Cars of the QC

[TGIBridays]

9 hours ago, KJHburg said:

^^^ That was for sure a rare spotting.  Thats a dealer tag correct? 

Yeah someone pointed that out in the original thread. Apparently the McLaren dealer in SouthEnd is also a Koenigsegg and Rimac dealer, so that's likely where it came from. 

[turbocraig]

On 10/13/2022 at 10:41 PM, KJHburg said:

^^^ That was for sure a rare spotting.  Thats a dealer tag correct? 

This one is rare as well in the US a Toyota made Century  from the website

""A full model change in June 2018 led to the development of the third-generation Century, which remains Japan's only chauffeur-driven automobile.""

seen in Hilton Head  and it was in the British driving style with the steering wheel on the right. 

https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/toyota/28100795.html

 

I’m familiar with the Century, but am more intrigued by the white sedan next to it.  It looks like a cross between the 4th-gen S-Class and a late 80s Mazda 929.  Wonder what that one is…

[KJHburg]

2 hours ago, turbocraig said:

I’m familiar with the Century, but am more intrigued by the white sedan next to it.  It looks like a cross between the 4th-gen S-Class and a late 80s Mazda 929.  Wonder what that one is…

it was some Mazda or something like that with steering wheel to the right too. 

[KJHburg]

seen on W Bland St at Centro Railyard building today.  

[kermit]

Was surprised to see this in a handicapped spot at the Teeter.

 

[KJHburg]

Not in the QC but down here in the luxury car capital of the southeast that being South Florida.  Saw this Lucid dealer in downtown West Palm,  I thought it was a restaurant at first then I saw the signs.  The showroom opened at noon so I missed it. 

 

[KJHburg]

Since I from the QC I will put these up here.  Down in greater Miami and boy do you see some nice cars.  Many of these were at the site of the new Bentley condo tower where their sales office is now in Sunny Isles (north Miami Beach) and some from here and there.  I thought a car show at the sales office of the Bentley condos is great marketing. 

https://bentleyinmiami.com/   I was going to put my name on the reservation list then I checked my Mega Millions ticket and alas had to cancel for now.  Only 749 feet tall okay I will still consider it maybe. 

If you want to see only cars in the QC look away now.   Rolls Royce must be the new choice of the wealthy down here have seen a lot of them including a pink Rolls at the Publix in Palm Beach.  Never seen a Karma car in my life. 

Edited January 14, 2023 by KJHburg

[videtur quam contuor]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisker_Inc.

I remember this:

https://jalopnik.com/fisker-lost-30-million-worth-of-cars-in-hurricane-sand-5958523#:~:text=After a thorough inspection witnessed,Control Unit in one Karma.

[nicholas]

On 1/14/2023 at 6:06 PM, KJHburg said:

Since I from the QC I will put these up here.  Down in greater Miami and boy do you see some nice cars.  Many of these were at the site of the new Bentley condo tower where their sales office is now in Sunny Isles (north Miami Beach) and some from here and there.  I thought a car show at the sales office of the Bentley condos is great marketing. 

https://bentleyinmiami.com/   I was going to put my name on the reservation list then I checked my Mega Millions ticket and alas had to cancel for now.  Only 749 feet tall okay I will still consider it maybe. 

If you want to see only cars in the QC look away now.   Rolls Royce must be the new choice of the wealthy down here have seen a lot of them including a pink Rolls at the Publix in Palm Beach.  Never seen a Karma car in my life. 

I'll have to share some cars from around Charlotte that I've seen lately, just haven't had time to post.  Karma is an unusual case as that car was originally designed by Henrick Fisker (designer of the Tesla Model S) and was sold as the Fisker Karma, a sort of Model S competitor.  Fisker had done some "coachwork" cars previously, producing a limited run of expensive coupes and convertibles based on BMWs and Mercedes, but the Karma was their first in-house model.  Sales flopped due to a number of high profile breakdowns while in the hands of reviewers and Fisker Automotive went bankrupt a few years later.  After the bankruptcy, a Chinese company called Karma Automotive bought most of the assets from Fisker and started producing the Revero which was basically the same car.  McLaren of Charlotte briefly sold Karma vehicles but it looks like they've dropped the brand in favor of even more exclusive automakers.  I have seen a few of those Reveros around Charlotte but they are very rare.

[CTiger]

According to Wikipedia, the Venom F5 ranges anywhere from $1.6m to $2.1m in cost and only 24 exist.  Thats a cool find if those numbers are correct. 

[Rixxkhn]

Charlotte, North Carolina is known for its diverse car culture, with a range of interesting cars being driven on its roads. Some of the most popular and eye-catching vehicles that can be seen in the Charlotte area include:

• Muscle Cars: There is a strong community of classic muscle car enthusiasts in the Charlotte area, and these vehicles are a common sight on the roads and at car shows.
• Exotic Cars: With its thriving economy, Charlotte attracts many high-end car

[atlrvr]

Thanks ChatGPT for your contributions.

[Rixxkhn]

On 1/4/2022 at 9:59 PM, wilmore said:

I'll answer here and just say, wow, electric cars rule for the city (and really almost every!) use case. Got a Tesla Model 3 about a month ago and am loving it, have taken it on a few day trips. For what I wanted this is really the only choice, we had an SUV, and no kids, so the Y was not as appealing. The new Ford looks pretty good, but it's kind of a weird spot as a small crossover and basically as expensive as the Model 3. 

