This Week in Motoring: November 23, 2015
Yamaha builds a flat tracker for the road, Jeff Gordon doesn’t get his fairy-tale ending, Victory teases with a concept and more.
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The running theme with motorcycles in 2015 is clearly “cafe racer.” No complaints here. But only a few companies are making flat-track-style motorcycles, which is why Yamaha and their all-new XSR900 deserve applause.
Simplify, Then Add Price Drop
Lamborghini has a long line of two-wheel-drive monsters, but in recent years they’ve been fewer and farther between. However, newly unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show is the LP580-2, a lighter, slightly less powerful RWD Huracan sure to put the enthusiasts at ease (i.e., the guys who thought the Huracan LP610-4 was too heavy).
All of the Hypercars
It’s the test everyone wanted to see: the 918 versus the P1 versus the LaFerrari. A group called the Hyper 5 matched those three and threw in a Pagani Huayra and a Bugatti Veyron for good measure.
Along Came a Spider
As promised, Fiat has delivered their Miata-based 124 Spider. It has more torque, slightly more power and 100 extra pounds. What’s not so clear cut is the public’s consensus on its looks.
Victory Ignition Concept
When we tested the Victory Empulse TT earlier this year, Victory was secretive about the bike, and remained so all the way up to the reveal. With a Victory-backed V-Twin racer heading up Pikes Peak that week, it was almost certain a bike like the Ignition Concept was actually going to be unveiled. We were wrong, but it’s good to see that Victory came through.
Reviews and Buying Guides
Advice from the Crew
Driving a Tangerine Scream
The Ford Focus ST was never lacking in performance, but the Mountune upgrade from Ford Performance is a welcome upgrade. Read the Review
The Find
What to Buy, Now
1974 Aston Martin Lagonda Series 1 7.0-liter
Even though this Aston is set to fetch over half a million dollars at auction, it’ll be worth paying attention to. If there was a choice between a ’74 Lagonda and the new Rapide, this Lagonda’s 7.0-liter V8 just made that decision much, much easier.
2014 Shelby Daytona Daytona Coupe
This week’s finds may be lofty, but a Shelby Daytona Coupe at just under $200,000 is a steal. Seeing as it’s a brand-new 2014 model, and based on the history of Daytona Coupes, the ROI with this car would be stratospheric.
Noteworthy Reads
Motoring Stories from Around the Web
Just because it has a Ferrari badge doesn’t mean it has to have eight or 12 cylinders. Rear Admiral Robert A. Phillips’s four-cylinder Ferrari 500 Mondial isn’t even red, but it embodies the very essence of Ferrari.
Looking Ahead
What We’re Driving Now
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