Author: h n

Aston Martin is bidding farewell to its DBS nameplate, at least for the time being, and is doing it in the best way possible, by launching its most powerful regular production model yet. The British performance marque on Wednesday revealed the 2023 DBS 770 Ultimate, the flagship and final member of the current DBS Superleggera range. The DBS nameplate dates back to the original DBS sports car built between 1967 and 1972. It was revived in 2008 for the DBS V12 and then again in 2018 with the current DBS Superleggera, so there’s a chance it might return again in the…

Introduced in 1960 as the company’s top-of-the-line full-size automobile, the Dodge Polara remained in production until 1973 (it was sold as a midsize between 1962-1964). But despite its relatively long time in showrooms, it’s not the first Dodge that comes to mind when talking about iconic 1960s Mopar. But even though it’s overshadowed by nameplates like the Charger, Challenger, and Super Bee, the Polara was an important piece of the brand’s muscle car offensive in the mid-to-late 1960s. Not only was it used successfully at the drag strip by independent racers, but Dodge also added high-performance V8 engines to its options list.…

Tom Cruise. Even if he plays action heroes on the wide screen in reality Tom Cruise is just as frail as most of us… New pictures surfacing today show the 50 year old actor Tom Cruise looking dangerously thin, said to be as a result of the stress suffered pursuant to his divorce from his wife Katie Holmes. At the time of Katie Holmes seeking divorce from Mr Cruise the actor almost immediately began to show deterioration in his health, but now those close to him are increasingly alarmed as the actor continues to lose even more weight. Hardly the positive image the…

Hand-in-hand Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes are seen walking through the streets of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. The picture – believed to be the last of the couple together – was taken two weeks ago during  what is believed to have been a last-ditch attempt to save their marriage. But it was clear the reconciliation attempt had failed on Thursday when Katie, 33, ‘blind-sided’ her husband by filing divorce papers in New York seeking custody of their daughter Suri, six. This is the last picture of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes walking on the streets of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik as…

Tom Cruise is searching for a luxury home in New York so he can spend as much time as possible with daughter Suri. Following his divorce the star intends to increase his time in the city, where his ex-wife Katie Holmes is making her home. The actress was granted primary custody of their six-year-old in their settlement, with Cruise retaining visitation rights. Busy: Tom Cruise was pictured in London today arriving for a meeting, he is looking for a new home in New York Pleased to meet you: The star is welcomed as he arrived for his meetings A source…

Larry Chen has checked out a Veilside 2023 Nissan Z, that pays tribute to the Hans Mazda RX-7 and is set to feature in the latest Fast & Furious. The Nissan Z is one of the most anticipated sports cars of recent times. It continues the long line of Nissan Fairlady cars that goes right back to the 240Z, and the latest edition very much feels like a true Z car in the way the 350Z and 370Z might not have. Amazingly though, there are people out there who are already getting their hands on the Z to modify and make even more spectacular.…

HotCars digital artist Timothy Adry Emmanuel breathes new life into this iconic Japanese sports car with updated styling and performance. The Toyota Supra has existed in many guises since 1978 when it first rolled off the production line. It was a standout amongst sports cars from day one, but it really captured the imaginations of gearheads in 1993 with the reveal of the fourth generation. The MK4 Supra was in production for nine years and is arguably one of the best JDMs ever constructed. It was certainly one of the most popular and remains in strong demand to this day. To celebrate this JDM icon, HotCars…

The 8th-gen Honda Civic Si offer the perfect driver’s car models, complete with enticing driving dynamics and immense practicality. The Honda Civic has always been one of the most complete driver’s cars around, graced with the perfect mix of comfort, practicality, performance, and in some cases, even good looks. Better yet, its consistently low starting price is another reason why it’s such a popular buy, with more than 300,000 sales in many of its model years. The Honda Civic Si is a sportier version of the regular model with significantly enhanced performance, that currently finds itself competing against the likes of the Hyundai Elantra N and…

