The pendulum swings in mysterious ways. First, it seemed every brand’s future was moving towards EVs, and now some are pulling back from this declaration. Audi is the latest to make that announcement.
According to Autocar and relayed to us by Car and Driver, Audi is reversing its 2033 plan to eliminate internal combustion engines. In a nod to that finance class you took years ago, Audi is swinging back to ICE so as to keep its portfolio diversified. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner told Autocar that “Audi is launching from 2024-2026 a completely new line-up of internal combustion engine and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and that gives us complete flexibility for at least another seven, eight, maybe 10 years, and then we will see how our markets develop.”
2025 Audi S5 (Image courtesy of Audi)
That doesn’t mean the all-EV plan won’t happen, but this change in strategy is certainly fantastic for enthusiasts. For now, Audi will put its money towards ICE and hybrid technology, which means absolutely cool-but-unaffordable models like the RS6 Avant can remain on our dream car list while the future will show no established deadline for an EV-only lineup, bucking the European Union’s current 2035 EV mandate.
2025 Audi S5 (Image courtesy of Audi)
Additionally, Audi will be leading Volkswagen Group’s development of hardware and software for all larger models within the Volkswagen Group’s umbrella, which includes the Audi A5 on up. “[Audi is] thinking about everything … we are car guys, let yourself be surprised,” adds Döllner.
Part camper, part passenger van and part time machine, the Volkswagen Vanagon is a lifestyle on wheels. Its iconic boxy design gives it an enduring element of charm—it is no wonder there is such a community surrounding it, even three decades after the final unit was imported to the United States.
With an engine that achieves just 67 horsepower, it’s a clear example of a case where automotive enthusiasm doesn’t always have to center around having the flashiest car with go-fast capabilities. Besides, the Vanagon is all about recreation—chill vibes, road trip partners and taking the scenic route.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1981 Volkswagen Vanagon. The van is being sold by a dealer in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and the auction will end Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT).
The van is finished in ivory paint and comes with a clean CARFAX report that corroborates the low odometer reading of just 36,286 miles. Exterior features include running boards, black-finished bumpers and raised-white-letter tires—the overall theme is a simple, straightforward look.
The Vanagon, known otherwise as the Type 2 “T3,” was sold from 1980 through 1991 in the U.S. market and quickly became known as one of the most versatile vehicles on the planet. It could be configured as a standard van or a Westfalia-style camper. Today’s example comes with triple bench seats upholstered in brown vinyl; it’s eager to haul the fam or a group of friends. It’s also equipped with a Bluetooth-compatible audio system so everyone can contribute to the road trip playlist.
The Vanagon was all about utility: One ad said, “It gives you the best of a van and the best of a station wagon.” Another read, “When it’s time to leave it all behind, take more with you in a Vanagon.” The Vanagon boasted more behind-seat storage than a Plymouth Voyager, and Volkswagen called attention to a few other things that set it apart from the competition, like a four-wheel independent suspension that delivered a “uniquely European” ride.
The Vanagon’s engine is located beneath the rear cargo area and is accessed via a hatch. Inside, power comes from an air-cooled 2.0-liter flat four that was rated at 67 horsepower and 101 lb-ft of torque. A synchronized four-speed manual transaxle sends power to the rear wheels.
Check out the Facebook group “Volkswagen Vanagon and Westfalia Owners Unite” (at 29,600 members strong) for a glimpse into just how much of a cult following the Vanagon holds today. If you play your cards right and get in on some of this week’s AutoHunter action, you could join the community and make that group grow to 29,601.
The auction for this 1981 Volkswagen Vanagon ends Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (PDT).
It’s Tuesday once again, which means we have four cars posted below that are currently listed for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com. Do you know what year/make/model they are? Do you know what they have in common?
Post your answers in the Comments section below. If you need a hint, simply click on the photo of the vehicle that’s making you pull your hair out.
Over the past 100 years, certain things in the automotive industry have ceased to exist. The advancement of technology has led to the death of flatheads and carburetors. Models such as the Ford Fairlane and Buick Riviera are now relics of the past. Even entire brands have been shut down—right, Plymouth and Scion fans? As our Pick of the Day, a 1937 Chevrolet Business Coupe shows, particular body styles have also been casualties of time. It’s listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Coupes are still a thing, but business coupes are an entirely different matter. Back in the first half of the 20th century, they were commonly used by traveling sales professionals because their back rows offered room for their wares and gear, instead of additional seating. These days, pickups are used as WiFi-equipped mobile offices, people shop online, and Amazon offers same-day delivery of many of its items.
