We love weird old classic cars, don’t we folks? This one comes from Audi—more specifically, Auto Union. Internally known as the Type 52, the so-called “Schnellsportwagen”—or “fast sports car”—was supposed to be a road-going version of the Type 22 Grand Prix race car from the 1930s. It would have had a 16-cylinder engine with upwards of 200 horsepower, and a top speed of 125 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest cars of the day.

Sadly, this amazing supercar never made it past the design phase; The Auto Union Type 52 project was scrapped by 1935 ahead of World War II. But Audi decided to dust off its history books and bring this special vehicle to life for the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Audi

Audi commissioned Crosthwaite & Gardner—a historic race car manufacturing company—to recreate the Auto Union Type 52 from scratch. Using original sketches and blueprints, everything from the chassis and body panels to the engine was custom-made for this one-of-a-kind concept. The project started early in 2023 and took more than a year to complete.

Under the hood—er, rear deck—is a mid-mounted, supercharged 16-cylinder engine similar to the one that would have been used in the original car. This version uses a 6.0-liter motor instead of the original blueprint’s 4.4-liter engine. Audi also upped the power output from an estimated 200 horsepower to a healthy 512 horsepower. It’s paired, of course, to a manual transmission.

But in order to fit the new engine and chassis underneath, Audi had to stretch the dimensions. The Type 52 has a 130.5-inch wheelbase, instead of the original’s slightly shorter 118.0-inch wheelbase, and weighs 3,196 pounds. The original would have tipped the scales at 2,866 pounds.

Audi

Pop open the rear-hinged doors and you’ll find a three-seat layout inside, just like the McLaren F1—only 60 years earlier. And Audi made sure to keep the interior looking retro with old-school cloth seats, lacquered wood paneling, and huge throwback gauges.

But don’t think this stunning one-off is just a garage queen. Audi will actually run the Type 52 concept at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed with Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen and Hans-Joachim “Strietzel” Stuck behind the wheel. We can’t wait to see this thing in action.

Polestar is bringing some heat to Goodwood. Alongside its updated 2 sedan and the new 3 and 4 crossovers, the electric automaker will also have a new concept on display at the Festival of Speed that previews a next-generation performance car. It’s called the Polestar Concept BST—and it looks awesome.

The shape should look familiar to anyone who knows Polestar. The BST concept is based on the O2 concept from 2022, which will eventually spawn a production Polestar 6 convertible. This latest take on the sports car tacks on more performance (at least visually) with flared arches, an aggressive front end, 22-inch wheels, a BST livery over silver paint, and a massive rear wing.

Polestar

There are no powertrain details yet, but if this concept were to go into production, it’d probably be plenty quick. The production Polestar 6 will have 884 hp and a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds. A BST variant could offer as much as 1,000 hp and a 0-60 mph time of under three seconds. The Polestar 2 saw similar performance upgrades when its BST version debuted.

Alongside a static Concept BST, the Polestar 6 will make its way up the Goodwood hill climb for the first time this year. The Polestar 6 is scheduled to go on sale sometime in 2026, using the new Polestar Performance Architecture (PPA) that will also underpin the 5 sedan, Polestar’s Porsche Taycan fighter.

The Polestar 6 will be limited to an initial batch of 500 cars in the first year, but CEO Thomas Ingenlath promises to keep the stunning sports car in production as long as there’s a demand. We should see the final production version in 2025—and who knows, maybe a hotted-up BST version with debut alongside it.

Back in 2022, Ford and Hertz announced a deal that brought Shelby Mustangs into the rental company’s fleet. Some of those cars were GT500s modified to a positively insane 900 horsepower. That fleet service is coming to an end, at which point the cars will go up for sale. Do you have the guts to buy a 900-hp Mustang rental car?

We don’t yet know how much the used rental Mustangs will cost, nor do we know exactly when the cars will go on sale. Shelby American said in a statement last week the modded Mustangs would be rotated out of the fleet “later this year” without providing additional context. Hertz did not was not immediately available for comment when reached by Motor1. If new details come in, we’ll jump in with an update.

