When you walk through a Barrett-Jackson auction, you see vehicles that catch your eye from a distance, such as lifted Chevrolet K5 Blazers or brightly colored exotics. Older cars, whether with their sheer size or their two-tone color combos, can do the same, but they offer a little bonus once you get closer to them: hood (or hood-adjacent) ornaments. The Goddess of Speed on the 1936 Packard 120 Convertible Sedan above is a great example. Below are a few more that were on display at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction.
Studebaker’s official museum is in its hometown of South Bend, Indiana but, if you’re far from the Midwest, no need to fret: Southerners now have a chance reveling in Studebaker history as the Savoy Automobile Museum has announced the opening of the Stunning Studebaker exhibit now through August 3, 2025.
Studebaker is perhaps the proudest of the automotive Independents. Fans of the brand can rattle off a history of pioneering, whether it be monobloc engine casting, the first proving grounds, the first postwar car, supercharging, and more. By the 1950s, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and the company slowly slid into obsolescence in 1966 after a clever redux to create the Lark, and a Hail Mary with the Avanti. Bet ya didn’t know this: the first Studebaker automobiles were electric!
Though the Cartersville, Georgia museum has several Studebakers in its own permanent collection, this exhibit (sponsored in part by Tom & Ann Earley) features many more on loan from the Studebaker National Museum and even a custom Loewy coupe from a private collector. Here’s what’s currently on display:
1927 Studebaker President Limousine
1931 Studebaker Six Roadster
1933 Studebaker Rockne Model 10 Sedan
1937 Studebaker Coupe Express Pickup Truck
1948 Studebaker Commander Starlight Hardtop Coupe
1950 Studebaker Champion Convertible
1954 Studebaker Commander Starliner Custom
1956 Studebaker President Classic Sedan
1956 Studebaker President Pinehurst 2-Door Station Wagon
1957 Studebaker Golden Hawk Hardtop Coupe
1963 Studebaker Avanti Coupe
1963 Studebaker Lark Sedan
The Studebaker brothers, Henry and Clem, established a blacksmith and wagon shop in 1852, and by 1875 it was the “largest vehicle house in the world” due to the U.S. Army buying their wagons. The company survived: transitions from wagons to cars, The Great Depression, two World Wars, mergers, and near bankruptcies to finally succumb and produce its last vehicle in 1966. Please enjoy this collection of various models through the years. —Savoy Automobile Museum
1963 Studebaker Avanti with 1963 Lark (not the exhibit cars)
The museum is located in Cartersville, Georgia and is in operation between Tuesday-Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit savoymuseum.org.
Six-hundred collectorcars crossing the block at the South Florida Fairgrounds sounds like an enjoyable way to spend an extended weekend in Florida, whether a resident, snow bird, or just some visitor flying in to get his/her automotive fill. Yesterday was Day 3, the third and final day of the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction, and my how the day shone!
April 26th was different from the preceding two days because supercars garnered most of the highest bids (with Ferraris dominating), but a boat from a TV show, a restomod Chevy pickup, and an Eleanor tribute also made the cut to join the Top 10—check out the cars!
If you noticed there’s more than 10 cars in the above list, you have to forgive us because we’ve added a charity car that was within range. First up was a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 which sold for $110,000 to benefit Hannah’s Home of South Florida, an organization dedicated to helping homeless, pregnant women overcome adversity.
The second was 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse VIN 001, which was donated by collector Ron Pratte. When the dust settled, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick bought it for 325,000, with Pratte adding another $100,000 to the pot. Proceeds will go to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which provides mortgage-free homes to Gold Star families and fallen first responders with young children, as well as building specially adapted smart homes for injured veterans and first responders.
That’s a wrap for The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions in Florida. Barrett-Jackson extends heartfelt thanks to the incredible bidders, consignors, sponsors, exhibitors, fans and the vibrant South Florida community for making the 2025 Palm Beach Auction such an unforgettable event. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Arizona for the 2025 Scottsdale Fall Auction at WestWorld, taking place October 15-18.
Remember Leonard, the Camaro-obsessed enthusiast we introduced you to in December? One of the things I remember him telling me about his fascination with the Camaro was that the car offered Corvette-level performance at a lower price.
One of the magazine ads from back in the day said the same thing: “Try Camaro. You’ll get plenty of Corvette excitement. From the way Camaro looks, to its road-hugging ride, to its Astro Ventilation to V8s you can order all the way up to 325 horsepower.”
I guess I’ll have to give Leonard a call. I found his next ride.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Custom Coupe. The car is being sold by a dealer in Amarillo, Texas, and the auction will end Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. PDT.
