The Eagle Field military base’s initial 1945 closure must’ve been a happy occasion for all concerned. Not so the historic facility’s second sudden shutdown, 80 years later, as a twice-yearly drag strip that faithfully honored the property’s WWII legacy with vintage warbirds flown fast and low over abandoned military structures and vehicles. Vintage racers accepted minimal traction across an eighth-mile stretch of land first prepared for training combat pilots. Fans lining the pit side cheerfully endured sudden gusts of wind and dust. Alas, a new landlord reportedly presented new terms that abruptly ended a successful experiment by bracket-racer-turned-promoter Rocky Phillips that spanned 15 seasons. Fortunately for all parties, the nearby city of Mendota’s active airport stepped up to host Eagle Field’s traditional spring and fall events for the near future, at least (info: eaglefielddrags.com).    

Photographer: Dave Wallace

Date: May 2010

Location: Eagle Field Airport Drags; Firebaugh, California

Source:  Wallace Family Archive

The post Carspotting: WWII-Era Eagle Field Changes Course appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

Mercedes-Benz confirmed the return of its G-Class Cabriolet, prompted by popular demand from fans and enthusiasts who have been calling for its return. The G-Wagen, a four-wheel-drive luxury SUV recognized for its iconic design, exceptional build quality, and off-road capability derived from military origins, just became even more unique with the reintroduction of the open-top model.

A Legacy Reborn: What We Know About the New G-Wagen Convertible

The G-Class has been a symbol of uncompromising off-road capability and rugged luxury for decades, and the new Cabriolet will be no different. While Mercedes-Benz has kept specific details under wraps, we’ve gathered all the information we can until further notice.

The Cabriolet’s return leverages the G-Class’s iconic heritage, positioning the convertible as a new, bona fide member of the global G-Class lineup, not just a limited-edition indulgence. The Cabriolet will join the recently introduced all-electric G-Class EV and the updated 2025 G-Wagen, further expanding the iconic lineup.

Unlike the previous limited-run G-Wagen convertibles, the new Cabriolet is expected to be sold in nearly every market where the standard SUV is available, including the United States. This marks the first time U.S. customers can purchase an open-top G directly from a Mercedes-Benz showroom.

A New Chapter for the G-Class

The G-Class has always blended an unmistakable boxy silhouette with immense off-road capability and on-road presence. The return of the Cabriolet honors this heritage while embracing modern engineering. The Cabriolet is expected to share the same rugged ladder-frame construction, advanced 4MATIC system, and off-road capability that makes the G-class SUV legendary. It’s anticipated to offer the same powertrains and driving dynamics as the standard G-Class, making it possible to tackle off-road terrain or cruise the highways in top-down fashion.

While no G-Class is “cheap,” the new Cabriolet is expected to be more accessible than the previous hyper-exclusive, limited-run models like the $550,000 Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet. Market observers speculate a starting price likely to be north of $200,000.

While the U.S. market wasn’t privy to the factory-built G-Wagen convertibles for many years, the two-door open-tops have been a staple in other parts of the world. The revival is an exciting opportunity for American enthusiasts to finally experience this iconic vehicle. Stay tuned for updates on specs, pricing, and the official release date.

The post Confirmed: Mercedes-Benz is Bringing Back the G-Class Cabriolet for 2026 appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

For some, riding a motorcycle without a helmet is an act of defying regulations and asserting their individual freedom. For others, riding helmet-free it enhances the experience by offering a stronger sense of freedom, sensory engagement, and connection with the road. However, this choice comes with significant risks and potential legal consequences in many places. That’s why BMW is on the road to resolving helmetless restrictions by adding a roll cage and harness to a CE04, which is said to keep occupants protected in the event of a crash.

BMW’s new concept is called the Vision CE, and it’s not the first of its kind. You may remember the BMW C1, a scooter that was equipped with a roof, windshield, and seat belts in the early 2000s. The C1 had an aluminum spaceframe that formed a protective safety cell around the rider. While some jurisdictions still required the use of helmets, authorities such as the German Federal Ministry of Transport and TÜV approved the C1 for helmet-free use due to its safety features.