The Queen and Tom Cruise ‘really hit it off’ when she invited the Hollywood star for tea in her final weeks at Windsor Castle – and even let him land his helicopter on her lawn, it has emerged. Her Majesty had been disappointed that she had not got to meet the Top Gun star during a Platinum Jubilee event. But insiders said the late monarch ‘loved seeing him’ when she invited him for tea over the summer. The Queen and Tom Cruise ‘really hit it off’ when she invited the Hollywood star for tea in her final weeks at Windsor Castle – and even let him…

Jerry “Metal Man” Battaglia heads to the New York bureau and talks with Benny about his barn find muscle car coming all the way from Minnesota. Noteworthy classic cars aren’t exclusive to the Long Island junkyards that YouTuber Jerry “Metal Man” Battaglia frequents. Such is the case with a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Formula S sitting on the streets of Brooklyn with a story to tell. We learn the car came in pieces from a Minnesota barn find and only became street-capable after getting put back together by the owner, Benny. While this Barracuda has its share of dents and dings, the car serves as a reminder…

Even with a classic car this close to perfection, its owner wants to add another upgrade or two to put it over the top. In the 1950s, automotive designer Virgil Exner’s love for tailfins triggered a trend for extreme styling. Chevrolet took this aesthetic to the next level on its 1959 Impala. The result is one of the most distinctive car silhouettes of that era. Today, one man has restomodded his Impala to accentuate its outrageous looks. It’s sheer perfection, yet he had another upgrade in mind. YouTuber Eric Isaacesen of Muscle Cars With Eric talks to Terry, the Impala’s owner at an Arizona…

Tom Cruise was mobbed by fans as he left Novikov Restaurant in London on Wednesday, The actor, 60, looked in good spirits as he stopped to sign autographs for his fans who waited outside the venue for him where he emerged later in the evening. The Top gun star looked suave in a black shirt and dark blue denim jeans which he teamed with a pair of denim boots as he strolled through Mayfair. Star sighting: Tom Cruise was mobbed by fans as he left Novikov Restaurant in London on Wednesday Tom, who is currently residing in the UK appeared to…

1972 marked the beginning of the Ford Torino’s third generation, featuring the range-topping high-performance Gran Torino Sport. During a short period, from 1968 to 1976 to be exact, Ford’s flagship mid-size car was the front engine, rear-wheel drive Torino. It looked like a performer right from the beginning, and despite most variants being nothing but family haulers, Ford definitely made some muscly versions along the way. One of them was the third-generation 1972 Gran Torino Sport, the Torino’s range-topping high-performance trim, complete with more power, an improved chassis, and aggressive looks to go alone. With rivals such as the Chevy Impala and the Dodge…

We went to Nissan’s new 2024 GT-R press launch and here is what’s new. Can we expect this new model to be the final R35? Nissan unveiled their new 2024 GT-R and its NISMO counterpart at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon during their press launch on Friday morning, here in Makuhari Messe – and HotCars was there to get an exclusive look. The R35, which made its first appearance back in 2007, is back again in 2024 for a 16th consecutive year, with mixed reactions from the general public. Though the enthusiasm was palpable in the crowd, the release left more than one questioning…

Tom Cruise showed off his daredevil side in a clip he posted to Twitter Sunday, thanking fans for their support for Top Gun: Maverick while filming a skydiving sequence for the upcoming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. In the clip, Cruise was in an aircraft over South Africa alongside collaborator Christopher McQuarrie, 54, who penned the script for Top Gun: Maverick and is directing parts one and two of the Mission: Impossible movie. The A-list actor, 60 – who last week received a Best Actor nomination from the AARP awards for his role in Top Gun: Maverick – told his fans he wanted to show his gratitude…

Known for durability and safety, Volvo also has a successful history in racing. One of their lesser known creations was the Group A 760 Turbo! Volvo isn’t necessarily the first word in auto racing, but the Swedish automotive company did have great success with a number of their cars. Prior to the eighties, most of the racing associated with Volvo occurred in the late fifties and early sixties, mostly with privateers using Volvo’s Amazon in rally events. With most of their reputation focused on durability and safety, Volvo was ready to get off the sidelines and try their hand in factory-backed racing. In the mid-eighties,…

