If you keep track of our sister site AutoHunter, you may have seen several Kei vehicles listed in the past. Depending on your inclinations (JDM or otherwise), if you’re interested in buying one, it may serve you well to research your home state’s laws because it’s quite possible that you cannot register it there. For Colorado residents, that’s about to change.
While the pronunciation may sound like an Iacocca-era Mopar, Kei vehicles are the smallest class of vehicle available to license on Japanese roads. Kei is short for kei-jidosha, which translates to “light vehicle,” a creation of Japanese regulations. Owners in Japan pay lower tax and insurance rates as the regulation limits engine size (under 660cc), length (11.2 feet), width (4.9 feet), and height (6.6 feet). It seems that horsepower tends to be limited to 63 horsepower and under, but not officially.
According to Car and Driver, Colorado enthusiasts had been buying Kei vehicles, only to discover that once the temporary registration had expired, they could not register their nifty, new collectible. The latter was dependent on the county, as certain ones required emissions testing; those that did not require the testing created no problems with registration.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis somewhat settled the issue, signing into law HB25-1281 (you can read it here). It officially recognizes Kei vehicles as legal on state roads and gives them legitimacy for titling, registration, and use in the state, though the new law says Kei vehicles can’t be driven on roads that have a speed limit over 55 mph. Emissions will also be handled differently—while dynamometers are used for conventional vehicles, a static two-speed idle test will be used for Keis, which is the same method used for vehicles built in 1981 and earlier. However, the law does not go into effect until July 1, 2027.
Says Governor Polis. “We’re excited in Colorado that now Coloradoans have another vehicle choice to get where they want to go. And I would encourage other states to take the same step.”
Currently, 29 states allow for Kei vehicles (of course, 25 years or older) on public roads. Each state oversees it differently, including one that restricts speed to 35 mph or less within a 25-mile radius of the owner’s residence (hello, New Hampshire, what’s up with that?). If you live in Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, or Vermont, you cannot even register a Kei vehicle. The lesson learned here is: Do your research before pulling the trigger.
Sometimes the latter versions of a car just don’t look as good. Sure, a Lamborghini Countach with the front and rear spoilers has a totally rad 1980s look, but it lacks the purity and simplicity of the original model. The same goes for the later C3 Corvettes. But that’s not the case with the Porsche 928, which the company calls its “first Gran Turismo.” Just look at our Pick of the Day, a 1994 Porsche 928 GTS posted on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in San Diego.
If there’s one car that represents Porsche as a whole, it’s the 911. But in the early 1970s, even that iconic model was in trouble, according to the automaker. “The Porsche and Piëch families had just withdrawn from the company. In the United States, Porsche’s biggest market at the time, legislators were discussing new crash-protection regulations. And the Porsche 911 was seen as obsolescent due to the stricter emissions and safety regulations on the horizon.”
Ernst Fuhrmann, the new chairman of the executive board, proposed something completely different: a front-engine car with a transaxle. Development of what would become the 928 started in February 1972. Instead of an air-cooled flat-six, engineers chose a water-cooled, 4.5-liter V8 and put it in the nose of a body made out of steel, aluminum, and plastic, capped at both ends with integrated polyurethane bumpers.
Although the size of the V8 grew over time, the basics of the 928’s formula lasted from its introduction in the 1978 model year to the end of its long run in 1995. Porsche released several versions of the 928 during that span, the last of which was the 1992–95 GTS. Despite the fact that the 928 came out in the late-1970s, the 1994 GTS shown here looks appropriate for its model year. Many earlier 928s have a sort of low-key coolness to them, but this GTS, with its flared haunches, 17-inch Cup wheels, and body-color rear spoiler, adds sports car style to the GT car package. It also comes with more power under the hood, where this four-speed automatic model’s 5.4-liter V8 pumps out 345 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Here’s another impressive number: 407—that’s how many 928 GTSs were brought to North America between the 1993-95 model years, according to Stuttcars.
The cabin offers Cashmere Beige leather seating for four and comes equipped with power-adjustable front buckets, power windows, power sunroof, and air conditioning. In place of the factory radio is a new Porsche Classic touchscreen infotainment unit with Bluetooth and navigation.
If you buy this 1994 Porsche 928 GTS for $99,500, you can use the navigation to guide you to fun, twisty roads where you can add to the low number (34,546 miles) on the odometer.
