When it comes to many automotive enthusiasts, you shouldn’t take the term “car guy” literally. Most car guys I know appreciate not only cars, but trucks and SUVs as well. It’s the same with Jay Leno: he loves cars yet has a great time in this 1991 Dodge Ram 250 4×4 with a modified Cummins 5.9-liter turbodiesel I6.
Tim Stevenson of the YouTube channel Decent Garage built this restomod-ified rig as a show truck and tow vehicle. What exactly will it be pulling? A Royal Bobcat 1965 Pontiac GTO owned by one of Leno’s previous guests, Jordan “Joker” Smith.
Stevenson wanted to keep it looking largely stock, so he had a new grille made and refreshed the interior. However, Stevenson took the opportunity to upgrade the Ram’s performance. He notes that one of the biggest issues with these trucks is their stock braking hardware and performance, so he swapped out the factory parts for more modern 13-inch front rotors and 11-inch rear rotors. Of course, Stevenson also lifted it. To improve the ride quality, he installed a three-link front suspension setup with coilovers, longer rear leaf springs, and air bags.
Don’t worry—Stevenson didn’t skip the engine bay. When this Ram left the factory, its Cummins engine produced 160 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Now? Thanks to upgrades such as a thicker intercooler from a newer truck, larger injectors, hotter cam, compound turbos, and Banks Twin Ram intake manifold, its peak output is 660 horses and 1,562 lb-ft of torque. A Mercedes-Benz G56 heavy-duty six-speed manual and dual-range transfer case with a twin-stick shifter layout channel the power to the turnpike or trail.
Leno makes sure to let this Ram run wild on both surfaces. He puts his foot down and unloads that colossal power on the street, then pulls off at the first sight of a dirt path to gather some earth in the Ram’s tread blocks. It sure looks like he enjoys the bumpy ride more than a “car guy” (in the purest sense of the term).
I’ve long held a theory that the way a country’s inhabitants drive is a reflection of the entropy within its government. To add, an automotive market of a particular country can provide a look into its soul. This theory is not one that I can defend qualitatively or quantitatively, but it’s something that has had an empirical eye of mine for over 40 years.
All for pun! (Image courtesy of Kia)
When I was a kid checking out all the vehicles passing by my mom’s Buick Estate wagon, I was able to take in so many assorted brands from several continents. While most cars on the road came from Detroit, Kenosha, or Toledo, there were a few “foreign jobs” that came from a dealer or two that specialized in imports. They were curiosities more than anything else, but they helped me bear occasional witness to minor-league imports like Lancia or Rover.
1967 IKA Torino 380. Can you tell from which American car this was derived?
Then, when my parents took the family to visit Argentina, it was like having another lesson in automobiles. All the European brands I was familiar with (and then some) had a strong presence in Argentina, though models not normally seen in the U.S. American brands were often popular. But those were generally captive imports that Argentina made into its own—the Ford Falcon being most notable, though arguably nothing stands as tall as the Kaiser-built IKA Torino. There also were European versions of American brands, such as Ford’s Taunus. (It’s worth noting that, in an earlier era, what we would consider American classics had a presence in Argentina.)
A visit to Peru when I was around eight years old showed me more of the same, but different. In retrospect, Peru was a different country with a different military junta having a different sovereign idea, which could explain the different automotive landscape that included, say, 1960s Opel Rekords I didn’t see in Buenos Aires.
1967 Opel Rekord
When I was 12, I had the opportunity to go on trips to Switzerland and Italy. In my teens, I was able to visit Paris, Egypt, and Israel. Also, during this time, my dad would have business trips in Europe and bring me the latest automotive yearbook from France or Germany. It made me familiar with Iron Curtain cars (many Fiat-based), small-batch sports cars (Isdera, anyone?), Japanese cars with different home-market names, and several unique vehicles produced by small countries (like Turkey’s Anadol).
A 1985 Opel Monza, a fave of mine when visiting Europe.
Then, when this Gringo ended up marrying a Colombian, I was completely surprised by the car scene when I first visited her homeland: tons of small South Korean sub-sub-compacts, several Frenchies and Italians, a few strong Japanese brands, a Brit here ‘n’ there, plus several Chinese brands with strange names and stranger styling. This experience gave me new insight into the cars that are available in a given country.
