mod@tech

One of the most fun modern cars I have ever driven is the Fiat 500 Abarth. My Pick of the Day is one of these cars, a 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in St. Louis. The car I drove not only looked cool, it also sounded cool, was fast enough to be more than entertaining, and (despite their size) they are quite roomy—even for drivers over six feet tall. In addition, the awesome Italian DNA is there, with Italian design, great chassis engineering, and one of the best exhaust notes ever. If that wasn’t enough, the Fiat 500 Abarth had the best car ad campaign I have seen in decades. The TV commercials were so good I immediately wanted to run out and buy one. I have not done so yet, but the 500 Abarth is on the top of my list.

The dealer describes this 500 Abarth as an original 79k mile car that is in excellent condition. The car is finished in Nero paint with Red Abarth side stripes. The 500 Abarth is also equipped with the Safety and Convenience Packages and factory 17-inch forged aluminum Hyper Black wheels. The exterior of the car looks to be in great shape and in original condition with no add-ons.

The interior is equipped with optional Nero leather, which also looks to be in great shape with no noticeable wear. As a bonus, this is a manual transmission-equipped 500 Abarth, making it all the more fun to drive on a twisty road, thankfully with a great limited-slip differential.

Under the hood is the Abarth-tuned 1.4L 16v MultiAir® Turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine which has 160 horsepower at 5500 rpm, with torque is rated at 170 lb-ft/2500 rpm. These might not sound like astronomical numbers today, but it’s enough to propel the 500 Abarth from 0-60 in 6.8 seconds. That may not sound fast but, from behind the wheel, it feels more like you are driving a supercar. This car has also been modified with a K&N air filter and an ECU tune, which is likely to give it a bit more acceleration. The top speed of the 500 Abarth is only 130 mph, but you honestly do not want to travel any faster in a car as small as this one.

This 2012 Fiat Abarth is from the launch year of a car that I honestly feel is going to get to be more collectible in the future, as they were discontinued a few years ago and good ones are becoming harder to find. It is an alternative to a Mini Cooper S and, to me, offers a lot more fun for the dollar while having all the Italian-designed goodness that makes people swoon over Ferraris, but in a much smaller and affordable package. Don’t just take my word for it—Ben Timmons at Motor Trend said, “I can’t recall the last time I had this much fun with a press car,” and Tony Swan at Car and Driver described the handling stating that the “Abarth attacks corners like a terrier working a roomful of rats.” Yes, the car really is this good, and I think the asking price for this 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth of only $8,960 represents a great value.

The 500 Abarth is to Ferrari what the JCW Mini Cooper is to BMW M cars. A great value for an Italian car that is fun to drive and affordable to buy and keep. It is the definition of a car batting above its average, and my advice is to get one now before everyone else figures this out.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

If you thought Toyota’s switch to hybrid-only power for the Camry meant there wouldn’t be another performance-focused model like the last-generation Camry TRD, you might be wrong. Toyota is bringing the more athletic Camry GT-S Concept to the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

For 2020, Toyota introduced the first-ever Camry TRD. To make it look sportier and more aggressive, the performance specialists at the Toyota Racing Development added a body kit and a pronounced rear spoiler. They didn’t increase the output of the Camry’s 301-horsepower V6, but they did connect it to a specially tuned cat-back exhaust system. The Camry TRD sat lower 0.6 inches to the ground on stiffer coil springs and sway bars, and TRD shocks. Larger 12.9-inch front brake rotors with dual-piston calipers were installed behind the 19-inch wheels, which were wrapped in summer tires.

Given that the Camry became exclusively hybrid-powered in the 2025 model year, it appeared unlikely that Toyota would make a successor to the previous V6-only TRD variant. The Camry GT-S is officially a concept car, so that still may hold true, but the GT-S seems too similar to the TRD and too production-ready to be purely a show car that leads to nothing. That’s reinforced by the goal behind the creation of the GT-S: “Create a sport sedan that feels like it could roll straight from a dealership floor into a customer’s garage.”

