Journal Classic Cars

ClassicCars.com Journal contributor Tyson Hugie was a panelist in the Collector Car Symposium at the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction. The topic? Predicting tomorrow’s collectibles. One of the vehicles on Tyson’s list as possibly being popular (read: more expensive) with collectors in the future is the 1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner. For this reason, this 2002 4Runner SR5 4X4 for sale on ClassicCars.com by an Omaha dealer is our Pick of the Day. (Click the link to view the listing)

4Runners of this generation came with either a 2.7-liter inline-four with 150 horsepower or a 3.4-liter V6 with 183 horses. Today, we can expect 270 horsepower from the V6 that powers the current 4Runner, (which is actually more than the V8 that was available in the previous generation). The six became the only engine available in the U.S. starting in 2001; ditto the four-speed automatic transmission, as the five-speed also was missing from the order form.

Seller claims this 2002 4Runner SR5 4X4 is a “like new” one-owner vehicle with 122,000 miles. It’s loaded with options that include cruise control, AM/FM/CD, limited slip differential and moon roof; not mentioned is air conditioning, but the pictures do show that it is equipped with cold air. This 4Runner also features the Sport package, which consisted of color-keyed fender flares, bumpers and grille, projector-type fog lamps, hood scoop, sport seat fabric, adjustable headrests, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 4.10 rear differential, 16-inch alloys and more.

So, what will it take to get this future collectible in your garage? $17,900. For old-world body-on-frame style with a dose of special interest, it’s worth checking out, so to view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

DPC is back on the road and covering the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction. Part three of his odyssey from Phoenix to WestWorld of Scottsdale is available here

My 13-year-old son has developed a love of cars in the last few years and I’ll take some responsibility for this development. He’s been to the last couple of Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auctions but due to my job I’ve been unable to just stroll WestWorld with my son looking at cars.

On Wednesday, after fulfilling my duties as an automotive journalist, I surprised my son by picking him up after school and we headed to WestWorld for the auction. His excitement was apparent, and I felt the same way.

It was about 5:00 p.m. when we got to WestWorld and the auction was still in high gear. I functioned as our tour guide, and we strolled through the pavilion. Large crowd, great energy and too many things to see. Most importantly I made a beeline to the Mini Donut Trolley and shared the offerings from my favorite vendor at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale.

We made our way to the auction floor and watched the cars roll by from my favorite spot at the staging lanes. I seemed to have a random anecdote for a lot of the cars that passed by, and like a dad I probably bored him with my work stories.

Since this was a school night I needed to make our evening somewhat educational and we made a our way to JFK’s 1962 Lincoln Continental. He understood the historical significance of the car and it was interesting to see a piece of Camelot up close. After that sobering school lesson we made our way to Will Ferrell’s 1961 Volkswagen Microbus. My son loves old VW vans and the movie “Elf,” so we took in the restored Microbus from every angle and agreed it was a great car. Who wouldn’t love a classic Volkswagen restored to it original glory that is being sold by Ron Burgundy?

We ended up walking around, looking at cars, and just talking about nothing in particular. It was one of those special evenings that are unfortunately too rare. After watching the action from the seats on the auction floor we headed home. Our energy was positive but my Mini Cooper emitted a funky smell after I turned over the engine and then a battery warning light lit up the dash.

No matter, we left the parking lot and made our way to the 101. It was 6:45 and we were about two miles away from WestWorld when my car let me know it was very hot and I needed to slow down. The Mini was lurching and I parked at a Hilton. Going by its odor and stutter-step performance I figured it would need a tow to get home. Even a sick car couldn’t ruin the day.

DPC is back on the road and covering the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction. Part three of his odyssey from Phoenix to WestWorld of Scottsdale is available here

My 13-year-old son has developed a love of cars in the last few years and I’ll take some responsibility for this development. He’s been to the last couple of Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auctions but due to my job I’ve been unable to just stroll WestWorld with my son looking at cars.

On Wednesday, after fulfilling my duties as an automotive journalist, I surprised my son by picking him up after school and we headed to WestWorld for the auction. His excitement was apparent, and I felt the same way.

