Kia’s third-generation Soul was launched in 2019, updating the boxy model – a large hatch or a small crossover depending on your viewpoint. It arrived that year with two engines, a manual transmission, and the promise of an EV model to come.

Kia Cuts Powertrain Choices

In 2022, the stick shift disappeared. And the delayed EV was canceled. For 2023, the 201-horsepower 1.6L turbo-four gas engine is being dropped.

The remaining engine will be a 147-horse 2.0L four-cylinder that produces 132 pounds-feet of torque. It will be front-wheel drive and will have a CVT Kia calls “Intelligent Variable Automatic.” 2023 EPA numbers weren’t released, but with the small exterior changes, it’s safe to expect the same 28 mpg city, 33 highway as 2022.

The top-tier Turbo trim disappears with the engine it’s named for. X-Line, a trim level that added black cladding to the arches and sills – an attempt to make the Soul a bit more rugged – is also gone.

So what’s new? Kia calls the 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation “a welcome addition” to the car. But it has us a touch confused, as it looks just like last year’s 10.25-inch screen with nav. It’s on all but LX models, with the base trim getting an 8.0-inch screen. All of them have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

New Look, Bright New Paint

The front fascia is also all-new. The 2023 Kia Soul gets a more expressive lower grille featuring some bright new accents that vaguely mirror Kia’s latest Tiger Nose face. New LED headlights are offered, with the daytime running light signature, turn signals, and fog light designs also all-new. There are small changes to the rear fascia and new lights back there.

Keeping the Soul funky, Kia is adding new two-tone paint shades including white with a black roof and the Surf Blue of the photos with a black roof.

More Standard Driver Assistance

The list of standard driver assistance features now includes Forward Collision-Avoidance with pedestrian detection, Lane Keeping Assist + Lane Following Assist, and Lane Departure Warning. The soul will have a high-beam assist as well as a rear occupant alert that uses door logic (instead of ultrasonic sensors).

Included with a new LX Technology Package (and standard on all trims above) are two other key driver assists. Blind Spot Collision Avoidance and Rear Cross Collision Avoidance.

The 2023 Kia Soul will be offered in LX, S, EX, GT-Line, and GT-Line Tech trims. GT-Line Tech includes comfort goodies like a Harman/Kardon audio system and multi-color LED speaker lights that pulse to your music. This feature is also offered on Seltos and livens up the cabin at night.

GT-Line Tech New Top Trim

Heated front seats are also reserved for the top trim, with power adjustment for the driver. As is forward collision avoidance with junction turning capability. That feature can help you avoid a collision if you’re turning left in front of oncoming traffic. Highway Drive Assist, which combines adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist to help make long drives easier, is also part of the package. That adaptive cruise system is navigation-based, so it can slow for bends and intersections.

The Soul might not be Kia’s most talked about model, but the automaker points out sales were up five percent last year to top 75,000 units. While pricing for 2023 hasn’t been released yet, expect it to remain competitive and keep the Soul moving.

We can all read a spec sheet and see how much more horsepower a newer car makes. That doesn’t help you know what it’s like in the real world. Drivability, gearing, tires, and a dozen other factors all come into play.

Turbo Generations Explained

Since Porsche and Porsche’s fans use chassis codes to separate the different generations of cars instead of using model years like you might be used to, here’s a summary. A bit of a primer to get you ready for the big matchup.

930 is the chassis code for the first-generation of Porsche 911 Turbo. Launched in 1975, it came with a 3.0L flat-six engine and a great big turbocharger that made 260 hp. Way back then, it came with a four-speed manual. The particular car raced here is a 1988 model (the second-last year), meaning that it had the larger 3.3L, 300 hp engine and a Tea Tray spoiler instead of the whale tail of the iconic original.

Beside it is a 964 Turbo. This is a 1993 car with 320 hp from a 3.3L flat-six engine. The model ran from 1989-to 1994.

A couple of years later, a 1995 993-generation Porsche 911 Turbo car with 3.6L and 408 hp. The generation ran from 1994-to 1998.