Don’t expect the usual bargain-basement pricing often associated with used rental cars. Shelby Mustangs in any form are coveted by performance fans and collectors, and the Hertz-Shelby legacy dates all the way back to the first-generation pony car of the 1960s. At 900 hp, the latest Hertz Shelby reset the bar as the company’s most powerful rental ever. As such, it’s safe to assume some tire shredding occurred during their rental days. But being specialty vehicles, they were likely maintained better than most rentals … we hope, anyway.

The GT500-H is also extremely rare. Shelby only made 25 examples, and they were only available to rent in six cities across the US. Combined with the power and the pedigree, you have a recipe for sky-high pricing.

It’s worth noting that Shelby also built the GT-H for Hertz. These were available in a few more locations and utilized the stock GT’s 5.0-liter V-8 at 450 horsepower. Those cars are wrapping up fleet service as well, so if you’re keen on scoring a legit Hertz rent-a-racer, this could be a more affordable option.

ECD Auto Design is expanding its line of restomod vehicles with the Toyota FJ. It’s a natural fit for a company that first started restoring old Land Rover Defenders. The FJ will soon join the company’s growing lineup of classics, including the Land Rover Range Rover, Jaguar E-Type, and Ford Mustang.

A 6.2-liter V-8 engine from Chevrolet that pairs with a six-speed automatic transmission powers each ECD FJ. The builder upgrades the fuel system with braided stainless-steel lines while adding a stainless-steel exhaust system. The aftermarket specialist also installs heavy-duty axles, an upgraded suspension, high-performance aluminum cooling systems, and improved disc brakes.

ECD Auto Design

Inside, ECD matches the dashboard color to the exterior, while drivers get to grip a Momo steering wheel and sit in hand-stitched leather seats. The FJ isn’t as barebones as the original, with added heat and sound insulation, an air conditioner, a premium four-speaker sound system, Bluetooth capability, a backup camera, up to four USB charge ports, and an alarm system.

Buyers can choose a full-gloss paint option from the OEM color palette and pick from ECD’s range of 16-inch wheels. Leather options are available from the builder’s standard offerings, with line, bar, or diamond patterns. The headliner comes in black, gray, or beige.

ECD Auto Design

ECD will begin building its first restomoded FJs late in the third quarter of 2024, with deliveries expected to start in Q1 2025. The builder will produce the FJ on the same line as its Defender and Range Rover classics.

A test driver for supercar maker Hennessey walked away from a 250-mph crash involving a Venom F5 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida earlier this month, the company’s founder said in a statement published to Instagram on Saturday.

John Hennessey said his team was testing a new aerodynamic setup for the F5, an 1,817-horsepower supercar released in 2020, when the car lost downforce at 250 mph, causing the test driver to lose control. Amazingly, the driver walked away from the crash without any injuries. 

 

A cause for the crash has not been determined. Hennessey says his team is working to analyze the data to figure out the root cause of the incident.

“I am very grateful to our team of engineers and technicians who have designed and built an amazingly strong vehicle,” Hennessey said in a statement. “We are also very thankful to the first responders and staff at KSC for their quick response to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Hennessey touts the Venom F5 as the fastest production vehicle on the planet, capable of a claimed top speed of 311 mph. No attempt to reach that speed has been recorded as of this writing, however. The company did not give a reason for the new aero testing, though considering the location of the test, we suspect the aero was meant to help improve straight-line speed. 

There’s no word on the condition of the test car or the nature of the crash, nor do we have a timeline for Hennessey’s top-speed test. Hopefully the damage isn’t too bad; we’re dying to see an American car break the 300-mph barrier. 

Old Mercedes wagons like the one you see here are iconic for a slew of reasons. They’re good-looking, reliable, and practical. But they’re not exactly known for straight-line speed, with most examples having underpowered (but stout) diesel engines from the factory. This one’s got an extra cylinder and a big ol’ turbocharger. And it can do 200 mph in the standing mile. 

According to Engine Swap Depot, this old W123-generation Mercedes 300TD had its 3.0-liter diesel inline-five swapped out for a turbocharged 4.0-liter Ford Barra straight-six. The builders behind this creation, Finland-based Valtonen Motorsport, mated the new engine to an eight-speed automatic gearbox for maximum speed. 