In many regards, the Camaro was “Rookie of the Year” when it arrived on the competitive muscle car scene in 1967. Pontiac’s GTO, Ford’s Mustang and even Chevrolet’s own Chevelle were already on the market. But the F-body Camaro (and its sibling, the Pontiac Firebird) brought a look and feel that set them apart from the competition. The Camaro was selected as the official pace car for the Indianapolis 500 in May 1967, and its success grew from there.
Starting with a frame-off restoration in 2021, this car received the complete treatment. The body was recoated in red and received SS badging, a black accent stripe and a cowl induction hood. The interior received its share of upgrades too, starting with a pair of black microsuede Corbeau bucket seats with beefy side bolsters for plenty of lateral grip. Appointments include a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a custom center console, a B&M QuickSilver shift knob, a Vintage Air A/C system and Pioneer audio.
Forward momentum comes from a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 mated to a 4L65E three-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential. General Motors enthusiasts will remember that the LS3 was used in a large number of performance cars beginning in 2008. Among them, the C6 Corvette, the Camaro SS and the Pontiac G8 GXP. The LS3 has been a widely popular candidate for engine swaps in restomod vehicles because of its reliability, performance and late-model replacement parts availability.
Some performance-car builders focus too much (or almost exclusively) on raw power, overlooking the importance of making sure the car handles predictably and stops safely with all those extra ponies. In this case, all the right boxes were checked: RideTech adjustable coilover suspension, StrongArm front lower control arms and Wilwood ventilated front disc brakes.
It’s a well-thought-out machine that any Camaro enthusiast would be thrilled to own. Bid aggressively, because you might be going up against Leonard.
For many of you out there, it’s convertible season now. Once you have the top down, you can either soak up the sun or enjoy the cool night breeze and the view of the stars above – or both, if you just can’t get enough top-down driving. You can do that while rowing your own gears in an iconic sports car in our Pick of the Day, a 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet posted on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in California.
The 1990s was a significant decade in Porsche history. It marked the end of the V8-powered 928, the debut of the mid-engine Boxster, and the arrival of the all-new 911, otherwise known as the 996 generation. Yes, the 1998 911 was larger than the outgoing 993 and had distinctive headlights, but its most significant difference from its predecessor was its engine. For the first time in its history, the 911 had a water-cooled engine. But many things remained the same: the general shape, flat-six power, the availability of a manual gearbox, and coupe and cabriolet body styles, among many others.
The ’99 Cabriolet you see here looks as if it was purpose-built for fun times in great weather. Its Guards Red paint is a great start because it’s an unwritten law that red convertibles need to be driven fast with the top down. The power-operated soft top adds convenience to the festivities.
The Savanna Beige leather interior also gets in on the fun. How? Look in the middle at the shifter for the six-speed manual gearbox, which sends power to the rear wheels.
That means you can not only feel the wind streaming through your hair, but you can also feel the rush of winding up the 296-horsepower, 258-lb-ft 3.4-liter flat-six and upshifting. One thing you don’t have to experience is stressing about the IMS bearing because that’s been handled, according to the selling dealer.
If you’re ready to get out there and burn up the road with the top down, you can do that in this 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet for $22,995.
Spring in Florida is a wonderful thing. Combine that with classic cars and you have what must be the most spectacular moments of the season at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Palm Beach Auction. With Friday, April 25th now part of the history books, let us tell you about the excitement from Day 2 of the auction.
Among three charity vehicles, $370,000 was raised, including $200,000 for a 2025 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 convertible, VIN 001, owned by famed NFL running back Jerome Bettis. The sale of this C8 goes to the The Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing educational, recreational, developmental, and financial assistance programs for underserved youth.
Other charity cars included a 1965 Superformance MKIII Custom Roadster for $110,000 (benefiting Breakthrough T1D in support of Type 1 diabetes research and advocacy), and a 2017 Ford F-250 Dwyane Wade Champions Edition Custom Pickup for $60,000 (benefiting Social Change Fund United, a nonprofit co-founded by Wade that harnesses collective influence and resources to drive meaningful impact in underrepresented communities of color).
Because of our proximity to the border, us Arizonans are accustomed to seeing the occasional Mexican license plate zooming around our freeways. One of the highlights of a recent trip to Mexico City for a friend’s birthday was the chance to see what the car selection was like south of the border. In particular, I was fascinated by the volume of vehicles with manual transmissions. Every Uber ride I took was in a manual-transmission vehicle.
Here were 10 vehicles that caught my eye, in alphabetical order by manufacturer.