The host of the video is in a 996-generation (1998-2004) Turbo S. That car, the first generation of water-cooled Porsche 911s makes 450 hp from its 3.6L flat-6 engine.

Now we’re well into the 2000s, and the red car shown is a 2010-build 997-generation (the one from 2004-2011) Turbo S. 530 hp are on tap this time from a 3.8L flat-six.

Besides that, a 991-generation (2011-2018) 2016 Turbo S with 560 hp, and then, finally, the current-generation 992 Porsche 911 Turbo S. This last one has 650 hp from a 3.7L flat-six and represents the current pinnacle of 911 turbo-dom.

Is Newer Always Better? Or Faster?

If you want more about each one, you’ll have to watch. The spec of each car, including which gearbox each one has fitted, is gone over in-depth. Plus, why some of the earlier cars aren’t Turbo S models like the later versions.

Before the race, we get to hear each one rev separately. It’s a great way to hear how much the 911 Turbo audio signature has changed.

But you’re here for the race. It goes as you’d expect, with the newer and more powerful (and all-wheel drive) cars leaving the rest far behind. There are some surprises, though, especially right off of the line.

There might be some missed shifts and other miscues. At least one perk of a more modern car becomes painfully apparent, with one driver experiencing some more severe issues.

It’s impressive to see how much difference there is between the oldest and newer cars. Even more surprising is just how close the more modern cars are.

Rolling Starts Plus Stopping Short

Next up, some rolling-start races at different speeds. Taking the AWD advantage out of the equation but showcasing how much lag older turbocharged cars had and the importance of more gears in the box.

Last? A braking test. Each car had to stop from 100 miles per hour to see which could come to a halt in the least amount of space. Do larger brakes and stickier tires make up for the much heavier weight of modern Porsche cars? We can’t spoil the whole thing for you, can we?

Robbie Brenner, Executive Producer, Mattel Films:

“As the global leader in car culture, Hot Wheels has been igniting the challenger spirit in auto enthusiasts for generations. Fans of all ages are now in for the ride of their lives with the incredible talent of J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot joining us alongside Warner Bros. Pictures to transform Hot Wheels’ legendary IP into a thrilling story for the big screen.”

It’s not the first time that the best-selling cars in the world have made the leap from the living room floor to the screen. A single-season animated TV series ran in 1969. Multiple animated films and shows feature the cars, aimed mainly at kids via Saturday morning cartoons and streaming service movies.

Longtime TV and Movie Writer Attached

The announcement was short on details about plans for the movie, but IMDb has writer Paul Attanasio attached as screenwriter. His other works include 2002’s The Sum of All Fears and 1994’s Quiz Show. He has also worked extensively on multiple TV series. One of those series was Homicide: Life on the Streets, so could we be looking at gritty Hot Wheels? Probably not.

Bad Robot film chief Hannah Minghella:

“Before Hot Wheels became the global household name it is today, it was the dream of Elliot Handler, who was inventing and building toy cars at home in his Southern California garage. It’s that imagination, passion, and risk-taking spirit that we want to capture in this film.”

We’re big fans of the Hot Wheels expansion into Forza Horizon 3. It brought the signature orange and blue tracks, jumps, loops, and car launchers (plus some extra cool cars) to Xbox systems in 2017. The driving left us craving more, but we’re not quite sure how it will make the transition to a feature film.

Bad Robot has also produced the Cloverfield films, the Star Trek franchise since 2016, and the latest Mission Impossible movies. While none of the company’s previous titles are toy adaptations, the production company has shown it can churn out a good action film.

Massive Run of Mattel Toy Movies Coming

Whatever the result, it has to be better than the Need for Speed game adaptation from 2014, starring Aaron Paul. It has to be, right? As long as there are cool cars doing fun stunts, we’ll probably be sitting there happily with our popcorn.

Get ready for a load of other classic toy franchises turned into movies. Mattel and Warner are also working on Barbie, expected out soon, with Masters of the Universe, American Girl, Polly Pocket, and, wait, seriously? Uno, Magic 8 Ball, and View Master.

