Paul Newman’s national-champion 1979 Datsun 280ZX is for sale

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One of the coolest Z-cars ever

ANTTI KAUTONEN

It’s one thing to appreciate the Bullitt Mustang. That Highland Green silver screen legend, or one of the cars that served as Steve McQueen’s hero car, surfaced some time ago to great rejoicing, every bit of the attention absolutely deserved. But along with movie cars are actors’ cars that have been driven hard off-screen on race tracks, and one of those is this 1979 Datsun 280ZX raced by the late actor Paul Newman. The chassis number 100026, SCCA C production class Datsun has now come up for sale after an extensive restoration, and as attested by these pictures, it looks fantastic.

As you know, Newman had a successful career in racing alongside his acting career, and he was closely associated with Nissan/Datsun for a couple of decades. Nissan built special-edition Skylines bearing his signature, but it’s the Z-cars that carry an even more special Newman connection. After endurance races in Porsches and Ferraris, Newman switched to a 280Z in 1978. The following year he still raced a Porsche 935 in Daytona, Le Mansand Watkins Glen, but he won the 1979 SCCA C Production national championship in this car, with seven race wins and two lap records under its belt. And the entire 1980s are peppered with races either in a Bob Sharp 280ZX or 300ZX Turbo. Nissan naturally got a lot of great advertising out of Newman’s racing success.

Red, white and blue Newman cars have been featured in the limelight recently, as a Doran Racing restored widebody 280ZX was shown in a Petrolicious clip earlier this year, and Adam Carolla’s 2015 documentary Winning detailed Newman’s racing history. This Datsun, also wearing the race number 33 and a lot of period-correct sponsorship stickers, will probably sell for a lot of money, but perhaps that will be justified. And it comes with a lot of spare parts and memorabilia, too.

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Nine-Fourteenage Dream: Porsche CEO Says Turbo Four-Cylinder Boxster/Cayman Will Appear Next Year

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The last four-pot mid-engined Porsche was the 914, briefly replaced by the rear-engined 912E, an impact-bumper-clad 911 with Weissach’s 2.0-liter rework of Volkswagen’s humble Type 4 engine. We mention this because, according to Porsche chief Matthias Müller, Porsche’s new turbocharged four-cylinder boxer motorwill begin appearing in the Boxster and Cayman next year. And it could possibly replace the 3.4-liter flat-six used in the 911 Carrera at some point in the not-so-distant future.

Rumors have swirled about the new powerplant for years, as well as the models into which Zuffenhausen might slide it. The “Baby Boxster”, an entry-level model slotted below the increasingly luxurious Boxster/Cayman was bandied about, then quashed. Rumors that the engine could replace the 2.7- and 3.4-liter engines in the mid-engined cars seem to have the most merit, with only future Boxster Spyders and Cayman GT4s hanging onto the naturally aspirated 3.8. The 911 GT3 and its RS variant would then carry on with their specialized, high-winding 3.8- and 4.0-liter powerplants, while the rest of the previously naturally aspirated cars—namely the Carrera, Carrera S, and GTS models—would receive turbocharged flat-sixes in a less monstrous state of tune than those in the 911 Turbo and Turbo S.

Speaking to Automotive News, Müller suggested that the turbocharged boxer four wasn’t off the table for other models, saying, “We will see how it works and how successful it is and how the customers will react on that, and then we will take the next decisions.” Which could mean that the rumored 2.9-liter turbocharged flat-sixwon’t see duty in the base Carrera. With the four allegedly capable of 395 horsepower, it’d certainly have the power numbers to slot into the lower end of the 911 range. Or might we see a reborn 912 as an entry-level GT, with the Carrera moving into the performance range currently occupied by the S?

Whatever the powertrain fate of the base rear-engined car, expect the new motors to begin appearing in Porsche’s mid-engined models starting in the middle of 2016. If you’ve been jonesing for a nearly stripped Boxster with a 2.7 and sport suspension, we’d heartily suggest getting your order in now.

Car and Driver Blog

Test Drive: The All-New 2016 Volvo XC90

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The highly capable seven-seater SUV draws on Scandinavian design heritage and delivers on expectations

An hour outside of Barcelona in a sleepy seaside town that only sees action a few months of the year sits the culmination of an $11 billion dollar investment. Volvo‘s2016 XC90 is the product of not just the global investment that came from Chinese automotive firm Zhejiang Geely Holdings, in many ways it’s a consummation of Swedish design ethos in car form. The Gothenburg-based automaker went all-in when it came to bringing their Swedish heritage to the forefront of their new line-up, something previous parent company Ford arguably went through lengths to water down. And while the entirety of that investment surely isn’t in just one vehicle, it’s the world’s first material look into what’s to come from Volvo—and we had two days behind the wheel on Catalonia’s most scenic roads.