At one point in time, this ’37 Chevy Business Coupe was likely used as the transportation for an ambitious sales associate lugging around encyclopedias or a case full of Christmas light bulbs, determined to convert their product demonstrations into revenue. Currently, it’s a show vehicle that’s been displayed online and at Goodguys. Now we get to see the forward lean of its gleaming gray body, which sits at the perfect distance above a set of brown disc-style wheels thanks to an airbag suspension. The chrome bumpers have been removed from both ends of the car, making it even more eye-catching.
Once a place of pitch rehearsals and record keeping, the interior is now for luxurious cruising on a reddish-brown leather bench seat in the comfort of air conditioning.
Wherever that tall grille between the tinted headlights is pointed, the 350ci V8 under the hood and automatic transmission get the driver and his/her passenger there.
If you end up buying this attractively updated 1937 Chevrolet Business Coupe for the $95,500 asking price, we suggest filling the trunk with your luggage and leaving the shelf behind the seats empty. Don’t worry about hawking hair cream or sewing machines—just think about the souvenirs you’ll bring back from your getaway in this car.
History has a funnyway of skewing the truth. We have discussed folklore of the Mopar “Wing Cars” and Chevrolet’s big-block 348 “truck engine,” but there are plenty of other examples of false narratives in automotive history that need to be put to rest. This time, it’s the 1977 Pontiac Can Am’s turn.
The Can Am has been a strong collectible for years within the Pontiac hobby and it has had many admirers beyond those into Ponchos. All were white with yellow/orange/red stripes and featured a shaker-equipped 400ci engine (or, for California and high-altitude areas, Oldsmobile’s 403). Only 1,377 were built. The story goes that Pontiac would have built many more if the spoiler machine did not break. As it turns out, Can Am expert and editor of Smoke Signals(the club magazine of the Pontiac-Oakland Club International) Tim Dye has shown us in Issue I 2025 that this narrative is not quite true.
Factory photo of the 1974 All American show car.
The story begins in 1974 with the bicentennial-themed All American, a Grand Am-based show car that was somewhat like a Grand Am given the Trans Am treatment. However, in June of that year, production consideration was rejected. Motortown, the company run by former Pontiac adman Jim Wangers, came up with an evolutionary proposal in 1976: an orange LeMans Sport Coupe with a shaker scoop and GTO Judge-inspired striping. Pontiac rejected this proposal too.
However, LeMans sales had been falling since 1973, so Pontiac executives were keen on giving sales a kick in the rear. Wangers was encouraged to meet with Pontiac product planners; the team ended up proposing two variations (LeMans and Ventura) of the same idea: white paint with a black lower body, a shaker hood, exhaust splitters, painted bumpers (white on top, black below), and a rear spoiler. The Ventura also had louvered rear quarter windows created to match the LeMans Sport Coupe’s. In Wangers’ book Glory Days, he said that the LeMans received white Rally II wheels, but photographs show only the Ventura got these wheels, while the LeMans came with body-colored Snowflakes.
The Ventura proposal did not receive approval (though, interestingly, the prototype ended up being sold to the public and is currently in the hands of Dye), but the LeMans proposal persevered and was approved in November 1976. Dealer announcements were made the following January, with the public first bearing witness at the Detroit Auto Show the same month. Production began in February; Can Ams arrived at dealerships in March.
The initial production Can Ams were “pattern” cars, meaning they were built with the same equipment: a Safe-T-Track limited-slip differential, GR70x15 white-letter tires, a Custom Sport steering wheel, Soft Ray tinted glass, Custom seat belts, dual horns, and floor mats. This was in addition to the “WW3” Can Am package, which included the Grand Prix’s instrument panel with Rally gauges, the Trans Am’s L72 400 (or the 403—42 were built, we now know!), Rally Tuned Suspension, a Hydramatic transmission, power steering and brakes, body-colored mirrors and Rally II wheels, a black grille, and several other items. At Motortown, the shaker hood, special trim (yellow/orange/red striping and black lower body paint that included the underside of the bumpers), Can Am decals, and decklid spoiler were added. The package’s initial cost was $1,214.43, plus $375 for the Motortown conversion.
At the time, Pontiac had 4,000 dealers, which placed orders for 5,000 Can Ams. However, according to a March 17, 1977, letter to Motortown, Pontiac desired to be released from its commitment to produce 2,000 vehicles for conversion due to a tool breakdown, specifically the machine that created the unique spoiler.
