Do stripes and spoilers make a car faster? In one corner, we have a 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7. Looking understated and (once you peek inside) downright luxurious, it was more the choice for the mature guy or gal interested in a sporty car.
In the other corner, we have a 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator — same bloodline, same era, but looking bold with color and boy-racer goodies. Looks like the faster car, right?
Both were available with the 428 Cobra Jet, but only one of these has it. In fact, it’s one of 32 Q-codes built with the four-speed manual. Is it the one with the bigger personality? Watch to find out!
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When my wife and I decided to sacrifice our integrity and shop for an SUV, we narrowed it down to the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan and Subaru Forester (unfortunately, the Mazda CX-5 was a bit tight in the rear). The Volkswagen Atlas was not on our radar, but I did appreciate its somewhat cartoonish looks paired with its possibly cartoonish name. It’s appeared long in the tooth for quite a while already, so it’s refreshing to hear that a new-gen Atlas is coming for 2027.
2027 Volkswagen Atlas prototype (Image courtesy of Volkswagen)
To the Atlas’ credit, the Atlas Cross Sport (introduced around the same time we were shopping) brought the model better looks, though at the expense of utility. While looks are subjective, I’m a fan of manufacturers spending the money on an interesting, compromised variation in the face of bean counters. In fact, there are automobiles throughout history that have had variations that have absorbed their respective hosts (as we’ve learned with the Pontiac Trans Sport Montana and Subaru Legacy Outback), though that did not happen with the Atlas.
2027 Volkswagen Atlas prototype (Image courtesy of Volkswagen)
Over the years, with several facelifts, the Volkswagen Atlas has lost its edge, settling in the role of benign, inoffensive SUV. This is anathema for enthusiasts (with the Jetta reflecting similar moves). Considering Volkswagen’s fumble with the ID. Buzz, it’s high time for an injection of something more interesting. Is the 2027 Atlas it?
Volkswagen Teramont Pro (Image courtesy of Volkswagen)
Truth be told, the second-generation Volkswagen Atlas was launched in 2025 in the Chinese market (though known as the Teramont Pro), so it’s already an entity of sorts. For the North American market, the redesigned Atlas will be introduced at the New York Auto Show on April 3, 2026. Volkswagen has started to tease us with previews of what North Americans can expect to find in dealerships. The design language has moved onto something new — look at the new Tiguan to get an idea in the flesh. Ho-hum? A little bit, but definitely something more gee-whiz.
Volkswagen Teramont Pro interior (Image courtesy of Volkswagen)
According to Car and Driver magazine, power will come from a variation of the EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that should make around 270 horsepower. However, it’s the interior where Volkswagen has been strutting its stuff thanks to ambient lighting and the latest in full-width screening.
2027 Volkswagen Atlas tease (Image courtesy of Volkswagen)
If an injection of style is a box that still needs to be checked, never fear because the Cross Sport will be coming a little later. Pricing for either has not been released, though the current Atlas ranges from $40,785 to $56,105.
(Interesting trivia: Nissan previously used the Atlas name.)
Currently listed for sale on AutoHunter is this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door sedan. It is powered by a 350ci small-block paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. Features include numerous engine modifications plus dual exhausts, Cragar mags, power steering and drum brakes, JVC stereo with cassette, and more. Painted two-tone turquoise and white with a turquoise vinyl interior, this finned Bow Tie comes from the selling dealer in Oregon with a clear title.
The body is painted in turquoise and is complemented with a white top — it looks to be Tropical Turquoise and India Ivory, or close to that. Other features include bumperettes, rocker trim, anodized gold emblems, front antenna, back-up lamps, and chrome and silver longitudinal trim, among other items. A set of 15-inch Cragar wheels (with Cal Chrome center caps) are wrapped in BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires, 215/65 front and 245/60 rear.
The cabin is furnished in turquoise with a split bench up front. Features include lap belts, power steering, column-mounted automatic shifter, tilt steering column, clock, aftermarket JVC AM/FM radio with cassette player, and more. The battery is mounted in the trunk, which also features a spare tire and vinyl mat.