BYD Tang DM-i
I saw the “BYD” name a lot – and naturally, I wondered what it stood for. Turns out, it’s “Build Your Dreams.” The Chinese company was founded in 2003 and has been gaining a lot of momentum in Latin American markets. The Tang is a midsized crossover with a plug-in hybrid 1.5-liter inline-four engine and seating for seven passengers. It has been around since 2014 and is in its second generation.
Chevrolet Groove
What a cool name, right? The Groove is a subcompact crossover SUV developed by SAIC-GM, targeting emerging markets. It is sold in some parts of the world as the Baojun 510 and comes with a 1.5-liter L2B inline-four.
GAC GS3 Emzoom
This is another one from China, produced by the GAC Group, which is headquartered in Guangzhou. The GS3 had pricing in the Chinese market starting at 73,800 yuan, which comes out to about $10,120. It could be optioned with a few different four-cylinder powertrains, and – you guessed it – could come with a manual transmission, too.
Great Wall Pao (GWM) Poer Pickup
The GWM Poer (also called Pao in some markets) is a mid-size pickup from Great Wall Motors – yet another Chinese company. The truck has been around since debuting in 2019 at the Shanghai Auto Show.
Honda City
Finally, a brand name I recognized, but a model I did not. Turns out, the City has been sold under a number of different nameplates, including the Fit Aria, the Ballade and the Greiz, depending on the market. The fifth generation of the City received a facelift in 2011, and that look matches with the car that I saw.
MG GT
While I didn’t get a great photo of this car, it was one of my favorites from the trip. The GT has been in production by SAIC Motor in China since 2012. In some markets, it’s called the MG 5. The larger of the two available engines is a turbocharged 1.5-liter with 171 horsepower.
Pontiac Matiz
The Matiz, a rebadged version of the Daewoo Matiz, was also a rebadged version of the Chevrolet Spark. It was a tiny city car offered in some Latin American markets. It was a bare-bones economy car that fit well in urban cities.
Renault Duster
I saw a lot of these little SUVs running around. The Duster was offered with both front-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations, marketed jointly by Renault and its subsidiary Dacia. The 4×4 had underbody protection and beefy body cladding.
Seat Ibiza Hatchback
The Ibiza has been around since 1984 and was classified as a “Supermini” car. It was manufactured in Spain and built on the same platform as the Volkswagen Polo. One thing I noticed in researching all of these cars: Oftentimes, they have been marketed under many different brand names simultaneously.
Suzuki Jimny
This was our traveling group’s favorite. The Jimny is a cult-favorite compact 4×4 in Latin America, celebrated for its off-road prowess despite its small size. It has retro styling, body-on-frame construction, and Suzuki’s “ALLGRIP PRO” traction system.
I enjoyed that the roadways were filled with such unique cars during my Mexico trip and, I have to admit, I did browse the local classified listings to see if there was anything in particular that I would want to drive home to the United States.
Gracias for coming along for the ride! Do you have any international trips planned this summer? If so, what types of vehicles do you expect to see at your destination?
Currently listed on AutoHunter is this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door sedan, which is powered by a new 350ci V8 crate engine mated to a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission. Finished in dark blue over a two-tone gray vinyl and cloth interior, this Bel Air is now offered by the seller in Colorado with a clear title.
The dark blue body features chrome bumpers and trim, hood ornaments, driver-side mirror, gold Bel Air badges, and dual exhaust outlets.
This Bel Air rides on a set of staggered-width 15-inch front and 17-inch rear Boyd Coddington chrome wheels fitted with 205/60 and 255/50 BFGoodrich radial tires, respectively.
The cabin is furnished with a light gray vinyl and gray cloth split-bench front seat and a matching bench seat in the rear. Features include power windows, tilt steering column, power steering, and Vintage Air climate control system.
Instrumentation from Classic Instruments consists of a 140-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer, and gauges for the temperature, voltage, oil pressure, and fuel level. The odometer shows 1,388 miles, but the title for this vehicle indicates that it’s mileage-exempt.
Under the hood is a new 350ci V8 crate engine, which is equipped with an Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor and paired with a 700R4 four-speed automatic transmission.
The engine transmits its output to the road through a nine-inch rear end. Power front disc and rear drum brakes keep that power in check.
If you want this American classic with more modern updates, bid on it now. The auction for this 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air ends on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at 11:45 a.m. (PDT).
Some cars are more unusual than others—take our Pick of the Day as an example. Sure, 87,684 of them were built in this particular model year, so it may be difficult to figure out what’s so unusual when it seems everyone and his/her neighbor owned one. But, if you glance at the color combination, you may notice something different about this 1968 Pontiac GTO. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Depew, New York.