As such, I may judge a country by the cars on its road. Certainly, the intersection of cars, country of origin, and culture is an interesting one. We even witness this in America, where Toyota has a plant in Kentucky and can be considered American based on the percentage of American content, yet is it truly an American car? To this guy, they’re still Japanese cars derived from Japanese culture. There can be no confusion that these cars are not from Detroit.
1977 Reliant Robin (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)
Back to Colombia: It has me wondering what government rules are established to sell a car in the Colombian market, and how taxes can shape an automotive market. Japan is the famous example of this, but it’s not a Third World country. Other First World countries are no strangers to how economic nudges can dictate what people drive, as England once had three-wheeled vehicles like the Reliant Robin to take advantage of financial breaks within the British system (in this case, it was taxed as a motorcycle). Say what you will about taxes influencing consumer behavior, but the United Kingdom has never had a shortage of automotive fun.
That seems to be missing from Colombia’s market. My wife and I bought her parents a new car—a Renault Logan—but it was very clear that Renault treated Colombia as a “Developing Nation” because it appeared to offer cars with many modern conveniences on vehicles that were at least a decade behind in style and dynamics. (I suspect this to be the result of how the Colombian government regulates the auto industry.) Additionally, classic car culture is small (unlike in Argentina with its more established home-grown industry, though the heavy Italian presence helps), with few old cars to be found on the road—during Christmas 2025, I bore witness to a train of 1980s Mazda 323s traveling through a city with loud music (ugh, please no more Reggaeton!) blaring from their open hatches.
2020 Renault Logan (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)
If cars can also reflect the spirit of the people, then clearly the Colombian automotive industry is not reflected by that. We as Americans are all too familiar with how our culture is exported to all points around the world, and Colombia is no different. For all the Shakiras and Vergaras that show us what it is to be Colombian, the truth is that they are packaged products to satisfy our own impressions. A deeper dive would find a country that celebrates hospitality, has close familial ties and respect for elders, loves music and dance, and has a general alegría de vivir more commonly associated with the French or Italians.
Wouldn’t it be cool to have a country like that producing its own automobiles to reflect its own character? Unfortunately, for now, Colombians seem to be forced to deal with mediocrity. Argentina’s past shows how they—a people with a strong cultural distinction from Colombia—had to endure three-on-the-tree Falcons into the 1990s. When the people have no choice but to tolerate mediocrity, they become accustomed to it. That was a reflection of Argentina at one time, but I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest that Colombia suffers the same fate today, especially in the graces of globalism.
Right now on AutoHunter, you can find this 1954 GMC 100 five-window pickup, which is powered by a 228ci inline-six paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Finished in Burgundy Metallic over a burgundy vinyl interior, this half-ton truck from GMC’s New Design era is now offered by the selling dealer in Oregon with a clear title.
The five-window cab and the bed are covered in glossy Burgundy Metallic paint, which is accented with chrome bumpers and bright trim. Other exterior features include front bumper guards, headlight eyebrows, dual mirrors, body-color running boards, cab-mounted fuel cap, and single exhaust outlet. The tailgate can be lowered on chains, and opens to a bed floor lined with wood planks and stainless steel strips.
This truck rolls through small towns and the countryside on a set of 15-inch wheels equipped with Baby Moon-style covers, beauty rings, and 235/75 Sailun TerraMax H/T raised-white-letter radial tires.
There’s more burgundy inside the cab, including the vinyl on the bench seat. Additional features include power steering, heater, windshield defroster, and floor-mounted manual shifter.
Instrumentation consists of an 80-mph speedometer and gauges for the amps, oil pressure, fuel level, and water temperature. In addition, there’s a Sunpro auxiliary gauge under the dash. The odometer shows 88,962 miles, but this truck is mileage-exempt, according to its title.
A 228ci inline-six, which is connected to a two-barrel carburetor and four-speed manual gearbox, supplies power for runs to Home Depot or the ice cream parlor. Power brakes help this classic truck stop once it gets there.
If you want to make this handsome 1954 GMC 100 five-window pickup yours, don’t stop—keep bidding until the auction ends on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 11:45 a.m. (MST).