This has been the narrative for several decades, but Dye has been able to provide evidence that the spoiler was not the end of the Can Am. Per an internal company letter, “From the week of April 11 forward Can Am orders will be processed on a free-flow basis,” meaning production would continue. Additionally, a Car Distribution Bulletin dated April 26 stated that the Can Am option had been removed from “hold” status. It’s also worth noting there are Can Ams known with scheduled build dates through June 1977, proving that production did not cease after the machine breakdown.
If stories like this interest you, it would behoove you to join POCI. Not only does Dye produce the club magazine, but he also manages the Pontiac-Oakland Museum, which has a Resource Center full of internal company documents that allow hobbyists to learn about Pontiac straight from the horse’s mouth.
Today on ClassicCars TV we’re getting familiar with a unique restomod we spotted at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction! With its Jet Age fins, sweeping profile, and custom Pagan Gold paint job, this 1959 Buick LeSabre convertible reimagines mid-century American style. Under the hood is a 5.3-liter LS V8 paired with a 4L60 four-speed automatic transmission and a nine-inch rear end.
This modified Buick rides on an AccuAir suspension and comes equipped with disc brakes and 15-inch artillery wheels with wide whitewalls. On the inside, there’s a hand-built dash, molded seats, and classic features. Join us as we take a quick walk around this customized example of rolling Americana.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1985 Chevrolet Corvette, which has accrued only 23,793 miles since rolling out of Chevrolet’s Bowling Green, Kentucky, factory. It’s powered by a 5.7-liter V8 connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. Finished in Black and equipped with a matching removable roof panel over a Gray leather interior, this second-year C4 comes from the selling dealer in Pennsylvania with the original window sticker and manuals, clean CARFAX report, and clear title.
The Black wedge-shaped exterior is equipped with fog lamps, pop-up headlights, tinted windows, body-color removable roof panel, lift-up glass rear hatch, and polished quad outlets for the dual exhaust system.
This Vette rides on a set of 16-inch “salad shooter” wheels equipped with knock-off-style center caps and 255/50 Cooper Cobra and Cooper Radial GTZ tires.
Inside the cockpit is a pair of Gray leather seats surrounded by features that include woodgrain trim, power locks and windows, cruise control, tilt and telescopic steering column with leather-wrapped steering wheel, power steering, air conditioning, and AM/FM/cassette radio.
The set of digital gauges includes an 85-mph speedometer, 6,000-rpm tachometer, fuel gauge, and readouts for the oil pressure, coolant temperature, distance to empty, fuel economy, and more. The analog odometer shows 23,793 original miles, which is a slight increase from the most recent CARFAX report (August 2020) showing 23,772 miles.
Under the massive fiberglass hood is an L98 5.7-liter V8 with Tuned-Port Injection. When new, the engine was rated at 230 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. It routes its output to the limited-slip rear end through a four-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel power disc brakes keep that power in check.
Underpinnings consist of front and rear stabilizer bars and fiberglass transverse leaf springs, a short/long arm front suspension, and a five-link rear suspension.
If you want to add this low-mileage C4 to your garage, bid on it right now. The auction for this 1985 Chevrolet Corvette ends on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. (PDT).
Have you noticed that “square” is back? The boxy designs of vehicles from the 1970s and 1980s are once again making a comeback. Just look at the latest Hyundai Santa Fe crossover—even its wheel wells favor straight lines over rounded ones. General Motors had the right idea decades ago, with its square-body Chevrolet and GMC trucks that were produced from 1973 through 1991. This surviving specimen is about as good as they get.
“All original sheet metal,” the seller says. From the description in the listing, the sheet metal might be just about the only thing left that’s original. The Shamrock Green paint is new, the black vinyl bench seat has been reupholstered, and the engine and transmission have both been replaced. It’s somewhat like buying a “new” truck that’s actually 46 years old.
Plentiful power comes from a 454ci big-block V8 mated to a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission. The odometer shows 60,372 miles, but the listing says there are fewer than 5,000 miles on a replacement engine and transmission. Lots of other maintenance items have also been done, including work to the exhaust system, front suspension, and brakes.
The bed has been coated in Line-X and looks to be in great shape. The underside is also as clean as a whistle, which makes you wonder what kind of life this truck had before it underwent restoration. Surely it wasn’t subjected to heavy-hauling at a farm or construction site, although no doubt it would have been up to any such task.