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Any driver stepping into a Volvo knows that safety a major tenet of the brand. As inventors of the three-point seatbelt, Volvo’s engineers are creating the next generation of safety innovations, and the XC90 is packed with them. Keeping in line with the brand’s ultimate goal of zero fatalities in a new Volvo car by 2020—or Vision 2020—the latest XC90 is arguably the safest on the road.

 

Active lane assistance, auto-braking for pedestrians and cyclists along with road edge detection are just a few of the advancements we put to use in the XC90. Each works seamlessly and only comes to the driver’s attention when it is engaged, unlike some systems that can be more distracting than helpful. Coming up into a roundabout, we were thankful to not have to employ our shoddy Spanish language skills with a Catalan claims adjuster—the collision avoidance auto-braking saw to that.

Safety aside, the XC90 is an extremely capable driver with the acceleration abilities to navigate the most cluttered freeways and the clearance to take you off-road. Multiple driving modes adjust suspension on the fly and the available T8 twin-engine plug-in hybrid features a full-electric mode. Opt for mixed hybrid-combustion and you’ll net a whopping 59 mpg on the highway—all while carrying six of your friends. Both the second and third row of seats comfortable accommodate a full-size adult (the auto industry has dubbed this dubious metric “Oscar”). Plus, everyone in the car can bask in natural light thanks to the panoramic sunroof.

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In terms of driving experience, the XC90 isn’t touted as a sportscar—but that’s not to say it’s a grocery-getter. The standard all-wheel drive T6 is equipped with a four-cylinder engine that operates on Volvo’s SPA engine architecture, aimed at reducing overall parts across models and improving engine efficiency. The 316 horsepower engine has plenty of kick thanks to a turbo and supercharger, making for a speedy 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. The XC90 handles like a car two-thirds its size and, from the driver’s spot, it’s easy to forget there are two rows of seats in the rear and a best in class cargo capacity of 85.7 cubic feet.

At its core though, the XC90 embodies the Swedish value of humility. It’s not an in-your-face SUV and luxurious touches are all highly considered and refined: it’s a call for the detail-driven, design-conscious consumer. Volvo designers looked back far into the history books for aesthetic touch-points and perhaps the most abstract is Thor’s hammer in the headlights of the car—a detail we first saw on the Concept Coupé. However it’s the interior where Scandinavian design is most evident. Uncluttered, the Napa leather interior flows organically into an available walnut finish that—unlike the wood accents found in many luxury interiors—actually calls to mind a part of the home, a fine piece of mid-century modern furniture for instance.

At the center console, Volvo makes its strongest case for simplicity: a nine-inch touch screen with intuitive voice control that is as responsive as the tablets and smartphones we have come accustomed to. Recognizing multiple gestures such as pinch-and-zoom, double-tap and more, getting behind the wheel for the first time was like cracking open an iPhone for the first time: intuitive and without the need for an instruction manual. Plus the available handmade crystal gear shifter from fellow Swedes Orrefors doesn’t hurt in further setting the XC90 well-apart from the pack.

The 2016 XC90 is exciting for a number of reasons. On one hand, the car itself is a triumph. The lines are daring without losing sight of proportions. Internally, the balance of power and efficiency is an uplifting look at the future of a sustainable automobile that’s still tough. However, what’s most inspiring is the brand’s ability and willingness to embrace its rich design heritage like never before. This is truly the most Swedish car we’ve seen—outwardly and inwardly—and we’re looking forward to seeing more.

Volvo offered a special First Edition XC90, limited to just 1,927 units (1927 being the year the company was founded). The special release sold out in under two days, with the majority of orders coming from the US. This suggests the 2016 XC90 could just be the what Volvo needs to return to its former glory, both in the US and abroad. The T6 model starts at $48,000 with multiple trim options available. Visit your Volvo dealer to pre-order now.

2001 Audi Allroad Quattro New Transmission

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“I have a 2001 Audi Allroad. My transmission had a damaged reversed gear. The local Audi dealer stated that I would need to purchase a new transmission or go to a junk yard for a used one. The used one could have been problematic. I knew of a local person who raced Audi’s, who referred me to Rolf Pickering, the owner of Front Range Automotive. Rolf had a connection with an individual who could rebuild Audi transmissions, including incorporating the latest improvements. Rolf purchased and installed this transmission for half the price of a new one. I essentially got a price for half that of a new one, but with the same or better quality. I also received a warranty on both part and labor. The transmission works fine and I am now able to keep my Audi going for another 100K miles.” 

Forrest Rouser
2001 Audi Allroad Quattro