It’s been said that in order to be important, you have to act important. Our Pick of the Day is the most important car for sale on the Internet, and it can pay for itself once Important You gets behind the wheel. This 1972 Cadillac Eldorado coupe is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by an important dealer in the town of Marshall, Virginia (itself an important place).
You’ll get folks like me who feel the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado (part of the Fleetwood series) was just about perfect, but I bet Bill Mitchell preferred the 1971 redesign. It’s important to note several important changes to the Eldorado, such as the evolutionary baroque elements and the sheet metal’s complex beveled stamping. An important change under the skin was the wheelbase being extended six inches, though total length was increased only by two. This gave the Eldorado a larger interior, capable of taking six passengers in comfort—an important feature for a Cadillac.
Changes for 1972 were minimal (but important):
Coarser grille
Hood accent stripes
New Dual Comfort front seat option
New badging
New “net” horsepower rating
When discussing the move from gross to net horsepower ratings, it is important to give context because the horsepower drop was not as bad as it may initially appear. For 1971, the big 500ci V8 was rated at 365 gross horsepower; for what was basically the same engine, power output fell to 235 net for 1972. However, the truth is that horsepower didn’t fall at all as a quick glance at the 1971 AMA Specifications shows both gross and net ratings, the latter being 235. Blame the pen of some important Cadillac marketer, I guess.
While leather was an option for Eldorado coupes, convertibles came standard with leather. There were eight leather color choices: Black, Dark Blue, Antique Dark Jade, Antique Light Covert, Medium Maize, Antique Dark Saddle, Antique Dark Covert, and White; choose the latter and you’d also get to select one of four carpet colors: Oxblood, Jade, Black, or Blue.
Of course, the most important color for an important car is black. “Hey, now, Baby, get into my big black car,” sang Jack Bruce in Cream’s “Politician” – it’s quite deliberate why the important person was in a black vehicle. It’s also the reason we find this 22,000-mile 1972 Cadillac Eldorado coupe painted Sable Black with a black vinyl top. The seller claims it’s an “unrestored survivor” with “mostly original paint,” which may be important to certain people. Of course, being a car of importance, this Cadillac features air conditioning, Automatic Climate Control, power windows, power door locks, power seat, cruise control, auto-dimming headlights, motorized trunk closer, and remote side mirrors, among other important features. The interior looks to be the optional leather bench, which was an important upgrade from the standard cloth and fabric version.
For such an important automobile, you’d think the price would be out of this world. However, a quick glance at the ad listed on ClassicCars.com (an important website) shows the seller is interested in $26,000. That’s not a lot of money to show people how important you are.
Is it really about the 1970s? Or is it about something else? That’s for you to determine in this automotive puzzle! Looking at the following four vehicles listed for sale on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com, can you tell us what they have in common?
Post your answers in the Comments section below. You can’t be a winner if you don’t post the model year/make/model as well — sorry!
Even if your team didn’t make it to Super Bowl LX, there’s a good chance you watched the big game anyway (I’m definitely in that group). If so, you probably noticed there weren’t a lot of car commercials. Stellantis was one of the many companies that didn’t spend millions to run one, although it did release this funny spot for the 2026 Jeep Cherokee hybrid days before the Seattle Seahawks took on the New England Patriots. However, a few automakers (plus WeatherTech) shelled out dough for the pricey airtime. Watch their commercials below and tell us what you think in the Comments section.
In 2012, Toyota began using the tagline “Let’s Go Places” to signal its commitment to more exciting vehicles and allowing customers to help shape the automaker’s future. One of its two Super Bowl commercials takes us to three high-profile athletes, NFL wide receiver Makea “Puka” Nacua, U.S. Paralympian Oksana Masters, and NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, meeting their younger selves, who dream of winning. Given the advice that the kid versions of the stars offer, perhaps Toyota’s new tagline should be “Let’s Go Further.”
Photo courtesy of Toyota
Toyota—Superhero Belt
This 30-second spot shows that even though the RAV4 has been around for 30 years, seat belts are still in style—whether you’re a little kid or a senior citizen.
