Q. I hear that the 1970
Porsche 911S
coupe that actor Steve McQueen drove in his classic racing film
“Le Mans” is being actioned at the RM Auction, held
August 19-20 in Monterey, Calif. How much money do you think that
Porsche will bring? – G.P., Philadelphia, Pa.
A. The car is estimated to
break the $1 million mark. That’s an insane figure for a
mass-produced Porsche, but the late actor’s smaller items
have been auctioned off for ridiculous amounts.
Q.I
hear that the late actor Fred Astaire, who was known for his fabulous
movie dancing, hated the Ferrari that he was briefly shown driving in
the famous 1959 movie “On the Beach” about the last
people on earth who faced death from radioactivity after World War II.
— D. E., Phoenix, Ariz.
A. That Ferrari was a now-classic 1955 750 Monza Scaglietti
Spider race car. It’s worth a small fortune, but not because
that model was in the movie. Astaire said as a guest on Johnny
Carson’s “Tonight” television show after
Carson asked him about the Ferrari that he (Astaire) only drove the car
a very short distance and that it scared the heck out of him. Astaire
appeared so upset at mention of the Ferrari that Carson
didn’t pursue the matter. Carson likely asked the Ferrari
question because he was a bit of a car buff who invested in the
ill-fated DeLorean car company.
Q.
What is the most expensive Chevrolet Corvair ever sold? –
J.W., Bloomfield, Mich.
A. It’s the gorgeous custom-body, one-of-a-kind
1963 Corvair Testudo “concept car.” It sold for
$479,000 at RM Auctions’ Villa d’Este auction in
Italy on May 21 of this year. Outstanding stock 1963 Corvairs are
valued at $15,000, altough most go for less. The special Corvair
Testudo came from Italy’s Bertone design outfit, which has
formulated some of the wildest one-of-a-kind concept cars. They include
the 1967 Lamborghini Marzal (which has two large glass doors); the 1980
Lamborghini Athon; the Lancia Stratos HF “Zero;”
the 1974 Lamborghini Bravo, and the 1978 Lancia Sibilo. How much are
these cars worth? Well, the Stratos HF “Zero” sold
for $1,084,290 and the Marzal sold for a cool $2.1 million at that RM
auction.
Q. I
hear that India is becoming a big car market. That so? I thought most
people ride bicycles there. – E.H., Hollywood,
Calif.
A. India actually surpassed the United Kingdom, France and
Italy to become the sixth-largest auto market in the world in
2010. However, we’re not talking abut Cadillacs or BMWs here.
The average transaction price for all new passenger vehicles sold last
year in India was about $10,0000—compared with $17,500 in
China and $28,000 in the United States. Nearly 80 percent of
all new passenger vehicles sold in India last year were mini cars or
subcompacts. Still, India is expected to become one of the three
largest world auto markets by 2020, according to a report from J.D.
Power and Associates.
Q.
I’m told that the 1955-57 Chevrolet is the among the most
iconic American cars made, but that the 1955, 1956 and 1957 models are
pretty identical.—E.M, Des Moines, Iowa
A. That’s correct, although each year Chevy cleverly
facelifted the car, with a different grille and such. Also, the famous
Chevy V-8—introduced in 1955—was enlarged from 265
to 283 cubic inches for 1957. It was even offered that year with
(then-troublesome) fuel injection, although most Chevy V-8s got
carburetors. The 1957 Bel Air coupe and convertible are generally the
best-known of the trio.
Q. Did famous author Truman
Capote
own a Jaguar? – E.N., New York City
A. Capote bought a beautiful “red Jaguar 3.8 sedan”
in “1963 or 1964” from famous San Francisco
newspaper columnist Herb Caen for a small amount and then tried to
drive it to his home in Palm Springs, Calif., says a Capote biography
by George Plimpton. Caen warned Capote that the car was unreliable and
would break down during the trip. Sure enough, the Jag failed on the
way to Palm Springs. Capote angrily had it towed to Palm Springs, where
Caen said it eventually “collapsed” in
Capote’s garage. “It was a beautiful car. He
(Capote) never should have had a car like that,” Caen was
quoted as sayng in the book.
Q.
With all the car safety advances, which is the most
important?—J.H., Harrisburg, Pa.
A. It’s safety belts, Susan Cischke, group vice president of
Ford’s Sustainability, Environment & Safety
Engineering told me at a recent Ford Technology Forum in Dearborn,
Mich. To that end, Cischke said Ford will expand availability of its
new rear inflatable seat belts by offering them on the Ford Flex and
Lincoln vehicles. Such rear belts debuted on the 2011 Ford
Explorer. Cischke said the system is designed to help reduce head, neck
and chest injuries for rear passengers—often children and
older passengers who can be more vulnerable to injuries. Cischke said
most who’ve tested the inflatable belts found them
to be similar to, or more comfortable, than a conventional belt because
they feel padded and softer. In a frontal or side crash, the inflated
belt helps distribute crash force energy across more of a
person’s torso than a traditional belt, helping reduce risk
of injury.
Q.
I’m a big fan of the Chevrolet Camaro, and have a number of
history books about it. Any new good Camaro books? — E.M.,
Chicago.
A. Yes, the latest Camaro book—“Camaro: Five
Generations of Performance” by Darwin Holmstrom
and David Newhardt is well worthwhile. It lists at $29.95 and has 348
pages with 280 color images. It’s published by Motorbooks and
can be obtained at bookstores or bought via online outlets www.motorbooks.com
and www.amazon.com
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