The GT-S is based on the 2025 Camry XSE AWD, which has a 232-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine – a setup that wasn’t modified for the GT-S. The same goes for the interior.

Just as it did with the Camry TRD, Toyota focused its efforts on the exterior and suspension. The GT-S is finished in a two-tone color scheme of Inferno Flare for the body and black for the rear spoiler, roof, pillars, and part of the hood and redesigned nose, emphasizing the Camry’s “hammerhead” front-end styling. Below the doors are black side skirts with winglets at each end. According to Toyota, “The rear fascia and bumper were engineered to integrate seamlessly with a performance exhaust.”

Hmmm… That sounds familiar. So does the brake and suspension setup. Toyota swapped out the stock wheels for a set of 20-inch rollers with 245/35 rubber. Behind those are 365mm front brake rotors with eight-piston calipers and 356mm rear rotors clamped by six-piston calipers. Adjustable coilovers drop the GT-S by 1.5 inches to give it a cooler stance and better handling.

You can see the Toyota Camry GT-S at the 2025 SEMA Show, November 4–7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. And maybe, one day, you can see it – or something very close to it – in Toyota dealerships.

The 2019 model year was the end of the seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette. It was also the only year for the C7 ZR1, which had a monster under the hood: an LT5 supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that pumped out a colossal 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torque. In this video, we check out a nicely configured Sebring Orange ZR1 decked out with the Sebring Orange Design Package and equipped with the ZTK Track Performance Package. On top of that, the person who spec’ed this super-Vette also ticked the box for the 7-speed manual gearbox. We loved it, but someone loved it even more and paid $181,500 at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Scottsdale Fall Auction to take it home with them.

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Currently listed on AutoHunter is this 1957 Chevrolet Nomad. While the Nomad name was used for many years, the “true” hardtop wagon version was only produced for three years, with 1957 being the final iteration. This one is powered by a modified 400 small-block V8 hooked up to a Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission. Features include power front disc brakes, power steering, rear window slats, Billet Specialties wheels, and more. Painted bright blue with a blue vinyl and black cloth interior, this classic Tri-Five is offered by the selling dealer with a clear title.

The blue hue is complemented by a white anodized aluminum panel on the rear fenders. Other exterior features include gold anodized aluminum nameplates, crests, and front fender louvers, dual side mirrors, front bumper “Dagmars,” twin hood ornaments, and more. A set of 15-inch Billet Specialties wheels are wrapped in staggered-width BFGoodrich radials, 215/60 up front, 235/60 out back.

The interior features blue vinyl with black cloth seats. Other interior features include column-mounted automatic transmission shifter, power steering, clock, factory AM radio, and more. Rear window slats help keep things cool.

Instrumentation includes a 120-mph speedometer and gauges for the water temperature and fuel. There also is an aftermarket gauge under the dashboard. The odometer currently shows 2,641 miles, though the title reads mileage-exempt.

The 400ci small-block V8 is topped by a four-barrel carburetor and two chrome valve covers. Shifting comes from a three-speed TH400 automatic transmission.

The undercarriage features power front disc brakes and a dual exhaust system.

Only 6,103 1957 Chevrolet Nomads were built, so they lean towards the rarest of America’s perennial best-selling car. They are fantastic stock or modified, with this particular example being in the latter camp. Our AutoHunter Spotlight vehicle has had one owner since 1967, but now it’s your turn—bid now so you don’t miss the auction’s Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. (PDT) deadline!

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

The fusion of classic style and modern performance is a common theme seen throughout the collector-car industry. The Pick of the Day is a 1956 Chevrolet 210 Sport Coupe listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Lake Kiowa, Texas.

“Beautifully restored in Jet Black with gleaming chrome and stainless,” the listing begins. “Only 100 miles since restoration.”