“Some time ago, we moved the Corvette team into the EV space in Warren, Michigan, and when we revealed the new mid-engine Corvette, I said there would be ‘more to come,'” Reuss said before answering “the question I’ve been asked countless times.”

EV Soon, Electrified Sooner

Yes, there will be a Chevrolet Corvette EV coming, but when? Reuss said that it would arrive in the future, not estimating the timeline. The announcement confirms rumors that have been swirling for years. Even President Joe Biden mentioned the vehicle in a campaign spot, making us wonder what he knew and what we didn’t.

GM will base the new Chevrolet Corvette EV on the Ultium platform. Ultium encompasses electric drive motors, power electronics, batteries, and even the vehicle platform.

Does it mean that the Corvette EV will have the same platform as the Hummer EV? No, but it does give us a look at what kind of battery power and motive power we can expect. After all, the Hummer EV offers more than 1,000 hp.

Video Teases AWD Electrified Vette

With the announcement, Reuss posted a short video teaser.

BREAKING: An electrified #Corvette will be available as early as next year and a fully electric version to follow. Stay tuned for more. pic.twitter.com/6lDUWpOIZ2

— Chevrolet (@chevrolet) April 25, 2022

The clip features a camouflaged C8 Corvette body, fitted with the power we’ve never seen in a Corvette before.

Our first hint is the electric yellow brake calipers. That color has been associated with electric power for a few years now, with Porsche being one of the first to use it to signify electrification.

The second hint is the spinning front wheels. Yes, the Chevrolet Corvette is sending power to the front wheels for the first time. Since Reuss said there would be an electrified Corvette as soon as next year, it’s safe to say this one is it.

The current-generation Corvette, known as C8, is the first of the line to feature an engine mounted behind the driver. This frees up the space needed for an electric motor up front.

AWD is easy to achieve with an electric motor driving the front wheels, like the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. No driveshaft running front to rear is needed, no particular transmission is required, and electric motors are easier to package.

The AWD system would also allow for torque vectoring. A system where power is shifted from one wheel to another in a way that uses power to enhance agility and cornering experience.

The Detroit Bureau cites GM company insiders suggesting the Chevrolet Corvette EV will target a two-second 0-60 miles per hour time, another benefit of driving all four tires.

Analyzing the Electrified Corvette Clip

How do we know this isn’t the fully electric Corvette? We’re making some guesses here. But they’re based on Chevrolet’s choice to overlay the video with the sound of a V8. If the car you were showing didn’t get gas power, you wouldn’t do that.

It also still has tailpipes coming out of the rear bumper. We think we can see condensation and exhaust mixed in with that snow spray rooster coming off of the back of the Corvette.

On CNBC’s SquawkBox, Reuss talked about how quickly Chevrolet was working on bringing these EVs to market. “Very fast,” he said, talking about the timing and not the E-Vette’s acceleration. Reuss compared it to the Lyriq EV, which Cadillac pulled forward nine months from the original schedule to get to market more quickly.

Gas Corvette Isn’t Dead Yet

There is good news for those who prefer their Corvettes to burn fuel and not transfer electrons. Reuss said that production of the Z06 model with its flat-plane crankshaft has started. He also noted that more gas-powered variants would be coming, though he didn’t go into detail.

All this is to say that we expect to see a hybrid AWD Corvette in 2024 and a full battery-electric Corvette to follow not too far behind. What we don’t know is if the hybrid will be a plug-in hybrid or not.

Other Ultium News

GM had some other Ultium news to go along with the announcement. The Ultium Platform will have a new patented heat pump and energy recovery system. The system will capture and store waste heat from the batteries and electric motors.

It can even capture humidity from inside and outside the car. It will then turn that power into cabin heat, warming it more quickly in winter while using less battery electricity. General Motors claims up to 10 percent more range from the new system.

The Lamborghini Huracan replaced the Gallardo in 2014. Gallardo was the second Lambo designed under Audi ownership. It is where the raging bull really hit its stride in becoming more than just a brand you saw on posters but not on the road.

