Anniversary

  • The very first Mini ever built

    Tomorrow, May 8, 2009, marks 50 years to the day since the first Mini rolled off the production line at Plant Oxford, formerly known as Cowley. It's been a long and winding road for the British icon, but the Mini has made it through half a century of nearly continuous production despite passing through many different hands. Surviving the current sales and economic maelstrom may yet prove to be a difficult task indeed with some of the industry's giants all but disappearing. But this isn't the first time the world has faced such a situation, and it's certainly not the first time the UK has...

  • Bugatti Veyron Centenaire
    Bugatti unveils more ‘Centenaire’ special edition Veyrons

    Early last month we revealed details about Bugatti's new special edition variant of the Veyron, the 'Bleu Centenaire'. Designed to mark the company's 100th anniversary, we thought that there could not possibly be any more special editions of the Veyron on the horizon, but at this past...

  • audi tachoscope 005
    Audi celebrates 100 years with unique Tachoscope timepiece

    Celebrating an anniversary with a timepiece is a classic tradition, one symbolic of the years that have led to the moment. Audi's celebration of its 100th anniversary is no different, capturing the moment with a custom watch built in cooperation with Chronoswiss. The watch, called 'Tachoscope'...

  • 2009 aston martin lola lmp1 001
    Aston Martin LMP1 racer debuts at Paul Ricard Circuit

    In 1959, racing legend Carroll Shelby along with Roy Salvadori raced to overall victory at Le Mans in an Aston Martin DBR1, followed by another DBR1 in second place - both cars 25 laps ahead of third place. This year, marking the 50th anniversary of that feat, Aston Martin will field two works...

  • bugatti veyron bleu centenaire 001
    Official details: Bugatti Veyron 'Bleu Centenaire' 100th anniversary special

    Bugatti is no stranger to limited editions of its Veyron, with the Sang Noir, Pur Sang, Hermès, Pegaso and Grand Sport (pictured) to name just a few. Now a new model has been added to the list: the Bleu Centenaire, in celebration of Bugatti's 100th anniversary. Early reports suggested the special...

  • mercedes benz g class 30th anniversary specials 010
    Mercedes unveils special-edition G-Class SUVs for 30th anniversary

    Thirty years is a long time in the automotive industry, but the more things change, the more they stay the same - in 1979, the second oil crisis was in full swing, Detroit was smack in the midst of its malaise-era madness and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class was born. Now that three decades have elapsed...

  • 2009 mazda mx 5 us version 008

    Just a few weeks ago the first photos of the upcoming U.S. version of the 2009 Mazda MX-5 facelift broke cover ahead of its impending Chicago Auto Show debut. The reveal of the car in the U.S. is timely, since this week in 1989 saw the unveiling of the very first Miata at the very same auto show. February 9, 1989, to be exact, was the day that Mazda first revealed what would become the quintessential modern roadster. Over 850,000 of the cars have been sold since, and even through three generations and a number of upgrades and changes, the MX-5 is still a lightweight, sporty and fun-to-drive...

  • Bentley Brooklands 6.75L V8 engine
    Bentley's Production V-8 Turns 50

    Fifty years ago Bentley first installed a V8 engine in its iconic S2 Continental, and the legacy of that original 6.2L aluminum powerplant can still be found today in cars like the 530hp (395kW) Brooklands coupe, Arnage saloon and Azure convertible. To celebrate the achievement, Bentley’s...

  • Hurst 50th Anniversary Dodge Viper
    First Hurst 50th Anniversary Dodge Viper sells for $275,000 at Barrett-Jackson auction

    This past weekend’s Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, saw a number of special vehicles go under the hammer, including this striking Dodge Viper that was prepared by vehicle customizer Hurst. The particular model is the first of the new Hurst 50th Anniversary Dodge...

  • hurst 50th anniversary dodge viper 001
    Hurst releases images of 50th Anniversary Dodge Viper

    The rebirth of the American muscle car was about as ill-timed as it could be given the industry's global meltdown, but Hurst Performance Vehicles is forging ahead with a limited edition run of 50 specially built Dodge Vipers to commemorate its 50th anniversary. The supercars started production in...