Instrumentation includes a 120-mph speedometer and gauges for the fuel level and coolant temperature. The odometer reads 16,968 miles, though the true mileage is unknown.
Originally ordered with a six-cylinder, this Tri-Five now features a small-block V-8, though one that happened to debut a decade later. The 350ci engine features an aluminum intake with a four-barrel carburetor, headers, chrome valve covers, and MSD ignition system. It is backed by a three-speed automatic transmission.
The undercarriage features power four-wheel discs and a dual exhaust system.
To the masses, it doesn’t get better than a small-block-powered ’57 Chevy riding on Cragars. We really can’t blame ‘em based on the special combination of style and power that few can match. As our AutoHunter Spotlight, this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door sedan is your conduit to cool, but there’s also a bit of sin involved — pride (it’s a sweet car, no?), envy (people will want to be your friend due to your car), and gluttony (it’s difficult not to have a heavy right foot). Nonetheless, you only live once, so place a bid now because the auction for this classic ends on Friday, March 27, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. (PDT).
Putting a new engine or clutch into an old vehicle can extend its life, but what about everything else? That new part can just reset a game of automotive Whac-A-Mole, in which you wait for the next part to age out. Our Pick of the Day doesn’t play around. You can find this thoroughly restored 1973 Ford Bronco listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Island Lake, Illinois. Learn more about it in the video below.
First-generation Broncos are popular in original condition and as restored classics, such as the one you see here. The selling dealer put it through a nut-and-bolt restoration that was completed by August 2023. Old rigs like these often get beat up, so the original frame was refinished in satin black, the axles were rebuilt, and the suspension (including the bushings, tie rod ends, and ball joints) were replaced. A set of gray 15-inch wheels with 30-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM3 tires makes the most of that hardware on challenging terrain.
Surprisingly, all the original body, with the exception of the tailgate, has survived. Even more surprising is the fact that the fenders have never been cut. Once the new tailgate was installed, the entire body was stripped, straightened, and covered with BASF Glasurit Diamond Blue paint, which coordinates perfectly with the white Bimini top over the front seats. All-new chrome and stainless trim makes this horse’s coat even more lustrous.
According to the dealer, “The interior of this Bronco is all new as well, featuring a RetroSound Huntington Radio with Bluetooth, a Dakota Digital gauge cluster, and all new Painless wiring throughout the entire truck. The seats are covered in fresh light tan/white vinyl, and the floor is coated black for easy clean-up” — a useful touch for a vehicle meant to play around in the mud.
Rather than dropping in a modern Coyote 5.0-liter V-8, the selling dealer decided to have the old-school 302 rebuilt. It didn’t pass up the opportunity to incorporate some upgrades during the process, so the engine was bored .030 over and equipped with a hydraulic roller camshaft, COMP Cams roller rockers, 570cfm Holley Street Avenger carburetor, stainless steel headers, and an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold. The 302 sends its power through a rebuilt Ford C4 three-speed automatic and dual-range transfer case.
Thanks to a cosmetic and mechanical overhaul, this 1973 Ford Bronco should be on the road (and various trails) until the modern Bronco is a classic. Will you be driving it between now and then? If you buy it for $159,995, then the answer is “Yes.”
We’ve recently featured several Pontiac LeMans Sports with the T41 Endura nose option, but the two model years feature several subtle differences that you may not notice. Let’s dig deeper!
Pontiac introduced the T41 Endura Styling Option for 1971. Initially available for the LeMans Sport (two-door, four-door, and convertible), it eventually was made available for station wagons as well. Why Pontiac did this is a mystery, as I imagine it could be seen as cannibalizing GTO sales. However, two things were going on at the time: Pontiac had new management in 1969, which changed the direction of the brand formerly led by John DeLorean, and the high-performance market was cratering. Offering the GTO’s image without the GTO’s baggage may have been seen as an opportunity, no different than “cosmetic supercars” that were beginning to appear.
1971 LeMans Sport with 1972 nose (Image courtesy of Jim Campisano)
In this recent Muscle Car Campy video, the 1971 Pontiac LeMans Sport convertible shown features the T41 nose, but it’s actually with a ’72 grille. The car was originally ordered with the T41 nose so the pedigree is there, but the insert and grille are from a year later. Let’s examine the differences.