Even so, the potential arrival of a roll cage-equipped BMW Vision CE electric scooter still raises safety concerns.

Freedom Of The Open Road Comes With Risks

BMW says the goal of the Vision CE is to “eliminate the need for a helmet as well as protective clothing,” but offers no images of real people sitting on the scooter. At first glance, we still have concerns about the possibility of arms and hands ending up outside of the “safe space” – look at how the handles are positioned outside of the roll cage. Plus, what about the rider’s legs and feet?

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirm that legs and feet are the most commonly injured body parts in non-fatal motorcycle accidents, accounting for around 30% of all such injuries, often from direct impact with another vehicle or road surface. The severity of these injuries, which can include fractures, road rash, crushing injuries, and nerve damage, can result in long-term disability.

Interestingly enough, it has been proven that, with the addition of a roll cage, there’s a greater risk of your skull striking a solid, fixed object, which can cause severe brain injury. A helmet provides a crucial layer of protection against this type of impact.

BMW also claims the Vision CE can “completely balance itself when stationary,” which can prevent low-speed tip overs that are more common with new riders, the exact audience that BMW hopes to target with its new concept. However, the feature still leaves room for slip-ups, such as a rider skidding over slick road paint in the rain. The initial instinct of a beginner rider is to stick their leg out to regain stability, but the images from the press release don’t show solutions for such a risk.

While the idea to offer a product that allows riders to hit the road helmet and motorcycle armor free could find its own niche in the market, the Vision CE appears to pose similar risks when compared any other scooter or motorcycle. And realistically, will a rider with a helmet-free preference choose a bike with an unsightly roll bar? We suspect not. What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.

The post BMW Has a Vision For Helmet-Free Motorcycle Safety appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

When Alfa Romeo folded its tents and left the U.S. market in 1995, its product line had been reduced to the 164 LS sedan and its upmarket sibling, the 164 Quadrifoglio. (The ancient Spider was withdrawn after 1994, but another 40 trickled off dealers’ lots in the following year.) Meanwhile, back in Milan, the company had been busy creating a new generation of cars that American Alfisti could only dream about. One of those was the 145.

This 1996 Alfa Romeo 145 2.0 that we found in the Hemmings Marketplace is a good example of the car we were denied 30 years ago, but are now allowed to import. It’s a three-door design — Europeans were always more accepting than Americans of the idea of a premium hatchback — and was the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 33, yet another model not sold here. In Quadrifoglio form, with the same 2-liter, Twin Spark inline-four that powers this car, it was Alfa’s hot hatch for the mid-1990s.

Although the design was shaped in the wind tunnel, resulting in a low 0.32 coefficient of drag, Alfa boasted that this was no jelly-bean shape, like so many of is contemporaries. “Such was the genius of the 145 design team that any temptation to let the laws of aerodynamics take control and produce a bland ‘jelly-mould’ shape was firmly resisted. The result is a visual triumph, an Alfa Romeo worthy of its illustrious predecessors,” the company said. That design team was led by Chris Bangle, during his seven years at Centro Stile Fiat before his departure for BMW.

Automotive critics found it hard to pigeonhole the 145, which featured wraparound glass behind the front doors, but it was generally agreed that it was a useful design that could be configured in a number of ways. Alfa Romeo themselves realized that there was a market for a more conventional body style on the same platform, introducing the 146 five-door seven months after the 145’s April 1994 unveiling. (Though the 146 looked like a conventional sedan, it, too, was a hatchback.)

The Type 903A, as it was known in-house, was based on Fiat’s front-wheel-drive, unit-body Tipo Due platform, which was also the basis of the contemporary Fiat Tipo, Lancia Delta, and Alfa Romeo Spider and GTV models, among others. It could accommodate both Alfa’s horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engines, mounted longitudinally, and its inline-fours, mounted transversely. The most powerful of these engines was the 16-valve, DOHC, 1,970-cc Twin Spark inline-four, which was rated at 153 hp at 6,400 rpm and 138 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. This engine was borrowed from the Alfa Romeo 155, which was dominating European touring car championships.

