It started with an email. My friend Adrian sent me a note stating, “I came across this interesting Chevrolet ad in the Monday, February 20, 1967, edition of the Gloucester County Times newspaper while doing some research on Ace Motor Sales and Eastlack Lincoln-Mercury, Inc. of Woodbury, New Jersey. Have you ever heard of this new ‘light monitoring system’ option? I wonder why it wasn’t available in California?”

I’ve seen this light monitoring system—later branded Vigilite—several times on Chevrolets, mainly 1968-69 models. It’s not a common option, being a feature that I would expect more on a Cadillac than the brand that was lowest on the General Motors totem pole. Digging into the 1967 full-size brochure, I found no mention of the option, though it appears in the 1968 catalog as a pair of fender-top monitors (versus the one pictured in the 1967 ad that sits on the rear package shelf). Logically, a vehicle should have both, so I will guess that I simply never noticed the interior monitor in cars that I have seen.

According to the ad, it was available in 1967 full-size Chevrolets and Chevelles, and I know it was expanded to Camaros for 1968. The option also was standard on the redesigned 1968 Corvette, though it was a set of monitor lights on the console.

I dove into old newspaper ads online and discovered this option was introduced in the middle of the model year. The first mention I found was a press release blurb in the January 26, 1967, edition of the Oakland (CA) Tribune.

Next, I grabbed my trusty Chevrolet SS Muscle Car Red Book, but the option was not listed for 1967 full-size or Chevelle models. However, ChevelleStuff.net shows 113 Chevelles were built with option code U46, which was introduced in February 1967. For full-size Chevrolets, the GM Heritage Center has provided a number of 1,107.

None of this addresses why cars sold in California could not be ordered with U46. Knowing that each state handles its affairs differently, it would not be unusual for something to be illegal in a particular state (the State of Pennsylvania had issues with the 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird, for example). However, I did find this on the Internet:

CVC Section 25108(b–c) sets clear limits on external indicators used for monitoring functionality. Specifically:

• Exterior pilot indicators (like those used to show whether a lamp is functioning) must not exceed 0.20 square inches in lens area.
• Light intensity must be no more than 0.10 candlepower.
• Red lenses may not be visible from the front of the vehicle.

I do not know if this is particularly true for the light monitoring system in California, but I would be willing to bet the option ran afoul of state regulators.

If you know something about this, we would be appreciative if you chimed in!

The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X is a 1,250-horsepower hybrid and one of the fastest cars on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The mid-engine, all-wheel-drive road rocket is light-years ahead of its ancestors in terms of output and performance. But there’s one major thing that connects the recently announced ZR1X Quail Silver Limited Edition to the first-generation Vette.

It certainly isn’t the layout, given that the current Corvette has its engine behind the passenger compartment. Yes, the ZR1X is powered by a V8 like most C1s, but it’s an LT7 5.5-liter DOHC V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft and twin turbos. Let’s not forget that the LT7 is assisted by the front axle’s electric motor and paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, both of which enable the ZR1X to absolutely scorch its way to 60 mph in under two seconds and top out at 233 mph.

So what exactly is it that connects the ZR1X Quail Silver Limited Edition to the first-gen Vette? Its color. According to Chevrolet, its Blade Silver Matte finish was inspired by the Inca Silver available on 1957-1959 Corvettes. Accents include Carbon Flash mirror caps, orange calipers for the carbon ceramic brakes, and black exhaust tips.

As a 2026 model, the ZR1X Quail Silver Limited Edition benefits from the comprehensive interior updates Chevrolet rolled into all Corvettes. Although the ZR1X Quail Silver comes in an exclusive color and finish, its cockpit is dressed in a combination of Sky Cool and Medium Ash Gray along with Habanero orange accents, a color scheme available on less potent 2026 Vettes. A “Limited Edition” plaque between the seats identifies each car by its build number.

Prices for the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X start at $207,395* for the 1LZ coupe; the MSRP jumps up to $217,395* for the 1LZ convertible. The price of entry into a 3LZ coupe is $218,395*; opting for the drop-top model again will cost an additional $10,000 (with all prices including a $1,995 Destination Freight Charge). The Quail Silver Limited Edition package is available only on the ZR1X 3LZ convertible and increases its MSRP to $241,395 (before delivery fees). Adding on the ZTK Performance Package will bump that number even higher, though it adds a firmer chassis, higher spring rates, the ZR1X Carbon Fiber Aero Package, and Michelin Pilot Cup 2 R tires.

As part of Monterey Car Week, Chevrolet will have the 2026 Corvette ZR1X Quail Silver Limited Edition on display at “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering” in Carmel, California, on August 15^th. If you happen to score a build slot for one, expect for it to come off the production line next year. If a “regular” ZR1X (the grossest of gross understatements) is fine with you, you won’t have to wait as long because that will be available by the end of 2025.

The highest-grossing film of 1978 was “Grease,” a musical starring John Travolta. It brought in $366.2 million worldwide and ended up having a wildly successful soundtrack, with over 30 million copies sold. One of the main characters in the film was a 1948 Ford . . . except it didn’t look much like a 1948 Ford at all, having been heavily modified with a plexiglass hood, chopped front fenders, and massive tailfins. Today, the actual movie car resides at the Volo Museum in Illinois.

If you’re a Ford fan who’s more into original-equipment classics, then you will enjoy our AutoHunter Spotlight that shows what the movie car might have started out looking like. This 1948 Ford Super Deluxe Convertible is being sold by a private seller in Deltona, Florida, with the auction ending Friday, August 15, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. (PDT).