Yes, Pontiac built close to 88,000 GTOs in 1968, which stands as a record for the second best-selling muscle car ever (the 1966 GTO is number one, 1969 Chevelle SS 396 is number three). It was a complete redesign after four model years of the previous generation, with Pontiac’s effort garnering recognition from Motor Trend with its Car of the Year award.
And while it is arguable that any COTY award is worthy of bragging rights, the GTO certainly was a fine contender thanks to its curvaceous design and monochromatic styling (at least from the front), the latter due to Pontiac’s use of Endura, an energy-absorbing plastic that could return to form and resist dents in parking lot-grade incidents. For those who were not a fan of the Endura look or suspicious due to imperfect fitment, the chrome version used on Tempests and LeMans was available as a delete option.
For all the hubbub about the GTO, it should be noted that its engines were mostly carry-overs from 1967:
Standard 400/350 (in 1967, it was rated at 335 horsepower)
400/265 two-barrel (rated at 255 horses in 1967)
400 HO, rated at 360 horses
400 Ram Air, also rated at 360 horses though at a different rpm than the HO
In April 1968, Pontiac introduced a new engine to take over from the 400 Ram Air. Called Ram Air II, its most notable feature was the round-port design for its heads. According to the manufacturer, it was rated six horses more than the engine that it replaced.
An interesting option for the GTO was concealed headlights, a feature that was becoming more popular at the time. It certainly made the GTO appear more contemporary, though only about half of GTO customers opted for the option. Along with the Grand Prix and Bonneville (a mid-year option for the latter), 1968 was the only year Pontiac offered so many cars with concealed headlights.
Despite the number of GTOs built, this 1968 Pontiac GTO is on the rarer side thanks to its trim combination. Sure, a white top paired with Mayfair Maize may run second to yellow and black, but look closer—that is Cameo White paint, not vinyl. Two-tone cars are quite unusual and rare, plus the choice of painting the top gave the opportunity for more combinations (dare I suggest Cameo White with a Mayfair Maize top?). Though the seller offers no information in the description, I spy hidden headlights, Rally II wheels, exhaust tips, center console with Hurst Dual-Gate automatic, three-spoke steering wheel, Rally Cluster, air conditioning, and AM radio with CD player update in the glovebox. From the looks of the engine, it’s likely the standard 350-horsepower version.
Do you know how people sometimes gravitate to filing in line without looking to see if there’s an easier way in? That’s what the average car guy or gal does when shopping for a classic. You? You’re the kind of person to seek another way in, and this GTO does that for you. For $57,900, you can avoid falling into formation with the rest.
You may have heard recently that Nissan has stopped taking orders for the GT-R, the two-ton supercar that was spun off from the Skyline. After over 17 years, Nissan is calling it a day for this two-ton coupe, but Nissan faithful don’t need to worry—another GT-R will be coming.
Just not yet.
The current GT-R was introduced at the end of 2007 as a 2009 model, with Americans getting its first taste of the GT-R in the summer of 2008. At the beginning, the GT-R started out with 473 horsepower and is capping its tenure at 592 horses, though there were two special-editions with more horsepower targeted to millionaires (GT-R50) or track days (NISMO Track Package). Despite being long in the tooth, the GT-R is still a spectacular supercar, somewhat how the Subaru was to Lamborghini in The Cannonball Run—clever tech over exotic.
Certainly, the world of performance cars is different today than in 2009, and GT-R sales are no longer robust. After a high of 3,158 for the initial North America debut, production settled to around 1,500 per model year until 2018, when the number cratered to 458 and has been under 300 units for the past several years.
You would think Nissan would already have a successor in place, but that’s simply not what has happened. Admittedly, Nissan isn’t in the best shape at the moment, which is a circumstance that American enthusiasts know all too well (note the shelf life of the C3 Corvette, for example).
2024 Nissan GT-R Special Editions
According to Car and Driver, the next GT-R is still three to five years into the future and, like most future-leaning cars, it is expected to use a hybrid powertrain. Will it be a conventional hybrid or of the plug-in (PHEV) variety? That has yet to be determined, but a conventional hybrid would give the next-gen GT-R the faculty to handle Nürburgring—another reason Nissan abandoned the GT-R EV after several prototypes. The ICE part of the equation should include an improved-yet-familiar turbo-six.
Despite the failure of the Nissan/Honda merger, there’s also word that the new GT-R will be part of a joint effort between the two companies, which means that a next-gen NSX may be on the horizon. Honda tends to march to the beat of its own drummer so, if true, variations between the two may be chin-scratcher.
