Throughout automotive history, certain vehicles have defied initial skepticism and emerged as unexpected successes. These cars, often dismissed by critics or overlooked at launch, surprised the world with their performance, reliability, or unique appeal. Their stories highlight the theme of unconventional greatness, where underdogs rise to prominence against the odds.
For instance, the Porsche Cayenne, introduced in 2002, faced skepticism from purists who questioned Porsche’s venture into the SUV market. However, it set record sales and proved the loyalists wrong with sports car-like performance, a trait Porsche has refined over 20 years and three generations. (autocar.co.uk)
Similarly, the 1986 Ford Taurus was a radical shift from its predecessor, the LTD. Its innovative design and features were so advanced that it felt like a product from an entirely different company, marking a significant evolution in Ford’s lineup. (jalopnik.com)
These examples set the stage for exploring more vehicles that, against all odds, achieved greatness and left a lasting impact on the automotive world.
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!
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 15th. 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.
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”?
This Ford Track-T Roadster was built in the 1990s and stored for an extended period thereafter. The car has a fiberglass body and rides on a modified suspension with front and rear ladder bars, transverse leaf springs, and a dropped front axle, four-wheel disc brakes, and staggered US Mags wheels. Power comes from a 1947 239ci flathead V8 topped with an Offenhauser intake manifold, two Stromberg 97 carburetors, and Offenhauser heads, and it is linked to a C-4 automatic transmission and a GM 10-bolt rear end. Acquired by its current owner in 2025, this Track-T is now offered at no reserve by the seller on their behalf with a clean California title listing the car as a 1926 Ford.
The car has a fiberglass body that has been painted black with flourishes, and the hood is louvered. The selling dealer believes the car was most recently painted in the 1990s before it was put into storage. A removable front bumper and reversing lights are included, and scratches are noted on various panels.
The car rides on a modified suspension with front and rear ladder bars, transverse leaf springs, and a dropped front axle with Armstrong lever shocks. It has four-wheel disc brakes and staggered US Mags wheels measuring 15″ up front and 18″ out back.
Red upholstery covers the bench seat and side panels, and the steering wheel has a black wrap.
A Lokar shifter was fitted along with Stewart-Warner gauges set in a brushed panel. There is no odometer.
Power comes from a 1947 239ci flathead V8 topped by an Offenhauser intake manifold and heads. The Stromberg 97 carburetors have velocity stacks, and the selling dealer notes that they will require further tuning.
The C-4 automatic transmission is linked to a GM 10-bolt rear end. The dual exhaust system terminates ahead of the axle.
The car is titled in California as a 1926 Ford using VIN 14202481. The title was signed in April 2025.
This 1940 Ford Deluxe Tudor sedan was built into a street rod between 2007 and 2010. The body was removed from the frame, which was boxed in the engine area, and it was repainted Mercedes-Benz Petrol Blue-Green Metallic. The car rides on a Mustang II-style front end with 15″ American Racing Torq Thrust II wheels and four-wheel disc brakes, and power is from a ZZ4 350ci V8 linked to a TH350 automatic transmission and a Ford 9″ rear end. The interior was redone with a kit from LeBaron Bonney, and the car also has an Edelbrock 750cfm carburetor, LED taillights, rear air shocks, VDO gauges, and Vintage Air climate control. Acquired by the selling dealer in 2023, this ’40 Tudor Sedan is now offered with service records and a clean Missouri title.
The body was removed from the frame, which was boxed in the engine area, and it was repainted Mercedes-Benz Petrol Blue-Green Metallic. LED taillights were used.
The car rides on a modified suspension with a Mustang II-style front end, rear air shocks, and rear lowering blocks for the parallel leaf springs. The 15″ American Racing Torq Thrust II wheels have staggered tires mounted, and a Pete & Jake’s master cylinder was used for the four-wheel disc brakes.
The upholstery was provided by LeBaron Bonney. A Vintage Air climate-control system has been installed.
A Lecarra steering wheel and VDO gauges were used. The 3,250 miles on the cluster represent the distance driven on the build.
The 350ci V8 is claimed to be a ZZ4 crate motor that has a roller camshaft, aluminum heads, and an Edelbrock 750cfm carburetor.
The TH350 automatic transmission is linked to a Ford 9″ rear end with 2.47 gears.
An album of photos showing various stages of the build is included in the sale along with a folder of service records.
A build sheet is also included.
The car is titled as a 1940 Ford using VIN 185506946.
The 1980s was a transformative decade for the automotive industry, where engineers and executives alike navigated a maze of evolving safety, emissions, and tax laws. Regulatory loopholes gave rise to cars that otherwise wouldn’t have existed—machines that blended ingenuity with opportunism. These loophole-inspired vehicles ranged from performance icons to quirky oddities, and their stories showcase the era’s unique blend of ambition and rule-bending. For more on this fascinating chapter of automotive history, visit Jalopnik or Road & Track.
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.
News on the Dodge Charger has its ups and downs these days—usually the latter. For those of you disappointed at the loss of the Hemi V8 and the advent of the EV-powered Charger Daytona, this is an ICE story for you.
Car and Driver brings to our attention what’s in store for 2026, which means Dodge just dropped a press release. As the EV-powered Charger Daytona has been the only game in town since the Charger’s redesign, we will finally get to see the twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six trickle down to dealerships before the end of the year. Is it a substitute for the Hemi? No, but “true” performance fans have finally been given some hope.
Image courtesy of Stellantis
The Charger Sixpack will be available as a coupe or sedan, both featuring the Charger’s good looks that seem to get better with each iteration. So why don’t we see more of these on the roads? (Well, duh!) The Sixpack may finally receive the esteem needed for the Charger to show up on Main Street, USA.
Image courtesy of Stellantis
The entry-level version will be the Charger Sixpack R/T, which sounds strange considering R/T used to be a step-up performance model. Powering the Sixpack R/T will be a 420-horsepower version of the Hurricane engine; a 550-horse version will power the Charger Sixpack Scat Pack, which is expected to pull 12.2-second ETs. Both version feature an eight-speed automatic and AWD, with the front axle capable of disconnecting automatically to improve fuel economy for the latter—shades of 1930s free-wheeling! Additionally, Sixpack Scat Pack models will also feature Line Lock standard, sending 100 percent of torque to the rear wheels while you annoy your neighbors.
Note the Sixpack hoodCharger Daytona EV in background
Look closely at the hood and you may notice the Sixpack lacks the “R-Wing” pass-through, which is a feature of the Daytona. Additionally, the hood features a bulge that not only looks great, but is also designed to accommodate the twin-turbo engine.
Note the Sixpack’s rear valence compared to the Daytona’s, especially the exhaust
If there’s a cost to this, it’s the 4800-pound weight, which would make an Imperial break out in a sweat. What’s the weight penalty on the front wheels? Fifty-five percent. If you thought the mention of cost was going to lead to the price, then here ya go: The Charger Sixpack R/T coupe will start at $51,990, while the Sixpack Scat Pack will require five grand more. Prefer the practicality of the sedan? Add another $2,000 and patience, as the sedan won’t appear until the new year.
The Charger Sixpack Scat Pack will be the first out of the gate, appearing late in 2025, while the Sixpack R/T will follow after the start of 2026. Considering the Charger’s architecture is already primed for ICE, could a Hemi V8 be far behind? With the return of Tim Kuniskis, we can only look forward to 2027 to see what Dodge may bring us.