It was about 5:00 p.m. when we got to WestWorld and the auction was still in high gear. I functioned as our tour guide, and we strolled through the pavilion. Large crowd, great energy and too many things to see. Most importantly I made a beeline to the Mini Donut Trolley and shared the offerings from my favorite vendor at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale.

We made our way to the auction floor and watched the cars roll by from my favorite spot at the staging lanes. I seemed to have a random anecdote for a lot of the cars that passed by, and like a dad I probably bored him with my work stories.

Since this was a school night I needed to make our evening somewhat educational and we made a our way to JFK’s 1962 Lincoln Continental. He understood the historical significance of the car and it was interesting to see a piece of Camelot up close. After that sobering school lesson we made our way to Will Ferrell’s 1961 Volkswagen Microbus. My son loves old VW vans and the movie “Elf,” so we took in the restored Microbus from every angle and agreed it was a great car. Who wouldn’t love a classic Volkswagen restored to it original glory that is being sold by Ron Burgundy?

We ended up walking around, looking at cars, and just talking about nothing in particular. It was one of those special evenings that are unfortunately too rare. After watching the action from the seats on the auction floor we headed home. Our energy was positive but my Mini Cooper emitted a funky smell after I turned over the engine and then a battery warning light lit up the dash.

No matter, we left the parking lot and made our way to the 101. It was 6:45 and we were about two miles away from WestWorld when my car let me know it was very hot and I needed to slow down. The Mini was lurching and I parked at a Hilton. Going by its odor and stutter-step performance I figured it would need a tow to get home. Even a sick car couldn’t ruin the day.

The BMW M division celebrated its 50th anniversary last year by launching a number of new models, one of which was a hardcore M4 CSL.

There was no similar hardcore version of the M3, which probably left fans of the more practical M thoroughbred a little sour. It turns out they only needed to be patient, as BMW M on Tuesday revealed a new M3 CS for the 2024 model year.

The CS cars fill the gap between the Competition grade and hardcore CSL. They up performance via the typical means of more power and less weight, and this is true for the latest M3 CS. The car is confirmed with the same 543-hp rating as the M4 CSL, generated by BMW M’s familiar twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6. The performance boost over the 503 hp of the M3 Competition is courtesy of extra boost pressure and tweaks to the ECU.

The engine gets mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system, and at full performance should deliver a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds and top speed of 188 mph. The all-wheel-drive system, a unique setup of BMW M, uses a multi-plate clutch to transfer torque between the axles. The system features a rear bias, and a 4WD Sport mode can further intensify this bias. Should the driver want a classic rear-wheel-drive feel, there’s also the option to have all of the drive torque sent to the rear wheels only.

Additional chassis mods include aluminum strut braces to boost rigidity, uprated brakes (carbon-ceramic rotors are available), and unique tuning of the stability control, wheel camber, dampers, and anti-roll bars all aimed at enhancing track performance. The wheels can be ordered in a gold color or matte black, and measure 19 inches up front and 20 inches at the rear. The wheels come with performance tires as standard but buyers can fit track-ready Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires as a no-cost option. In each case, the tires measure 275/35 up front and 285/30 at the rear.

For weight reduction, BMW M engineers used lightweight carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic for the hood, roof, front splitter, front intakes, side mirror caps, and rear spoiler. Carbon parts are also used throughout the cabin, including for the standard bucket seats that also feature Merino leather trim. A titanium muffler rounds out the list of weight-saving mods that all up add to around 75 pounds. The stated curb weight is still some 3,915 pounds, though.

Also inside is the new dash introduced across the 3-Series range for 2023. It eliminates the traditional instrument cluster cowl, leaving a 12.3-inch floating screen for the instrument cluster that is conjoined with a second 14.9-inch floating screen for the infotainment hub. Both screens feature M-specific displays in the M3 CS.

Also fitted as standard is M Drive Professional, a package that includes both the M Drift Analyzer and M Laptimer for recording drives for later evaluation. M Drive Professional also includes M Traction Control, which lets the driver adjust the traction control between 10 settings, and the M Mode drive mode selector, which has Road, Sport, and Track options.

The 2024 M3 CS is confirmed to be a limited edition—BMW M hasn’t said how limited, though—and is set to arrive later this year with a starting price of $119,695, including a $995 destination charge.

