Journal Classic Cars

People who have a bankroll that can choke a hippo can buy any new car they want. But do you know which new car they can’t get their hands on? One with a naturally aspirated V12 and a manual transmission (unless you count the one-off Aston Martin Victor). The Nilu27 Nilu hypercar that recently appeared on “Jay Leno’s Garage” aims to change that.

My colleague Diego Rosenberg and I told you about the Nilu on the Drive the Bid podcast back in May of 2024. Now there’s a prototype, which company co-founders (and husband and wife) Sasha and Inna Selipanov brought for Leno to see up close. Nilu27 may be the new kid on the block of hypercar manufacturers, but it has plenty of pedigree. Before the Selipanovs established their company, Sasha was a designer for Lamborghini and Bugatti, and the head of design for Koenigsegg. As a result, the Nilu—a portmanteau of Nica and Lucia, their daughters’ names—has an exotic, curvaceous body with a fighter jet-like canopy. Its carbon fiber construction helps the Nilu tip the scales at 1,200 kilograms (2,645 pounds).

Sasha wasn’t the only Bugatti designer involved in the creation of the Nilu; his former colleague Etienne Salomé designed the interior. The 1990s F1-inspired steering wheel has a small diameter to increase road feel, and sits in front of analog gauges. Between the two seats is a metal ignition key (remember those?) and a gated shifter for the Cima seven-speed manual gearbox. One thing you won’t see is a lot of gizmos or a giant touchscreen because the Nilu was made to be an analog machine.

Something else you won’t see is a cover over the 6.5-liter V12 built by Hartley Engines of New Zealand. In keeping with the analog theme, the 80-degree “hot-V” design doesn’t have any turbos. Even without power adders, the engine cranks out 1,070 horsepower at a stratospheric 11,000 rpm and 634 lb-ft of torque at 7,000 rpm.

Given its unusual mix of characteristics, the Nilu is an exotic among exotics. Perhaps the next time the Selipanovs visit Leno, they’ll have a car he can drive so we can see and hear what is a truly unique creation.

Luke and The ClassicCars.com Journal lead writer Diego Rosenberg caught something special at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Scottsdale Fall Auction: a Competition Orange 1969 Mercury Cyclone CJ. According to its Elite Marti Report, this car is 1 of just 91 built in this paint and trim combo (Competition Orange with black split bench seat). This one is equipped with a 428 Cobra Jet V8 with optional ram air (“R-code”), four-speed gearbox with Hurst shifter, and the Competition Handling package.

Under the hood, the 428 runs with a hotter setup thanks to Comp Cams Mutha’ Thumpr camshaft, Edelbrock intake, Holley 750cfm carburetor, MSD ignition, and Borla ATAK exhaust. If you are into off-brand muscle, big-block Fords, or obscure Marti-proven builds, click the play button and let us know if this Cyclone CJ deserves more love in the muscle car world!

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Currently on AutoHunter, you can find this 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Custom Coupe listed for sale. Featuring Rally Sport equipment, this second-generation Camaro is powered by a fuel-injected 540ci big-block V8 paired with a five-speed TREMEC TKX manual transmission. Features include a custom chassis with tubular A-arms, four-point roll bar, and more. Painted black with a black vinyl interior, this Bow Tie pony car is offered by the selling dealer in Missouri with a clear title.

The original Citrus Green has been replaced by black paint, which is complemented by dark blue “ghost” stripes. Other features include Rally Sport equipment, an aftermarket Cowl Induction hood, front and rear spoilers (the latter the “early” kind), and body-colored side mirrors. A set of 17-inch Budnik wheels are wrapped in 315/35 Goodyear Eagle radials.

The black vinyl interior features modern, aftermarket bucket seats plus a modern console housing a manual shifter and cup holders. Other interior features include a four-point roll bar, an aftermarket three-spoke steering wheel with power rack-and-pinion steering, and an aftermarket Alpine AM/FM stereo with a CD player.

