Smart

Auctions

1957 BMW 503 Series I Cabriolet is up for auction

At the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show BMW revealed a two-door 2+2 gran turismo, the BMW 503, which was produced until 1959 as Series I (until 1957) and Series II. Production was suspended due to huge financial losses, and only 413 cars left the production lines, 139 of which were Cabriolets. One Series I car, the 1957 BMW 503 Series I Cabriolet is up for auction.

This car is one of only 78 Cabriolets from Series I and was purchased new in 1957 in the United States with chassis number 69091. From October 2018 to July 2023 the car was fully restored by Hoffes Restorations and EBS Engineering in the Netherlands. The restoration included painting in BMW Fjord Blue complemented by a Blue Sonnenland convertible hood with Cognac upholstery, and the total work cost more than €125,000.

The car is in excellent condition and is a good opportunity for collectors to enrich their collections. It is equipped with an aluminum/magnesium body, bonnet, doors and bootlid, a mirror on the driver’s side, and a dark blue canvas roof. Inside, the front seats are upholstered in brown leather that also covers the door panels, rear bench and upper part of the dashboard, with matching carpets.

Under the bonnet is a 3.2-L V8 engine with 140 bhp (104 kW) and 164 lb-ft (222 Nm) of torque, and after inspection BMW Classic has confirmed the engine number is matching.

This BMW 503 is estimated at €300,000 – €400,000 EUR. The auction will take place on July 27, 2024 at Gut Kaltenbrunn on Lake Tegernsee, Germany.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Gallery:

1957 BMW 503 Series I Cabriolet is up for auction
News

2025 Cadillac Escalade

At the end of the 90s, Cadillac introduced a luxury SUV, the Escalade, as a response to other luxury SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Range Rover or Lexus LX. After five generations, Cadillac launched a refreshed edition of this model.

The Escalade is a huge SUV with a length of over 5.5 meters, which now comes with a new front end, slim LED headlights, a new illuminated logo on the grille, adaptive air suspension, Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 system and Super Cruise system for semi-autonomous driving. Buyers can choose between new 22″ and 24″ wheels, as well as three new body colors: Aegean Stone Green, Deep Sea Blue Metallic and Latte Metallic Light Bronze. It should also be noted that the doors can be set to open automatically when approaching the car, as well as that they can be automatically closed when the brake pedal is touched.

Inside, the cabin is equipped with a massive 55″ screen that extends the entire width of the dashboard, and is divided into two parts: 35 inches for the driver and 20 inches for the passenger. Cadillac has not forgotten the passengers in the back, who can now enjoy a 12.6″ touchscreen if they opt for the Executive Second Row package.

When it comes to the powertrain, Cadillac decided to drop the 3.0-liter diesel engine from the lineup. So buyers can now choose between the 6.2-liter V8 engine with 420 hp (313 kW) and 459 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque, which powers the standard Escalade, and the supercharged 6.2-L V8 engine with 682 hp ( 508 kW) and 653 lb-ft (885 Nm) of torque, which powers the Escalade-V.

The prices of the refreshed editions are not known.

Source: Cadillac

Gallery:

2025 Cadillac Escalade