HIGH-RES GALLERY: 2024 BMW M4 CS

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com.

The BMW M division celebrated its 50th anniversary last year by launching a number of new models, one of which was a hardcore M4 CSL.

There was no similar hardcore version of the M3, which probably left fans of the more practical M thoroughbred a little sour. It turns out they only needed to be patient, as BMW M on Tuesday revealed a new M3 CS for the 2024 model year.

The CS cars fill the gap between the Competition grade and hardcore CSL. They up performance via the typical means of more power and less weight, and this is true for the latest M3 CS. The car is confirmed with the same 543-hp rating as the M4 CSL, generated by BMW M’s familiar twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6. The performance boost over the 503 hp of the M3 Competition is courtesy of extra boost pressure and tweaks to the ECU.

The engine gets mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system, and at full performance should deliver a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds and top speed of 188 mph. The all-wheel-drive system, a unique setup of BMW M, uses a multi-plate clutch to transfer torque between the axles. The system features a rear bias, and a 4WD Sport mode can further intensify this bias. Should the driver want a classic rear-wheel-drive feel, there’s also the option to have all of the drive torque sent to the rear wheels only.

Additional chassis mods include aluminum strut braces to boost rigidity, uprated brakes (carbon-ceramic rotors are available), and unique tuning of the stability control, wheel camber, dampers, and anti-roll bars all aimed at enhancing track performance. The wheels can be ordered in a gold color or matte black, and measure 19 inches up front and 20 inches at the rear. The wheels come with performance tires as standard but buyers can fit track-ready Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires as a no-cost option. In each case, the tires measure 275/35 up front and 285/30 at the rear.

For weight reduction, BMW M engineers used lightweight carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic for the hood, roof, front splitter, front intakes, side mirror caps, and rear spoiler. Carbon parts are also used throughout the cabin, including for the standard bucket seats that also feature Merino leather trim. A titanium muffler rounds out the list of weight-saving mods that all up add to around 75 pounds. The stated curb weight is still some 3,915 pounds, though.

Also inside is the new dash introduced across the 3-Series range for 2023. It eliminates the traditional instrument cluster cowl, leaving a 12.3-inch floating screen for the instrument cluster that is conjoined with a second 14.9-inch floating screen for the infotainment hub. Both screens feature M-specific displays in the M3 CS.

Also fitted as standard is M Drive Professional, a package that includes both the M Drift Analyzer and M Laptimer for recording drives for later evaluation. M Drive Professional also includes M Traction Control, which lets the driver adjust the traction control between 10 settings, and the M Mode drive mode selector, which has Road, Sport, and Track options.

The 2024 M3 CS is confirmed to be a limited edition—BMW M hasn’t said how limited, though—and is set to arrive later this year with a starting price of $119,695, including a $995 destination charge.

HIGH-RES GALLERY: 2024 BMW M4 CS

This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com.

Wednesday at the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction was highlighted by four cars selling for more than $100,000 each with a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Gran Coupe setting the pace with a $143,000 hammer price.

Top 10 sales from Wednesday

The 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Auction continues today and runs through January 29 at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

Wednesday at the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction was highlighted by four cars selling for more than $100,000 each with a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda Gran Coupe setting the pace with a $143,000 hammer price.

Top 10 sales from Wednesday

The 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Collector Car Auction continues today and runs through January 29 at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

Our writer Andy Reid is driving a Lucid Air for his time in Arizona for auction week, you can follow the first part of his journey here.

I met my Lucid Air in the parking lot in the morning to discover it covered with frost. After getting in the car and starting the front and rear defroster I discovered one of the hidden benefits of electric cars. The heater generates heat immediately, as there is no engine needed to warm and provide air for the heating system. This was good as the car let me know that at 7:15 AM the temperature outside was a balmy 33 degrees, something I had never seen in 23 years of attending Arizona auction week. I drove over to the Barrett-Jackson parking lot and went in to plan for my 10AM auction tour.

I did something a bit different this year in that I added two stops to the tour for new car displays. The reason for this is because Lucid has a full display set up at the auction, and most people have yet to see one of these great cars. The other stop was next door at the BMW display where they have the incredible new BMW 7 Series to view.