The 55-mph speed limit was signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1974 as part of the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act after the first oil crisis. Now, over 50 years later, North Dakota has become the ninth state to institute an 80-mph (or greater) speed limit.
Statistically, few of you live in or travel to North Dakota, the fourth least populated state in the U.S. and one of six states with a population under a million. As such, its population density per square mile also ranks fourth lowest —after all, the “Peace Garden State” is part of the Great Plains region. Can you imagine going 55 from Grand Forks to Devil’s Lake? Kill me now!
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)
For years, the speed limit on North Dakota’s multi-lane highways has been 70 mph, but thanks to the newly approved legislation, that will rise to 80. Additionally, the law includes the installation of signs featuring speed limits that can be adjusted based on conditions such as weather or construction.
The caveat is that speeding fines are also rising, though Car and Driver reports that getting caught going 85 will net you a $25 ticket. (Yes, we too are blinking and rubbing our eyes.) Just be sure to check your speed when entering Minnesota because their cops won’t be as forgiving.
When you are writing a book about a specific car, research is everything. I am in the process of writing a book on the Z8, and my friends at BMW Group Classic – the branch of the BMW Group responsible for all activities concerning the history of the company and its four brands: BMW, BMW Motorrad, MINI, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars – arranged for me to interview many of the key players from the Z8 project. I immediately booked my flight and hotel and headed to Germany.
The entire experience in Munich was more than I expected, as I had some free time to actually explore the city, which offers collector car fans a lot to do – especially if you love German cars.
I arrived on Saturday morning after an 8-hour flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, and headed to my hotel via taxi. I had slept some on the plane and did not have my first meeting until 7:30 p.m., so I had time to see some of the sights.
After checking in, I headed out with no particular plan – except to go to the BMW Museum. While on my way to the museum, I noticed I was walking by the BMW Group Classic headquarters. It was a neat first find, but what made it more interesting is that Group Classic is on the grounds of the original 1916 BMW factory. The “Bayerische Motoren Werke” sign over the entrance was amazing to see. This is where everything at BMW started, from their first aircraft engines to their first boxer twin motorcycle engine. That the buildings – including the arch over the entrance – were still there (having been restored in 2016) was astonishing.
The BMW Museum is the one that looks like a bowl and the taller building is the BMW-Vierzylinder or BMW Headquarters building.
I continued on my walking tour and after about 10 minutes, I was in front of the BMW Museum. I arrived early and had resigned myself to relaxing outside until the facility opened when someone came out to see what I was waiting for. I explained I was a journalist, told them my reason for visiting, and they were kind enough to let me into the museum early to look around and take photos before it was filled with people. This was both unexpected and nice of them.
The BMW Museum is quite nice, with modern architecture and outstanding, well-curated exhibits. All the cars on display were not behind ropes or any kind of barrier; the only things I noticed were “please do not touch the cars” signs near each one. There was even a mock-up of the Isetta you could sit in so you could have your photo taken then digitally apply it to a postcard that you could have emailed or texted to you. (Of course, I did this!)
The museum also has a fascinating display of BMW engine history filled with everything from early aircraft engines to the most modern race car engines.
The exhibits run the range of everything the company has created, from its aircraft engines to its motorcycles, race cars, art cars, and road cars. It is truly a complete visual history of the company with audio, visuals, and text incorporated to explain what you are seeing and why it is important to the history of BMW. I spent about three hours there documenting it all, basking in everything BMW. If you are a fan of the brand, this is a must-see museum.
The BMW Museum also offers some great guided tours in multiple languages that provide close-up access to the cars, with guides even opening hoods so guests can see the engines.
Next, I headed across the bridge from the museum to check out the BMW Welt (World). Inside were areas dedicated to every single part of the BMW universe – from Motorrad and Rolls-Royce to MINI – featuring vehicles on display to check out and sit in. There were also associates on site, each dedicated to a specific BMW sub-brand, to answer questions about the vehicles.
The BMW Welt has BMW cars for all ages.
An on-site gift shop has tons of merchandise from each of the brands as well. I snagged some discontinued BMW GS T-shirts and a few key rings.
The BMW Welt.