The listing for the car classifies it as a 210, but the description calls it a Bel Air. This is a topic worthy of discussion: We see cases frequently in the collector-car market where a restomod-style restoration involves changing a car’s trim or badging. We see people chop doors off of four-door sedans and call them coupes or make convertibles out of hardtops. It’s up to a buyer to do his or her due diligence to understand exactly how a vehicle is titled. It’s also important to note that some custom cars end up with reassigned VINs which means they could be subject to additional inspections and scrutiny upon registration.

All that being said, whether it’s a 150, a 210, a Bel Air, or a full custom, this sleek black custom is a head-turner. It comes complete with 1950s flair like chrome brightwork, sweeping side trim, and a dual exhaust system. The cabin has been modernized with bucket seats, a center console, a touchscreen audio system, and replacement gauges.

An advertisement for the 1956 Chevrolet said, “Loves to go… and looks it!” At the time, Chevrolet was proud of its record-setting run up Pikes Peak in Colorado which took place on September 9, 1955 (would you believe, just over 70 years ago!). The hill-climb car had been camouflaged since 1956 models weren’t set to debut publicly until November. The 1956 Chevrolet went on to become a sales home run: Chevrolet sold over 1.5 million cars that year, among them, a wide range of models including the 150, the 210, and the Bel Air – with sedan, coupe, convertible, and station wagon variants among them.

In lieu of its original power train, power for this coupe comes from a crate-sourced V8 with a four-barrel carburetor. The transmission is a floor-shifted Muncie four-speed manual. So aside from looking great, it’s a car designed around maximum driver engagement. “Runs strong, shifts clean, and turns heads everywhere,” the seller says.

If you’ve been looking for a show-ready, turn-key Tri-Five, it’s time to make a move.

The asking price is $70,000 or best offer.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

When it comes to mainstream cars in the American market, I have an affinity for Mazda because the company tries to wear a Bimmer hat in a milquetoast segment. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Mazda is one of the few brands to embrace the manual transmission. However, I was disappointed when the Mazda6 was discontinued in the American market after 2021. What’s up with the Mazda6 these days in other markets? The next-gen Mazda6 is already out in China and will be hitting Europe soon.

First appearing at the Beijing Auto Show in the spring of 2024, the new Mazda6e (known as the EZ-6 in China), built in conjunction with Chinese automaker Changan Automobile, debuted in the Chinese market several months later. Interestingly—and slightly off brand—this model is only available as an EV and an extended-range EV, the latter being somewhat of an inverse version of a hybrid as it regularly runs on electricity but has the assistance of a gas-powered engine as an auxiliary power unit. The only body style available is a five-door hatchback, a style that hasn’t appeared in the U.S. in decades though Mazda continued to offer it elsewhere.

Currently, there are two battery-electric vehicles available in China: one with a 56.1-kWh battery and a 255-horsepower electric motor, while the 68.8-kWh battery and 241-horse motor can give 300 miles of range. The range extender version is available in two versions: 130 or 200 kilometers (81 or 124 miles). Both use a 1.5-liter inline-four with 94 horsepower, though the former uses an 18.9-kWh battery and the latter uses a 28.4-kWh battery. The electric motor puts out 215 horsepower.

When the 2026 Mazda6e is introduced for Europeans, there will also be two versions available, but it will start with the 68.8-kWh version, with an 80-kWh variant available with a longer range of 345 miles.

Even if the Mazda6e is not available in the States, the EV aspect may still make some people gag. Since it’s rear-wheel drive, that counts for something, right?

This year marks 100 years of the Rolls-Royce Phantom ultra-luxury sedan. The automaker announced it would release a limited-production Phantom Centenary Private Collection to commemorate the milestone. Now we know how the 25 cars will look and the special touches and historical references they’ll have.