I had Dave Buchko from Lucid show people the car and answer questions about it. Then we moved over to BMW where one of their product specialists did the same.

After that we discussed some of the amazing cars being offered by the auction including a 1966 Shelby GT350R notchback.

After the tour ended, I got into the Air, engaged the seat massage function and drove over to the Westin Kierland to take a look at a few cars at Bonhams that I am planning to bid on. I took drives in both and then ran into my friend Mark from Bonhams. I told him about and gave him a tour of the Lucid Air. He was quite impressed and spent a lot of time looking at the amazing attention to detail and materials in the Air.

My Lucid was down to 35% power so I decided to give it some food in the form of electricity. This was the very first time I had used a charging station. It was interesting yet straightforward. I drove up to the charge station, plugged the car in, and after around 25 minutes it was up to 80% charge, so I then headed out to dinner.

Wednesday I will be giving my tours at Bonhams and RM Sotheby’s followed by a car guy dinner with my friend Clint Sly.

I love the car and I am still absolutely thrilled by its performance and comfort.

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle.

This Chevelle is finished in Cranberry Red with black SS stripes, and a functional cowl-induction hood with hood pins. The Cranberry Red exterior is complemented by a black grille with an SS emblem, a rear bumper pad with an SS logo, and wheel opening moldings.

It rides on black and silver steel SS wheels with SS center cap and BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires.

“The front bucket seats, rear seat, trim, and door panels are upholstered in black vinyl,” the listing states. “Features include power steering, power brakes, a center console with a Hurst manual shifter, manual windows, SS emblems, a Vintage Air climate control system with air conditioning, an AM radio, and a tilt steering column.”

It’s powered by a 454ci big-block V8 and the engine bay has an open-element air cleaner with a cowl induction hood seal, and chrome valve covers. The engine is paired with a four-speed manual transmission.

The odometer reads 63,882 miles, but the true mileage on this vehicle is unknown.

The sale includes a clear Tennessee title. A $145 dealer fee/tax will be added to the purchase price. The selling dealer will collect additional registration/sales tax from in-state buyers.

This 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle’s auction ends on Friday, January 27, 2023, at 4:20 p.m. (MST)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery

One of the things you’ll read a lot about when it comes to classic General Motors vehicle documentation is a “Protect-O-Plate.” This credit card-sized embossed identification tag comes with some important data including the original owner’s name, the selling dealer, and the vehicle’s build information.

Occasionally, a collector car comes up for sale that retains its original Protect-O-Plate.

The Pick of the Day is a 1970 Chevrolet C10 pickup listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Hudson, Massachusetts.

“This rare and highly optioned CST-10 has originally spent its life in Alabama and is very solid,” the listing states. “This southern truck still retains original paint and has the patina look.”

Based on the documentation that comes with the vehicle, it was first sold from Ed Mollison Chevrolet in Birmingham, Alabama. The maintenance folio shares the dealership’s motto as, “We’re not the biggest, but we’re trying to be the best.” Protect-O-Plates were sometimes printed in reverse and were used to imprint the vehicle data and owner information onto the service paperwork.

This truck comes from the second generation of Chevrolet’s C/K series, which was dubbed the “Action Line” and made available in light- and medium-duty variants. During this era, Chevrolet worked to make its pickups more versatile as personal-use vehicles with added comforts and driving dynamics. Clearly, the exterior on this example looks a little tired, but that’s part of the appeal of a period-correct look. The truck has a two-tone finish of Hugger Orange and black. The bed is reportedly free of rust.

Power under the hood comes from a strong-running 350cid 4bbl V8 motor mated to a TH400 three-speed automatic transmission. The listing states that the powertrain has been upgraded with stainless-steel long-tube headers, and the photos show Edelbrock chrome-finished valve covers as well.

Protect-O-Plates were short-lived, first offered in 1963 and phased out about a decade later. Most of these have been lost in the shuffle as vehicles have changed hands in the 60 years since that time, so finding a vehicle like this that still has its accompanying badge is becoming a rarity.

“Runs and drives excellent, needs nothing,” the listing concludes. It would be fun to take this truck to a Chevrolet dealership and ask if they can imprint the Protect-O-Plate on a new service appointment.

The seller is asking $17,500 or best offer for this survivor C10.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.