Later that night, I conducted my first interview with Alpina CEO Andy Bovensiepen, who was a senior member of the Z8 project. We had spoken before, but not in person. Andy is both fun and interesting. The dinner and interview were incredibly valuable and I learned quite a bit about the Z8 that I had never read anywhere before. What a great night.
The next day, my photographer and friend Peter Singhof arrived at the hotel from Stuttgart, then we began our tour of the city of Munich.
Hofbräuhaus München.
We started with brunch at the famous Hofbräuhaus München, where we ate sausages and listened to traditional German beer hall music. It was loud but fun, with everyone at communal tables. This is basically the place where World War II started, a landmark I needed to see. The food and drink were excellent.
Next on our itinerary was the German Transport Museum. However, that stop was a little delayed, as initially we went to the wrong museum: the Deutsches Museum of Science and Technology, which we decided to explore. If you have any interest in aviation, this museum is worth the trip because it offers incredible exhibits that include a cutaway Airbus 380 and scores of Junkers aircraft. It also has a nice display of German aircraft engines dating from the beginning of aviation in the early 1900s right through to the modern day.
The best of the best at the German Transport Museum.
After leaving that museum, we got in the car and finally found our original destination, the Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum (German Transport Museum).
The Deutsches Museum Verkehrszentrum is not just about cars, but rather all forms of transportation, with displays featuring everything from trains and buses to motorcycles, scooters, road cars, and some amazing race cars. We spent about 2.5 hours there marveling at the collection. The two crown jewels to me were the Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner and the supercharged BMW race bike. This museum alone is worth a trip to Munich.
The mural behind the cars on display shows the way BMW Group Classic headquarters looked when it was operating as a BMW factory.
Monday morning, Peter and I met with BMW Group Classic’s Tom Tischler and Ingrid Muehlbauer in the company’s cafe, after which Ingrid took us on a short tour. Then we headed out to start our photo shoots. The collection of cars at the Group Classic headquarters can be viewed by the public, but you need to make an appointment in advance. I highly recommend doing so, as there are some remarkable cars there. Most notable to me were the one-of-one yellow 507 and the V12-powered Z3 concept car.
The only yellow 507 built.
The rest of the week was a blur, consisting of interviews with Z8 project members (including steering wheel designer Dave Carp) and countless photo shoots of rare Z8 cars.
Before I knew it, Friday had arrived and I was on a plane back to the U.S.
If you have not been to Munich, I highly recommend going, whether you are a “car guy” or not; there are many great sights to see beyond cars. It is one of the most friendly and welcoming cities in all of Germany – and if you are a car person, it certainly is a bucket-list trip.
Ninety years is a staggering length of time for a vehicle to remain in service. Imagine a new 2025 vehicle still being on the road in the year 2115. That date seems so far-fetched, it’s hard to envision. But it makes you start to think about all the events, news stories, and technological advancements that a 1930s vehicle has lived through over the course of nearly a century.
“Rare and meticulously restored,” the listing begins. “This exceptional classic car is a shining example of prewar American craftsmanship, blending timeless style with modern performance upgrades.”
According to the listing, the car was restored by its current owner in the late 1980s, when it received its “Ultra Marine Blue” paint job. For being a 40-year-old overhaul, it still looks good in the photos. The seller says the body is steel, but the fenders are fiberglass.
The interior was done at a later date – within the last 10 years, apparently – and is finished in off-white leather with gray accents and gray carpeting. In restomod fashion, the interior offers amenities like Vintage Air HVAC, power steering, power brakes, cruise control, a Cobra CB radio, and an Alpine CD player. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not sure I even know how to use a CB radio, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to try. It might make for a fun way to interact with RV and truck drivers on a long cross-country journey.
The 1934 Ford was positioned as a solid, dependable, and attractive car. It was a relative bargain at around $575. One of the magazine ads from the era said, “Fifty miles or five hundred miles – the journey is never very far when you travel in a Ford. You glide over the miles without fuss or fatigue because of the easy-riding comfort of the car.”
When new, the car would have likely come with an 85-horsepower 221ci flathead V8. In place of that engine is a chromed-out 350ci small-block V8 that has been bored .030 over. The transmission is an 200-4R four-speed automatic with overdrive; upgrades include a Ron Francis wiring harness and a custom dual exhaust system.