The tuner shop published a short video to YouTube showing the car lay down a fat dyno pull, complete with flames shooting out of the exhaust. Horsepower is unknown—the video blurs the screen so we can’t see the results. But judging by what happens later in the video, it’s clear this car is making a ridiculous amount of power.

Following the dyno clip, we’re shown the Mercedes blasting down a runway at Halli airport in southern Finland. Though there’s no onboard footage, it’s clear this thing is going very fast by the end of the run. Valtonen says they had some instability towards the end of the runway, but the parachute helped settle things in the braking zone. A parachute attached to a station wagon doesn’t sound right, but here it works. 

It’s the Scot Colin McRae who’ll pop into most peoples’ minds when you evoke World Rallying’s glory days, which for my money, runs from Group A’s peak in the early nineties through Sebastien Loeb’s first title in 2004. During that time, McRae was the most prominent, flamboyant and daring driver of the era. His bravery and bombast brought global fame, raising the profile of rallying to stratospheric heights.

But who was the most-talented Brit of the era? Those in the know will pick out a different name. Richard Burns. 

Here’s some proof: a recap of Rally Great Britain, the final round of the 2000 season in which Burns narrowly finished second in the title to two-time champion Marcus Gronholm.

It had been a nail-biter up to that point, the championship split narrowly between Burns in second and Gronholm up front. To have a chance at securing a title, Burns had to finish first at his home rally and pray Gronholm dropped to the bottom of the podium. 

Burns rose under the pressure, capturing overall victory with trademark precision and aggression. Unfortunately for him, Gronholm also proved his mettle, doing just enough to secure the title.

This in-period video recap provides an overview of the final leg of the 2000 Rally GB. Burns fought back from an early mechanical issue to claim the lead, but Gronholm kept the haymakers coming, with the championships result see-sawing between the two as the action broke one way or another.

It’s worth sticking around to watch the sheer driving talent on display, too. Seven of the top ten drivers that season had won or would win a WRC title, including four-time champs Juha Kankkunen and Tommi Makinen. Also worth mentioning are two unsung tarmac specialists of the era who feature prominently in this footage, Giles Panizzi and Francois Delacour. They deserve YouTube follow-ups of their own. 

In the end, five points separated Gronholm and Burns, though Burns finished one fewer rally over the course of the season. The next season, however, would be Burns’s. He and his Subaru finally took the title after consecutive second-place seasons, beating McRae, who finished second in the superior Ford Focus.

Burns always rode the edge a bit finer than McRae, who spent far more time sailing past it. That meant more highlight-reel glory for McRae, but also far more crashes. The pair each wound up with a single title, making this one of the great pub debates of our time.

Of course, Burns footage always feels bittersweet. His life was cut tragically short by a brain tumor in 2005, four years to the day after he’d won his first and only WRC championship title. We’re lucky to have bootleg footage like this so widely available, so that we might bask in the glory of Britain’s most-talented rally driver, whoever that actually was. 

A secret of automotive journalists: All of us basically want to be Tiff Needell. The English racer is one of the best car reviewers of all time. In his time on the original Top Gear from the 1980s through the early 2000s, and at Fifth Gear afterwards, Needell shot incredible car reviews. His racing background and superhuman car control combined with his excitable delivery in a perfect recipe. Even now, at age 71, Tiff’s still got it.

Jonny Smith of the Late Brake Show on YouTube reunited Needell with a Ford Sierra Cosworth Group A touring car for a recent video. Needell not only raced a couple rounds of the British Touring Car Championship in 1989 in a Labatt’s-liveried Sierra Cosworth, he reviewed the car for Top Gear too. This time he’s in his teammate’s car, a remarkable, unrestored example that’s totally race ready.

Needell doesn’t push quite as hard as he did 35 years ago—the car’s worth around a half million British pounds now—but he still opens it up around England’s Mallory Park. His driving and presenting are as good as ever, as he tells the story of his BTCC win at Donnington Park behind the wheel.