Our man Rostislav Prokop has created the most practical and outrageous Toyota truck out there with this J200 Land Cruiser 6X6 pickup. The world of pickup trucks is crazy. Just like how supercars are to the performance world, 6X6 pickups are to the trucking fraternity. It’s insane, outlandish, and guaranteed head-turners. And so, our in-house magician, Rostislav Prokop, has created the perfect balance of function and insanity with the Toyota Land Cruiser 6X6. This rendering beautifully explores how a J200 Series Land Cruiser would fan out with an extra axle and a lot more brawn. Prokop has made our 6X6 Land Cruiser off-road-ready thanks to steep custom front…

Developed to celebrate the incredible heritage of the 1960s Ford GT40 racer, the ‘original’ mid-engine two-seater Ford GT sports car appeared during the early 2000s with a quick, easy, and relatable twist. That would be the combination of the fabled American muscle car DNA with a mid-engine setup to create a proper U.S. supercar that would not use quirky V10 bits and pieces like the Dodge Viper but rather have the same style, ethos, and nimble performance as European counterparts. Yep, that is the same recipe that Chevy used later when creating the more affordable C8 Corvette, of course! And it’s a…

Introduced in 1970, the Dodge Challenger arrived a bit late to the muscle car party. By 1972, Chrysler discontinued both the 440-cubic-inch (7.2-liter) RB and the 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI V8s, a move that turned the Challenger into a more mundane coupe. By 1973, the pony was barely making 240 horsepower. As a result, first-generation Challengers built after the 1971 model year aren’t as desirable as their predecessors. They’re also a lot more affordable to buy, even when we’re talking about rotisserie-type restorations. And this prompted many enthusiasts to drop original HEMI V8 mills into 1972-to-1974 Chargers. I showed one such project in…

Introduced in 1959 as a competitor to the Chevrolet Impala, the Galaxie was Ford’s top-of-the-line full-size model until 1974. And much like its Chevy-badged rival, it was available in many body styles and spawned quite a few limited-edition versions. With drag racing having become increasingly popular in the 1960s, U.S. automakers began offering full-size cars with beefed-up engines. The Galaxie was included in the program and got a 406-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) FE V8 in 1962. Rated at 405 horsepower, it turned the two-door full-size into a muscle car capable of going against the Impala SS. But Ford didn’t stop there. Halfway through…

E.C.D. Automotive Design, the world’s largest Land Rover restoration company, has finished yet another fantastic-looking restomod. An older 110 served as the canvas for this build, which is rocking an eight-speed automatic and a supercharged V8 powerplant of General Motors origin. The coil-sprung Defender was introduced in 1983 as the Land Rover One Ten, followed by the Ninety in 1984, with these numbers spelled in full. The replacement for the Land Rover series would be renamed for the 1991 model year Defender, which came in short-wheelbase 90 and long-wheelbase 110 flavors. North America received the 110 for the 1993 model year, whereas…

The director and star both played with their images in a knotty and exciting adaptation of Philip K Dick’s prescient short story Tom Cruise has spent the last few weeks – arguably the last few years – making the case that, at least under certain circumstances, he could qualify as the biggest movie star in the world. Twenty years ago, merely on the cusp of 40, this condition didn’t require such strenuous evidence. Cruise made movies, and, for the most part, audiences showed up; it had become almost routine. This is was why he could star in a spectacular science-fiction…

Tom Cruise has told how he loves spending time in Britain because ‘everyone is pleasant’ and no one tries to ‘crowd’ him. The actor, 60, has been in the UK in recent months while filming scenes for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. The film star said he enjoys relaxing here and has found everyone he has met to be ‘well-mannered’. Anglophile: Tom Cruise has told how he loves spending time in Britain because ‘everyone is pleasant’ and no one tries to ‘crowd’ him (pictured in May 2022) Speaking to Derbyshire Live, he said: ‘Everyone is pleasant and will give you…

While some other segments didn’t enjoy a great year, luxury car manufacturers had a swell 2022, and we now know why. Rolls-Royce Here’s a little known fact: recession boosts luxury sales. Why? Mostly because the affluent class is looking for investments in which they can park their money during recession. As stocks dip or fluctuate endlessly and the residential real estate market is cooling off, the rich are turning to luxury assets like art, yachts, jets, and luxury objects. French luxury design house, Hermès, the company known for its Birkin bags that cost over $10,000, has outperformed market expectations this…