For sale: 1953 Ferrari 250 Mille Miglia Berlinetta. Bids?

One sale, ten Ferraris, decades of history - and the epitome of Italian style. Bonhams is delighted to announce the ten most desirable Maranello Rosso Collection Ferraris, due to make their auction debut on 15^th August at Quail Lodge, California.

Robert Brooks, Bonhams Co-Chairman, said: "At Bonhams, we've had the privilege to present our clients with some very special motor cars and collections, but this is without doubt our most astounding collection, for sale at Quail Lodge this August.

"Fresh from the halls of the Maranello Rosso Museum we offer our select cross-section of ten cars from this renowned, long-established family of Ferrari's finest, spanning the marque's entire great classic period from the early 1950s to the early 1980s. The selection can be appreciated across the broad spectrum of Ferrari fans, and we're delighted to have the opportunity to offer them - It's set to be a very exciting sale for Bonhams – and for the entire Collector Car market."

  

The ten entries from the Maranello Rosso Collection are:

1. 1953 Ferrari 250 MM Berlinetta
2. 1969 Ferrari Dino 206 GT Coupe
3. 1968 Ferrari 365 GTC Coupe
4. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta
5. 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 Formula 1 Grand Prix single-seater
6. 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Pininfarina Cabriolet
7. 1968 Ferrari Dino 166/246T Formula 2/Tasman single-seater
8. 1981 Ferrari 512 BB/LM Endurance Racing Coupe
9. 1970 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona uprated to Competition Specification
10. 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Speciale Aerodinamica

The 1953 Ferrari 250 Mille Miglia Berlinetta is a particular sale highlight. Tailor-made to compete in frontline long-distance races, in May 1954, Road & Track magazine tested future World Champion Phil Hill's own sister Ferrari 250MM and recorded 0-60 mph acceleration in just 5.1 seconds, 0-100mph in 13.7. "Never before have I accelerated so rapidly, traveled so fast, or decelerated so suddenly," wrote the magazine's editor.

1953 Mille Miglia

An outstanding example of Ferrari's first 3-litre V12-engine Gran Turismo, it launched the line that later extended over the 1950s, giving us the 250 Tour de France, the 250 GT Short-Wheelbase, and 250 GTO models.

The cars' racing history began appropriately in California in 1953, with American enthusiast and racer, Bill Devin.

He made his public debut in the new Ferrari at the Sports Car Club of America San Francisco Region's 3rd Annual Members' Madera race meeting in September that year. He promptly finished third in the novice event before handing the car over to fast-rising Santa Monica star driver Phil Hill, who won the main event there that day. 

Bill Devin subsequently appeared with this Ferrari 250MM – finished in the American white-and-blue racing livery it wears today – at Stead Air Force Base in October, 1953, while his brother Gene Devin drove it at March AFB that November.  In June 1954 the car was sold to Ken Heavlin, who ran a luxury car garage at Grosse Point, Michigan.

After Devin's ownership, the car changed hands several times, eventually in 1986 returning to its native Italy, joining the collection of Count Vittorio Zanon di Valgiurata. 

He co-drove the car in that year's Mille Miglia Storica event and in 1987 it again attacked the daunting thousand-mile course from Brescia to Pescara, across to Rome, and then back to Brescia via Florence and Bologna.

Count Zanon sold it then to Rudi Pas/Classic Car Associates in Holland, who found a Japanese buyer in a Mr. Shimada. However, the car was quickly returned to Pas and it was in the winter of 1987-88 that this Ferrari – with its early-career Phil Hill Californian history – was acquired for the Maranello Rosso Collection.

Each of the Ferraris offered in Bonhams Quail Lodge sale has a rich and varied history, offering an intriguing showcase of the evolution of the marque from the 1950s to 1980s.

Internet UFO Video - Is it fake or real?

Post by Carlos Marquez.

Actor James Garner dead at 86

James Garner in the 1966 John Frankenheimer film, Grand Prix

Angeles: Legendary Hollywood actor James Garner, known for his roles in movies like `The Rockford Files` and `The Notebook`, is dead. He was 86.

Garner died Saturday, but the cause of his death is not known yet, suggest reports.

The law enforcement sources said an ambulance was dispatched to the actor`s home here around 8 p.m. Saturday evening and he was dead when they arrived on scene.

Garner was one of the first actors to amass success in both television and film and he starred in a lot of classics.

Known for the comedy series `Maverick`, in which he played Bret Maverick from 1957-1960, the actor even acted in the 1994 big screen version of `Maverick`, which starred Mel Gibson in the lead role.

Dive inside the Costa Concordia. New video footage.

This footage is released by the Italian police.

First all-new Harley Davidson in 14 years - and it's liquid cooled

Features new liquid-cooled Revolution X Engine and Dark Custom styling

Harley-Davidson is continuing its monumental ride, which began with the introduction of Project RUSHMORE in September, by revealing a new Dark Custom™ motorcycle designed for young urban riders around the world.

The Harley-Davidson Street™ 500 motorcycle – the first all-new platform from Harley-Davidson in 14 years – is built for urban environments with all-new liquid-cooled Revolution X™ powertrains, nimble agility and the sound and look that lets everyone know they are genuine Harley-Davidson. The Harley-Davidson Street™ 500 will be rolling into Australia dealerships starting in 2015.

“This is the newest motorcycle to join our Dark Custom line-up, which helped make us the number-one selling brand to young adults in the U.S. for the past five years,” said Matt Levatich, President and Chief Operating Officer, Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “The Street 500 was designed with thousands of hours of input from young adults in cities around the world. This input guided both the attitude and capabilities of these motorcycles. They are proof that being customer-led continues to be a core driver of our product development process.”

Urban, Authentic Harley-Davidson

The Street 500 from Harley-Davidson is built for an urban environment. The motorcycle features the new, Revolution X engine, designed to match the demands of stop-and-go traffic with nimble agility, while delivering instant throttle response to escape city gridlock.

The Revolution X engine will be housed in a new, narrow and lean chassis built for agility, with a super-low seat height, new suspension and broad handlebar sweep that provides confidence and manoeuvrability when managing tight turns and fast moves. The signature Dark Custom motorcycle features a premium, minimalist style that serves as a blank canvas for riders to customize.

“This new bike is leaner, yet still has a mean streak – it’s the real deal, made of real steel.” said Mark-Hans Richer, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “It’s designed to handle the abuses of urban environments and provide authentic opportunities to customize.”

More information is available at www.h-d.com.au/street. Video of the Harley-Davidson Street platform reveal in Milan, including an in-depth walk-through of the motorcycles, details on their design, and a Q&A with Mark-Hans Richer will be available at http://www.youtube.com/HarleyDavidson

911 Martini outfit for Le Mans comeback by Porsche

Stuttgart. Porsche Exclusive is issuing the "Martini Racing Edition" of the 911 Carrera S to coincide with this year’s 24 hours of Le Mans race. Marking the return of Porsche to endurance motorsport is a limited edition 911 in traditional Martini racing design, which reflects the styling of Porsche race cars of the 1970s. The 911 Carrera S pays tribute to the successes of the legendary Porsche Le Mans race cars such as the 917 and the 935 “Moby Dick”. The special edition is limited to 80 units and will be exclusively sold in select markets of Europe, in China, Japan and in Latin America. For select 911 models, Porsche Tequipment will be selling the exclusive Martini decal set as an aftermarket kit in Germany and other markets.

The "Martini Racing Edition" of the 911 Carrera S is available in the monochrome body colours white and black. The boot lid, roof section, rear wing and vehicle's sides are accentuated by the "Martini Racing Design" decor set with the characteristic blue-red Martini colour pattern. The special front apron of the Aerokit Cup has an optimised spoiler lip which gives the vehicle an even more distinctive appearance. The aerodynamic counterpart is the fixed rear spoiler of the Aerokit Cup, which rounds out the car's sporty look.

When entering the car, the stainless steel door sill panels with the red illuminated "911 Carrera S – Martini Racing Edition" badge already identify this car as an exclusive limited edition. The interior package includes dashboard accents in body colour with the "Martini Racing Edition" badge. The Martini Porsche also has a sport design steering wheel and the Sport Chrono package as standard. The extensive standard equipment is complemented by such features as Porsche Communication Management (PCM) with navigation module, a Bose sound system, tachometer with black gauge dial and all-electric sport seats in black leather.

The heart that beats in the Martini Porsche is a 3.8-litre flat six-cylinder engine with 400 hp. This 911 matches the level of dynamic performance of the regular 911 Carrera S: The car accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds with a PDK gearbox and activated Sport Plus button. Its combined fuel consumption, on the other hand, is familiarly moderate at 8.7 litres per 100 km (CO2 emissions: 202 g/km).

Starting in June 2014, the Porsche 911 Carrera S “Martini Racing Edition” will launch in the European markets of Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Finland and Great Britain. Starting in August 2014, the special edition will also be available in China, and from October 2014 in Japan and in Latin America.


911 Carrera S Martini Racing: Fuel consumption: urban 12.1 l/100 km; extra-urban 6.7l/100 km; combined 8.7l/100 km; CO2 emissions 202 g/km; efficiency class: G**

World's longest burning lightbulb

IN his continuing search for the more weird, wacky and wondrous in the world of travel, David Ellis says that one of the world's strangest tourist attractions is a simple electric light bulb in a California fire station – because it was first switched on in June 1901, and is still burning today, nearly 113 years later.

Firemen at the Livermore Fire Department's Station 6 on the southern edge of the San Francisco Bay area welcome visitors to view and photograph the 24hr "night light," even having a sign saying that if the front door is closed, to go around the back and bang on the door there to get their attention.

And the local City Council has installed CCTV to monitor the light, that's been recognised by the Guinness Book of Records, Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not and even in a citation from the President of the USA as the world's oldest-known working light bulb.

The bulb was installed in the original Livermore Fire Hose Cart-house in 1901, briefly switched off when that station moved to another site in 1903, and turned off for a week during renovations in 1937. It was moved to its current location in 1976 and has only been off once since – when power to the station failed for 9.5hrs in May last year.

Its authenticity has been verified from newspaper records and by engineers from the General Electric Company.