As the name implies, the alloy head of the Twin Spark incorporates two spark plugs per cylinder. Getting dual plugs to fit in a combustion chamber that already held four valves was no small feat; the engineers put one in the center, for maximum efficiency, and a second, smaller-diameter plug on the edge of the chamber between an inlet and an exhaust valve. Though impact on overall performance wasn’t significant, the second valve let the engine idle more smoothly in lean conditions.

The 145 featured MacPherson struts up front and a trailing arm suspension in the rear. Buyers had a choice of one transmission, a five-speed manual. Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering was also standard equipment. The 145 was a sales success for Alfa Romeo, with some 221,000 produced between 1994 and 2000.

This 145 is being offered for sale by a classic car dealer in Brazil that has been in the export/import business since 1997 and can ship worldwide. The asking price of $10,000 does not include shipping fees. According to the seller, the 145 was refurbished at 80,000 miles by a local Alfa Romeo specialist, getting new paintwork and a variety of new components, including engine rings and pistons, clutch, shock absorbers, battery, brake discs and pads, and more. About 30,000 miles have been added since the work was done.

If you’re interested in a seldom-seen, fun-to-drive hot hatch with a great pedigree and that won’t break the bank, this 145 might be your cup of limoncello.

The post 4 Cylinders, 8 Spark Plugs, and Chris Bangle Styling: Meet the Not-Sold-Here Alfa Romeo 145 appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

It is low to the earth, a wedge-shaped Italian from the 1970s in a blinding shade of yellow. It looks like a car from an electric racing track set. The number gumballs, riveted-on flares and the sponsor stickers tell the tale: this is a racing machine that was destined to do more than be parked outside of a fancy restaurant. It’s a 1977 Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer that was modified by Carrozzeria AutoSport, and it looks ready to start cranking out laps at Monza. 

While there is no doubting a Ferrari’s racing pedigree, thanks to the course that Enzo Ferrari plotted for his company from the beginning through his end with the F40 program, there can be doubts placed on the road cars. Is it a racing car, or just a racy car? From the view of someone who doesn’t tread in the world of Italian exotics, it’s a proper question. Most Ferrari road cars are racy. They make the noise, they have the speed, but many times they exist as a status symbol. They are like a bespoke suit, a high-end watch, or a yacht; meaning, they exist to enhance the reputation and status of the owner more than any other reason. 

On the other side of the coin are the true racing machines from Maranello. Ferrari racing cars don’t make good pets. They are temperamental. They require an owner with deep pockets, a knowledgeable wrench well-versed in V12 wizardry and every quirk that comes with a hand-built Italian job, and a driver with solid brass ones who can wring every ounce of performance from the machine without parking the car in the weeds. Make no mistake, when race day comes around a skilled driver will struggle to find a better set of wheels. Few cars can perform in the way a Ferrari can.

Ferraris aren’t “middle ground” cars. They either are, or they aren’t. But in this case, we can see a proper exception for this Boxer. It is a street car, legal for the roadways, mild-mannered enough to live for a drive in the countryside or some winding road in the hills. We admit, the provided video of the car out on a romp helps a bit. Convincing yourself that the car is legal as you click-click through the gears, shifting at 6,500 RPM might be a bit harder than you first anticipate. The growl of that 4.9-liter twelve has the kind of exhaust note that can grab the ear of any anyone who is within earshot. 

Imagine settling into that seat. Strapping on those belts. Firing off that hand-built twelve and cracking open those Weber carburetors for a quick rev. Grab that shifter handle, drop it into first gear, and letting that heavy clutch out. For kids who played games like OutRun or the Rad Racer video games, the idea of hopping into a Ferrari and hitting the road sounds like a dream come true. In a Ferrari with a proper body kit, air intakes on the roof and better deep dishes than what you can find in Chicago, what’s stopping you from experiencing a little of that magic for yourself? Only 929 of the 512 BB were made, and only 2,323 total Berlinetta Boxers were produced by Maranello between 1973 and 1984. Rare, hand-formed by the artisans at Pininfarina, and decidedly angry, this Boxer needs a workout. Will you be the kind of owner who allows it?