Lamborghini learned from Gallardo. It’s how they’ve managed to keep a car that is incredibly fashion-forward selling hot nearly 10 years later.

So Many Special Editions. Still So Special?

The secret? Special editions. So many special editions, along with unprecedented levels of customization options.

How many? Twelve versions, though we’ll only cover the big ones. Starting with the original LP 610-4 Lamborghini Huracan coupe. The debut car (sharing some bits with Audi’s R8) made 610-horsepower from its 5.2L V10 and could hit 60 miles per hour in three and a half seconds.

The second was a convertible, and you’ll notice that theme coming back. If there’s a special coupe, there is probably a special convertible wearing a Spyder badge.

Rear Wheel Drive and Convertibles Play a Big Part

Lamborghini’s next Huracan dropped all-wheel drive and 30 horses. The LP 580-2 sent all of its power to the rear in the name of driver engagement. That’s code for big, smoky drifts. It arrived in 2015 (the Spyder a year later), and had a special edition of its own called Avio.

There was also one built just for Pope Francis in 2017. We can’t confirm that he was spotted doing donuts around Rome, but the car was auctioned for charity soon after the gifting. Models for the Policia, airport follow cars, country-specific paint jobs, and loads of other ultra-niche cars came and went along the way.

Huracan Performante With More Power

With 640-horsepower, the Lamborghini Huracan Performante arrived in 2016. Active aero and more power from the V10 meant a quicker car and a Nurburgring record.

A facelift model showed up in 2019, called the Huracan Evo. Some new bodywork was fitted with the 640 hp engine. Then the company added rear-wheel steering, torque vectoring, and better body control computers. It got a 610 hp rear-drive variant in 2020.

Car 20k Arrives

Car 20,000 is a Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Omologata, or STO. It’s a roadgoing copy of the Huracan Super Trofeo and GT3 cars that compete in legendary races like the 24 Hous of Daytona.

Still 640 hp, STO means rear-drive, 60 miles per hour in 3.0 seconds, and more grip and less extra than any other Huracan.

What’s next? The Huracan isn’t being put out to stud just yet. Instead, there’s another special edition on the way.

Technica and Expected Final Edition

It’s called the Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica. Positioned between Evo and STO, this $250,000 rolling sculpture is a bit of a greatest hits album.

A smaller wing than STO, it’s still plenty flashy. It has the STO’s 640 hp engine, drives the rear wheels, and has more downforce and less drag than the standard Evo. While Lambo expects the STO to be a track day special, Tecnica is meant for fast road work. So it has creature comforts like adaptive dampers.

There is one final version of the Huracan expected before the model is replaced. The rumors for that one are some of the strangest we’ve heard since Lamborghini first announced an SUV. A lifted model with underbody protection, following in the Safari style growing in popularity with Porsche 911 enthusiasts.

We can only imagine what that one might be like. Until we see it, raise a glass of prosecco to the highest-selling Lamborghini ever. At least until the Urus SUV hits 20k, which will probably happen next month despite it launching five years later.

Well, we’ve got some good news. A lot of complainers had best grab their checkbooks and head to their Toyota dealer.

Stick Shift Supra Confirmed

The Toyota GR Supra is getting a stick-shift, and we expect it will be arriving soon.

“Did you think we were done?” Asks a simple post to Twitter from Toyota USA, accompanied by a photo that clearly shows three pedals in the driver’s footwell of a Toyota GR Supra.

Did you think we were done? Stay tuned… #Supra #Manual #LetsGoPlaces pic.twitter.com/kmIhnpRJdg

— Toyota USA (@Toyota) April 15, 2022

Toyota UK expanded on the upcoming car on its own social channels, acknowledging that there was a very large outcry from the car world. “Toyota Gazoo Racing sports car customers and fans have spoken and we’ve listened. A Toyota GR Supra with an all-new, tailor-made manual transmission is coming soon.”

That same post from the UK said that the manual transmission for the Toyota GR Supra had been engineered to “offer enthusiasts something that is closer to the Gazoo Racing DNA.” The company also promised that it would enhance the driving experience.

Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s performance arm, has put manual transmissions in almost everything to wear the name, which does serve to somewhat tarnish the Supra news. Even the forthcoming GR Corolla gets a stick (and only a stick).

Manual Supra Gets Special Badge

Gazoo will also be giving the stick-shift Supra an external identifier. The company showed off a new red Supra script badge that will let anyone behind the car know that you’ve picked the three-pedal one.

What we don’t know is what version of the Toyota GR Supra will get the manual transmission. The car shares its platform and major components with the BMW Z4. The Z4 already offers a manual transmission, but only on the base-model Z4 sDrive 20i. That car offers a 194 hp 2.0L turbo-four: a power level not offered in a GR Supra. It does suggest that the engineering necessary for a new pedal set and new transmission mounts are already in place.

Toyota offers the GR Supra in the USA with two engines, a 255 hp version of the BMW 2.0L turbo-four and a 382 hp turbocharged inline-six. Both are offered today only with an 8-speed automatic.

Could Come With 500 hp 6-Cylinder GRMN Model

Another possibility is that the manual will be part of an even more powerful special edition. Rumors from Japan have circulated over the last few months of a GRMN Supra.

Short for Gazoo Racing Masters of the Nurburgring, the GRMN badge has been used before on a special limited model of the GR Yaris. The car was lightened by more than 40 lbs., lowered, and had a new mechanical limited-slip differential. It was also meant to be tuned specifically for each driver and to be a much more hardcore version of the car.

The rumors circling around the Toyota GR Supra for GRMN treatment suggest around 500 hp. The power would come from a version of the inline-six already found under the hood. But in the case of a GRMN version, it would be the uprated engine found in the BMW M3.

That last bit is speculation, of course. But for Toyota to make such a big change to the Supra’s transmission, we would expect more than just that tweak (and a higher price tag) to come with it.

For now, Toyota says it will reveal more information in the coming weeks. We think we can be patient for a little while longer, so stay tuned for more on the three-pedal Toyota GR Supra.

Crafting stunning designs means they are constantly sketching out new ideas. The best of those make the jump from paper to computer and then to metal. Like this, the Genesis X Speedium Coupe concept, a glorious Kamm-tail electric coupe.

We got to see the end result as well as hear from Donkerwolke himself the process behind the idea for the car and how it came into existence.

Speedium Coupe Inspired By the Racetrack

The Speedium name comes from a racetrack in the Korean city of Inje. Designer Donkerwolke speaks fondly of his on-track time as a racer. That there is more than a little Shelby Daytona coupe in the Kamm-tail rear styling is not a coincidence.

More than just the dramatic tail, the Genesis X Speedium Coupe is a glimpse forward at what the next generation of Genesis EVs could look like.

“This car is an open-door moment in Genesis’ journey towards our future EV design. This isn’t a show car — it’s a look into our design processes as we explore ideas for the next wave of EVs, one that incorporates Genesis’ DNA,” Donkerwolke said.

Latest in a Line of Genesis Concepts

Genesis has done concept cars before. The vehicles that followed those concepts into production have been remarkably faithful to the concepts, too. But they work especially well to showcase small parts of what Genesis design has coming.

Take the Essentia concept of 2018. A futuristic hypercar shape, it could never have seen production. The two line lights, front and rear, however, did. The twin light signature continues to be a centerpoint of the company’s design language.

Or the Mint concept. An EV from 2019 that previewed a more spacious interior design experience. The production GV60 took some of the overall shape outside. It also came with an interior that learned lessons from the Mint.

The point of this one then?

It’s still the two-line lights. Donkerwolke and his team were looking at the natural extension of those lights. To diverge and create the Genesis Crest Grille without the steel and brightwork you find on their internal combustion vehicles.

Design Boss Talks Purpose

“It carries an EV face that symbolizes Genesis’ transformation towards becoming an all-electric car brand,” says the company. The first Genesis EV, the GV60, won’t wear the nose. But the rest of the six-model electric lineup expected by 2030 probably will.