Although the Phantom hasn’t been in constant production since 1925, it has typically been the transportation of choice for the ultra-wealthy, celebrities, and heads of state. As a nod to the golden age of Hollywood and the Phantoms of the 1930s, the cars in the Centenary Private Collection are finished in Super Champagne Crystal over Black for the upper body, and Super Champagne Crystal over Arctic White for the lower body. To make the paint even more brilliant, Rolls-Royce infused the clear coat with iridescent glass particles and replaced the clear flakes with two times as many champagne-colored particles.

Even the “RR” badges got their own special treatment of 24-carat gold and white enamel. Up front, the Spirit of Ecstasy was redone in the style of the first one ever installed on a Phantom and made out of solid 18-carat gold, then covered in tarnish-resistant 24-carat gold. Under the hood, the 6.75-liter V12 features an Arctic White cover with 24-carat gold accents.

Like many classic Rolls-Royces, the Phantoms in the Centenary Private Collection have disc wheels, but theirs have 25 grooves in them to represent the production run.

Many people see leather seats as a key part of a luxury vehicle, but in the early days of the Phantom, leather was used for the chauffeur’s seat and luxurious fabrics covered the seats in the passenger compartment. The Centenary Private Collection has a similar division. The front row is furnished with laser-etched leather seats that depict references to Rolls-Royce’s history, such as a seagull – the codename for the 1923 Phantom I prototype – and a rabbit – as in “Roger Rabbit”, the codename for Rolls-Royce’s 2003 relaunch.

The illuminated Anthology Gallery features 50 3D-printed, vertically brushed aluminum “fins” arranged to look like the pages of a book, each with sculpted letters that make up quotes from the press across the Phantom’s history.

Rolls-Royce worked with a fashion atelier to develop the fabrics used in the second row, which was inspired by the 1926 “Phantom of Love” and its handwoven Aubusson tapestries. The upholstery tells the brand’s story through three layers.

Of course, woodwork is a major part of the Phantom Centenary Private Collection’s interior. Rolls-Royce’s artisans incorporated three techniques never before used in a Phantom, which we detailed here.

Above both rows is a Starlight Headliner with 440,000 stitches that show key moments in the Phantom’s history as well as honeybees, a reference to the 250,000 in the Rolls-Royce Apiary.

Given the Phantom Centenary Private Collection’s limited production run, the odds of seeing one of the commemorative Phantoms are low, but perhaps we’ll spot one at next year’s Arizona Concours d’Elegance. If we do, we’ll be sure to share it with you here.

Right now on AutoHunter, you can find this 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible, which has been owned by the same family since 1970. It’s equipped with its reportedly numbers-matching Challenger Special 289ci V8 and three-speed manual gearbox. Finished in Tahoe Turquoise with a white convertible top over a blue vinyl interior, this drop-top pony car is now offered by the selling dealer in Oregon with a clear title.

According to the dealer, the Tahoe Turquoise paint is original. Exterior features include chrome bumpers, bright trim, driver-side mirror, and dual exhaust outlets. The passenger compartment is covered by a white soft top, which happens to be missing its plastic rear window. When lowered, the top fits under a body-color vinyl boot.

A set of 14-inch wheels with covers and 185/70 whitewall radials help this Mustang bolt down the road. Behind those wheels are manual drum brakes.

The cabin is outfitted with two-tone blue vinyl upholstery and replacement blue carpeting. Features include manual windows, manual steering, AM radio, heater, and floor-mounted manual shifter.

Instrumentation consists of a 140-mph speedometer and gauges for the fuel level, oil pressure, amps, and temperature. The odometer shows 26,198 miles, but the title indicates this vehicle is mileage-exempt.

The reportedly numbers-matching Challenger Special 289ci V8 came from the factory with 225 horsepower. It’s equipped with a four-barrel carburetor and runs a 10:1 compression ratio. The dealer indicates the three-speed manual is also original to the car.

This 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible is looking for a new family to saddle it up. You and your loved ones can enjoy it next, but you have to bid on it first. Be sure to do that before the auction ends on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery