This eBay find is based on a 1992 Toyota MR2 NA, which is said to have been "professionally stretched and reinforced" to a 104-inch long wheelbase to bring its dimensions closer to the original Ferrari.
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On the face of it, some customers share the feeling with Chrysler. Like this owner who transformed a 2003 Sebring Convertible V6 into a fairly accurate replica of the pre-facelift Bentley Continental GTC SuperSports cabriolet.
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As with Retrobuilt's existing 1969 Shelby GT 500CS Fastback and Mustang GT Fastback models, the 1969 Shelby GT500CS Convertible can be based on any open-top, fifth-generation Ford Mustang (S-197) built from 2005 and onwards.
The conversion package replaces all body panels sans the doors with fiberglass parts, and adds new headlamps and taillights, chrome trim, vinyl striping and a Shelby wheel and tire combo to mimic the looks of the original 1969 model.
After a couple of Bugatti Veyron 16.4s and an Audi R8, we have now unearthed a Ferrari F430 Scuderia clone based on a low-mileage Cougar coupe V6.
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The frisky and affordable rear-wheel drive MX-5 was an instant success and as a result, many carmakers tried to emulate Mazda's move by presenting their own compact-sized roadsters, including BMW, which introduced the Z3 in 1996 shortly after being featured in the James Bond movie, Golden Eye.
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Like this Ferrari F430 clone listed for sale in Canada. The Bianco-Fuji-colored (sic…) Maranello-wannabe is built around the seventh and last generation of Toyota's Celica sports coupe series.
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At the time, the seller was offering the eight-piece kit alone for $4,500, but we have now discovered that you can buy a completed model on eBay.
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Take the British owner of this Toyota Supra, for example, who turned the coupe model into a replica of an Aston Martin DBS, supposedly inspired by the one featured in the 2008 James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace.
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For those that do not want to wait for the production Bentley EXP 9 F SUV, German design studio Atelier Valdeig has collaborated with Armortech Motors to create a coachbuilt version of the current generation Audi Q7 offering buyers a choice of Bentley-inspired fascias and rear end styling.
The SUV is called the Tresor, which the company says is French for "treasure" and German for "safe" or "strong room".
While neither partner makes word of Bentley for obvious reasons, they do point out that the Tresor's exterior "marries traditional British design cues and sportiness" and that "the seats and the dashboard come from a noted English luxury car maker" – no prizes for guessing the brand…
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Brought to you by the creative minds behind the amazing pedal-powered Ferdinand 911 GT3 R from 2010, the new “FAHRRADI Farfalla FFX” is yet another attempt to redefine the bicycle-exotic sports car segment.
The team says that unlike the Ferdinand 911 GT3 R that cloned an existing car, their new pedal-powered model represents the "future top model of an actually existing automobile brand", or in other words, Ferrari.
"The external form of the vehicle is the result of Internet research into various real and fictive design ideas about what this vehicle could look like, but also our own ideas of design and, not least of all, a substantial portion of clairvoyance," the team explains on their website.
Chinese carmakers are just unbelievable! Following a whole bunch of four-wheel knockoffs like the Toyota RAV, Fiat Panda, Scion, BMW X5, Smart Fortwo and MINI Cooper clones, now some Chinese carmaker has launched a series of three-wheelers that shamelessly imitate the looks of a Toyota Prius, a Daewoo Matiz (Chevrolet in 
Via: Autoblog.it & Chinacartimes
While it may not exactly be a perfect conversion, the 1996 Honda Civic Coupe based replica that’s for sale on eBay could fool a number of people into thinking that it’s a genuine third generation BMW M3. In fact, we believe that the seller himself has been fooled that the car is genuine if you consider that the “Buy it Now” price on eBay is $16.5 grand – or more than you’d pay for an original, second generation, 98-99 model BMW M3…! -Continued after the jump
We tried our best to find a logical explanation for this semi-conversion of a 1964 VW Beetle into something that kinda looks like a 30’s Ford model up front, but we came up empty handed. Totally pointless if you ask us, but feel free to justify this semi-replica by leaving us a comment below. -Continued
Link: ebay
The Italian Tax Police or as they call it in According to reports, the auto-body shops operated in a dozen cities from near the Alps in the north to
Harley Lewin, a partner with
Via: Windingroad , Source: WSJ
Made in honour of Volvo’s 80th birthday, the Jacob is a retro-penned hotrod inspired by the first series-produced Volvo car, the ÖV4 (the Swedish abbreviation for Open Car, 4 cylinders) that gained the nickname “Jacob”. The hand-built aluminium body hotrod is based on a carbon-fibre chassis and it’s equipped with Volvo’s Flexifuel, five-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that generates 265 Hp. The Jacob hotrod will be unveiled at the 
PRESS RELEASE
Hot Rod champion gives the very first Volvo a new lease of life
Hot Rod Jakob is a unique combination of classical car-building craftsmanship allied to modern technology and design. In February 2008 the car will be unveiled at the
1925-1926: The prototypes of what would eventually become the first Volvo slowly take shape in a simple workshop on the
On April 14, 1927, the very first series-produced Volvo car leaves the factory that was built alongside the workshop. The model is called the ÖV4 (the Swedish abbreviation for Open Car, 4 cylinders), but it soon gains a new pet-name - Jakob.
2005-2006: In Leif Tufvesson's workshop in the rural south of
On December 18, 2007, in a perfect grand finale to Volvo's 80th jubilee celebrations, the car is first revealed to Volvo Personbilar Sverige's highly impressed top management.
"Volvo has always been a special make for me. These were the cars I learned my skills on in my youth, and I also worked for a while at Volvo's concept-car department. So instead of obtaining inspiration from an old Ford, as is usually the case in Hot Rod circles, I wanted to build something that meant more to me personally. That's why I chose to bring together the most classic attributes of Volvo, the Jakob, and my own modern Hot Rod style," explains Leif Tufvesson.
Parked side by side, the similarities between old and new are remarkable. The curvature of the bonnet has exactly the same radius. The characteristic windscreen attachment pillar that runs down the body side follows the original in detail as regards dimensions, materials and the number of screws used. Equally identical is the radiator grille with its characteristic mesh pattern and diagonal bar that incorporates the classic iron symbol. The body has been built by hand from raw aluminium panels that were bent into their final shape using a hammer and English wheel. Exactly as it was done in the prototype workshop back in the 1920s.
That said, however, the differences are naturally also obvious. Hot Rod Jakob is far smaller than the original. It is a two-seater instead of offering space for four. And it has those typical Hot Rod attributes: large wheels, no wings and a muscular rear axle. And if you get a bit closer it is possible to see differences in terms of materials and details. The chassis is built of lightweight carbon fibre, just like today's most advanced racing cars, not from heavy steel beams as in bygone times. The brake discs are remarkably slim, but their huge diameter (450 mm front, 515 mm rear) guarantee that the braking surface is still going to be more than sufficient. The wheel spokes are made of aluminium instead of wood, but they are exactly the same in number. The massive tyres with their specially milled tread in the form of Volvo's iron symbol give an assertive, modern aura, while the charming luggage compartment at the very front - in actual fact an elegant leather case - instead conjures up images of white suits, straw hats and wide skirts.
The entire build is typical of Leif Tufvesson's style. Lean. Aesthetically elegant. Stylishly minimalist. Largely because most of the components have been hidden away inside the body. For instance the springs and dampers, the electrical components and exhaust system. The result is that the body and axles look like they are floating in the air.
A closer look at the seating compartment reveals deeply rounded backrests instead of a single flat bench, creating a robust and sporty atmosphere. The seats are upholstered in light brown hide. The piping, the upright rifling on the backrest, resembles the original, while the perforated flat upper section behind the seat echoes more modern styling cues. A glance at the instrument panels reveals no conventional gauges. Instead, all the functions are gathered into a single, in-house-developed instrument to the right of the steering wheel. The dial face changes colour and function when pressed. Press once: the ignition comes on and the button glows red. Press the clutch and the button turns purple. Press once more and the engine fires up smoothly at the same time as the button's colour turns Volvo Blue.
"I really love combining old solutions with my very own ideas. Creating a fine balance between high-tech and tradition that works seamlessly. Dusting off old parts to renovate a car to original condition is not something that appeals to me," says Leif Tufvesson.
But there are nonetheless a number of classic Volvo parts in the Hot Rod Jakob. The steering wheel comes from a 1962 P1800, as do the gear lever gaiter and steering column. The brake pedal and brake master cylinder are from the 140 Series. Supplied by Volvo Genuine Classic Parts (Volvo has one of the industry's widest ranges of genuine manufacturer's spare parts). The M90 gearbox is Volvo's last rear-wheel drive variant and comes from a Volvo 960. The engine, on the other hand, is brand new - a powerful Volvo T5 converted to run on eco-friendly ethanol, all so as to underline the lifecycle approach to this entire project.
The Hot Rod Jakob project has challenged not only Leif's skills as a car builder but also perceptions of the Volvo brand. Just how does this car fit in with the image of safe, secure Volvo?
"Absolutely perfectly, in fact. We have for some time now been moving Volvo towards a more daring design language. The Hot Rod Jakob does of course go its own way, but I regard it more as a work of art than as a Hot Rod. The car is built with the very same Scandinavian design tradition as our modern Volvo models. Lean elegance, yet in a way that sticks out," says Volvo Cars design director Steve Mattin.
"That was exactly what made it so exciting. The paradoxes in the project. Challenging the usual perceptions of Volvo. And showing that it is perfectly possible to balance modern design and technology with classic Volvo and Hot Rod traditions," answers Leif Tufvesson when asked the same question.
After being unveiled at the
Hot Rod Jakob - technical specifications
Chassis: Carbon-fibre chassis. Steel subframe to carry the engine.
Front suspension: Live front axle with built-in steering gear. Concealed control arms, spring struts featuring coil-over gas dampers.
Rear springs: Wishbone. Internally fitted, concealed control arms and spring struts with coil-over gas dampers.
Body: Hand-beaten aluminium body.
Colour: Similar to Volvo Jakob Blue. The exact name and colour code of the original have been lost over the years.
Interior: Hand-sewn light brown smooth and perforated hide. Foam padding. Classic vertical piping in the backrest.
Engine: Volvo T5, five-cylinder petrol engine with light-pressure turbocharger, installed longitudinally. Flexifuel conversion so it can run on both petrol and ethanol. Power output: 265 horsepower. Torque: 370 Nm. Max output: 185 kW.
Gearbox: 5-speed manual M90 gearbox (Volvo 960).
Brakes: Specially manufactured brake discs fitted to the wheel rims. Diameter: 450 mm front, 515 mm rear. Twin four-pot callipers per disc.
Front wheels: 10x22" AEZ Forge rims.
Rear wheels: 8x19" AEZ Forge rims.
Front tyres: Pirelli Scorpion special 225/55/19.
Rear tyres: Pirelli Scorpion special 295/40/22.
Exhaust system: Concealed installation of 3" stainless full-flow exhaust system with racing catalytic converter.