Parrot Green (known as “M14226” in Ford’s color palette for the year) is a muted tone that works well with the coupe’s body lines. Exterior features include chrome brightwork, spotlight, split windshield, power-retractable white soft top, and wide-whitewall tires wrapped around body-colored steel wheels. Note the aftermarket driving lights.

By the time model year 1948 rolled around, Ford was getting ready to retire its design language that had been around since 1941. Because the brand’s focus was centered on getting buyers excited about the incoming, redesigned 1949 models, the 1948 production calendar was shorter than usual. Only 12,033 convertibles were built before the plants switched over. The Super Deluxe units rolled off the line with a luxurious interior for the time, offering features like a dash clock, radio, and armrests.

Power for this car comes from a two-barrel 239ci “Flathead” V8 mated to a three-speed manual transmission—a powertrain that was factory-rated at 100 horsepower. Later in life, this Ford was upgraded with a 12-volt electrical system, electric fuel pump, and power-assisted front disc brakes. The odometer shows 80,308 miles, but the title reads mileage-exempt.

The Super Deluxe is a practical ride with classic charm, making it a popular choice among collectors. If originality isn’t your thing, perhaps you have some customization ideas for a “Greased Lightning”-style hot rod tribute of your own? If so, you could start with a Super Deluxe as your blank canvas.

The auction for this 1948 Ford Super Deluxe Convertible ends Friday, August 15, 2025, at 11:15 a.m. (PDT).

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Toyota could have been accused of that when it introduced the MR2 in 1984 as a response to the Pontiac Fiero 2M4. While the Fiero was eventually discontinued, Toyota evolved the MR2 into a baby thoroughbred sports car of sorts. In its third incarnation, the MR2 returned to its roots. Our Pick of the Day is a third-generation example of this lightweight mid-engined car. This 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Though it may appear that Toyota was inspired by the Fiero, this was not quite the case as the MR2 hit the streets about 10 months after the Fiero. Much to the chagrin of Poncho fans, the original 1985 MR2 (code-named W10) was a better Fiero than what Pontiac developed. Of course, Pontiac sorted it out and then killed it—typical for the corporation at the time (and arguably true even today). The W10 was produced through 1989, a year after the Pontiac was unceremoniously killed.

After the Fiero was put to rest, Toyota introduced a second-generation MR2 for 1990. Appearing as a more evolved mid-engine sports car, the new “W20” MR2 featured slick styling for the time, almost like a smaller, mid-engine Ford Probe (feel free to rage in the Comments section below). Horsepower was 130 with the 2.0-liter inline-four, with a hot turbo version adding 70 more horsepower. The W20 was produced through 1999.

For the 2000 model year, Toyota brought the MR2 back to its tidy two-seater roots, though as a convertible. Called “Spyder,” the “W30” MR2 eschewed hidden headlamps for a more Austin-Healey Sprite-esque look. Throughout its six-year lifecycle (for North America; two more years elsewhere), the MR2 Spyder was powered by a 138-horsepower DOHC 1.8-liter inline-four, which could be paired with a five-speed manual or automated manual. Later, a six-speed automated manual became available, as did a six-speed manual for the European market. Unfortunately, after it built 27,941 MR2 Spyders for the North American market, Toyota decided to throw in the towel two years later.

This Solar Yellow 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder has an impressively low 12,300 miles. It also features the five-speed manual transmission, so you can cry a sigh of relief. “The car feels tight, responsive, and nearly as fresh as the day it left the factory,” says the seller. “The sleek black top is in excellent condition … and it still includes the highly sought-after carbon-fiber dash.”

The original window sticker, manuals, and accompanying books go with the sale. Considering you won’t find many affordable mid-engine cars today (the C8 Corvette is the cheapest and the only attainable example), why not go for this reasonably priced ($21,500) “Mister Two”?

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

With 16-cylinder engines and price tags in the millions of dollars, it seems as if every Bugatti is a totally unique creation, but that’s not entirely true. If you go to the French automaker’s media site, look under its Hypercars section and you’ll find a section marked Few-Off; those include 40 units of the Divo and 10 specimens of the Centodieci. And then there’s the Brouillard, a product of the company’s new Programme Solitaire bespoke division that’s a 1-of-1 build.

The person who commissioned the Brouillard collects Carlo Bugatti furniture, Rembrandt Bugatti bronze sculptures and, of course, Ettore Bugatti cars. Ettore loved horses, particularly Brouillard, “a majestic thoroughbred with a coat as white as the first snowfall, speckled with the subtle shades of a summer morning mist” and “the embodiment of everything Ettore admired: speed, beauty, and unparalleled grace.” Brouillard not only inspired the name of this one-off, but his curves and musculature also influenced its sculpted design and proportions.

Visually, the Brouillard is divided into two parts: the upper two-thirds are finished in light green, making the silhouette appear lower and longer, while the bottom third is darker, blending in with the Brouillard’s shadow.

A center spine (a design element seen on other Bugattis, including the Type 57 SC Atlantic) runs over the front of the car, across the glass roof, and down the middle of the cover for the 1,578-horsepower W16, ending just ahead of the fixed ducktail rear wing.

The cockpit is furnished with a mixture of light green leather, custom-woven fabric in a tartan pattern, green-tinted carbon fiber, and machined aluminum, as well as clear references to Ettore’s favorite steed.

The seats (custom-made to the client’s preferences) and door panels feature embroidered horse accents. A miniature hand-crafted bust of Ettore Bugatti’s prized horse is encased in glass at the front of the machined aluminum shifter for the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

For now, the Brouillard is Programme Solitaire’s only completed build, but there will be others coming at a rate of only two a year; all will be based on existing Bugatti chassis and powertrains. You can see the Bugatti Brouillard in all its equine glory at its world debut during Monterey Car Week, which runs August 8-17.