The Syclone at first glance looks like a Sonoma with over sized wheels, lowered suspension, and ground effects.  What makes a Sonoma a Syclone?  How about a turbocharged 4.3L v6 hooked up with full time four wheel drive!  Put the pedal to the floor on a standard Sonoma and you’ll be going nowhere fast.  The Syclone on the other hand will erase 60 mph in 4.3* seconds  and charge onward to a low 13 second quarter mile.  In 1991 that was fast enough to embarrass Corvette and Ferrari owners in a drag race.

Roughly 3000 Syclone’s were produced between 1991 and 1992 so if the bragging rights of owning one of the worlds fastest production trucks isn’t enough, their rarity should be enough to push you over edge.  With values on clean examples approaching their original MSRP, Sylcone’s are definitely a worthy collectible.  Granted, the brash and cheesy styling of this muscle truck isn’t for everyone but I have to admit, watching Fabio in his Ferrari gape at my shrinking tailgate is very appealing.  It might even be appealing enough to grow a mullet and start chewing on Slim Jim’s.

The Syclone pictured here is currently for sale in Kirkland WA, close enough that it may warrant a test drive.  It’s a one owner and completely stock, with the exception of a tasteful carbon fiber hood.  Asking price is under 14k, a fair price for one in such condition.  For future investment purposes, bragging rights, and Yankee Doodle… I recommend you buy it before I do.

*Car and drive tested the 1991 GMC Syclone and achieved a 0-60 time of 4.3 seconds and a quarter mile of 13.06.

Several months ago I brought you news that the name Barracuda had been registered under the Chrysler name.  Since that time, more has transpired and I can confidently say that the Barracuda is coming back and under the SRT nameplate.  What details are currently available can be found in my latest article at The Daily Derbi by clicking here.

The long and short of it is, the SRT Barracuda should make its sales debut in 2015 and will be smaller than the current Dodge Challenger.  Engine options will range from the 2.4L turbo that will be available in the Dart all the way up to the mighty 6.4L Hemi.  Rumor has it that the Barracuda may not have an V6 option.

The big question of the day is: Will the Barracuda fit in the Chrysler lineup alongside the Dodge Challenger?  Either the Challenger and Barracuda will appeal to different types of performance car enthusiasts or the the Challenger will leave the party due to increasingly strict CAFE requirements which don’t cater to numerous performance cars under one roof.  If the latter proves true, the Challenger will be missed and leave a pleasant memory of Mopar‘s of old.  Big heavy cars with lots of power are giving way to smaller lighter sportsters that still make plenty of power with much less in the displacement department.  It’s not a bad thing but the muscle cars of old will be missed.

Related articles

• Chrysler Registers the Cuda Name
• 2015 SRT Barracuda

The Subaru SVX – may it rest in peace, was one of those cars that entered a gun fight with a pocket knife.  The SVX showed up on our shores in 1992 amidst the slugfest of sports cars which included the likes of the Acura NSX, Toyota Supra, Nissan Z, and Mitsubishi 3000GT.  The SVX on paper, for the most part, was up to the task but it had a few weaknesses that brought its early demise.  Cars like the NSX and Nissan Z had been around for several years already, decades if you include the Z and Supra.  Each one had varying levels of performance and had established names for themselves.  The SVX quite literally came strolling down the catwalk after the audience had turned to leave the venue.  Production ran from 1992 to 1997 with an anemic 640 units in its final year.

A major factor in the SVX’s short lifespan was the recession of the mid 90′s, it was responsible for the demise of the Supra and Z as well as their prices began creeping up on much higher level cars like the Chevrolet Corvette.  Subaru wasn’t known for producing sports cars either.  Many people wouldn’t have taken the sleek looking SVX for a Subaru in the first place, which is a shame since many were probably quite intrigued with what the car was.