  • mercedes ml63 amg 10th anniversary 013
    Mercedes releases two special-edition ML63 AMG SUVs

    In a sort of counter-stroke to the modified vehicle extravaganza that is the SEMA show, Mercedes has announced two special editions of its ML63 AMG SUV. The 10th Anniversary model celebrates 10 years of AMG SUVs, while the Performance Studio edition exhibits what the in-house AMG customizers at the...

  • 1963 Lamborghini GTV 350
    Lamborghini may launch special edition model to mark 45th anniversary

    Tomorrow will mark the 45th anniversary of Lamborghini's first foray into the automotive world, the 350GTV. Speculation over exactly how the company will celebrate the occasion has led to talk of a possible special edition Murcielago - perhaps even the long-rumored SV. Just last week a test mule...

  • Subaru launches 20th Anniversary edition of the Impreza WRX STI

    It's hard to believe the Subaru Impreza WRX STI has been around in some form or another for 20 years already, but a special edition commemorating that fact was released today in Japan. Limited to just 300 units, the car will feature a range of upgrades above and beyond the standard STI along with special badging and other unique touches. The primary upgrades are to the car's handling. Special coilover dampers that offer a firmer ride and quicker transitions give the 20th Anniversary STI more bite, while a choice of paint colors - as long as you choose white - and 18-inch cast aluminum wheels...

  • wiesmann mf5 motorauthority 004
    Wiesmann releasing 20th Anniversary special edition version of MF3, MF4 and MF5

    Niche German sports car manufacturer, Wiesmann. is celebrating its 20th birthday this year, and to mark the anniversary the Dülmen based manufacturer is releasing special '20th Anniversary Editions' of it's MF3 two-seater roadster, the MF4 closed-top Grand Tourer and the M5-powered MF5, which...

  • Honda's 60th Anniversary
    Honda quietly entered its 60th year of business this week

    Known not just for its strong automotive business, but for its engine, aviation, robotics and motorcycle arms as well, Honda entered its 60th year as a corporation this week. Honda's official existence began on September 24, 1948, when Soichiro Honda incorporated the company. Starting with a...

  • Ferrari 365 GB/4 Daytona turns 40
    Ferrari 365 GB/4 Daytona turns 40

    While the original 1966 Ferrari 365 was a beautiful car, it was the more-focused 1968 365 GTB/4 that garnered most of the attention. This was mostly because of its hard-edged Pininfarina designed body, which was a sharp departure from traditional Ferrari styling at the time. The GT was also famous...

  • 50th anniversary of the Wankel rotary engine
    50th Anniversary Of The Wankel Rotary Engine

    Back in 1957, German engineer Felix Wankel displayed a prototype for a new internal combustion engine that used spinning rotors instead of reciprocating pistons to complete each engine cycle. The design allowed for a lightweight and compact engine with less moving parts that provided much smoother...

  • Zagato rebuilds 1930's Lancia Aprilla Sport from photos
    Zagato Rebuilds 1930s Lancia Aprilla Sport From Photos

    To celebrate the centenary of Lancia and the long standing affiliation between the marque and the Milanese coachbuilder for its Sport versions, Andrea Zagato decided to create a Lancia Aprilia Sport identical to the car built by his grandfather Ugo in 1938. The complicated process did not start...

  • VW launches the Golf GTI Edition 30

    It’s hard to believe, but the famous GTI hot hatch has made it into 30 years of production after the release of the original 1976 version. To mark the occasion, Volkswagen has released a production version of the GTI Edition 30 concept car that was unveiled several months ago. Sticking to the concept car's specifications, the GTI Edition 30 gets a 230-horsepower version of the 2.0-liter four found in the regular GTI, mated to either a six-speed manual or dual-clutch DSG gearbox. Performance is improved, with a 0-62 mph time of just 6.6 seconds all the way to a top speed of 150 mph...

  • Happy Birthday! SLK turns 10
    Happy Birthday! Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class Turns 10

    It was exactly ten years ago that the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class made its debut in the showrooms. When it was launched in 1996, the SLK was a new market segment for Mercedes, but they managed to make it a success. Though Mercedes didn't invent the folding hard-top roof, the SLK was the car that...

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