On one of the day trips, I drove about 5 hours total, and needed to stop at the Tesla supercharger in Columbia, behind a Hilton Garden Inn, for some charging to get enough range to make it back easiy. 15 minutes, $7. 

The "one pedal driving" is also very cool although I am not 100% locked in on it yet, but as you get used to using one pedal mode, it is strange to drive a gas car and have it just keep coasting up at things after you take your foot off the gas. 

You can check more detail about Tesla Model Y at nerdycar. 

 

Many customers who are seeking for an electric automobile that offers a good balance of performance, range, and cost frequently choose the Tesla Model 3. It's unquestionably one of the greatest electric vehicles available right now, and both drivers and automotive experts have given it very favourable evaluations.

The Ford electric crossover is a brand-new vehicle that may be appealing to buyers who want something a little more roomy and adaptable than a sedan while yet enjoying the advantages of electric motoring. You did say that its pricing point is comparable to the Model 3, so choosing between the two might come down to individual preferences and needs.

[DMann]

My wife has had a Model 3 for over 4 years and we still feel like it is new!!!!!  One pedal driving is outstanding and the OTA updates has added value to this car.  Our lives are changing and I am moving to the 'burbs and rest assured that now that I need a vehicle it will be a Tesla!

 

[SydneyCarton]

A beautiful McLaren in Stonecrest.


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[nicholas]

Up in Cornelius, leaving Bojangles when this Lamborghini Gallardo cruised by.

[KJHburg]

Saw this rare lime green Lotus in the parking lot of my accountant up in Mooresville today.  This better not be my CPA's car or I might be looking for a new one. 

I am sure @nicholas our resident Car Guy can give us more details. 

[nicholas]

Looks to be a Lotus Elise with an Exige front bumper, and the inner headlights removed.  Would not surprise me if that car sustained front end damage at some point as the entire front portion of the car is a single fiberglass body piece, and during repair the owner opted to buy a new body panel without the inner headlights.  Also does not look like a color that was offered from the factory for the Elise.

[Matthew.Brendan]

oh man I love how tiny it is. curb weight looks to be around 2000 pounds? amazing

[nicholas]

2 hours ago, Matthew.Brendan said:

oh man I love how tiny it is. curb weight looks to be around 2000 pounds? amazing

It is very small, I have driven one before and ridden in another.  Getting in and out is very difficult until you learn the process, and you sit extremely low.  You literally feel like you're sitting on the asphalt and your head is below the windowline of most other vehicles (look how tall the WRX next to it is).  But if you can live with the drawbacks of how hardcore it is, there's not a more fun car out there.  top spec models will have power windows, radio, and A/C but many do away with one or more of those features to save weight, and you can forget about airbags, power steering, automatic transmission, or anything else like that.

[Madison Parkitect]

38 minutes ago, nicholas said:

It is very small, I have driven one before and ridden in another.  Getting in and out is very difficult until you learn the process, and you sit extremely low.  You literally feel like you're sitting on the asphalt and your head is below the windowline of most other vehicles (look how tall the WRX next to it is).  But if you can live with the drawbacks of how hardcore it is, there's not a more fun car out there.  top spec models will have power windows, radio, and A/C but many do away with one or more of those features to save weight, and you can forget about airbags, power steering, automatic transmission, or anything else like that.

Sounds like a really fast go-cart.

[nicholas]

Seen last Sunday in South End.  Porsche 911 Speedster, pretty rare car as fewer than 2,000 units were produced worldwide.  Mechanically it is essentially a 911 GT3 without a roof, and comes solely with a proper six speed manual gearbox.  Prior to this I had only ever seen one Speedster in person, a yellow one up in Cary almost three years ago.  Definitely one of the coolest cars I have seen lately, and I have been seeing nice cars everywhere recently.

Another cool recent sighting was this Ducati Paul Smart 1000LE.  This was last Saturday in South End.  Ducati produced a series of limited-edition 'SportClassic' models between 2005 and 2010 but was just a little too far ahead of the retro bike craze to see any success.  2006 was the only year of production for this Paul Smart 1000LE and just 2000 examples were produced worldwide, all with silver body panels over a green frame and gold Ohlins suspension.  At the time, Ducati dealerships were basically giving these away, however things have changed recently and these are becoming highly sought-after motorcycles.

[nicholas]

Always nice to see the classics out and about.  Jaguar E-Type in Birkdale.  The roadster versions are considered to be among the most beautiful cars of all time and are more desirable, but I believe the coupes are actually rarer.  This is a 'Series III' which was produced between 1971 and 1974 and came with a V12 engine which replaced the I6 found in Series I and II models.  Interior looked to be in excellent shape and was trimmed in dark red leather, with the proper four speed manual shifter sprouting from the console.

On the newer end of the spectrum, I noticed this very rare Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP casually parked in Uptown last week.  This is a 2021 model which is identifiable by the paint scheme, and only around 330 of these Fireblade SPs were produced worldwide that year, with just 50 coming to America.  Due to needless emissions requirements, the American market Fireblade SP is notably down on power compared to the European market model which I believe is the most powerful production bike ever.

[KJHburg]

Antique and old cars of the QC metro.  All seen at the NC Transportation Museum in Spencer outside of Salisbury.  

Including a Ford made in Charlotte! at the plant now called Camp North End!

check out the EV from 1918!   Check out our NC governor's car the light blue Cadillac from the 1950s with the NC seal on the side. 

Last vehicle in the wagon I came down from Philly to NC back in the day. 

[SydneyCarton]

This museum is amazing. The cars are great, but the roundhouse and trains are really magnificent.


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