Photo courtesy of Volkswagen
Volkswagen—The Great Invitation: Drivers Wanted
Just as NFL teams sometimes wear throwback jerseys, this VW commercial goes retro in a couple of ways. In the 1990s, the German brand launched the “Drivers wanted” campaign, a representation of its “human-centric approach to design, performance, and culture.” This most recent installment calls on people to hop in the driver’s seat and embrace possibilities, originality, and optimism—set to another throwback: House of Pain’s 1992 song “Jump Around.”
Photo courtesy of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team
Cadillac—Formula 1 Team 2026 Livery Reveal | The Mission Begins
If you didn’t know already, Cadillac will be racing in Formula 1, starting with the Australian Grand Prix on March 7. Beating the big European teams that typically dominate the sport will be a long shot—sort of like going to the moon in the 1960s.
WeatherTech—TaDa
Okay, WeatherTech is not an automaker, but it’s very auto-oriented, so we’ll let it onto the list. Sometimes you have to think outside the box (even if that box is an SUV). There’s no way Gary can fit all the luggage for him, his wife, and their two kids into one RAV4. Luckily, his wife figures out a solution that significantly increases their carrying capacity, one that showcases WeatherTech’s roof and hitch baskets.
Model year 1987 marked the final production year for Chevrolet’s famous El Camino coupe-utility—a vehicle that popularized the “car-based-truck” segment for many of today’s compact, versatile vehicles. Featured onAutoHunter is a two-owner, largely California-kept 1987 Chevrolet El Camino SS listed by a dealer in Westford, Massachusetts. The auction will end on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. (MST).
The El Camino made its initial debut in 1959 and evolved through several generations over the years. For its last hurrah, from 1982-87, it was based on the General Motors G-body platform. And still looking sharp after all these decades is this final-year version in two-tone black and silver. Exterior features include quad headlights, chrome brightwork, tonneau cover, and 14-inch wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich Radial T/A white-letter tires.
In addition to its noteworthy condition, this El Camino is configured in Super Sport trim, as designated by its “Z15” RPO (Regular Production Option) code. According to data collected by Survivor Classic Car, there supposedly were 861 Super Sport units produced for 1987. All of them came with the larger of two available engines (as well as the requisite exterior decals and other standard features). Nearly 40 years after the last El Camino rolled off the assembly line, it has become increasingly difficult to find well-kept Super Sports.
A five-minute dealer promotional video for the G-body El Camino talks about some of the vehicle’s merits, and it even has a short clip of an El Camino towing a small tractor (something I’m not sure we recommend). The video says, “El Camino is built to handle the punishment trucks are meant to take. And yet, does it in style.” The galvanized steel cargo bed floor for the El Camino was ribbed, and the sides used double-wall construction. Chevrolet rated payload capacity at 1,250 pounds, including passengers and cargo, and the vehicle could tow up to 6,000 pounds when properly equipped. Air-adjustable rear shocks were standard equipment.
Power for this El Camino comes from a four-barrel-carbureted 305ci V8 mated to a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. The dealer promotional video talks about some of the engine’s tech specs, including Electronic Spark Control (ESC). It controls “power-robbing knock that can occur under heavy engine demand conditions with low-octane unleaded fuel.” The El Camino’s odometer reads 55,012 miles, although the true mileage is unknown.
Whether you need to tow a tractor or just make an occasional Home Depot run, the El Camino is a unique vehicle for its ability to wear multiple hats. “Toughness with elegance—a Chevrolet heritage!” proclaimed original marketing material.
One of the most interesting things about the collector car hobby is that there is literally something for almost every budget imaginable. If you have between $10,000 and $15,000, you can buy an excellent example of an interesting and collectible car. In a way this is much like watch collecting, where you can get an interesting and desirable watch, say an F.P. Journe, for hundreds of thousands of dollars, or you can get a Grand Seiko for as little as $5,000. Both are well made and collectible, just at different price points. My Pick of the Day is a show-worthy example of a car at the lower point of the spectrum, a 1975 Honda Civic CVCC coupe. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in North Hollywood, California.
The Honda Civic, the car on which the Japanese automaker built their brand, is not only the most important car in the history of Honda but also one of the most important Japanese cars of all time. While economical, it was also very well built and fun to drive. The Civic literally defined the economy car segment of the market.
The thing that really made the Civic CVCC remarkable was that it delivered 42 mpg on the highway and at the same time met the stringent government emissions regulations without the use of a catalytic converter.