A swath of AutoMeter gauges decorate the instrument panel and console. You’ll find a 160-mph speedometer, 10,000-rpm tachometer, and gauges for the oil pressure, fuel pressure, water temperature, voltage, and fuel. The odometer shows 2,740 miles, but the title reads mileage-exempt.

Power comes from a 540ci V8 sourced from a Mercury Marine MerCruiser. It features electronic fuel injection, an MSD Blaster Coil, a Milodon oil pan, an aluminum radiator, and long-tube headers. The engine is hooked to a TREMEC TKX five-speed manual.

The custom chassis features tubular A-arms, coil-overs, a custom-fabricated rear suspension, and a 12-bolt rear end with 3.55 gears and Positraction. Stopping power comes from hydro-boosted four-wheel disc brakes with drilled and slotted rotors.

Remember how the 1970 Camaro was supposed to be better than the 1967-69? By all accounts at the time, the 1970 Camaro was a spectacular European-inspired design that raised the bar, but it seems collectors have chosen the first-generation model. However, you’re among the many who truly know good automotive design when you see it, and you also appreciate a good restomod build, which is why this 1970 Camaro Custom Coupe is for you. The auction for this AutoHunter Spotlight car ends on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. (MST), so prepare your trigger finger so you can bid and win. Good luck!

The first production-ready Porsche 911 with all-wheel drive came out in 1988, bringing engineering that was once tailored exclusively for race applications to street-legal cars. By the early 2000s, all-wheel drive had become a popular option among Porsche buyers. The Pick of the Day is a 2003 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Bradenton, Florida.

“This is a beautiful Guards Red car with Savanna Beige interior and a black convertible top,” the listing says. The “996” generation of the Porsche 911 was produced from 1999 through 2005. It marked a significant engineering development compared to prior generations – most notably because it had a water-cooled (versus air-cooled) engine. At the rear of this car is a 3.6-liter flat-six mated to a five-speed automatic transmission (a six-speed manual was also available).

The 911 was always known for its precise handling and strong performance, but when enhanced stability was added to the equation via all-wheel drive, it made the car even more capable (not to mention confidence-inspiring) to drive. A magazine advertisement from the period said “1.1 million words in the English language, and not one can describe the feeling.”

The “4” in this car’s model name means that it is equipped all-wheel drive. The system is of course designed to enhance traction and stability, and the level of engineering behind it is impressive. The system is referred to as “passive”– it responds to wheel slip rather than staying constantly active. It uses a viscous coupling and is controlled by the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) interface. The interesting thing is how the PSM can split the distribution of torque: In normal driving, 31 percent of torque goes to the front wheels and 69 percent to the rear. When slip is detected at any corner, torque can move accordingly.

Showing just 46,385 miles, this Carrera has been driven relatively sparingly over the course of its 22 years. The listing calls out the car’s headrests, door sills, headlight washers, stainless-steel exhaust system, and 18-inch wheels with Porsche center crests.

While many Porsche owners in some regions of the country are starting to put their sports cars on battery tenders for the season, it’s nice to know that with a Carrera “4” (especially when equipped with a set of winter tires), you could theoretically drive a 911 all year long.

The asking price is $32,000.

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

What were some of the experiences in your youth that shaped your automotive interest as an adult? For me, my childhood revolved around anything with wheels—starting with Hot Wheels, evolving to slot cars, radio-controlled cars, and diecast scale models of all sizes. As a Cub Scout, one of my favorite events each year was the Pinewood Derby, a tradition in which each participant started with a basic block of wood and crafted it into a race car. My dad was (and is) a handyman extraordinaire, so his involvement was always a critical element in the process.

I remember one year where the derby took a different route entirely: instead of the goal being to reach the finish line first, there was an obstacle at the end of the track that the cars would crash into. Each vehicle would have a raw egg strapped into a “driver seat.” The goal was to build the safest Pinewood Derby car—one that would not crack or break the egg at the barricade. It was a messy ordeal, but it made for lots of memorable laughs.