The new vehicles won’t have a face identical to the Genesis X Speedium Coupe. Or to each other. Donkerwolke calls that a decision the company made very early on in its development

“We decided from the very beginning that Genesis will not be a brand which will have a family design the same way applied to each. Each model will be tailored for the customer And for the specific market we want to target. So don’t expect this to [be] scaled down in different [propulsion] technologies and architectures. Each car will have its own specific [face] but this will be the essence.”

There is more to look at than just the new lights and the Kamm tail. The V-shape brake light on the spoiler is meant to interrupt the circular shape of the rest of the tail. Donkerwolke says that the purpose is “about orchestrating the elements so that they complement and respect one another.”

Then Talks Process

The former Lamborghini, Audi, and Bentley designer gave us a rare look into the fascinating process that can end with concept vehicles like this. Or end with a digital sketch in the Genesis virtual trash can.

“We start off with rough sketches. Quick ideas on paper. Visions that can be explored. Sketches that only matter to us.”

The executive spoke about the digital environment that allows Genesis to move quickly and work on designs from anywhere. That all plays a part in vehicles like this Genesis X Speedium Coupe Concept.

“This is a process that saves time and resources. It is more sustainable and it reduces costs. We can see multiple variations of a car before we even create a full-size [model]. And even then, we reduce the number of full-size models we actually create. Because of this digital process, we were able to create data and run it through digital simulations. We piece all of the ideas to get on the model. Internally between us, we call this a Frankenstein.

“It’s not beautiful. We do forms, surfaces. We stitch them together and create a 3d monster. Then we break them. The surfaces will change, the proportions will. We let design accidents happen. I love design accidents. Sometimes accepting something that went out of control is surprising and brings you new ideas.

“Next step is we mill that monster. Make it into a full-size model and start observing as it grows. And once we have a physical property, then there’s another relation that starts. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Two sides of the car evolve. We decide to let beauty prevail, but it was born out of a creative chaos.”

Donkerwolke said that his team will do more than 100 of these exercises in a year. Few make it to physical form and even those are not normally shown to the public. It makes the Genesis X Speedium Coupe Concept a big deal, and we can’t wait to see the result on the road.

It’s a stunning Italian sports car, from a time when the country built some of the most sensual shapes ever put on the road. But first, a bit about the company and the name.

From Ferrari Engineer to Lamborghini V12 Legend

Giotto Bizzarrini started his career at Alfa Romeo. A test driver with an engineering degree, he had a knack for helping the automaker figure out its failures and build better-driving cars.

After a three-year stint, Bizzarrini moved to Ferrari. Starting as a test driver there, Bizzarrini quickly became the company’s chief engineer as well as continued to develop, design, and test the prancing ponies.

At Ferrari, he designed the 1962 250 GTO, a sports car that would dominate its class for three seasons. After leaving Ferrari, he turned a 250 GT SWB into the now-famous Ferrari Breadvan for a private owner. A year later, his new company designed the V12 that would power every 12-cylinder Lamborghini from 1964 all the way through 2010.

Bizzarrini started the company that would wear his name in 1964. Though it would fail just five years later, the company created three amazing designs. Of the Bizzarrini 5300, 1900 GT Europa, and the P538, the 5300 was the most successful.

In total, the company produced 133 of them and a class win at Le Mans in 1965. Now, 24 brand new serial numbers are set to arrive.

Bizzarrini Reborn

In 2020, the Bizzarrini name was revived. The new owner is Rezam Al-Roumi, Chairman of Pegasus brands and a former director and chair of Aston Martin Lagonda.

The Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa Revival is designed to recreate the classic with as much authenticity as possible. Starting with original blueprints, the new Bizzarrini builders went so far as to find the original suppliers to make sure the materials were right. Even the experts involved in the original project — those still available, anyway — consulted on the Revival cars.

Bizzarrini was so focused on originality that rather than formulate a new paint color or grab one from a catalog, the company copied the original. The Bizzarrini team tracked down an original panel from the Le Mans winner that had been stored out of the light since the 1960s. Then, they scanned it and used the result to create Rosso Corsa Bizzarrini 222, an exact color match.