The way it did this was with a new cylinder-head design, the CVCC. According to Honda, the term CVCC stands for Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion. “Compound” represents an engine mechanism with two combustion chambers. “Vortex” refers to the swirl of air and fuel generated in the main chamber, caused by a jet of flame from the pre-chamber. This increased the speed of engine combustion. “Controlled Combustion” denotes the engine’s ability to precisely control the speed of combustion. This allows the CVCC engine to use less fuel while at the same time delivering better fuel economy.
The car featured here is an all-original 1975 Civic CVCC painted in its original Caroline Yellow with an original houndstooth cloth and black vinyl interior. It has covered only 33,855 miles from new and is the cleanest example I have seen in 25 years.
The seller states that this Civic has a five-speed manual transmission, factory air conditioning (rare in these cars), and is in mostly original and very well-kept condition. The car also features its original AM/FM radio/cassette deck, manual door locks, manual mirrors, a trunk privacy shield, fold-down rear seat, power steering, and power brakes.
A look at the photos reveals a true time-capsule example. Keep in mind these Civics were so good they were usually driven for hundreds of thousands of miles – meaning that finding one this clean is almost impossible.
It is really fun to get behind the wheel of a Civic CVCC; it has great handling and an interior that, while spartan, is very well-finished, the controls are all in the right place, and it will fit just about any driver regardless of height. Despite only having a 53-horsepower 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine, the Civic can easily keep up with modern traffic, even on the interstate. I say this with certainty, having owned and used one as a daily driver.
This Civic is truly a great find and I honestly feel that with an asking price of only $13,995, it is a fantastic buy and will not last long. It is the Grand Seiko of the car world.
If you want to purchase an example of the first generation of the Honda that changed the car world, I advise you to consider this one.
To many, cars and watches go together perfectly. Both of them can be beautiful and functional at the same time, but automakers and watch companies don’t always stay together, which is why you often see automaker-branded timepieces manufactured by different watchmakers. The latest pairing of autos and horology is the recently announced partnership between Aston Martin (and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 team) and Breitling.
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Green Ceramic Aston Martin Edition (Photo courtesy of Aston Martin)
If you’re a fan of high-end British cars or Swiss watches, you may remember that both Aston Martin and Breitling have collaborated with other companies in the past. It was only five years ago that Aston Martin announced that it was joining forces with Girard-Perregaux, a union that resulted in the green ceramicLaureato introduced in 2023. On the Breitling side, it created Bentley-influenced watches and installed its clocks in Bentley models for 19 years before parting ways in 2021.
Aston Martin and Breitling actually joined forces decades ago—sort of. In the 1965 James Bond movie “Thunderball,” 007 drove a DB5 (using its pop-up rear bullet shield and twin fire hoses to ward off bad guys) and wore a Breitling Top Time chronograph with a Q Branch-installed Geiger counter that detected the presence of hijacked bombs.
Photo courtesy of Breitling
This new official partnership between the two brands starts with the Navitimer B01 Chronograph 43 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, a limited run of 1,959 pieces coming out in Q3 of this year. Features include a carbon fiber dial and a 43-millimeter titanium case that houses a 45-jewel movement with a 70-hour power reserve.
Photo courtesy of Breitling
At $11,500, it’s a lofty purchase but, the last time we checked, that’s much easier to swing than a new Aston Martin.
Our correspondent Tyson Hugie came across a vehicle that both car enthusiasts and classic cartoon fans can appreciate. This 1974 Ford Econoline van from the Dr. Stewart A. Berkowitz Collection was customized to look like the Mystery Machine from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon “Scooby-Doo, Where are You!” The exterior is covered in an eye-catching combination of metallic aqua, bright green, and orange flowers.
Under the short hood is a 302ci V8 that sends its power through the rear American Racing Torq Thrust wheels – a great way to outrun or catch up to bad guys. The cabin is decked out with the same vivid colors (even on the headliner) and features a custom sound system and wrap-around rear seating with cup holders. How much did this impressive build sell for at the Barrett-Jackson 2025 Scottsdale Auction? You don’t need a talking dog to solve this mystery because we’ll do it for you: $58,300.
