Journal Classic Cars

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.

The collector car market is always shifting forward. Just like the nostalgia my dad has every time he sees a 1968 Chevy Nova, I too am drawn to vehicles from my childhood, and particularly my teenage years from the late 1990s.

I was honored this year once again to participate in a Barrett-Jackson symposium about “future collectibles” during auction week on Tuesday, January 24.  Joining me on the panel were moderator Alan Taylor along with participants Sean Morris, Jim Pickering, Jay Harden, and Sam Stockham. Each panelist brought forward a unique list of vehicles to the discussion.

Here are eight vehicles I have preselected as my top picks for future collectibles, along with an explanation of why each vehicle made my list.

1996-2002 Toyota 4Runner (Third generation)

• 2.7-liter inline-4 150hp or 3.4-liter V6 183hp
• 5-speed manual / 4-speed auto

This SUV offers body-on-frame ruggedness, reliability, and even luxury when configured in Limited trim. Some examples can still be found at reasonable prices, and Toyota’s long-term cost of ownership is low.

1997-2001 Honda Prelude (Fifth generation)

• 2.2-liter inline-4 195hp
• 5-speed manual / 4-speed auto

This is a perfect example of a “Golden Era” Honda: a high-revving sports coupe with a VTEC four-cylinder, and the SH model had ATTS (an active torque transfer system) to counteract understeer.

2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

• Supercharged 6.2-liter V8 668hp
• 6-speed manual / 10-speed auto

A family sedan that sprints to 60 in 3.4-seconds, equipped with a manual transmission and a supercharged motor. Truly a nod to true American muscle in the modern day – perhaps the last of its kind.

1998-2002 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG (W210)

• 5.4-liter M113 V8 349hp
• 5-speed automatic

This one is another people-hauler with exceptional performance and luxury car amenities. Finding one of these in good condition is getting tougher, and well-kept examples will appreciate.

2006-2007 Mazda Mazdaspeed 6

• Turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 274hp
• 6-speed manual

The design of this all-wheel drive sport sedan has aged well for being over 15 years old. It offers impressive equipment like a limited-slip differential, and it emphasizes fun-to-drive dynamics but could still be daily-driven.

1992-1997 Ford F-Series (Ninth generation)

• 4.9-liter inline-6, 460ci V8, 7.3-liter Power Stroke Diesel
• 5-speed manual / 4-speed auto

The F-Series has been America’s best-selling vehicle for over 40 years for good reason. The ninth-generation was the last true “Old Body Style” (OBS), and came in special versions such as the Lightning, Eddie Bauer, and FlareSide.

1989-1994 Nissan Maxima (Third generation)

• 3.0-liter V6 190hp
• 5-speed manual / 4-speed auto

The third-generation Maxima was the original “Four Door Sports Car” (4DSC), and the sporty SE trim had twin mufflers, tinted tails, and unique wheels. A well-kept example from this era will appreciate in collectability.

2005-2008 Jaguar X-Type Sportwagon

• 2.5-liter V6 or 3.0-liter V6 228hp
• 5-speed manual / 5-speed auto

This wagon checks a lot of boxes for enthusiasts: All-wheel drive, sporty underpinnings, versatile cargo carrying, and a manual transmission. Some drivetrain elements are shared with the Ford Contour SVT – another inevitable future classic.

No matter what era or genre of cars interest you, you’re bound to find it on ClassicCars.com. Check out the listings and find your dream future collectible.

This year somehow marks my 23^rd year attending Arizona auction week, and over the years I have driven a few rentals cars and quite a few press cars. These have included everything from a Nissan Versa SV (the car least deserving of SV in its name) all the way to exotic cars such as the Aston Martin DB11. This year is a bit different in that I am driving a car for the week in Arizona that is nothing like any other car I have had: the 2023 Lucid Air Grand Touring edition.

If you have not yet heard of the Lucid Air, it is an all-electric luxury sedan. The car’s design is unlike any other modern car I have seen, and it is truly a breakthrough design both in its exterior and interior. It is less of a direct competitor with the Tesla S, which quite honestly the Air betters in every way, but more of a competitor of the Mercedes EQS.