Like in the 1960s, a 327 Chevrolet V8 will power the car. Bizzarrini calls it “a period-specific 5300 cubic centimeter V8,” for obvious marketing reasons. On the other hand, Giotto picked the 327 because he knew it was the ideal powerplant way back then.

Weber 45 DCOE carbs will be fitted, true to the car’s ’60s progenitor, for between 400 and 480 horsepower in a car that weighs around 2,750 lbs.

Supplies Are Limited

Each of the 24 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa Revival cars will be hand-built at a new facility in the UK. The lightweight body is a single piece, mounted over a steel frame.

Because Giotto Bizzarrini pushed high-tech solutions like fiberglass bodywork for his cars, the Revival will also come with a fiberglass body. But because the company believes he would have used carbon fiber had the material existed at the time, carbon shell is also an option.

Picking the carbon bodywork means the car won’t be eligible for wheel-to-wheel racing under the FIA’s historic rules. Go for the standard fiberglass, though, and the car’s six-point roll bar and safety fuel cell — both updates since 1965 — will meet the FIA’s Appendix K rules. That means it could match up against its period peers at events like the Goodwood Revival and battle like it’s 1965 all over again.

Pricing for the Bizzarrini 5300 GT Corsa Revival starts from around £1.65 million, or $2.2 million in greenbacks. Bizzarrini will let you customize the car thoroughly, so prices will climb quickly from there.

“The car is of course engineered for racing,” said Bizzarrini COO Richard Quinlan. “But we will also be able to satisfy the desire of any customer who wishes to drive this spectacular car on the road.”

The automaker expects to hand over the first cars to customers in May.

Now, some particularly interesting car stories are up for auction at Gooding & Company’s Geared Auction.

The Geared Online Spring Automobilia auction is full of fascinating bits of automotive history. From Ferrari racing car toolboxes from the 1950s to wall signs for Mobil and Bugatti and toys for children. We won’t tell anyone that “for children” really means for you. There are even racing harnesses and belts from the 1960s if you’re feeling period correct and not overly worried about safety.

It’s the motoring books that have our attention today. It’s a gloomy day with signs of snow here, meaning it’s just about perfect for sitting down with a good book. And maybe some bourbon. So here are some of the rare books on offer at the sale that caught our eye.

Gordon Murray’s Motors in His Own Words

“One Formula: Fifty Years of Car Design” by Gordon Murray and Phillip Porter is a two-volume collection. Porter has also written four books with Sir Stirling Moss and collaborated with some of the most iconic racers of all time.

The books cover every single vehicle Gordon Murray designed. From the start of his career at Brabham F1, through the McLaren F1 and his other projects until 2017.

Number seven of just 25 two-volume copies will be up for auction and includes some highly collectible goodies. Blueprints, a scale model of Murray’s first-ever design, two signed prints, a DVD of a BBC documentary on Murray. Even reproductions of passes and lanyards from Murray’s F1 career.

Both authors signed the set and should bring $2,000-$4,000 at the Geared Auction.

The Lamborghini Book and Register

“The Lamborghini Miura Register” and “The Lamborghini Miura Book” cover the history of the first supercar. In the Miura book are unseen photographs and interviews with “all the men behind the Miura.” Even a look at some of the original owners of the cars and the Miura’s appearances on-screen.

Included in the more than 300 pages of The Lamborghini Miura Register is a list of all 726 copies of the Miura. Production number, body number, engine number, and date of production. Even the selling dealer, first owner, and the paint and interior colors. For the person who wants to know everything about every Miura, this might be the only source.

While The Register is still available new, the Miura book is not. And just 762 editions that combined the two were produced. One for each car. This is number 92, with a Geared auction estimate of $2,000-$4,000.

Start Your Own Library

Other car stories in the Geared Online Spring Automobilia auction are offered in larger lots. Lot 27 features assorted books on Italian marques, coachbuilders, and motorsports like “Pininfarina: Art and Industry 1930-2000″ by Antoine Prunet, “Lancia: Catalogue Raisonné” by Lancia, “De Virgilio: At the Center” by Geoffrey Goldberg, and “Red Hot Rivals” by Karl Ludvigsen, among a dozen books expected to fetch up to $2,000.