This is a 1971 LeMans Sport convertible built as a GTO Judge clone. The grille is correct for the LeMans Sport despite the GTO badging. (Image courtesy of Barrett-Jackson)
For 1971, the grille goes to the edge, though the grille pattern was dependent on the model: GTOs had a cross-hatch pattern (with the Judge’s blacked out), while the LeMans had a tight eggcrate pattern. In addition, if the car is a LeMans Sport, it received louvers on the front fenders.
For 1972, the grille is inset, and it’s identical between the GTO and LeMans, aside from badging. Additionally, the front fenders feature air extractors for cars equipped with either the W62 GTO package (remember, it was no longer a model) or V-8 LeMans models ordered with T41 equipment.
Below is your key to comparing the 1971-72 grilles and front fenders (in ascending order). Click on each image to be taken to its respective ad on ClassicCars.com.
The white space between the Ram 1500 Warlock and 1500 Rebel off-road models is about to turn the color of mud with the arrival of the 2026 Ram 1500 BackCountry.
The BackCountry is based on the Ram 1500 Big Horn 4×4 Crew Cab with either the Level 1 or Level 2 Equipment Group. Level 1 includes power-folding heated mirrors, heated front seats, heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, power-adjustable pedals, second-row in-floor storage bins, and power-sliding rear window. Level 2 adds a seven-inch instrument cluster display, 12-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen, Off-Road Info Pages, wireless charging pad, dual-zone climate control, power tailgate-release, nine-speaker audio system, and more.
BackCountry upgrades consist of a variety of cosmetic changes and off-road-focused hardware. On the outside, the BackCountry features front tow hooks, body-color grille surround and accents, Diamond Black Crystal Pearl-Coat bumpers and lower body, and Satin Black 18-inch aluminum wheels. A one-inch suspension lift, electronic locking/limited-slip rear diff, and 32-inch off-road tires work together to get the BackCountry where it needs to go. Skid plates protect the front underbody, power steering rack, transfer case, and fuel tank as it gets there.
Inside, there are vinyl bucket seats with printed mesh inserts, MOLLE storage panels on the front seatbacks, rubber floor mats, and Selec-Speed off‑road cruise control. Of course, special badges and emblems are also part of the package.
5.7-liter Hemi V-8 eTorque
Don’t worry, Hemi-lovers — you can get the BackCountry with the Hurricane 3.0-liter twin-turbo I-6 or the mild-hybrid 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 eTorque. Either way you go, the truck will come with Ram’s 10-year/100,000-mile warranty.
Ram is currently accepting orders for the 1500 BackCountry. Opting for the BackCountry trim will add $2,995 to the price of a Big Horn, bringing the starting price of one with the Level 1 Equipment Group to $62,410.
The styling update of the 1969-70 Ford Mustang made a good design even better. The 1964-66 Mustang was an icon, and it maintained its character while growing larger with the 1967-68 models. With the introduction of the 1969 Mach 1 SportsRoof, the Mustang looked aggressive, exotic, and had an almost European GT flair. Today’s AutoHunter Spotlight is a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1, the second year of Ford’s image pony car.
According to the VIN, this Mach 1 is powered by an M-code 351 Cleveland V8, which is backed by a three-speed FMX automatic transmission. The car has been color-changed from Lime Metallic to what the selling dealer is calling Candyapple Red. It is offered with a Deluxe Marti Report and a clear title.
The seller states that this Mustang Mach 1 has had what the seller is calling a ground-up restoration. Per the photographs, the exterior looks to suggest this Mustang is quite a nice driver. Other than a few paint flaws, I see no serious issues with the body. It is riding on great looking 15-inch Magnum 500 wheels clad with staggered-width BFGoodrich raised white letter radial tires. Can you appreciate how awesome these cars look from the side?
The interior of this ’70 Mach 1 has been changed from its original Medium Ivy Green to black vinyl upholstery with red highlights. The factory woodgrain trim looks great and adds warmth.