Custom Creation

My friend Derek from Utah is no stranger to being a do-it-yourselfer around the house. His YouTube channel, dubbed “DIY Derek,” has over 15,000 subscribers at the time of this writing. Derek is an innovator, handyman, and problem-solver. His channel introduces viewers to the ins and outs of home-improvement, how-to basics, and much more.

For one of his latest episodes, Derek chose to document the process of creating a custom Pinewood Derby car for a neighborhood competition. His creation was modeled after my Acura Legend. I was honored, to say the least. “I went with the most tested car I know,” Derek said. His three daughters each built a car of their own, too.

The project was a true “scratch-built” undertaking. In fact, Derek didn’t even start with a pre-cut wooden block. He made his own by gluing three scrap pieces of wood together. From there, he did some freehand sketching to come up with the general shape. The block was cut using a scroll saw to create the basic profile, then an orbital sander and sanding block were used to soften the curves. The axle grooves needed to be carved out manually. The car was sprayed in proper Desert Mist Metallic, and the details were added with a Sharpie. Finally, Derek added some stickers to the trunk lid and the windshield for maximum authenticity.

Race Day

When the action kicked off at the slot track, Derek had to make some strategic and last-minute engineering changes, one of which included the removal of an “underbody” component that was making contact with the track and slowing the car down.

Derek allowed a girl from the neighborhood to race the Legend since she didn’t have a car of her own. The competition was fierce and, out of about 50 competitors, the Legend finished in the Top 10. The car’s best run down the track came in at a speedy 3.44 seconds. Representing!

“There was only one thing left to do,” Derek said. The last step was mailing me the Pinewood Derby car for display in my collection. And display it proudly, I shall!

Fostering Future Car Fans

In an era when autonomous transportation is becoming the norm and fewer young people are energized about getting driver licenses, I loved seeing the neighborhood spirit that Derek created for a fun car-related event. And now it’s making me want to craft a Pinewood Derby car of my own!

Celebrated for its design by Ian Callum (who later drew up several other popular British models like the Jaguar XK and the F-Type), the Aston Martin DB7 blended supercharged power with sexy styling. Featured on AutoHunter is a low-mileage luxury, Grand-Touring 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Coupe. It is being sold by a dealer in Los Angeles, with the auction ending Monday, December 1, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. (MST).

Showing just 75,600 original miles, the car’s sexy silhouette seems to have defied age—even at 28 years old, it looks relatively modern. Callum’s design sought to capture the essence of classic Astons while adding modern features. Exterior features included vented front fenders, color-keyed mirrors, dual exhaust outlets, and 18-inch turbine-style wheels.

The DB7 was assembled in Bloxham, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, from 1994 through 2003. It was classified internally under the “XX” model name and leveraged some of the platform architecture from the Jaguar XJS (since at the time, both Aston Martin and Jaguar were owned by Ford). In addition to its coupe body style, the DB7 was offered as a “Volante” convertible after 1996. The marketplace reacted warmly to the car, and it became a volume seller for the brand. The DB7 went on to be credited—at least in part—for helping Aston Martin survive during a particularly competitive period.

The Experian AutoCheck report says that this car has an accident-free history. It was first registered in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and later spent time in Ohio, Kentucky, and Florida before being relocated to California in 2020, where it remains today. A California emissions inspection was performed in September 2024. The report corroborates the car’s low mileage reading, as the last recorded entry was 70,235 when that emissions check was done.

No luxury car would be complete without a few creature comforts. The four-passenger cabin of the DB7 has wood veneer, dual-zone automatic climate control, and power convenience options throughout. An aftermarket AM/FM cassette stereo has been added, but the rest of the cabin appears original. 