The Sierra is a tricky car to drive, too. Typical of a touring car the steering is quite heavy, and the power from its turbocharged Cosworth four-cylinder is prodigious. The car brakes well, though, and using an h-pattern gearbox and heel-toeing downshifts brings him huge satisfaction. 

My problem with writing this story was resisting the temptation to fall down a Tiff YouTube rabbithole. His reviews of the McLaren F1, E60-generation BMW M5, and Ferrari F430 Spider are all must-watches, and that only begins to scratch the surface. If you’ve never done a deep dive, do yourself a favor.

The refreshed 2024 Ford F-150 now has a tweaked version from Shelby. The starting price is $130,000 and somehow, it doesn’t include any engine modifications. For that, you’ll need to pay $139,995—approximately $27,000 more than a new F-150 Raptor R.

At that price you at least get Raptor R power. Actually, you get a little more thanks to a Ford Performance supercharger kit. It bolts to a 5.0-liter V-8, developing 785 horsepower with additional help from upgraded fuel injectors, a carbon intake, and a Borla exhaust system. If you don’t opt for the supercharger, you’re stuck with the base 5.0 from Ford making a measly 400 horses. 

Other mechanical upgrades include Fox 2.5 shocks with internal bypass tech, a three-inch lift, adjustable dual speed controls, and performance rear traction bars. 

Shelby describes the Fox suspension as “Raptor-style,” but the 22-inch wheels sure aren’t. They wear 35-inch all-terrain tires, tucked beneath body-colored fender flares at all four corners. Up front there’s a new lower bumper cover, a dual-intake hood with vents and extractors, and naturally there’s a Shelby grille with a snake badge. Power running boards with rock guards are included; you also get fender vents, a body-colored tonneau cover atop the bed, a carpet (yes carpet) BedRug bedliner, and stripes galore.

Moving inside you’ll find Shelby branding on the leather seats and floormats, carbon fiber trim, and a serial number denoting the production number. There’s also a serialized engine plaque, billet pedals, and provided your state allows it, dark tinted windows.

The rest of the truck is standard-issue F-150. Shelby starts with a Lariat SuperCrew 4×4; which is listed with a starting price of $77,000 in Shelby’s online configurator. The upgrade package (including the supercharger) adds $62,995, bringing the total to $139,995. The only other options listed are paint colors—Rapid Red is $495 and Star White Metallic is $995.

A total of 800 trucks are slated for production. They’ll be available starting later this summer.

The Mazda MX-5 Cup one of the best entry-level sports racing cars in the world. Based on the ND Miata, the MX-5 Cup uses a sealed stock engine paired with a SADEV sequential gearbox, and gets a full roll cage plus extensive suspension and brake upgrades. The car competes in the one-make Global MX-5 Cup series—which produces some of the best racing on the planet—and it’s also a popular choice for track-day goers. Flis Performance, the Daytona Beach, Florida shop charged with building MX-5 Cups, just built its 300th example.

Flis, which has built all MX-5 Cup cars since 2019, intends to keep this car as a development vehicle. So unfortunately, you won’t see it bump drafting around America’s road courses in the MX-5 Cup series. But it will help ensure that the racing is as tight as ever. Still, #300 has already hit the track in the hands of 11-year-old Keelan Harvick, son of retired NASCAR star Kevin. 

 

When it launched in 2016, the MX-5 Cup cost just $53,000, making it one of the cheapest factory-backed race cars in the world. Now, it costs $99,000, but the latest car features a number of upgrades. And it could be a decent investment. There’s a $250,000 prize for the first-place winner in the MX-5 Cup, with $85,000 going to runner up, and $50,000 to third. Sure, it costs about $150,000 or more to be part of a front-running program, and you need to be a damn good driver to win, but hey, whatever helps you justify the car.

What’s amazing is that the 300 MX-5 Cups built represent just a fraction of the Miatas out there racing around the world. Mazda has long claimed that the Miata is the most raced car on the planet, and when the 150th MX-5 Cup was built, it said in a press release that over 3,000 had been turned into race cars. But that feels conservative. On any given race weekend, there are probably hundreds of Miatas racing in America alone. The continued success of the MX-5 Cup means that should keep going for quite some time.