Celebrity Cars

Here’s Your Chance To Buy The Knight Rider KITT From ‘The Hoff’ Himself

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There aren’t many TV-show cars we get all soft in the knees for, but KITT is one of them. This KITT isn’t one of the original cars used in filming, but it does have a David Hasselhoff pedigree.

Built by a fan, Jennifer Catano, who then gave the car to Hasselhoff, this KITT is as authentic and true to the TV show Knight Rider car as you’re going to get (and much better than those KITT Mustang abominations from the show’s 2000s reboot)–and it’s starting at just $15,000. Estimated sale price is between $30,000 and $50,000.

So what makes this car so special? It includes the yoke-style steering wheel, scissor doors, dynamic ride height, and exterior lighting you expect of a true KITT car. A custom digital dash and console complete the driver’s eye look, and a custom soundboard with over 4,000 sound clips from the show add a layer of talking-KITT realism.

Sadly, the Turbo Boost function isn’t included in this homage car.

You can find the auction listing at Julien’s Live.

David Hasselhoff’s Personal Knight Rider KITT Pontiac Firebird. Image via Julien’s Live.

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via Motor Authority

Ultra-Rare AMG Mercedes-Benz 300SL Up For Sale

Mercedes-Benz’s in-house tuner AMG was only established in 1967 but the company has built a handful of original 300SLs in the past, including this 1954 gullwing. As the story goes, Brunei’s car crazy Sultan asked AMG if it could it take an original 300SL gulling coupe and 300SL roadster and fit them both with modern internals.

As drastic as it sounds, there was apparently enough demand that nine other examples were built (other buyers are believed to be from the Brunei royal family). So between 1996 and 2009, AMG took 11 original 300SLs–eight coupes and three roadsters–and did a restomod on them. They were then sold for a price of more than a million euros ($1.39 million at current exchange rates) each.

Now, one of the cars is up for sale. It’s a 1954 example with chassis number 198040. It will be going under the hammer at an RM Auctions event in Monaco in early May.

The chassis and body are original but most of the rest of the car is new. Instead of the original straight-six, it’s powered by a 6.0-liter V-8 rated at 380 horsepower and 427 pound-feet of torque. The 300SL’s original swing-arm rear suspension has also made way for a modern five-link setup, and also added to the mix were Bilstein shocks and AMG light alloys. Power steering, disc brakes and a four-speedautomatic transmission have also been added.

The interior is almost completely new and features a mixture of Nappa leather and Alcantara trim. As the shots reveal, the car also gets a HWA steering wheel, a Sony CD changer and carbon fiber protective panels. Other subtle interior touches include a steering-column lock for heightened security, as well as a complete set of original 300SL instruments which were adapted to modern comfort and electronic operation.

No estimate has been given but another of the AMG-modified 300SLs went up for auction in 2009 and sold for £462,000 ($767,460). That’s comparable with the price of an unmolested example so it will be interesting to see what this one will go for given the current mania in rare classics.

Other special cars to look out for during the RM Auction in Monaco, which gets underway May 10, include a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTE, 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400S, 1985 Porsche 959 prototype, and Ferrari and Brabham Formula One cars from 1989 and 1966, respectively.

via Motor Authority

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Celebrity Cars

Paul Walker’s Nissan Skyline GT-R On Sale For $1.35 Million (VIDEO)

The Skyline GT-R 34 that was featured in the Fast and Furious 4 movie and driven by the late Paul Walker, is currently for sale in Munich, Germany.

The car has a cult status among the fans of the F&F franchise and has been priced accordingly. GT-A, a German luxury and restoration company, has recently put the famous car on sale for one million euros, or $1.35 million dollars at today’s exchange rate. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the sale will be going to Paul Walker’s charity Reach Out WorldWide (ROWW).

The buyer won’t get just a prop car for this price, as this GT-R has been turned into a proper street racer.

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Pricey Pony: The First 2015 Ford Mustang GT Sells For $300k At Auction

The rights to the very first 2015 Ford Mustang GT was sold to the highest bidder at the Barrett-Jackson auctions taking place in Scottsdale, Arizona over the weekend. The final bid was a respectable $300,000, the proceeds of which will go to benefit diabetes support group JDRF.