Up front is a Jaguar-derived 3.2-liter supercharged DOHC inline-six mated to a 4L80-E four-speed automatic transmission. Aston Martin rated the engine at 335 horsepower and 361 lb-ft of torque when new. One unique thing about the DB7 was that each engine was hand-assembled, receiving a placard noting the vehicle number and inspector’s name. This car is identified with the sequence 1*604, which aligns with its VIN. Final assembly was performed by someone named Steve Gray.

Steve should be pleased to know that his efforts did not go unnoticed, and that a DB7 with his name on it is still cruising the streets almost three decades later.

The auction for this 1997 Aston Martin DB7 Coupe ends Monday, December 1, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. (MST).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

If you’re reading this, you’ve managed to drink enough coffee to counteract all the turkey and high-carb sides of Thanksgiving! Congratulations—and welcome back to The ClassicCars.com Journal. You’re just in time for another installment of Car Connections. I make the Random Word Generator spit out a few words, then I find ways to link each of them to automobiles.

Today’s words are: meat, stuff, and glow. Here we go.

Meat: What kills me about some restomods is that they have over-sized wheels with rubber bands for tires. One of the things that makes classic American cars, such as the Ford Mustang and Pontiac Trans Am, look so great is their proportions—including those of their wheels and tires. A nice meaty sidewall helps keep things in balance.

Stuff: Now that I’m a dad, I love minivans, especially the 2025 Toyota Sienna Platinum I tested back in April. Not only was it well equipped, comfortable, and fuel-efficient, but it also had room for so much stuff! It easily fit my wife in the shotgun seat and my son Hayden in his bulky car seat in the second row. There was plenty of space for storage totes in the back, even if I didn’t fold the third-row seats down.

Glow: Le Mans racing challenges the endurance of everyone and everything involved. Not only do the drivers have to stay awake for long stretches, but they also have to be 100 percent sharp and alert every second they’re behind the wheel. The cars’ engines have to hold up to the stresses of all-out driving and high-g turns. So do the brakes—they work so hard and absorb so much heat that they literally glow in the dead of night.

How would you associate these words with cars? Tell us in the Comments section below. And be sure to share your ideas for random words to use in a future installment of Car Connections.

Right now on AutoHunter, you can find this 1968 Pontiac Firebird coupe, which is powered by a 250ci OHC inline-six paired with a two-speed automatic transmission. Finished in British Racing Green over a black vinyl interior, this first-generation Firebird is now offered by the selling dealer in Oregon with a clear title.

Originally Nightshade Green, the body was repainted the current British Racing Green and accented with gray side and rear stripes. Exterior features include a black front air dam, bright trim, driver-side mirror, tinted windows, body-color rear spoiler, chrome rear bumper, and dual exhaust outlets.

Instead of using talons, this bird grips the road with the 205/70 BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires wrapped around its 14-inch Rally II wheels.

The cockpit is furnished with black vinyl upholstery on the front buckets and rear bench seat; woodgrain trim accents the center stack/console. Comfort and convenience features include power steering, push-button AM radio, and console-mounted automatic shifter.

Instrumentation consists of a 160-mph speedometer and a fuel gauge. The odometer shows 6,161 miles, but this classic is mileage-exempt, according to its title.

Between the front wheel wells is a 250ci OHC inline-six fitted with a four-barrel carburetor and connected to a two-speed automatic. A set of manual drum brakes slow that go.

If you want to make this 1968 Pontiac Firebird coupe yours, don’t slow down—step on the gas and bid before the auction’s conclusion at 12:15 p.m. (MST) on Friday, December 5, 2025.

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Quick! Without looking, which was the first muscle car model that featured air induction standard? Need a hint? It is a 1969 model. Need another hint? It’s not what you’d normally expect. Need a third hint? Boy, I should begin to worry about you because all you need to do is look at the title to know it’s the Buick Gran Sport. Our Pick of the Day is this 1969 Buick GS 350 listed for sale on Classic Cars.com by a dealership in Pompano Beach, Florida.