“This Ford Deluxe has been lovingly restored and enhanced with premium performance upgrades while retaining its vintage charm,” the listing concludes. “Whether you’re a collector, classic car enthusiast, or looking for a stunning showpiece, this beauty is sure to impress!”
The asking price is $57,900 (or best offer), which includes a car cover, a nose mask, and headlight covers.
If you get the chance to see any Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” coupe up-close, consider yourself lucky as Mercedes only made 1,400 of them. You’re even more fortunate if you own one. To be in the presence of an “Alloy” Gullwing means you are absolutely blessed. Jay Leno knows that feeling: Not only does he have a 1955 Gullwing in his collection, but he also recently had the opportunity to check out an unrestored ’55 alloy model in his garage.
Gullwings aren’t exactly common, but the lightweight alloy versions are much fewer in number. According to Mercedes, between 1954-57, it only made 29 300 SL coupes with aluminum bodies, which were 130 kilograms (286 pounds) lighter than their steel counterparts. In addition, the Leichtmetallausführung (Light Metal Version) of the 300 SL featured a more powerful fuel-injected straight-six engine, sports suspension, Rudge knock-off wheels, and a Plexiglas rear window and side screens, all of which turned it into a sort of “competition” model designed to appeal to privateers and amateur racers.
The Alloy Gullwing you see here was number 26 in the production run and the only one finished in Schwarz (Black) with a Red leather upholstery. Originally configured with a windshield washer system and 3.42:1 rear end, this SL was delivered to Le Mans champion/Ferrari’s North American importer/owner of the North American Racing Team (N.A.R.T.), Luigi Chinetti, according to RM Sotheby’s. Leno said Rudi Klein, a renowned collector and junkyard owner, purchased the car from Chinetti in 1976 for $30,000—a paltry sum compared to its $9,355,000 hammer price at RM Sotheby’s last year.
This SL remained on the grounds of Klein’s Porche Foreign Autofor nearly 50 years largely as it came from the factory. Yes, it was painted silver at one point, and Klein sold some of the attached parts, such as the front bumpers and the shift knob, but the body (minus some forklift damage), interior, engine, gearbox, rear axle, steering box, and front spindles remain original.
It’s too bad Leno didn’t buy this special Gullwing himself because he likely would document its restoration. The good news is that Leno thinks the new owner will restore it and possibly bring it by his garage for a drive, which car fans everywhere look forward to watching.
The year 1979 was a memorable one for pop culture news. Among the items introduced at that time were the Sony Walkman, McDonald’s Happy Meal, and Burton snowboard. ESPN launched that year, too.
Last but not least, the Chevrolet Corvette was on a roll from a sales perspective. As I shared in a prior story on a 1979 Corvette, that year was the car’s most successful of all time (with 53,807 units being allocated to lucky new owners).
The following is one of the cars that was sold to its original owner that year. Featured on AutoHunter is this 1979 Chevrolet Corvette L82. It is being sold by a private party in Maricopa, Arizona, and the auction will end Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. PDT.
One of the magazine advertisements for the 1979 Corvette called the car, “The one and only.” It went on to say, “This year, Corvette engineers and designers continue to refine one of the world’s impressively responsive cars. New flatter-folding bucket seats endow Corvette with a more practical carrying capacity. New dual-snorkel air induction air cleaner, new anti-theft steering column ignition lock, and standard Delco AM/FM radio help to make it one of the world’s well-equipped cars.”
The sleek black exterior features color-matched removable T-tops, hideaway quad headlights, sport mirrors, and 17-inch polished aluminum American Racing wheels. In the cockpit, niceties include factory air conditioning, a Delco stereo, and power windows. All in all, it’s a well-loved C3 that could easily be enjoyed during all four seasons if desired.
The “L-82” badging on the hood is a clue as to what’s going on with the powertrain: Power comes from a numbers-matching L82 350ci small-block V8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Chevrolet rated the engine at 225 horsepower when new, but this car may pack a few additional ponies thanks to an upgraded Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, an Edelbrock air cleaner, and a side-mounted dual exhaust system. Maintenance-wise, the power steering pump was replaced in 2021. The odometer reads 27,331 miles and the Arizona title reads actual miles.
The seller has provided two videos, one of which is an exterior walk-around and an overview of the interior. The second video is a start-up and engine rev demonstration. The car sounds like an absolute beast.