MUST READ: Wrecked Ferrari F40 Restored On Fast N’ Loud Sells For $740k

As previously reported, the first production Mustang GT is yet to be built (the version on display was a pre-production unit), meaning the winning bidder will still be able to select the color of the car as well as any options. On top of this, the team involved in the 2015 Mustang’s design and development will sign the car in appreciation of the donation to JDRF.

The new Mustang will initially be offered in three flavors: base V-6, mid-level turbo four and range-topping V-8, with the latter being the Mustang GT you see here. Peak output from its 5.0-liter V-8 will hover somewhere around 420 horsepower and 396 pound-feet of torque.

ALSO SEE: First 2014 Camaro Z/28 And COPO Camaro Bring Over $1.3 Million At Auction

Production of the new Mustang starts in the coming months and the first examples are expected in showrooms in the fall. As part of the Mustang nameplate’s 50th anniversary on April 17, Ford is expected to make a major announcement, possibly centering on the introduction of a special edition model.

Via Motor Authority

Rusty Old Ferrari Could Fetch Over $2 million At Auction

Ferrari 330 GTS barn find © Courtesy of Gooding & Company. Photos by Mike Maez.

There are two things that strike us about so-called ‘barn finds’. One – how do you actually ‘lose’ a car, only to discover it a number of years later? And two – how come we never stumble across an old motor when touring the countryside?

Clearly we’re looking in the wrong barns.

What is a ‘barn find’?

That said, the term ‘barn find’ tends to cover many bases these days. In the past, a genuine ‘barn find’ would either be covered in weeds, a thick layer of dust or literally having a tree growing through the chassis.

Today, a ‘barn find’ can include anything from a car that’s been stored in a back garden for a few years, to a restoration project that simply never got started.

Which brings us neatly on to this 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS. It’s second owner clearly had good intentions, but the fact that it has remained untouched for 40 years means that the current owners never made good on their promise.

This wonderfully aged Ferrari 330 GTS was sold by its original owner after a small fire broke out in the engine bay. It was sold with a view to it being restored…

That was 40 years ago…

What is a Ferrari 330 GTS?

The Ferrari 330 GTS is a rare thing. The ‘spider’ version of the 330 GTC Coupe replaced the 275 GTS in the range and was unveiled in 1966, just prior to the 1966 Paris Salon.

The Pininfarina-designed 330 GTC/GTS is arguably one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever created, with a grille that was clearly inspired by the 500 Superfast from a few years earlier. The open-top GTS lost none of the GTC Coupe’s charm.

Power came from a 4.0-litre V12 engine, producing 300hp and capable of propelling the elegant open sports car to a top speed of 150mph. Production continued until 1968, when it was replaced by the 4.4-litre Ferrari 365 GTS.

What is the appeal of this Ferrari 330 GTS?

Only 99 examples were built, making this discovery truly remarkable. Even more so when you consider it was number five off the production line and has only completed 23,000 miles during its 47-year existence.

But following the fire and years of neglect, the Ferrari is presented in a rather tired condition. The auctioneers, Gooding & Company, are listing the vehicle as “an exciting candidate for a concours-quality restoration”, which we have to say leaves us feeling slightly uncomfortable.

Surely the major appeal of this ‘barn find’ is that it’s presented in its original condition. For sure, bringing it up to concours condition would create a beautiful example of a low-mileage 330 GTS, but wouldn’t that destroy its wonderful patina?

How much is the Ferrari 330 GTS expected to fetch at auction?

That said, there might not be too much room for a profit on this particular 330 GTS. It’s expected to fetch in the region of $2,000,000 (£1,220,000) when it goes to auction in Scottsdale, Arizona.

And given that a beautifully restored 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS fetched $1,900,000 (£1,160,000) at auction in Texas last April, this unrestored example is likely to be purchased by a serious collector with deep pockets.

It’s a rare and beautiful thing and it might just set the tone for another year of crazy auction prices.

In the meantime, we’re off to take a look inside some old, derelict barns…
via MSNcars

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