What lurks under the hood of this Mach 1 only makes this car cooler: a 11:1-compression 351 Cleveland V8 with a stated 300 horsepower. The engine looks mostly stock with the exception of the aluminum valve covers. A Shaker ram air system has been added, which is a welcome addition. The 351 Cleveland is one of my all-time favorite Ford engines, and they sound even better than the typical 289 and 302 small-blocks.
The underside of the car also looks to be in good shape per the photos provided. It looks as if there may have been some work on the floors during the restoration, but it looks like it was nicely executed. Nothing makes me concerned with the condition of this Mach 1.
To many enthusiasts, 1970 marked what may be considered the end of the classic Mustang, as the 1971-73 cars that followed became bigger and a bit softer. To me, this 1970 Mach 1 hits a sweet spot for the last of Ford’s fleet pony cars, especially with a 351 Cleveland under the hood.
If you find this to be as nice a car as I do, then clearly you have great taste! These are awesome cars to drive and are, in many ways, the pinnacle of classic Mustang development. Keep in mind that this Mach 1 is ripe for bidding at this very moment, so you had better make your bid now as the auction for this 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 ends on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 12:15 p.m. (PDT).
In recent years, we’ve seen some Japanese cars command strong prices in the marketplace. One of the cars that helped put the Acura brand on the map before the NSX existed was the Legend, and our Pick of the Day is a 1990 Acura Legend LS coupe listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Mount Prospect, Illinois.
“Final year for the first-generation Legend, highest trim level available,” the listing says.
Acura’s launch in 1986 marked a bold move. Essentially, the brand banked on the fact that consumers would pay a premium for a Honda-built car with added luxuries. At the onset, only two models, the four-cylinder Integra and the V-6 Legend, were offered. As it turns out, the marketplace did react warmly, and by the early 1990s, Acura had added the two-seat NSX sports car and the five-cylinder Vigor sedan to the model lineup.
Meanwhile, the Legend, initially available only as a sedan for the first year, was joined by a coupe variant in 1987. Acura gave the car a few special features for the final year of the first generation in 1990, including a unique hood, more standard equipment, a decklid spoiler for LS models, and one-year-only red/clear taillights as opposed to the previous red/amber versions.
That brings us to this lovely 55,000-mile specimen in Sirius White Pearl, owned by just one individual since new. It’s said to be a show-quality vehicle, minus the fact that it’s spent the last eight years in static storage on a lift. “Suitable for full or partial renovation, daily driver, collector, or show car,” the seller says. Speaking of shows, the car was on display at the Japanese Automotive Invitational in 2018 (if you look closely, you can actually see the nose of the car in the top left corner of that article’s lead image).
The interior was reupholstered in a two-tone black and white leather theme, and the audio system was modernized with a Kenwood head unit. The seller says that the original stereo is included with the sale for anyone wishing to reinstall it. The car’s 160-horsepower 2.7-liter V-6 is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission.
One of the most compelling things about this Legend isn’t the car itself — it’s the stash of documentation said to accompany it. Based on the photos in the listing, the seller has brochures, posters, manuals, advertisements, apparel, and even glassware.
The asking price for the package deal is $22,500 or best offer.
It’s officially spring! If you’re reading this latest installment of Car Connections as this is being published, that means you’ve probably taken a break from vigorously cleaning your home. Thank you for stopping by! As I always do in this series, I have the Random Word Generator give me three prompts that I then link to automobiles in various ways. Oddly enough, they all have a Texas connection. Yee-haw! This week’s words are tension, aid, and loop. How would you associate these words with cars? Tell us in the Comments section below.
2016 Range Rover HSE Td6 (Photo courtesy of the Land Rover Media Centre)
Tension: I wouldn’t say my dad scares easily, but everyone has his or her moments. He had one when I took him and his girlfriend wheeling in a 2016 Land Rover Range Rover HSE Td6 at the Hidden Falls Adventure Park in Marble Falls. Dad was riding shotgun as I went over a stretch of terrain at an angle that gave him what must’ve seemed like an entire windowful of the ground below. I could hear the tension in his voice as I continued to climb. He either was terrified of us landing on his side of the vehicle, what would happen to my career if we did, or both. Fortunately, he was not in need of new underwear after we leveled out.