I had originally planned to rent a car for the week but last week received a call from my friend Dave Buchko, Product PR Manager at Lucid, asking if I would be interested in driving an Air for the week. I, of course, agreed, as up until now I had only ridden in a prototype Air awhile back and then last year on track with Ben Collins, also known as The Stig.

I met my Air at the offsite parking and was immediately struck with how nice the car looked. I was a bit uncertain if I would be able to figure out how to use the car, but found myself immediately at home with the car and was quickly able to sort out the control location, pair my phone, and set the navigation to head over the Barrett-Jackson to pick up my first set of credentials for the week.

On the road, even in its lowest performance setting, I was easily able to feel the truly amazing acceleration and performance available under my right foot. I did get that at a higher level during The Stig ride-along but being in control of the car myself was completely different.  I also quickly realized that the Air could be driven by using only the accelerator, something that reminded me or my time driving NASCAR stock cars on ovals.

I arrived at Barrett-Jackson around 30 min later, quickly realizing that I had traveled there much faster than I should have, and that I needed to carefully watch how fast I was going as the car is very easy to drive over the speed limit.

I pulled into the valet parking lot and after explaining how the car worked, I got my credentials and went into the main auction tent.

I met Dave at the Lucid booth and told him how much I liked the car. I added that it was able to fit all my suitcases, briefcase, and camera gear in the rear trunk. If you know me well you know that I bring about two weeks of clothes for a one-week trip, so this was a truly remarkable feat.

I spent the rest of the day at Barrett-Jackson planning out my auction tour and picking the cars I would discuss.

I left the auction and met Dave for dinner at the Tommy Bahama café to discuss and ask questions about the car. I had many questions and after dinner Dave showed me some of the hidden features of the car including Launch mode to achieve maximum acceleration runs. I have not tested that out yet but might find a way to do so during the week, so stay tuned.

After dinner I drove to my hotel, checked in and went to bed.

Total miles for day one: 72

Tuesday at the 2023 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction was dominated by a pair Cadillac convertibles. A 1969 Cadillac Coupe De Ville convertible and a 1970 Cadillac De Ville convertible were each sold for $110,000 and tied for the highest sale price of the day.

Top 10 Sales from Tuesday

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

Featured on AutoHunter, the online auction platform driven by ClassicCars.com, is a 1971 Dodge Challenger “widebody“.

“The Sunrise Pearl exterior features a custom widebody package with flared fenders and quarter panels, a pinched nose, and a custom-fabricated hood,” the listing states. “As a result, the body has been widened by two inches. The total cost of the paint and body work was reportedly $50,000. Additional exterior features include tucked and smoothed color-keyed bumpers, color-keyed mirror caps, shaved door handles, red accent stripes with flame graphics, and a custom rear panel and taillights.”

It rides on staggered Boze forged wheels, 18-inch front and 20-inch rear, with 245/40 front and 315/35 rear Nitto radial tires.

This custom Challenger has late-model front bucket seats, rear seat, trim, and door panels upholstered in black leather. Amenities include Vintage Air air conditioning, a Pioneer touchscreen stereo with hands-free capabilities, power windows, and a center console with cup holders.

The digital odometer reads 1,700 miles, reflecting the mileage accrued since the build process was completed, but the true mileage on this vehicle is unknown.

Under the hood is a 6.1-liter Hemi V8 prepared by Indy Cylinder Head featuring 5.7-liter heads, an aluminum Indy Mod-Man intake with dual 500-cfm Edelbrock four-barrel carburetors, relocated coil packs, and an MSD HEMI ignition. The engine is paired with a 4L80-E four-speed automatic transmission and a Dana 60 rear end.

It rides on an independent front suspension, with rack-and-pinion steering, and tubular control arms. This Challenger has power brakes courtesy of a Hydroboost set up featuring Baer 13-inch discs and six-piston calipers.

The sale includes a clear California title in the seller’s name.

This 1971 Dodge Challenger’s auction ends on Monday, January 30, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. (MST)

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and photo gallery