The Gran Sport was redesigned for 1968 after three model years. General Motors gave the A-body two wheelbases, with the two-door featuring a 112-inch span from front to rear wheels. All two-doors featured enhanced “Coke-bottle” styling with a more organic look, eschewing the three-box design that had characterized the previous generation.

The Gran Sport models continued to be available within three series. The most muscular was the GS 400, which was powered by an engine that was introduced the previous year. The 400ci V8 was rated at 340 horsepower, which wasn’t high on the totem pole of 6.6-liter cars, but its power delivery belied its rating, especially with peak torque (440 lb-ft) at a low 3200 rpm. New for 1968 was the GS 350, powered by a 350ci small-block rated at 280 horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque. This was an outgrowth of the 340 that was used in the 1967 GS 340, Buick’s “junior supercar.” There was also an interesting California GS available, formerly a regional special based on the Special Deluxe. This gave buyers a stylish and fast vehicle at a friendly price.

Both the 350 and 400 were carried over into 1969, though Buick restyled the Gran Sport’s hood to implement a standard air induction system. A pair of chrome grates allowed air to be sucked into “muffs on the front of the air cleaner to deliver cool clean air [to the four-barrel carburetor] and provide more efficient and powerful engine operation in higher speed ranges.” The 350 came standard with a column-mounted three-speed manual, with a floor-shift version of the same transmission the next step up. Upgrades from there included the TH350 automatic or four-speed manual. When the model year was over, 58 GS 350s featured the standard transmission, 175 had the upgrade on the floor, 632 featured the four-speed, and the rest were built with an automatic.

This 65,000-mile 1969 Buick GS 350 doesn’t get the glory that the GS 400 receives, but let’s evaluate this example and identify its strengths, as it’s a fine way to experience horsepower, comfort, and fun that few vehicles can deliver. Out of 6,305 built, 490 were painted in Cameo Cream. Another 667 were built with the Pearl White bucket seat interior. See that white vinyl top? 830 were built with that too. It’s not common to find air conditioning paired with a four-speed like this one has—only 132 were equipped like that. Other features include “radio-delete,” power steering, power drum brakes, and remote driver-side mirror. Currently, this car features Buick’s famous mag wheels. “New seats, new carpet, and new headliner,” says the seller.

This Buick comes with a folder of receipts, service records, and Protect-O-Plate, the latter of which shows this vehicle was sold new to a female resident of Bakersfield, California on May 9, 1969. Did Julia Selinger know she bought the first car to feature standard air induction? No way to find out but, for $33,979, you will.

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

Pontiac was at the top of its game in 1962. Attractive styling contrasted sharply with cross-town rivals Plymouth and Dodge. Tri-Power performance had strong street cred. The Tempest featured engineering that bucked typical Detroit convention. The NASCAR Grand National point-leader was who? And, incredibly, Pontiac outsold Plymouth to achieve the number-three spot in sales.

The cars that gave Pontiac wins both in NASCAR and dragstrips were forced to be discontinued early in 1963 when General Motors reiterated its no-racing stance with the Automobile Manufacturers Association. That left cars like this 421 Super Duty-powered 1962 Pontiac Catalina a footnote in American automotive history.

Oh, but what a footprint it left! The 421 Super Duty featured a single four-barrel or dual-quads, four-bolt mains, heat-treated camshaft, factory long-branch manifolds, nifty exhaust dumps, and more. Only 179 were built, of which 155 were 421 Catalinas like Henry Hart’s (the balance was a handful of Grand Prixs and 389 SD Catalinas). But don’t think they all were identical batch-builds because Henry’s is equipped with the very stylish Ventura Custom Interior. Other distinctive features include aluminum hood and fenders, and Hurst shifter (a factory first!) paired to the Borg-Warner T10.

Join Muscle Car Campy as he shows us more of Henry’s factory racer. And, after this video, you have a library of other muscle videos from Muscle Car Campy to watch.