2019 Ford Expedition Limited Stealth Edition (Photo courtesy of the Ford Heritage Vault)
Aid: Almost seven years ago, I drove a 2019 Ford Expedition MAX Limited back from the Texas Auto Writers Association’s Auto Roundup in Denton. The optional Stealth Edition package added a continuously controlled damping (CCD) suspension, black hood lettering and exterior accents, red interior stitching, and black-painted 22-inch aluminum wheels. About two hours outside of Austin, I ran over something small, and I knew immediately that it was going to cause a problem. Sure enough, the tire pressure monitoring system showed me that I had lost all the air in my rear driver-side tire. Luckily, I was able to pull off the highway to a safe area that was still visible to passing drivers. I removed the onboard tire iron, lowered the spare (which was only 18 inches in diameter), and began loosening the lug nuts of the bum wheel. Soon after I started, a truck rolled up. The driver happened to be a heavy equipment mechanic who saw I had a flat and wanted to help. I didn’t need his assistance because I could’ve changed the tire myself, but he was eager to lend a hand and he had an impact wrench, which saved me a lot of time. I discovered the true kindness of strangers — and we both discovered just how much elbow grease it takes to lift a 22-inch wheel/tire combo.
2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI Rabbit Edition (Photo courtesy of the Volkswagen US Media Site)
Loop: Back when I lived in Austin, I would often take performance cars on a loop that ran from my place just outside the city limits to the curvy roads of the Texas Hill Country and back. It was during one of those runs that I fell in love with the 2019 Volkswagen Golf GTI. It was an attractive hot hatch with great handling, a snappy seven-speed automatic, and a 2.0-liter turbo I-4 with 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. All those characteristics made the GTI responsive and, most importantly, fun. The more I drove it, the more I loved it.
Cadillac was the brand I’d most associate with hearses when I was a kid. Later, RWD Lincoln Town Cars appeared on my radar. Today, without the proliferation of large sedans, we end up having goofy-looking SUVs to serve this purpose.
But that’s an American-centric point of view. How about in other countries? Several years ago, I caught a glimpse while visiting a cemetery outside Buenos Aires.
My elderly mom is preparing to visit family, so I will be accompanying her to Argentina. We’re planning on visiting the cemetery, which reminded me of this hearse I saw almost three years ago. This cemetery also has a place in my automotive history — more on that below.
Facelifted 2019 Renault Fluence
The hearse pictured above is a coachbuilt Renault Fluence, a vehicle that was produced for 2010-15, though it was produced in other parts of the world through 2020; in Argentina, it appears production ended in 2019. The Fluence was available only as a four-door sedan, so the coachbuilders did not have a “break” to depend on.
The 1952 DeSoto Diplomat used Plymouth bodies.
The cemetery is called La Tablada Israelite Cemetery and features over 150,000 graves; the people in some of them were part of my life when I was much younger. Many years ago — I’ll guess 40 — I recall seeing a trashed DeSoto Diplomat somewhere on the outside perimeter of the burial grounds. I later learned that this was a special export car and not the usual DeSoto we’d find in the U.S.
1960 Ford Taunus 17 M
The other car I witnessed, perhaps around the same time, was owned by an employee: a c.1960 Ford Taunus 17 M (sometimes identified as “P3”). I caught sight of this car for the first time while visiting Peru in second grade, so I was intrigued because it had the Euro headlights that made me wonder, “Why don’t we have that in the United States?” This one (which may be the last one I’ve seen in person) was covered in bondo and perhaps worse. I was somewhat amazed that a car hanging by a thread was legal to drive. Of course, I remember taking a peek to see those magnificent headlights.
1961 Citroen Ami 6
The Taunus was among the first cars to feature headlights that were not round. This may explain why I also like the Citroen Ami 8 (the Ami 6 is a bit more hideous) and some versions of the Maserati 5000 GT.
Thanks to the rate of attrition, I know my car-sightings will be slim during this trip, but I’ll use my Spidey Senses to find something automotively interesting and report back.