Despite being overmatched in its competition and showing up during an unfortunate economic slip, the SVX was still a stellar car.  Powered by the same 3.3L H6 that was found in the Legacy, the SVX churned out a stout 231 horsepower.  Being a Subaru, it was also equipped with all-wheel-drive.  Unfortunately for Save the Manuals badge wearers, the SVX was only offered with an automatic because they didn’t have a standard transmission at the time that could handle the power.  Ironically enough, the SVX is notorious for blowing out transmissions.

Had the SVX showed up with the rest of the crew in the lat 80′s with the proper equipment to transmit the power it’s fate may not have been so melodramatic, especially considering who designed the car in the first place.  Giorgetto Giugiaro, the legendary designer that put cars like the DeLorean and Lotus Elise on the road also designed the SVX.  His taste is evident in the unique window design that can be found in the DeLorean and Lamborghini Countach, it was essentially a window within a window.

Finding a clean preowned SVX is like finding a needle in a haystack these days.  Too many have been the victims of neglect and too many wide open throttle launches – tempting with AWD.  Most will say that their transmissions were recently rebuilt… be wary.  I was lucky enough to take a rare jewel out recently.  This clean one owner has found its way onto a lot that specializes in Subaru’s.  It’s a one owner and while not perfect is in very good condition.  The owner is now 100 years old, has lost his sight and thus ability to enjoy is AWD drive sportster.  It’s a day that none of us look forward to.  With 80,000 miles on the clock the two-tone silver and black Giugiaro creation has been meticulously maintained with records to prove it.  The seats are free of tears and paint is in very good condition as well.  Handling is sharp and responsive and acceleration is immediate, thanks to the AWD.

This little beauty is still for sale in the greater Seattle area if you’re interested but be warned, the SVX is not for the faint of heart in the maintenance arena.  Too many hard launches and you’ll be hunting for a tranny and if you happen to catch a rock chip in the window, get it filled as soon as possible.  Because of the limited numbers, a windshield can run you about $1000.  The SVX is a rare bird and a beautiful one at that.  Lets hope a few more clean examples can find their way into caring and capable hands.

June 1st, 2nd & 3rd, it’s been on my calender for quite some time.  Why?  Because I eat, drink, and sleep automobiles.  My two boys are named after cars, I stay awake at night thinking about cars, and I’ve written 100′s of articles about… you guessed it – cars.  June 1st and 2nd mark the grand opening dates of Lemay: America’s Car Museum.  If you follow my blog, you’ve heard of it before.  A collection that started with one man’s passion has grown into a world class museum, focused on America’s love affair with the automobile.

What once was a collection of cars crammed into every square foot of the old Marymount Academy in Parkland, WA will now be a state of the art 165,000 square foot, four-level museum.  Resting just off of I-5, next to the Tacoma dome in Tacoma, WA, America’s Car Museum is a sight to behold.  At first glance it’s clear the museum was designed after the hood of a car.  The long sloped design of the building itself resembles something like an old Duesenberg.  Herold LeMay isn’t with us anymore, but I’m sure he’s looking down from the heavens with an approving eye.

Young or old, new school or old school, ACM will be a gathering place for automotive enthusiasts of all kinds and levels.  ACM won’t just be a place to display cars, it will be a place to gather, learn, and grow.  You can eat there, dance there, learn there, and ultimately, the love affair of the automobile will be instilled upon all who enter.

June 1st & 2nd & 3rd, 2012.  ACM will be hosting a number of parties on the night of June 1st, with free car shows on the 2nd and 3rd.  Other activities and events like go-karts and music concerts will also be a part of the festivities.  Not to mention, Saturday the 2nd will mark the first tours in the new museum.  Tacoma is now home to a landmark museum that should be on anyones “to do” list.  Be sure not to miss it!