The post Straddle The Line Between Street Car And Racing Machine With This 1977 Ferrari 512 BB appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

I love junkyards, and have since I was a kid. There are fewer of them these days, but on occasion I still see a promising one on the edge of town, and I take the time to have a look. It all started when I was in the third grade in Santa Monica, California. To get to my elementary school I had to walk through an industrial area that included a tire shop, a lumberyard, and most importantly, an automotive salvage yard.

On occasion my pals and I used to sneak through the gate, past the small trailer that housed the proprietor, who was a hugely overweight fellow with a red face. We would climb in the cars and pretend to be chasing bad guys or running from the police, and we would check glove compartments for treasures such as bottle openers—that is until the owner spotted us and chased us out. We were young and agile, and he was the size of a Buick Roadmaster, so there was no danger of being caught.

My family moved away the next year, and things got tougher at salvage yards with the advent of junkyard guard dogs. Later, in my teens I remember going to Cavin’s Wrecking in Long Beach, California, to get yet another transmission for a friend’s 1949 Ford. (My friend Frank was hard on gearboxes.) We arrived when they opened, but before we could go out into the yard, Mr. Cavin had to place two big bowls of dog food in a large cage in his office, and then raised a trap door that allowed his two maniacal Dobermans with evil yellow eyes to come rushing in.

By the early 1960’s most junkyards had guard dogs, and they meant business. One salvage yard nearby was even reputed to have an old circus lion to protect the inventory. I also heard about a salvage yard in Detroit that acquired a full-grown chimpanzee for such duties. Unfortunately, the chimp decided to explore other parts of the city, and escaped. He was out for a week before he could be subdued. And then there is a friend in Indiana who told me about being chased onto the hood of a car by a junkyard guard hog.

That is all in the past now, thanks to cameras and electronics, and the fact that it is no longer acceptable to inconvenience thieves. Also, old-style junkyards are disappearing due to environmental concerns. But there are still a few good ones around. For example, in my area there is Pick-a-Part in Wilmington, California, where you can still get under and get dirty.

You need to be properly attired if you are going there. And I am not talking about a tuxedo. Overalls or blue jeans are appropriate, as are a long-sleeved shirt, leather shoes and leather work gloves. I would also take a pair of safety glasses and a small tool box full of hand tools such as combination wrenches, a Crescent wrench, a socket set, and maybe some WD-40 to loosen rusted parts. A multimeter is also handy if you are looking for electronic components.

Going to salvage yards for parts is old-school though. That’s because we have the internet, and of course, Hemmings Motor News, where parts for just about every car ever made are available by mail. I have used both for many years now, and have never been cheated or mistreated.

I call vendors and talk to them to find out if they have what I need, and sound reputable, before giving them my credit card number. Many of them ship worldwide. The only time I ever experienced credit card fraud in my life was at a restaurant in San Francisco many years ago.

Though I no longer frequent junkyards for parts, I still stop and look when I see a promising one. You never know what you’ll find. The last time I stopped at a salvage yard in the desert east of Los Angeles I found a 1947 Packard Custom Super Clipper, a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, and an American Motors Gremlin. And all of them were restorable.

Junkyards aren’t as common as they used to be, but you can usually enter them without sneaking in, and there are no longer berserk Dobermans to tear you from limb to limb. For me it’s kind of like touring archeological ruins and seeing what once was. In fact, I have even been known to tour junkyards in other countries.

In New Zealand there is a super salvage yard called Horopito Motor Wreckers on the Central North Island that goes way back, and has cars and parts from all over the world. It is the Louvre of junkyards, with acres of cars from every era, plus a couple of huge warehouses. I can spend half a day wandering through their offerings. But that’s just me. If you don’t enjoy such pursuits, stay home and let your mind wander, and browse Hemmings, while sitting in your comfy chair with a cup of coffee.

The post Weekend Wrench: Show Me Your Junk appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.