And while the 1979 Sony Walkman has become largely obsolete, the 1979 Corvette remains attractive – even 46 years later.
Note the four vehicles below. They all are currently listed for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com. Depending on your age, you should find all of them familiar. Do you see a pattern among them? Is there something they have in common aside from four wheels and the basics?
Post your answer in the comments section below. Be sure to list what connects them – bonus points for correctly naming the make and model. Can you nail the model year? Then you’re a wizard!
If you had asked me in the 1990s about the possibility of Porsche – or any other European car brand –building an SUV, I would have thought you were either drunk or crazy. Fast-forward 20-plus years later and the SUVs from Porsche and BMW are their best-selling models ever. This is not too much of a surprise as even in its first generation, the Porsche Cayenne took everything that was great about a Porsche road car and put it into an SUV.
Reviews of the first-generation Porsche Cayenne S used phrases such as “a sports car in a 4×4 disguise.” Motor Trend, when talking about the Cayenne S, stated, “The handling is breathtaking. Put the Porsche into a corner and it will stick and track its way around the corner with no detectable body roll.”
The only qualm at the time was that Porsche sacrificed some of the Cayenne’s off-road ability to deliver the best on-road model they could. Despite this compromise, there were many potential customers who now had big families and wanted a Porsche to accommodate their spouse, two kids, and dog and still do a respectable 5.6-second 0-60.
The seller describes this Cayenne S as being powered by a water-cooled 4.5-liter V8 mated to a six-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission. Finished in Basalt Black over a matching leather interior, this German performance SUV is offered with a clean CARFAX report and clear title. Unlike most first-generation Cayennes – most of which passed the 100,000-mile mark a decade ago – this one has only covered 48,485 miles.
The condition of this Porsche’s exterior speaks to the low miles. I could not see any obvious flaws in the Basalt Black paint; the only real issue I saw was a small mark on the driver-side front wheel.
The interior is much the same, with the leather in great shape and no visible bolster wear on the driver or passenger seats. The condition of the leather looks as good as it did when new, again aligning with the low mileage. It seems someone really cared about this Porsche.
Under the hood is the 4.5-liter V8, which also looks to be in great shape. Everything in the engine compartment seems clean. In addition, the seller states that this Porsche has recently been serviced and has several new parts, including the starter, coils, spark plugs, coolant pipes, and air filter. The fluids have also been changed. In essence, these are all the things you would want to see done on a 2004 Cayenne.
Now, before you all say this is not a collector car, think about this: The SUV segment is the largest in the U.S. car market. Vehicles like this Cayenne – as well as its predecessor in the market, the BMW X5 – redefined the way we perceive SUVs. They have become the most important models for their companies; they basically keep the lights on. In addition, since they do so many daily-driver activities well, most have had the wheels driven off of them. As a result, finding nice examples – especially first-generation Cayennes – is quite difficult.
With all that in mind, I honestly feel this is a true future collector car that is likely to become more and more desirable as time goes on. Add to that the fact that Porsche Cayenne values are still low and you’ve got an example here that is well worth a few bids.
The auction for this super-clean 2004 Porsche Cayenne S ends Friday, May 16, at 11:30 a.m. PST.
In anticipation of the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, the Cadillac Formula 1 Team has released a video showing us the new logo it will use when it joins the FIA Formula One World Championship grid in 2026.
Consider this a TIL moment if you didn’t know Cadillac—formerly the favorite brand of blue-haired women everywhere—is involved in racing. From IMSA and WEC to, of course, Formula 1, Cadillac understands that racing improves the breed more than any online V-series warrior arguing with Bimmer fans that Cadillac’s performance cars outdo BMW M models.
“Cadillac is honored to share the F1 stage with the best luxury brands from around the world. It’s a brand whose legacy on and off the track is filled with innovation, technological precision, and timeless beauty,” said GM President Mark Reuss. “Our journey has been long but from the very beginning, it has been about ambition . . . audacity . . . and now acceleration.”
This follows Cadillac’s announcement earlier this year that the Cadillac Formula 1 Team had been approved to join the FIA Formula One World Championship grid in March 2026. The team is backed by a partnership of General Motors with TWG Motorsports, the latter a company (owned by TWG Global) that “combines deep technical expertise, proven competitive excellence, and industry-leading market acumen.”