If it isn’t raining here in the Northwest it’s drizzling, but that didn’t seem to deter this group of enthusiasts that had shown up to display their pride and joy.  A favorite of mine at every car show are the 1955 to 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Airs that are almost always present.  In my mind there are muscle cars, classic cars, and hot rods.  These three groups generally make up the majority of entries at an average car  show… with a scattering of imports, exotics, and european examples.  Bel-Airs have always been the epitome of the classic car scene and occasionally you’ll find one that is a prime custom hot rod.  One of the most beautiful cars ever made, the Bel-Air will forever be on my bucket list of cars to own.

Today exotic super cars are producing well over 600 horsepower, with some examples like the Bugatti Veyron punching out over 1000.  I was a Junior in High School when the Ford GT was being plastered all over magazine stands and to this day has been the object of my desire.  What’s not to love about an American built exotic with 550 supercharged ponies wailing behind you.  Exotics and super cars had been somewhat slow in their progression until the Ford GT hit the scene and then all of a sudden it became an all out horsepower war!  When done properly, retro cars like the Ford GT can be among the most desirable and the call back to the original GT-40 was done perfectly here.  This graphite GT is immaculate and one that I would very much like to own someday.

A car show isn’t a car show unless there is at least one Mopar present and this sublime green Road Runner is among the most sought after Chrysler built muscle cars of all time.  The horsepower war is alive and well in 2012 but the 60′s was the when the original fast car frenzy began and the Mopar clan of cars were among the most potent.  With several high output engines as options Road Runners could range from just over 300 horsepower to a blow your doors off 400 +.  This pristine 1970 was equipped with the legendary 440 cubic inch power plant that produces just shy of 400 horsepower.

There were many other examples that I could spend all day discussing at the show but of course life must go on… unfortunately.  However, Cooper and I did enjoy a nice break and we’ll be looking for more car shows in the near future as Summer draws near.  The Grand Opening of the LeMay museum in Tacoma is just a month away which will be a world class event.  Until then… stay tuned for more automotive antics as time permits.

Flying cars aren’t not just a futuristic fantasy anymore.  Thanks to two companies that are in a bit of a race to produce the first production flying car, flying across the state to the in-laws for Thanksgiving and driving to the grocery store in the same vehicle is quite possible.  Terrafugia, an American company has developed a prototype, fixed wing airplane.  They call it the “Transition Street-legal Airplane” and transitions it does.  With the wings locked in the flight position, it looks like your run of the mill kit airplane, with the exception of headlights, taillights, and a steering wheel.  When you’re done flying the wings fold in half and tuck themselves along the side of the vehicle.  It’s gangly looking, it’s long, but it’ll drive around town just fine and runs off of 91 octane gasoline that can be pumped at any gas station.

The Transition has a competitor from the Netherlands that takes a much different approach.  While the Transition seats two, drives like a limousine, and flies with fixed wings, the Dutch Personal Air and Land vehicle (PAL-V) drives like a sports car on three wheels, seats just one, and flies like a helicopter.  Both vehicles have documented successful tests of driving and flying.  Both drive, both fly, but both take very different approaches.  The Transition needs a traditional run way to take flight while the PAL-V can take off from a tradition road.

I may be following a faulty trend but I think there my quite a few people flying and driving the same vehicle by the time I’m 65.  With both prototypes proving that they can successfully fly and drive, I would imagine that both companies with be working with investors to take things to the next level.  The very wealthy may be flying to grandmothers house and pulling up to the drive in the same vehicle within a couple of years.

[Source: NPR]

To celebrate such a historic mark of the storied Corvette line, Chevrolet has appropriately provided the Corvette faithful with a special collectors edition.  The 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 has been created to celebrate the 60 years of Corvette and it’s perfect for those that wanted a Zo6 powered drop top with Zr1 styling.

