What Was She Thinking?!

This week's feature is Maserati's Quattroporte, list price just under $100,000. Maserati changed hands a few times and is currently owned by Ferrari. (It could do worse!)

Specifications
Retail Price (MSRP): $95,500
Fuel Economy (City): 12 mpg.
Horsepower: 400 hp.
Curb Weight: 4253 lb.
Basic Warranty: 48 months/50,000 miles
Torque: 333 lb-ft
Max. Driving Range: 357 miles

Photo Album
My Maserati Does 185

Today's Sunday drive probably won't ever be seen on any streets in the United States. This is the 2000 GTM Libra, from the U.K. Here are the specs:

SPECS

Length 140"
Width 65"
Height 45"
Weight (Road Trim): 695kg
Ground Clearance: 5.5"
Engine K-Series: 1118-1800cc; 2500cc K-Series V6 is an option.
Gearbox: Standard 5-speed
Wheelbase: 91"
Body Type: 2-Seater mid-engined coupe
Chassis Type: Fibreglass monocoque
Suspension Type:
Front: Double unequal length wishbones & AVO shock absorbers
Rear: Double trailing wishbones & AVO shock absorbers
Braking System: Servo-assisted disk brakes on all wheels

PHOTOS

Here's a representative photo; the rest are in the GTM Libra photo album. Enjoy!

Today's drive down memory lane goes back over 40 years to 1959 (I was a babe in diapers then!). This British beauty still looks grand today! There are more photos in the new "Jag-Wire" photo album I've just set up; check the sidebar! The photos were collected from the Usenet group alt.binaries.pictures.autos. The 1959 photos are copyright Michel Weber, used with permission.

Of course, if this is too sedate for your taste, if it's just not your cup of tea, then this will surely blow the crumbs off your crumpet!

Specifications:

Type:  2S FHC
Number of doors: 2
Wheelbase: 2591 mm/102 in
Track, front: 1302 mm/51.3 in
Track, rear: 1302 mm/51.3 in
Length: 4496 mm/177 in
Width: 1638 mm/64.5 in
Height: 1397 mm/55 in
Wheelbase ratio: 1.74
Curb weight: 1473 kg/3247 lb

Expore it Further:
From the Wikipedia
Bran Classic Auto "Boulevard Art"
Sports Car Market
Jaguar Database from Car-Nection.com

Last week, I profiled a military vehicle called the Gama Goat. The U.S. Army has discontinued its use, opting for the HMMWV or "Hummer." General Motors has created the civilian version of the Hummer in three flavors, the H1 (which bears the closest resemblance to its ancestor, the HMMWV), the H2 (which I'm featuring today), and the H3 (what I refer to as a Baby Hummer).

This urban assault vehicle is uber-wide, uber-tall and getting around crowded city streets and parking garages can be trying for all but the most determined. I've seen one in my building's parking garage so I know it can be done, but with care! (Because the parking garage is so dark anyway, and because I took this shot with my PDA's camera, hence no flash, I had to saturate the heck out of the photo. But I am comforted by this photo because I now know that if this hulking thing can make it down the narrow ramp of our parking garage, so can my little green cow!)

I actually visited a Hummer dealership in Alvin, Texas, a couple of years back and came away with a Hummer brochure, which I've scanned. There are plenty of Hummer photos in my new Hummer photo album. Go take a peek.

In summary, some of the Hummer's ruggedness has been bred out of it in favor of the creature comforts we've come to love in our vehicles. Leather seats, ear shattering sound systems, GPS, Internet access (yep, your eyes do not deceive you!). But to paraphrase Sam Jackson's character, Ordell Robbie, in Jackie Brown,

When you absolutely, positively have to kill every motherfucker in the room, accept no substitutes.

Specs (2003):

GENERAL
Model: 2003 HUMMER H2 SUV
Body style: Four-door sport-utility, body-on-frame construction
Driveline: Front-engine, full-time 4WD
EPA vehicle class: Full-size sport utility
Assembly Plant: Mishawaka, Indiana (AM General)

POWERTRAIN
Engine Type: Vortec 6000 6.0-liter V8 with cast iron block, cast aluminum cylinder heads, sequential fuel injection
Displacement (cu. in./cc): 364/5,967
Bore and stroke (in./mm): 4.00 x 3.62/101.6 x 92.0
Valvetrain: OHV
Compression ratio: 9.4:1
Horsepower (SAE hp): (est.) 316 @ 5200 rpm
Torque (lb.-ft./Nm): (est.) 360 @ 3600 rpm
Transmission type: 4L65-E 4-speed auto
Gear ratios (:1): 1st 3.06; 2nd 1.62; 3rd 1.00; 4th 0.69; Rev. 2.29
Stall Ratio: 1.90
Final drive (axle) ratio: 4.10
Low Range Lock gear reduction: 2.64
Crawl Ratio: 33.1

EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS (in./mm, except where noted):
Wheelbase: 122.8/3,118
Overall vehicle length: 189.8/4,819.7
Tread (front): 69.4/1,762.8
Tread (rear): 69.4/1,762.8
Vehicle width excluding mirrors: 81.2/2,062.6
Overall vehicle height @ curb weight: (est.) 77.8-82/1,977-2,080 (with and without roof rack)

GROUND CLEARANCE
Angle of approach (degree): (est.) 40.4°-40.8°
Angle of departure (degree): (est.) 39.6°-41.8°
Ramp brake-over angle (degree): (est.) 24.3°
Axle differential to ground (in./mm): 9.4/238
Min. running ground clearance (in./mm): (est.) 10/229

CHASSIS AND SUSPENSION
Front: Independent with torsion bars; 46mm monotube gas shocks; 35.9mm front stabilizer bar
Rear: 5-link variable-rate coil spring; opt. self-leveling air spring (w/RPO ZM6); 46mm monotube shocks, 30mm stabilizer bar
Traction Control: Brake-controlled, single-wheel control capability with rear axle locking differential
Steering type: Variable ratio, integral power; recirculating ball type
Ratio: 15/13:1
Steering wheel turns, (lock-to-lock): 3.25
Turning circle, curb-to-curb (ft./m): (est.) 44.3/13.5
Brakes: Four-wheel disc, four-wheel/four channel ABS, dual piston calipers with Dynamic Rear Proportioning
Wheel size and type (in.): 17.0 x 8.5 cast aluminum
Tire size and type: Standard: LT285/70R17 all-terrain
Optional: LT315/70R17 off-road
GVWR, standard (lbs./kg): 8,600/3,901
Base curb weight (lbs./kg): (est.) 6,400/2,909
Trailer towing maximum (lbs./kg): (est.) 7,000/3,182
Winch capacity (lbs./kg): (est.) 9,000/4,091
Fuel tank capacity (gal./l): (est.) 32/124.9

PERFORMANCE
Range (Minimum): 350 miles+
Fuel Economy: Not tested, out of regulated fleet requirements
0-60 mph: <-10.0 sec
Grade Capability: 60%

Read More About The Hummer
H2 Source
HumVee.net
The Hummer Club
Fuck You and Your H2 (not exactly a fan site)
Hummer-Dinger (Sierra Club Spoof Site)

Featured today is a beast of a car, the 1938 Hispano-Suiza Dubonnet Streamliner. Photo from the Usenet group alt.binaries.pictures.autos.

Some links:
History
Hispano Club (English)