An overseas magazine ad for the 1979 Chevrolet pickups said, “The Brute’s Loose.” The truck was marketed for being tougher than ever, saying, “The famous ladder-type frame, double wall body construction and massive independent coil spring front suspension are still there, to help carry body/payloads up to 1,562 kg.”
The asking price is $21,000 or best offer, which is quite a bit less than a new full-size Chevy truck will cost you these days. Buy a truck that sets you apart from everyone else at the hardware store! Good thing it’s painted Shamrock Green, because it’s your lucky day.
A national gathering of Ford Motor Company’s best high-performance cars will converge in East Moline, Illinois on July 17-19 as the Boss Nationals carries on the tradition of recognizing and promoting the history of Dearborn’s best.
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
If your blood doesn’t flow Ford blue, then perhaps a primer is in order: anything with the Boss name, from the 1969-70 Mustang Boss 302 and Cougar Eliminator, 1969-70 Mustang Boss 429 and Cougar, and 1971 Mustang Boss 351 are the vehicles of honor. And don’t forget the latter-day Mustang Boss 302 that was built for 2012-13! All were primo performance cars, with the vintage models being top collectibles for decades.
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
In addition, this year there will be special recognition for Cobra Jet Fords and Mercurys built with the Drag Pack. That means any 1969-70 428 Super Cobra Jet and 1970-71 429 Super Cobra Jet vehicles, both mid-size and pony cars!
For the show field, there will be multiple judged classes plus one for non-judged cars, all held at the Bend XPO in East Moline, Illinois. The calendar of events is as follows:
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
Thursday, July 17: Load-in and set-up at Bend XPO Friday, July 18: Car show (including judging) and swap meet Saturday, July 19: Car show, more judging, swap meet, and awards Sunday, July 20: Must be out of the building by 9 a.m.
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
New for 2025 is the Super Stallion Class for Thoroughbred Judged cars—this is for the best of the best! To qualify, car must have received two MCA Thoroughbred Gold, SAAC Division II, MCACN Pinnacle, or Boss Nationals Gold awards, or a combination of such.
Image courtesy of Rick Ybarra
Registration , lodging, and more information can be found on the Boss Nationals website www.bossnationals.com. Plenty of food, pop (said some Midwesterner), beer, and Bosses to be had!
Of all the mid-size muscle cars of the 1960s and ’70s, the Dodge Charger is the absolute coolest of them all. It had a starring role in “The Dukes’s Of Hazzard,” and then it also starred in a number of “The Fast and the Furious” movies.
These Chargers are in my option the very definition of a badass muscle car: great engines, dramatic styling, and are big imposing cars. A fine example of a top-tier 1970 Dodge Charger R/T is our AutoHunter Spotlight for today.
This car is powered by its legendary, numbers-matching 440 Six Pack V8. The freshly rebuilt engine is mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Finished in Light Gold Metallic with a white vinyl roof and matching “Bumblebee” stripe over a Black and Charcoal vinyl interior, it is offered by the selling dealer with a framed original broadcast sheet and clear title.
It is said to have received a complete restoration in 2019, with the seller stating that this Charger is one of 187 known V-Code 4-speed Charger R/Ts produced with Dana 60 rear end and 3.54 Sure Grip, according to the 1970 Charger Registry. Other features include the correct 14-inch Magnum 500 wheels that are clad in F70 Firestone Wide Oval raised white letter tires.
The interior of this Charger looks excellent, with correct Black and Charcoal vinyl upholstery, wood dash trim, center console with Hurst pistol-grip manual shifter, and factory AM radio.
Under the hood is where the awesome is most evident. The factory 440 Six Pack V8 looks correct in every way. If you are worried about power, don’t be as this engine produces 390 horsepower at 4,700 rpm and 490 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm.
When you take a look at the Chrysler broadcast sheet, which is the build sheet in Mopar-speak, you’ll find that this car is exactly as it was delivered from the factory when new. Having that broadcast sheet with the car is important in verifying that the vehicle is correct and raises this Charger to a level higher than Chargers that have been modified over the years. To me it is the perfect car to take to the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals or any local show; it is also eligible for many regional concours events due to it being such a nice, correct, and rare example.
If you are looking for a top-tier muscle car, this vehicle is one you should seriously consider placing a bid or three on, but do so quickly as the auction for this 1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440 Six Pack ends on Friday, June 27, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT).