What better way to hear the song of a 7.0L V8 and 505 horsepower with the top down and what better way to celebrate than   blowing out 60 candles under wide open throttle.  Look to see the new 427 60th Anniversary Corvette early this summer.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Image via Wikipedia

It’s clear that BMW has some kind of an interest in cheeky British sports cars.  Maybe those Bavarian‘s are getting tired of the cookie cutter stereotype that BMW’s carry; similar to the Audi‘s, a lot of stiff upper class folk drive German.  Yet, a solid decade ago BMW revived the Mini name and started pumping out cute little go karts with 1,000 different options to paint them.  Today, Mini is once again a popular car for the hip and high on life.

Another character filled car company from the Brits was Triumph.  Known for their sporty convertibles that competed with the likes of MG, Triumphs were and still are, a favorite of many.  Yet Triumph folded over a decade ago and the name has been nothing but motorcycles since.  BMW held onto the rights of Triumph back when it was acquiring Mini though and it sounds like they may be toying with the idea of bringing Triumph back.  I have to admit that a new aged TR7 or Spitfire would be pretty cool, especially if it has some BMW under the hood and at the four corners.  BMW has had a lot of British experience with Rolls-Royce, Mini, Rover, and MG, so I expect that if Triumph is revived it will have plenty of that old British flair that so many find appealing.

[Source: Auto Blog]

Image via Wikipedia

I’ve been doing a lot of writing for The Daily Derbi lately but I’ve not forgotten about my roots!  Information is still going to flow through Mountain High Motoring.  Even if that information is just a reiteration of what I’ve written for the Derbi.  If you haven’t checked The Daily Derbi out yet, please do.  The content is great, and there are other contributors besides just myself.  In case you get tired of me .  It was announced today that General Motors is partnering with the European based company of PSA Peugeot Citroen in order to be more competitive in the European market.  I won’t spill the details here due to time but you can find my thoughts at the Derbi at the link below.  I hope your hungry for some European delicacy because we’re getting a lot of it these days here in the States.

Related articles

• http://dailyderbi.com/general-motors-to-team-up-with-psa-peugeot-citroen/

Image via Wikipedia

Fuel economy has once again become the governments soap box.  Fuel economy and emissions standards.  Unfortunately the two aren’t quite synonymous and both are usually descriptive of soggy four cylinders that can only be described as uninspiring.  Fortunately, technology is allowing us to clear the hurdles that stand in the way of fun cars being fuel efficient as well.  You may have noticed an uptick in cars with turbos as well as a decrease in engine sizes and lots of new acronyms that stand for fancy fuel management and timing systems.

A prime example of forward thinking in achieving stellar fuel economy is the new Ford 1.0 Liter EcoBoost.  Currently found in the European spec Ford Focus, this mighty mite won’t be sold here in the States until 2014.  Still, it’ll be worth the wait.  Looking at the numbers the little 1.0 Liter engine is an anomaly.  It weighs roughly 215 pounds (that’s light), has only 3-cylinders, and the engine block itself is about as long as a $5 foot-long.  Incredibly, the little engine produces 125 horsepower and 147 ib-ft of torque.  That isn’t an exorbitant amount of power but coming from an engine that size – it might as well be a knock-out punch.

The tiny engine utilizes advance technology to help it achieve the power it produces and let’s not forget the fuel economy.  Gasoline Direct Injection, Variable valve Timing, and a turbo charger help the engine achieve a more efficient combustion process and produce a claimed 50-55 mpg.  Conventional gasoline engines haven’t produced those kinds of numbers for over twenty years – thanks to emissions laws.  With fuel prices anticipated to reach $5 a gallon by this summer, engines like Ford’s 1.0 Liter Ecoboost will be in high demand.  Unfortunately, if you need those numbers now you only have a few options.  Since the 1.0 Focus won’t be sold here for another couple of years, you’ll either have to find an old Honda CRX HF or a Geo Metro.  Then of course there are the more expensive options of EV’s and hybrids.  Here’s to rising fuel prices and sandwich sized engines.

Related articles

• First Drive: Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost (independent.co.uk)
• Ford’s 1.0 Ecoboost (The Daily Derbi)