A similar lot featuring various books on Alfa Romeo will likely bring in a similar bid amount.

While European racers and manufacturers get much of the attention, there are still some American stories on offer at the Geared auction.

Daytona Cobra Coupe By The Car’s Designer

“Daytona Cobra Coupes: Carroll Shelby’s 1965 World Champions” is a book written by legendary American racer and designer Peter Brock. Brock is the one who designed the Daytona coupe’s famous roofline. Including the sleek tail that helped it outrun the Ferrari 250 GTO and win its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The book offers an inside look at the development of the Daytona Cobra and the Carroll Shelby Shelby American business as a whole. It includes photos of Daytona coupes through their design and construction, as well as a history of each of the cars.

Just 400 copies of this edition were printed. It is signed by Peter Brock, Dave Friedman, and drivers including Dan Gurney and Bob Bondurant. Geared auction estimates put the sale price between $500 and $1,000.

We won’t turn this into a bookstore, but there are many more rare and unique books at the Geared Online Spring Automobilia auction. Even if you can’t take one of them home, the listings are worth your time to look at. The auction runs until 9 am Pacific time on April 8, 2022.

You don’t need a reason to go hooning around an abandoned building if you get the chance. Toyota has come up with one anyway. The premise for the ad is the battle between two Gazoo Racing enthusiast employees and some stodgy executives who don’t want anyone to have fun, especially when they’re trying to advertise a car.

Oh, and there’s a focus group, too, for some reason.

Let’s Go to the Mall!

The suits want to show Toyota GR86 features like a backup camera and how easy it is to park. Things you do at the mall, of course. The GR team wants to showcase the sports car’s enthusiast credentials. A stick shift, the 2.4L flat-four, and the ability of the vehicle to do big smokey burnouts and drift across some tile hallway floors. We wish we could do these things at the mall, but we don’t have the talent or the budget.

Both sides of the table agree that more cars are needed to “tell the GR story.” Accordingly, two more GT86s show up—fully-modified drift racer versions of the vehicle.

The drift trio is piloted by Toyota GR-NA drivers Frederic Aasbø, Ken Gushi, and Jhonnattan Castro. They’re seriously hauling butt around this empty mall.

Toyota calls the ad “The Focus Group.” You’re not wrong if you think an abandoned mall near Chicago has already had a car chase scene. But this isn’t the same mall where Jake and Elwood Blues careened through stalls and stores back in 1980. It turns out the Chicago area has a lot of empty malls. This one looks like the Lincoln Mall in the city suburb of Matteson.

Toyota Killing it With Cool Ads

This spot is a follow-up to a Toyota GR Supra ad from last summer called The Pitch. You’ll see the end of it at the start of this ad – it shows a GR Supra driver who wants to do some grocery shopping before getting pulled into the middle of a drift battle. That ad also includes a pizza delivery, though the pizza is in pretty rough shape by its end, and it finishes off with a pretty sweet jump.

Don’t worry too much about the plots of either of the ads. Or the back and forth between execs and enthusiasts. The point is to make excuses to do fun stuff in GR vehicles like the Toyota GR86, and we’re here for it. Drifting through malls, sliding around parking garages, and jumping off the top of a building? Yes, please, we’ll take it all and then some more.

Is the focus group excited? Absolutely. Are we excited? Of course! Is that all? No!

Toyota saved a little something for the end of the spot.

One of the suits wants to do a Flying-V display to show off the whole Gazoo Racing family. But since GR only offers the Toyota GR86 and GR Supra over here, the V is one leg short. And you can’t have an unbalanced Flying-V; that’s just a flying backslash.

Enter the tease. It’s a silhouetted look at the hatchback rear of what has to be the GR Corolla and the sound of its turbocharged engine rumbling. The ad ends with “to be continued,” and we expect to see the GR Corolla revealed on Thursday. We were already excited, and now we’re pumped.